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Mono Blocks on a Budget, is it possible?

I’m really struggling with the direction to take my system. I have the following:

Legacy Classics speakers
Aurender N100H media player
Schiit Freya tube pre-amp
Schiit Yggdrasil DAC
Schiit Vidar x2 (in mono block mode)

I will be replacing speakers at some point but the rest of the system I love... except the Vidars. Before them, I had NAD 356BEE that was used for the amp. Very clean and I loved it, except it was only 80 Watts. I decided to upgrade to the Vidars. They cost twice as much From a good manufacturer like Schiit so they must be better right? Not really. They are more noisy than the NAD amp and I’m finding myself less in love with them that I though I would be. I was planning the Vidar purchase for about a year and now that I got them I don’t know which direction to take in replacing them. I want to get cleaner mono amps but don’t want to spend more than $3k MAX for both. The Vidars are 400 Watts into 8ohm, are there any options out there for me that are close to the Vidar specs? I’m open to used but mostly I want the amps to sound almost completely clean with practically no distortion. 
xerotrace
viber6
2,448 posts
 
ricevs,
I’m with you all the way about how the best amp shouldn’t cost much. Maybe you can purchase the AVA monos, tell us how they really sound compared to your reference amps and your own product. Then do your tweaks on the AVA and tell us the result.  Better yet, go for the lower power AVA stereo, which at $2200 may sound as good as the monos within its power range, because it is the same circuit.  I wouldn’t spend $5000 for the monos when great class D using Bruno’s module for possibly less money is coming soon.
ricevs
1,543 posts
 

Viber6,

Mono and balanced are mucho superior to single ended stereo.  The trouble with the AVA stuff is that Frank is anti tweak.  So, if anyone modded his thang he might throw a tantrum......and could you get it serviced?  If anyone wants to send me a pair of the AVA mono SET 600s I would mod them for sure.  However, this is out of this guys price range.

stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,460 posts
 
You're better off with a better stereo amp than lesser monoblox
mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,878 posts
 
Agree that monoblocks at this price point don’t make too much sense, unless maybe if you go used - even then it’s a tough ask. I used to have Legacy Signature III speakers. Hated them with a very dry sounding Sunfire Signature amp (the 600 Watts/ch one) - it simply lacked any soul to the music, which is what I imagine your problem with the Vidars might be (noise aside). Huge, HUGE improvement with a Parasound A21 and later JC-1 monoblocks. In the right room and with a great (vinyl) source, that was a rocking setup. Though in my system at the time, the JC-1’s weren’t THAT much better than the A21 (and at 3x the cost). Both Parasound amps had just a touch of sweetness that the Legacys needed, to go along with incredible power and dynamics. I’d extrapolate that a new A21+ would easily exceed your needs and expectations.
viber6
2,448 posts
 
stringreen,
Totally agree that a SOTA stereo amp will beat monos with inferior technology for absolute performance.  Since ricevs is advocating for best sound per dollar, we are looking forward to stereo amps with Purifi modules.  The corresponding mono amps will probably be better, but is it worth spending double when another designer will implement the module in a better stereo design?  And what about more powerful modules sure to come from Purifi?  Get a stereo SOTA amp that is 90+% as good as the mono version for 50% of the price.
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