LSA Voyager GAN Amplifier

kuribo,
You are one of the few people on any Agon forum to agree with me that the ideal of high fidelity is best achieved with neutrality/transparency.  The "straight wire with gain" is indeed what an amp is supposed to do. Good for you to imply boldly that coloration is just noise.

cascadesphil,
In what sonic way is the EVS1200 better than the Mivera?  My experience with Bryston is that only my 2.5B SST2 is outstandingly neutral/transparent.  Earlier ST and SST 3B and 4B models are really mediocre.

Have not heard the Bryston cubed series but have owned both the 14BSST and 6BSST (3 channel 4BSST essentially) amps,  The Modwright KWA 150SE was better than both of those in my main system (Modwright LS 36.5DM preamp).  I initially had Thiel 7.2s when I bought the Bryston amps lightly used and then picked up the Thiel 3.7s (and then the Modwright amp).  The 7.2s where harder to drive than the 3.7s.  

A few years back (summer of 2017) a friend was bugging me about Class D.  I told him the last I listened to a bunch of them (probably around 2014 or so)  they were getting better but I didn't think they were there yet.  I told him I was going to RMAF in October 2017 and would look at them more seriously and to hold on as I'd probably buy one for one of my secondary systems at some point.

In early 2018 (I believe), I started to see threads about the Mivera amp and then picked up the SE version.  I broke it in using a secondary system where at the time I had an Odyssey Candela preamp, a Bryston 3BST amp, a Meitner MA-1 DAC and Ohm Microwalsh Tall speakers augmented by a Rel Strata III sub.  It's a small bedroom and I had a mini PC running JRiver.  I merely substitued the Mivera for the Bryston 3BST.  After running the Mivera for a bit over a week, I brought it over to the friend's place where he had a First Watt J2.  The Mivera to me was clearly better. 

I picked up upgraded fuses and first compared the Mivera to am Emotiva XPA200 I had in my UHD system (Sherbourn preamp and B&W P6 speakers).  The Mivera smoked it.  Then I compared it to the Modwright in the main system (Modwright preamp, EMM Labs DAC 2X and Lumin U1 music server) and the Mivera was clearly better in every way (which shocked me as I was thinking I'd just put the Mivera back in a secondary system.  I cautiously played the Mivera as I was afraid it wouldn't drive my Thiel 3.7s (was I wrong).

Anyway, when I got the EVS1200 (which is dual mono and modded vs. the stereo IcePower board in the Mivera), I broke it in using the system with the B&W P6s (before using it in the main system).  Of course it had more power but the ease, clarity, tonality and imaging were clearly much better.  I expected it to be a drop better but it surpassed that.  It exhibited those same improved qualities in the main system.  I had multiple friends over so all the impressions noted above are not just my opinion.

I could easily live with the EVS 1200 (although I'm sure there as things better).  I've upgraded secondary systems (still working on those) including the office system (now have Vanatoo Transparent Ones) and watching this thread with interest.  Not in a rush.  Through the journey, I don't think much of the Bryston squared series (btw, I've also owned Bryston preamps and I also owned one of their DACs - I've not heard the newer cubed series).  There's a used 6BSST being sold by The Music Room right now and they are asking $3.3k.  To me (my opinion) that's insanely overpriced.  A new Bryston 14B cubed (and I've not heard the cubed series (just was that disappointed in comparing cheaper things to the squared series) is around $11.2k.  Right now there is a (used) Gryphon Diablo 300 (integrated) on the Canuck Audio Mart for $13k USD.  If I was going to spend that kind of money I'd grab the Gryphon.  When I bought my Bryston amps (lightly used around 2002 and 2003), they were good values.  Then the price of the Canadian dollar vs. the USD soared (and the CAD was worth a bit more at one point) and the list price of the Brystons went through the roof.  When the Canadian dollar retreated (I think it is around $0.79 USD as of today), the prices didn't go back.  

The current worldwide shortage of some parts I'm sure impacts prices as well and will continue to do so.  I'd guess that it is encouraging audio enthusiasts to try some of the newer Class D amps.  It seems to me that there are many mainstream A/AB amps (not talking about the ultra high end) being sold for less than they used to be (I noted about the Modwright KWA 150SE in an early response).  I wouldn't even consider the Bryston squared series bought used for a home theater as there are better things out there for less money (I realize there are many things today that are sold consumer direct vs. through a dealer network which also impacts that factor).  I think that's why there are dealers who deal in the ultra high end who have store fronts in places like industrial parks vs. tradional shopping centers.  Those ultra high end products, while really expensive, are clearly better than most of the amps discussed here.

btw - this guy does some interesting reviews - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1hPTDY4hJg

Sometimes, he plays music I end up liking.  The above is Part 2 (of three - part three isn't out yet - part one was put out a couple of days ago).

It is done at the location of a dealer (Suncoast Audio on the Florida's West Coast) who carries some of the best stuff.  If you look at other videos online and see Jay's system, one can see he has a super serious high end system.  I linked this part as Part 1 dealt with his top tier amplifiers.  In this part, he mentions Merrill Audio, specifically their Element 118 Class D amplifiers (and I've personally heard them at audio shows) and mentions that they may even belong in Part 1 with the list of top tier amplifiers.

That's one reason actual listening (vs. hypothesizing with no experience) is most desirable.  Anyone who watches his videos can see what high end components he has and has had (and I'd venture to say that many would take the stuff he didn't like in a heartbeat) and while of course everyone can have an opinion, a preconceived opinion without hands on experience is what it is.  I wouldn't seek medical treatment from someone who has read a few medical books and has some experience as a dental hygienist.  It's not that such a person is without any medical knowledge or is not smart.  It is just not the same as someone who has finished medical school and been practicing for years.

kuribo,
You are one of the few people on any Agon forum to agree with me that the ideal of high fidelity is best achieved with neutrality/transparency.  The "straight wire with gain" is indeed what an amp is supposed to do. Good for you to imply boldly that coloration is just noise.

When you ask any of these tweaker snakes what they mean by "better", they almost by definition bring out a slew of subjective judgments. There is nothing inherently wrong with stating an opinion but to opine that what one likes better must be some sort of objective truth is naive at best and tends more towards pure salesmanship when coming from the purveyors of all this audio shamanism. Wake up people! There is no "better" when it comes to subjective opinion- there is only different and what YOU perceive to be better. When someone says "A is better than B" without any factual evidence of objective superiority, what is actually implied is "I like A better than B". Will you? Maybe yes, maybe no. Confirmation bias after shelling out the extra money makes it almost impossible for people to evaluate the "tweak" objectively.

Sure you can put racing stripes on your new corvette and claim it rides better. You can put a gold leaf label around your bottle of $10 wine and claim it tastes better. You can claim your amp sounds better when your dog is in the room. And for you, it can certainly be true because opinions are not facts, they are based on individual perceptions. And if we know anything for certain, we know that individual perceptions and tastes vary greatly.

So, yes, give me an amp without any "sound" please. When I order a steak, I want to season it to MY taste, not someone else's, thank you.