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Question about Class A

So I read all the time how awesome Class A Amps/Integrated's (SS and Tube) are.

I currently have a Vincent SV-500 Hybrid and feel it sounds really good.

But I have this itch now to hear what Class A would sound like and would it be a big difference to my current Vincent.

I wanted to ask what are some good Class A Integrated's that I could look into?

I know Pass Labs always comes up and for good reason but those might be a bit out of my budget.

I would say I can probably go to $3K new or used.

Sugden is another brand that I have researched a lot and the A21 retails for around $2500 and there is a dealer in Socal that carries it, so that one is tempting.

Vincent has the SV-237 MK II but I think that is only Class A for the 1st 10 watts into 8-ohms and I have 4-ohm speakers so I am not sure if that would give me any Class A magic. I am sure it would sound similar to my SV-500 but have more base extension.

Could you all recommend any other one's? I have been researching but haven't come across any (SS or Tube).

Thanks

128x128jay73
alexopth1512
21 posts
 

Forget anything about marketing and of course Krell 175 doesn’t have 175 Watt Class A, even most of Pass Labs amps don’t. Normally you will have 20-30W Class A, producing a heat of more than 100-150W for that kind of power. I doubt there is a good cheap Pure Class A out there, because design, materials and heat dissipation will make it heavy and expensive.

There are some reasonably priced designs upto 10W but then you have to go with horns.

For speakers, if you choose SE (and for Class A IMHO only SE(T) has a meaning), not only they must be sensitive but also an "easy" load. Try to find a dealer that has such an amp and go and listen to it. You might not like it, or you may become enthusiastic about it (I am and cannot go back to anything else).

Regarding dynamics my Hydor 140W pure Class A rocks a house and its dynamics makes you jump from couch. But it is true, most of Pure Class A, due to low power and other compromises needed.

wolf_garcia
6,739 posts
 

I happily am bound to efficient horns by my relatively inexpensive Dennis Had Firebottle SEP amp (12 to maybe 17 wpc)...bought it a few years ago when it was 3 or 4 months old for about 1200 bucks. Best hifi amp I've ever heard over many decades...Had is the Alexander Dumble of hifi.

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,019 posts
 

The Sugden a21se is $3250, not certain where you are seeing an a21 for $2500. They do not go on sale. Any how, I love my A21se, best amp I ever owned. Yea, it gets hot, big deal. The trade off is holographic euphoric liquid sound. Nothing I’ve tried in past can touch it, it’s in a league of its own. Yea, there may be better and with more bells and whistles, but at what cost? I don’t need all that, I just want a pure class A single ended solid state amp, and I got the original, the sugden.

hilde45's avatar
hilde45
5,162 posts
 

Did a little surfing. 
If it were me, and the power was sufficient, I'd try find a nice tube preamp, then try the Schiit first. Then, look at:
Sugden https://www.ebay.com/itm/255374915799?mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&campid=5338381866&toolid=10001&customid=8bd2bd48-88d9-11ec-bf81-623639343262
First Watt https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649809695-first-watt-f7/
Krell, near St. Louis https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649784277-krell-ksa-100-class-a-power-amplifier-w-original-box-packing-documentation/

invalid
1,252 posts
 

I believe the krell amp has a fan and ibais which makes it run cool and it only uses a lot of electricity if it is being driven hard.

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