PS Audio BHK 300 mono VS Modwright KWA 150SE mono VS D'agostino Classic stereo


What would you consider the best option of these 3 to build a reference level system.
Any experience with these amps would be appreciated.
I'm also considering higher end gear but if budget does not allow i will stick to these 3 options.

Thieliste
128x128thieliste
I've always considered Pass Lab to be one of the best solid state amp designer in the industry, having owned and listened to many of their XA and X models, I'd have to say the D'Agostino is on the same level. Never had extensive experience with any of the other amps mentioned beside listening at RMAF so I won't compare.
For a high powered amp it is very musical, it is on the warm side of neutral but not as warm as the Vac Phi 200 I previously owned and closer to the modified Audio Valve Challenger I still own using KT120.
Bass is tight and powerful when the music calls for it but with most material it is well textured and doesn't reveal itself as a high power amp. Never heard any hardening of the highs as the Absolute Sound review suggests, but how can they say an amp at this price is complete when there are so many much more expensive including other models from D'Agostino. Soundstage is noticeably deep, the width is consistent with other SS amp I've heard. Detail is excellent!
Overall, it is musical, refined, and and I'm a happy owner. This amp does require an extended warm up time similar to tubes especially if you don't listen often like I do.
For preamp, I would go VAC just because I'm currently using a tube pre and it's working for me.

scar972 very good description of the D'agostino Classic amp thanks very much, it will serve everyone considering this amp.
So with this amp it is wise to consider a good tube preamp like VAC or VTL.
I have no doubt the  D'agostino Classic Stereo Amp sounds excellent.  The Ken Kessler hi-fi news review compares the sound of the Classic Stereo favorably to (or, in the ballpark of) D'agostino's Momentum amp.

I observed the lab report in the hi-fi news review indicated the amp does not double power from 8 to 4 to 2 ohms.  There is plenty of power, no doubt, but it seems they may have played with the power specs a bit, i.e., underplaying the 8 ohm power to indicate a doubling into 4 ohms but, in fact, the results indicate the output is less than 600 wpc into 4 ohms, or about 150% of the output into 8 ohms.

The other thing I was curious about in looking at the pictures of the insides of the amp, was the absence of either big capacitors or lots of medium-sized capacitors.  There are four 6800uf storage caps mounted on each channel's board, and some smaller caps, but there appear to be like 16 output devices per channel so I am surprised there is not more capacitance provided.  It is possible there are other caps that I cannot see in the picture but it looks like there is a lot of empty space between the two boards and the associated heat sinks they are mounted to.

I guess I am used to the two huge (think 24oz Colt 45 tall-boy) capacitors in each of my Clayton monos (but that may not be a fair comparison since the Claytons are biased in Class A) or the 14 or so medium sized caps per side in my David Reich designed McCormack DNA-2 LAE.  Both of those amps are also rated at 300/600 wpc.

There is a dealer located near a city I travel to for work so if I get to hear the D'agostino Classic Stereo Amp I will report back.  If I were looking for similar power, it would be on my list to look at.
Good observations mitch2, let us know when you can make an audition.
I wonder how the D'agostino classic would do against the Karan KAS 600.