Pure Class A amps above 100 Watts?


What are the best options in Pure Class A amps above at least 100 watts in 8 ohms? The ones I know of are:

1) Pass Labs XA100.5
2) Pass Labs XA100.8 (and above)
3) Accuphase A-200
4) Soulution 530

Any others? Im trying to keep it under $10K, which the first two options can be had for used.


jozurr
Hello George,

  Thanks for putting my rather modest efforts in perspective, haha! 

  We need the audio equivalent of Jay Leno’s Garage, where we could all wander around a big warehouse space and look at sound systems from various eras.

  As for sound, my proudest moment was when I tricked an electrician into thinking I was playing the cello. The electrician was working in my kitchen and I put on Pablo Casals playing the Bach Cello Suites, in the living room. I went off into the bedroom to work on the computer. Later, the electrician told me he went out into the living room expecting to see me there playing the cello, lol.

  I had my classical guitar teacher sit down and listen to the stereo. He kept pointing at the big Gryphon and asking if that was the third speaker. Haha. 

  

  
  
Been Solid State boy close to 15 Years, before that it was tubes.

Now I'm back to Tubes but using OTL Atma-Sphere Amplifiers. It does what the Solid States can but also all the goodness of Tubes.

So my Recommendation at min the M60 but you should aim for the Atma-Sphere MA1, Plenty of Power, Purity, Smoothness, Musical Presentation, Fatigue Free Listening, Emotional Impact, Speed, Dynamics, Clarity and above all Satisfaction. 

The Solid State put me on the merry go round, the Atma-Sphere took me off it. Iv had a bunch of SET amplifiers & Push and Pull. Over time I always go back to my OTL Amps.
Wilson Shen asserts Clayton M300 are full class A amplifiers but they are fixed internally bridged designs with each channel composed of two balanced bridged 75 watt full class A amplifiers.  I believe all Constellation Audio amps and Naim Reference Amps are also balanced bridged designs. Not sure about their class of operation.