High End Amp Price Collapse musings

Really interesting stuff here
My two cents
Just replaced two behemoth Emotiva amps ( a 5channel and a 2 channel) in the ht rig with a tiny little Nuforce mca-20.
Now the tanks were rated at 5x200w and 2x300w and the Nuforce "just" 8x150w.
I am pleasantly surprised to say I am totally blown away...literally!
The Nuforce puts on quite a show and combined with my Rel Stentor sub (more class D) we are rocking the cabinets with a good action movie. Yes I know the Emotivas are not top flight stuff to begin with but still.

Now my stereo rig comprises of BAT VK600SE amp, 2x300w weighing in at 120lb.
Just bought a Red Dragon s500 to compare, basically i am going to sit it right next to the BAT and swap cables and see what I think
This will be interesting.......

I couldn't get rid of my Emotiva preamp fast enough - made my ears almost bleed.  I would listen to a $200 1970s Technics receiver before I would own Emotiva separates.  You've made a good point.

"Some of you miss the point. The point is simple. As Class D advances it will eat into the high end class A market. We have seen this already happening to a small degree. Some people on this thread indicate they already switched.
Once Class D is close enough in quality even some of the deep pocket Krell, Pass etc guys will switch.
Once that happens they will sell thier existing gear which will gradually bring the value of that existing gear down giving not so deep pockets the chance to own true high end as it exists today."

I think what you forgot to factor into this is if Class-D reaches or surpasses Class-A or A/B, then the prices for Class-D will also reach or surpass Class-A or A/B.  

Some people may sell, but I don't expect to see pennies on the dollar.  If so, I'll be the first one there to grab a pair of XA-160's!

kalali269 posts02-02-2017 11:06am

"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.

People going for cheaper, lighter, portability and convenience may not  necessarily suggest that huge and heavy Class A or AB amps, vinyl and CDs are dead. Folks using smartphones as their cameras do not suggest that quality compacts and DSLRs will go extinct, or the price of the gear will come down.

You may be able to purchase the Pass XA60.8 at "fire sale" prices in perhaps 50 years from now when it's obsolete and no longer a desirable item.

The thing about many of those big, heavy older Class A amps is that they were made so good. Think about it. Many people still have 1960’s and 70's McIntoshes at the heart of their system.

Which of the McIntoshes were Class A?  Must have been a secret series they released.  The Macs of the 60's were just slightly above class B, nowhere near in range of class A bias.

I'm also not impressed with the build quality of the big class A's.  I remembered a friend who bought some of the Levinson 25W heavy bias class A amps (got a partial "HQD" system then found he didn't much like it.  Put the amps in storage for about 10yrs).  Got them out later... oops the filter caps had gone bad.  Seriously, old Japanese 70's receivers have sat for that long and powered right up.