Peachtree GaN 1 Beta

Sorry, don't quite understand your last paragraph....Did you A/B the Marantz with the peachtree using the same source and same speakers?......or are you comparing two different systems?  If you compared them directly, then can you describe the sound difference?  Thanks.

I did not do a true A/B, although I should sometime…

I only do streaming so HEOS with TIDAL in the living room on the Marantz 40n and I use it with Zu Dirty Weekends and a KEF KC62 Sub, sounds warmer, fuller and has more depth to me and the top end is less harsh.

I use the Blusound Node and TIDAL with the GaN 1 and the open baffles and I feel like I need a sub… but it sounds more detailed, not that the Marantz isn’t detailed, the GaN 1 is just super crisp sounding.  I did try both speakers with the Marantz before I got the sub and liked the Zu’s look in my living room, as well as the sound and they are less sensitive to place but it has been a while since comparing the two.

I just received my beta tester Friday and gave it a good 12 hours of use over the weekend.  

My equipment includes Spatial M3 Triode Master speakers (16 ohm open baffle) and comparison amp is the Linear Tube Audio Ultralinear Integrated (20w per channel) run from a Bluesound Node 2i via the MHDT Orchid tube DAC.

I was intrigued by the simplicity of the GAN1 setup and was curious what a GAN amp might bring to the party so I put my money down back in May with a promise of June delivery haha.  So nearly October is what finally happened.  

I got everything set up and plugged in and started up.  My speakers are 95db sensitive and I could hear the slightest introduction of a high frequency noise when the GAN1 came on.  Not intrusive, but there.  

I started running it through some tests to see how it handled different genres.  Classical is one I find to be a pretty good test since it has to reproduce a huge amount of recorded sound, make it come across as unified as well as illustrate individual instruments without sounding constrained.  The GAN1 did seriously well.  The "full tilt" of an orchestra was there when called upon with some serious gusto.  The soundstage is also noticeably deeper and more expansive than the LTA which is somewhat expected given the quietness of the GAN vs tubes, even transformerless tubes.  The texture on the LTA is better, but requires higher volumes to be achieved on the same content.  The GAN projected some really cool and realistic tones for piano and upright bass which sounded like they were in the room, not just on a recording, by bringing more space and bass definition.  The whole spectrum, though, was nicely done.  No harsh highs, no apparent lack anywhere.  In fact, the highs were beautifully done for my ears, which typically are sensitive to harshness and fatigue.  I never got any from the GAN after a long weekend of listening.

Then I switched to my wife's favorite, EDM.  In order to play house party levels on the LTA, I really have to crank it.  Not so on the GAN.  25% volume on Spotify connect played the whole house convincingly with everything carrying through.  I initially had a sub going, but turned it off to compare and at that 25% volume, it was not needed.  The two 15" woofers of the Spatials were thumping beautifully.  Even after a particularly spirited three hours of dynamic material, I couldn't detect so much as a degree of temperature change coming off the amp.

High points: Spatial expansiveness and sound field depth, bass definition, realism, quietness of the amp, ability to hit party levels without distortion or strain.

Low points: Digital volume control via the Bluesound could use more gradation.  The difference between 0 and 1 is the same as the difference between 0 and 25 on the LTA out of 100 steps.  Pairing with Bluetooth rather than Spotify connect helped dial in lower volumes though. Perhaps a Cambridge CXN would do better here, but my speakers' sensitivity is likely to blame.

@rickallen81 Great detailed review thanks!  There are a few folks on A'gon that hate on Peachtree, but I have really enjoyed my Gan400 powering KEF LS50 Meta's.  Very similar to what you describe is what I get from the gan amp.  Of course I can't get the low's your Spatials get, that's what my 2 SVS subs are for.

@tapp Yeah, I've seen some non-love for them.  I've had one of their integrated amps (Decco65 if I recall)  in years past and paired with my speakers of that era (Zu Omen) and my complaint with the Peachtree of yore was that bass and lower midrange were sorely missing but very smooth treble and dimensionality.  By the performance so far, it seems like they have addressed those two things.

Do they have a character or sound signature? Not really.  I think that's their goal with this amp, though, neutrality.  If that's the goal, this amp is a success. Does it cost a lot to get to that goal? In this case, no, so it's a really good value at that.  For a LOT of people, this amp is enough.  As of now, if I could temper my expectations (a tall order for any self-described audiophile) I could absolutely be happy with this amp.  Maybe not with the Bluesound as the front, but the technology of the amp design is really really good and provides a lot of listening satisfaction.  Do you *need* anything else? We're always chasing it and will probably continue because that's the nature of this hobby 😁