To me the real question is "What amplifiers give you the most audio value for your dollar?"
I think there are very few audio buyers who don't care about value. You make a purchase because you need something you don't currently have. You carefully consider your needs versus your budget and then make a choice. So most of the time, you choose a component that you feel will give you the most improvement in your sound at the price you're willing to pay.
We come to Audiogon because there is generally greater value in buying used gear. That 3 year old amplifier probably sounds just as good today as it did 3 years ago and it's selling for half of what it was listed at retail. Today's $5000 wonder is tomorrow's $3000 White Elephant.
So again, where do you get the most value for your audio dollar? I run a set of Linkwitz Orions, which call for 8 channels at 60 wpc. I've been running a B&K AV1260, 60wpc "zone amp" and they sound terrific. I bought it used, of course, for $500. They list new for about $1200. The recommended amp from Linkwitz is a similar ATI amp which retails for $1600. I've seen the B&K AV1260 go for as little as $250 on EBay. Not a lot of call for 12 channel amps, but I think it's a very good match to the big Linkwitz designs like the Orion or LX521. I think that's a Good Value.
