Experience with Tannoy Westminster Royal Gold Reference

hddg OP14 posts10-14-2016 7:23pmI guess the likes of FM Acoustics and other very good AB amps are the exception to the rule, but again the prices are stratospheric. I heard the best of Ayre, very good amps but does not beat the Coincident Dragon MkII, so that would not be an upgrade!! I think Vitus, Pass, Boulder, Gryphon, Soulution and the likes will be the way.
Can we agree on this??

From all that you’ve described hddg, and having owned or heard many of the amps you mentioned, I think you would most like the Vitus SS-103 - http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/172886/vitus-ss-103-debuts-at-munich-high-end, or a 2nd hand Vitus SS-102 - http://www.vitusaudio.com/en/114879-SS-102. Vitus aims for a sound which offers the best of both worlds between tube and ss which is non-fatiguing and natural. That is a good summary. If your finances don’t reach that high, I would look at a new Wells Audio Innamorata Signature -  @$15kUSD which is a very musical sounding amp.

Thanks Melbguy1. I can go to some USD60k, and actually i am having a great and rare opportunity around that price for a pair of brand new Gryphon Mephisto Solo (230V) from Europe, that's the monoblock version, with 200W ClassA with zero NF. They are usually 100K euros, so that looks like a great opportunity to own one of the best amps on the market. There is not much review of these in USA since Gryphon is not represented, but the shop which is selling it as well as the Pass Xs300, tells me that the Pass is sluggish in comparison, and the same Pass Xs300 have had the best reviews in the US. I suppose that the Gryphon Mephisto Solo must be a grade superior to the Vitus which are also recognized amps. Here is a review of the stereo only version: http://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/twbas-menu/399-sonic-sorcery-gryphon-audio-designs-mephisto... & http://www.avhub.com.au/product-reviews/sound-image/gryphon-mephisto-394798
Dear David, my system already uses SR Black quantum fuses, but could not make the difference with the new Tannoy since it was already there before i completed the setup!!! However, i do not have audio grade wall sockets, but it is on my list of next and last small tweaks.

hddg, if you can consider US $60K then you might want to look at this -

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-david-berning-company-211845-power-amplifier/

I suspect that might be magical.

Hddg, that does sound like a good deal on the Gryphon Mephisto mono's. And no question they are great amps. Though I don't agree the Mephisto mono's are a grade superior to Gryphon. I can tell you, Vitus's factory is SOTA, and arguably superior to even Boulder. Virus designs his gear to achieve a sound which offers the best of SS, Class A, zero NFB design, with a natural/organic tube-like quality. He also designs his amps to be non-fatiguing. 

Fyi, Vitus will be releasing new SM-103 mono's, probably by early next year based on the SS-103 stereo amp which should be around $60kEUR. Like the SS-103, they will operate in pure Class A with Zero NFB & feature Intelligent Class A bias' & two tunable modes 'Classic' and 'Rock'. They will absolutely compete with the Gryphon amps on any metric. Though I wouldn't pair Vitus monos with a tube preamp. Rule of thumb: Vitus sounds best with Vitus. Sound-wise, I think you'd find Vitus sounds more organic and tube-like compared to Gryphon, but still with PLENTY on control, speed and resolution. Just with a more natural presentation. Just another option to consider...