Epicon 8.
For classical music lovers best amp for large orchestral forces?
I recently upgraded my pre to an arc ref 6se. Currently using pas xa25. It's a very good amp but I'm noticing a fair amount of compression when playing large symphonic works. My speakers are Dalis and they are excellent as is the arc.
For smaller forces, chamber, piano and voices the system works beautifully. But if I'm looking for more transparency and a deeper sound stage for symphonies I find sometimes a boxy cramped sound. Looking to spend around 8k or less either tube or solid state. There have been discussions about the xa25 and what's better but they fill up immediately with tangents of philosophical and technical discussions of how one hears. I'm looking for as many possibilities of actual units that I can read about and possibly hear.
Thanks for your ideas.
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- 67 posts total
I think Class A solid state is a good choice for their ample power reserves as long as it has enough power to begin with If you like the sound of your Pass but need more power I’d take a look at the Clayton Audio S100 that produces 100Wpc into 8 Ohms and costs $7k new. Some feel Clayton amps actually sound better than Pass, and I think they offer greater value because you’re not paying up for things like casework bling, marketing $$$, etc. Anyway, just another option to consider FWIW, and best of luck in your search. FYI, here are a couple links you may find helpful... http://www.claytonamp.com/claytonaudio.html https://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/equipment/0314/clayton_audio_s100_power_amplifier.htm |
i agree that xa25 is unlikely the root cause of the compression, i too am curious which dali’s the op has and what size of room are they playing in... the xa25, despite its lowish official power rating, has substantial power and headroom -- that said, nelson and crew have many other, much more powerful amps up the line... |
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- 67 posts total