I was able to audition my new Voyager LSA GaN 350 for a couple of
hours this morning. I let it warm up for just 30 minutes or so (this is a completely new unit with no burn-in). I hooked it up with Nuprime HPA 9 preamp using its RCA outputs (it has no balanced outputs), bookshelf Thiel MCS1 speakers (sensitive 91db) with a Thiel subwoofer and passive crossover, Krell Kav 300 CD player used as a transport with a Cherry DAC.
During these two hours, I compared it with the Nuprime ST-10 amp that I was recently using in the same setup. These are my first impressions.
I didn't find the Voyager bright, still a little harsh and slightly dry perhaps. Although it is 500 watts in 4 ohms, it gives notably less power than 150 watts ST-10 amp, at least with HPA 9 preamp (perhaps, impedance issues). I found its sound clear, natural, unaltered, in some sense, a bit fuller than with ST-10 since it goes a bit deeper into orchestral passages. The middle range is a bit more defined than in ST-10. The soundstage, so far, is a bit flatter than that of ST-10, but Voyager has a bit more details. The heights are clean (despite that some measurements claim that there could have been distortions in high frequencies). The base extension is less than in ST-10, still it sounds natural. The sound of this amp somehow resembles to me a class A amp sound, still not as rich and complete (yet? - this may change with break-in hours).
The amp has no standby mode. I left it on without using it, and it got quite warm. I would not leave it on all the time (Cherry Megaschino has also no manual standby switch, but it goes standby automatically after 8 minutes of idle time, and stay completely cool).
I think I need to use the amp for more time to understand how much i like it. I may stay with it and use it in my third system with Thiel CS 3.6 speakers. Meanwhile I will leave it in my second system for break-in (i use that system for 1-2 hours in the mornings so it may take some time). I may also try its balanced inputs with Wyred4Sound STP 2 preamp. Now, i see no point in trying the amp in my main system (where i use my 5 watts SET tube amp). I may try it in the main system after the break-in of 200 hours or earlier if an essential improvement will occur.
I will post my further impressions in case my thoughts and feelings will be changed compared to what i think right now (first impressions might not be very objective).