Gave up my SET----looking for moderate to higher power replacement options


I recently sold my JAS Array 2.1, which is a SET using 805 and 300B producing 45w.  With NOS RCA 805 and Sophia Princess 300B's, this amp produced the best sound I've ever had.  I used it to drive the satellite section of a pair of DIY/Legacy Focus clones using Eton drivers.  I've ran several different solid state amps on the bass drivers.  The inner detail and palpability of images were fantastic.  Images were life-sized and, frequently, sounded as if the musicians were in the room with me (not much of an exaggeration--honestly!)  And despite the modest power rating, this amp had startling dynamics.  It was an exciting and very engaging listen but.....well, aside from the amp breaking down on a few occasions, the cost of tubes and the extreme heat the amp put out,  the amp did run out of power when I pushed it too hard.  

I've tried several other amps during my time with the JAS, typically as warm weather substitutes, and a few more since I sold it but I really am mostly disappointed.  Presently I have an Audiozone Amp1 running the satellite section and a Jaton AV5140 on the woofers.  I was biamping with the Jaton but wanted a bit more detail and transparency.  The Audiozone is better than the Jaton in this regard but still falls rather short of the standard set by the JAS  and also runs out of power occasionally and sounds just awful when it clips.  I have an Audio Alchemy DPA 1 and had the Wyred4Sound ST-500 when it first came out and neither are what I'm looking for in my main system.  The AA amp is better but still a far cry from the sonics of the SET JAS.  Do any of the Class D amps truly approach SET sonics?    I'm considering the Gamut D200 mk iii as well though these are hard to find.   Are there any Class D amps I should look in to?  I really need to keep it at $3000 or less and probably around $2000.  Please make recommendations based on actual experience, that is only on amps you've actually heard.  Thanks!
lcherepkai
I’m an advocate for high quality SET amplifiers
@charles1dad I know you are, I followed all your posts and I know you had / have Coincident? and you tried the Elrog’s in the beginning and every single 300B on earth, I followed your posts because unlike most here in these forums your comments "made sense" and weren’t radical. As a matter of fact your posts partially pushed me to try SET’s just not the "high quality" ones.
And yes I wasn’t trying to detriment SET amps, I just haven’t been able to test / try a proper setup of speakers with these.Thank you for the kind words Charles.



If you love the sound that you had you’re not gonna find it by going backwards on SET or A or AB or certainly Class D

and you’re not gonna find it for two or $3000, that’s absurd

Things that sounds THAT great are heavy and hot and take power and that’s just life.

High powered reliable SET is the Allnic Audio A-6000. Much louder than the conservative 60 W per side rating, you should never run out of juice with your rig
@luisma31, 
Thank you, I appreciate your very kind comments. 
Your Atma-Sphere  MA-1 mono blocks will serve you excellently. 
Charles 
brianlucey---I picked up my first JAS Array 2.1 for an even trade for a pair of Monarchy Audio SE 160's and then a few yrs later bought a demo JAS for less than $1500 shipped.  Add about $600-700 for tubes and I had great sound for well under $2500.  My Audiozone Amp1 is fairly close ($1100 used) and could probably be modded to get even closer.  And I see reviews stating that some of the First Watt amps are as good as SET or even better.  Granted these are all lower power than I want to go in the future but, you can get that kind of sound for under $3000----it's not absurd :)

rodge827---i was just looking at a used Digital Audio Company Maraschino Cherry STM 60V KING but it sold.  I couldn't find any good reviews of that particular model and can't a take review too seriously if the items they compare to are ...... lower caliber?  So the DAC amps are a contender for a SET replacement?