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High End Amp Price Collapse musings

If Class D amplification becomes accepted by audiophiles there should be a glut of high end amps (Krell, Levinson, Pass etc) becoming available on the used market at prices a fraction of what they are now.

Think CRT TV when the flat panels began emerging.I think Ill hold off on a new/used amp purchase for a little while. Maybe I will bet a Boulder.

Has any one else considered this?

energeezer
energeezer OP
26 posts
 
Although I did say I was waiting I know I can't. Ill lose my mind.My Aragon 8008 (admittedly not true high end) has been at the shop for 6 weeks now and I’m suffering withdrawl.
If it isn’t ready soon or can’t be economically repaired I will buy something similar. Nope..Not class D. Maybe by the time my next upgrade is due Class D will be the standard and I'll be able to afford that Pass Labs 250x I drool so heavily over.

henrycai's avatar
henrycai
120 posts
 
Did you wakeup yet from ur dream.
gammajo's avatar
gammajo
846 posts
 
Unless you have personally heard the newest Nuforce/Nuprime amps, such as Reference 20 mono amps which come at Class D in a different, proprietary way not using the modules that others use, you have not heard what Class D type amps can currently offer.
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 

"I agree vinyl is very alive"

Seriously? How many people outside of (some of) the folks who post here do you think are spinning a turntable? Look around and see how the next generation of young folks are consuming their music. Buying CDs, vinyl - don't think so. Audiophile will keep doing what they're doing now and everybody else will go for cheaper, lighter - read more portable, and more energy efficient- read class D, stuff. I'm not holding my breathe to grab a Pass XA60.8 at fire sale prices anytime soon. I just wish.

aberyclark
1,357 posts
 
It's all about what you are familiar with. If you never heard a good class A amp, or heard a not so good class A amp, a class D can be impressive. I had a Pioneer Elite receiver about 12 years ago and it sounded great. However, I purchased an older B&K st140 and there seems to be a deep soundstage where instruments are at various places. Whereas the Pioneer sounded as if every instrument was lined up front and center ( if that makes sense). Now I have not heard a recent class d amp
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