2. amps-preamps
  3. 1046936497

Amp choice for VA Mahlers

Anyone hve suggestions on which would be best amp choice for a VA Mahler as part of HT set up. I was thinking of GAmut D200 but not sure what to match to run center and back. I thought of Theta , Classe CAV180 (perhaps too much like current MArantz MM9000 AV9000), Classe CAM200 or CAM350. At least if i buy the monoblocks I can use the roksan that I own for now, and upgrade the rest of the channels later. I have heard the Classe CAV180 driving BW803 and was impressed with wide soundstage in Stereo . WIth BW the whole thing got too bright but i dont think this will be a problem with VA any thoughts?
quigly
tok20000's avatar
tok20000
608 posts
 
Go for the GamuT D200 mk2.

Spend extra $$$ on a nice AC cord.
I would suggest a Kimber Palladium PK10 if you can afford it o a BMI Shark or a VD Nite w/SOL.

These cords are not cheap, but will make your GamuT sound a lot better. The D-200 with a stock cord is good, but with one fo the above AC cords it can be freakin amazing.

KF
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Quigly, there are many good recommedations here. I currently have the Strauss being driven by a Threshold T400 with great success. I do not beleive, however, that you will get the full benefit of the Mahlers or a new amp while using a SSP. If you listen to a lot of music (I'm 80% music and 20% HT), I'd recommend a stereo preamp with a SSP bypass. There are many quality choices out there, Audio Research, BAT, Cary, Classe, Ayre, Sonic Frontiers, just to name a few. I own a Classe CP-60 which sounds better on music than any SSP I've owned or listened to. (I have owned units from Proceed and Classe and auditioned Anthem, Aragon, Krell). I have a Denon receiver for the center and surround channels and processing HT. Then I have the front L/R preamp outputs of the Denon feed into the SSP inputs of my CP-60, so I can use my Strauss as my fronts. I, for one, will never go back to the high end SSP category. If you are mostly HT and do not listen to much music, then you may be better served with a SSP.

Regards,
John
quigly OP
5 posts
 
i mostly listen to music and am inclined to follow your advice to go with a good pre amp and integrate it into the setup. I could see going with the Gamut amp and one of the preamps you mentioned. There is a vk20 BAT pre although I get the impression that the tube BATS are more impressive. For AR I wouldnt know which ones have a bypass. I go look at there site and see whats available out there. There are some used CLasse cp60 could work and importantly their tech support say it can be rewired to 220v.
I had taken a view that HT needed to be good to be enjoyable whereas 2 channel can be taken far because your attention is 100% focused on the music and therefore one can really invest and appreciate the difference
More to discover