Amps which are Great, but either Unknown or Underpriced


Hello everyone,


When I think of Power Amps (or integrated amps) that play / sound way beyond their price-point and can be non-household names, I think of companies like:


  1. Belles (Power Modules)
  2. McCormack
  3. Coda


Can you guys please suggest other Power Amps / Companies that are also somewhat unknown or of great value?


Your suggestions would really help me and others.  Thanks!


Matt

mminor
Vincent Audio. Designed in Germany, manufactured in China. I have pr. of SP-998 mono blocks. These compete with or surpass Power Amps costing many times there RRP of Aus.$6k. The fact I picked them up brand new for half that, make them a contender for one of the great bargains in audio history. 300W. into 8ohms. 50W of that Class A. these have the best grip on bass I have ever experienced and will embaress some of the overpriced big names costing truckloads more in musicality.

Havn't heard any of their  other Power Amps, but would like to try one of their Hybrids one day.

I have the SA -T8 Pre-Amp which is sublime and will beat much more expensive pre's. Also have the SA-T1 which is ok in a more budget set up if you pick one up discounted as I did.


Okay ... "little known and sounds great:" 

Years ago I bought a Dyna 120 in perfect condition at a garage sale for four dollars. I sent it back to Minnesota to Frank Van Alstine so he could install his circuits. What I got back was a 60 wpc giant killer. It was solid state but if left on for a few hours took on a sweetness all its own. The bass was killer too. Over the years, I've referred many people, especially those on a tight budget to the Van Alstines folks. Good people. Good electronics. Great prices.
Quicksilver mini-mites with 6L6GC tubes and nos 12ax7s kicked my rear end out for a walk! If you don't need to blow your brains out these are hard to beat for anything under $2K!
A note about Vincent…I own a Kavent S-33 preamp that is a re-badged Vincent SA-93…not sure why they needed 2 companies selling the same stuff (Kavent is gone), but in any case it's an amazing balanced dual mono preamp with isolated power supplies on one side of the deep aluminum cladded chassis. Also, I have a good friend with one of those massive Vincent hybrid integrateds and it also is an overbuilt thing that sounds fabulous.