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AGD Tempo in the house

It is very interesting to spend time with amps.  You go to shows or even go to someone's house and listen to and amp and because it isn't on your gear and in your environment, it sounds good but it is insanely difficult to judge vs other gear.  

So AGD is a brand I had been flirting with and finally a customer asked for a demo so I put in my order and a few days later the Tempo arrived.  I dropped in into my system and all I can say is WOW.  It has all the grunt required to drive my Vivids.  Is warm and sweet with an extremely wide sound stage. 

Even fresh out of the flight case, (no box here) it didn't sound digital at all.  This sounds closer to Class A to me than Class D.  I have not heard a different GaN at this point but I am fascinated by this and how good it sounds compared to other Class Ds and even Class ABs.  

The other surprising part is this unit is about 1/3 the size of a normal component. I know I am a hair late to the game with GaN but damn, is it ever too late to celebrate a product.   

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jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,610 posts
 

glad you are hearing these agd's scott... really excellent...

noske
783 posts
 

I'm always keen to learn more about the AGD products.  Other people have also noticed this similarity with Class A and some have suggested SET tube sound.

I have read only one review that was of a disinterested disposition where by definition the reviewer was objective and without any conflict of interest, real or perceived.

He had some criticisms which nobody else had mentioned. 

verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio OP
1,469 posts
 

Class A, yes.  It is warmer and seems to have tons of power despite the modest rating.  SET…no.  Certainly not my 300B I have sitting right next to it.  I have not really heard anything that can replicate a SET.  Even the First Watt stuff falls a hair short despite its relative brilliance.  

What will be interesting is when I do a compare between the AGD and my reference KT88 monos on a speaker with proper impedance for the monos.  That will expose flaws/shortcomings. 
 

The shock was more from a prior experience.  I dropped an NAD C298 into my system and it was a push vs the amp in my integrated.  I enjoyed that amp immensely and understood completely how it got an A rating.  The AGD was obviously better than my two integrated amps.  Not saying it is flawless by any stretch, but it is very, very good.  When you consider size, energy efficient  and price, it is a fascinating amp.  

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