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2017 amps - $10K to $15K who is on your short list?


Hello!
I saw recently a short list by TAS on 2016 amps between $10 & $15K MSRP the TAS staff concluded were their choices of the best for last year.

Perhaps these were new entries from2016 only. I don’t know and thee article did not mention that aspect. The list also appears to be a global perspective.

The list contained:
Air Tight ATM-1S,
AVM Ovation PA8 preamp and SA8.2 Power amp,
Constellation Inspiration,
Dn D'Agostino Classic Stereo,
GamuT D200i,
Hegel Music Systems H30,
PS Audio BHK Signature 300,
Triode Corporation TRX-M300,
Zesto Audio Bia 120

Regretfully some more mainstream names were not included which came to mind such as, BAT, VAC, Pass, and perhaps a couple more.

My question here is which ‘current production’ amps in this MSRP financial ball park would be on your short list were you shopping for new amps, or are in your present system?

Valves Solid State, hybrids, integrated, or Class D which are not speaker specific, requiring high Eff speakers or horns to work well.

Let’s include current production amps which are near the upper and lower limits of the spread, so if in your opinion there is an amp at $8 or $9K which out performs those costing more, or is even on par, in your opinion, plese feel free to mention it or them.

All amps must be at least in production now stereo amps. If they can as well be run as monos, fine enough, but let the price range of more or less, 10 – 15K dictate your ascertions on two channel amps or twin monos which would land in or near the mentioned boundaries.

Here are some I feel should be among the TAS list but were not, in no particular order:

VAC Signature 200 iQ Stereo/Mono - $14,000
This one is here on rep and new technology in the bias circuit alone. Have seen no reviews, and I have not heard it. It does offer itself as a mono if an uncle or Aunt dies and leaves you an inheritance.

Balanced Audio Technology VK 76SE stereo or mono $13,995.00 2ch price
I previously owned BAT vk 60 and found it very acceptable. Also in mono, see ‘inheritance’ above if twin mono setup is desired.

Balanced Audio Technology VK-655SE $16,500
(well, it is within a grand or so of 15K and BAT has strong performance heritage and very good secondary market presence. Also, didn’t want folks to think I was biased to tubes only)
I’ve owned BAT VK500 BAT pack, and loved it. Purely musical with control and finesse. A tick or two on the warm side. The latest iteration scales up the power and refines the voice, if the reviewer isn’t deaf. Once more offered in mono config too.

no inheritance on your horizon? Perhaps you can get pics of BAT Execs with tempestuous farm animals to negotiate possible lower price for twin mono setup. lol


Who is on your list and briefly, why?

blindjim
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
When you have no idea what the properties are, you have no idea if a combination is the right one. It always will be a gamble.

You only can make the right choice when you understand which properties you need and own.

I give you one example: I own Pass Labs monos and poweramps for over 8 years of time ( and the Pass Labs pre amp XP-20 for 2 years). The facts proof that Pass Labs is incomplete regarding Tru-Fi.

I also explained this to Desmond Harrington of Pass labs. Each Pass labs combo of power and pre proofs that the individual focus of instruments and voices are not that intimate and realistsic as in real.

You can change that by the right properties of cables, source and other parts. But......when a pre amp is superior in individual focus of instruments and voices, the level in this part is improving a lot more.

Desmond told me that the .8 series whould have a much better individual focus compared to the older series.

Almost all demoes in the world with Pass labs are done with the wrong properties in amps, sources and cables.

And proofs that people have no idea what the properties are of the products they used.

Many demoes proved that voices and instruments were way out of proportion. Beside this mistake most people have no idea how you can create a higher blacklevel and how voices and instruments gets a shape like they own in real.

I have to admitt I have to laugh a lot during shows. For me they are often like little children.
clearthink
1,421 posts
 
"The facts proof that Pass Labs is incomplete regarding Tru-Fi...Each Pass labs combo of power and pre proofs that the individual focus of instruments and voices are not that intimate...And proofs that people have no idea what the properties are of the products they used.Many demoes proved that voices and instruments were way out of proportion...have to admitt I have to laugh a lot during shows. For me they are often like little children."
BO1972 you must be quite a site at audio shows to be giggling in the back of the room at setups established by proven professionals in the field who are focussed with the solitary goal of making their Music Reproduction Systems sound as accurately as possible under show conditions which of course most audiophiles understand are not ideal conditions and nor do they accurately reflect the conditions most common in the homes of those who have Music Reproduction Systems. You mention all of these proofs that you have and that you giggle at "children" who do not work in Tru-Fi but I notice that you do not share your "proof" here in the group even though you have promised many times to share that proof regarding Tru-Fi in Music Reproduction Systems so until that proof is shared with those here who you instruct I am afraid that many will not believe in your proof which I think is most unfortuante for all because I do think you are on the right track in working with properties of Music Reproduction Systems.
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,610 posts
 
I agree,  save the long posts and insults, bo1972, tell us where we can hear Tru-Fi and decide for ourselves.
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
"BO1972 you must be quite a site at audio shows to be giggling in the back of the room at setups established by proven professionals in the field 

And now the real facts. In almost 20 years we often asked to manufacturers and distributers simple questions. They were not able to answer. 

I will give you a few simple examples:

When you create a loudspeaker who is able to create a wide and deep stage. It would be normal to use an amp and source what can create it as well.

Many systems these days on audioshows have a very limited level in diversity. When I talk to distributers and clients they all react the same way. They all miss the intensity and emotion of music. 

There are so many examples in the last 20 years where people were using 2-dimensional amps and sources. 

Loudspeaker who are not on the same line and with a different level of how they inward the speakers are common these days. These are only the basis parts.

It depends in what you want to believe. I aksed many manufacturers if they have any idea what the properties and quality is of their competitors and other parts in the systems they used at shows.

I was surprised that often they had no idea. You don't understand the real meaning of insult. Creating the highest level in quality for customers is the most social and honest way to do audio.

Manufacturers have to do it the same way. Many audio systems  at shows are being created on political choices. I met different manufactuers who were honest to admitt this.

When you want to give consumers a higher level in  sound quality you need to change audio as it is done at this moment.

For example: the CES this year was a lot smaller than in 2016. Many people are often dissapointed in shows. So when you want the next generation to be interested in audio. You need to give them a higher quality than what is there is at this moment.

I hope people in audio will learn to look further. It has notnhing to do with insult. When you think it is based on that, it proves how limited the people are who feel it this way.

Our goal is to give more people a higher level in quality and emotion.

S.A.P.-measurement will create a good result in each single room. Even in a room with the worst acoustics I ever heard we had great results.


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