What are the best GaN Amplifiers available today?

This weekend heard the HiFi Rose integrated amps at an audio show and they were pretty spectacular. Using Gallium Nitride FETs. Is this the same as GaN?

Using Gallium Nitride FETs. Is this the same as GaN?

@mjcmt Yes.

@pennfootball71 My favorite amp is the new Krell 400 watt class A amp. Nothing is a better package for 35k until you get to the Audionet Heisenburg.

Can you tell us more about the sound of the KRELL. I am a huge Duo XD fan and had 2 of those items recently. I actually bought a heavy-duty amp stand just for the Krell K400i amp. I am thinking of pivoting away from the KRELL because the speakers I have now may not match with the buttery smoothness of the KRELL XD. I was expecting to pair KEF Blade 2 Meta with the 400i but changed my mind on the speakers. Do you have experience with the lower model Duo XD and how it compares with the new 400i?

The fact that it weighs 160 lbs is also something I am debating on.

@arafiq Only thing I have heard about the Aavrik is what you posted. I am starting to think that Class D is a little lacking on the low end. I never had anything in Class D in the Aavrik price range so I may be wrong.

However, compared to the CODA #16 and KRELL Duo 175XD that I recently had in the house all my Class D amps were not as dynamic on the bottom. I finally put the CODA #16 together with the Schitt Yggi+ Less is More DAC (amazing DAC do not let the price fool you, like it more than the Lumin X1). What synergy, now my problem is that I also want that level of amp for my office system. The PeachTree GAN400 is not cutting it with my Magnepan LRS+. It is really good but in comparison to the CODA #16 it is far behind. The Maggie’s seem to be very responsive to better quality gear.

@yyzsantabarbara yea older Krell products not in the same league and a waste of time. 
What’s your budget? If you wait also look at the new Gryphon Diablo 333 integraded.

@pennfootball71 the 2 most recent KRELL models I spoke of are the same as the KRELL 400i except for the lack of fans and the new 2nd order harmonics feature Krell talks about. The 400i also is more robust than the lower models and can even go down to 1 Ohm if your house can handle it. My issue is not budget (just work longer if needed) I am looking at synergy. I am wondering if the 400i is also very smooth on top like the XD models that it is based on. I know it is great but great and synergy with my speakers could conflict.

Gryphon is on the other side of my sound preference. At least what I heard in the past. My interest now after exploring a few Class D options are:

• SimAudio North Collection 861 (available in Oct 2023)
• T+A A3000HV (if it is as neutral as @blisshifi says, it also has a great dual zone feature that would allow me to sell a $7K headphone amp)
• CODA #16 (get another one because it is great)
• KRELL Duo 300XD (at $6k used, if I use it only in the office with the LRS+). The 400i was my first target but I am waffling on that due to potential sonic synergy issues with the Yamaha NS5000 speaker. The weight is also at the top of what I can safely carry up the stairs without banging into things.

I may also buy the KEF Blade 2 Meta in about 5 years when it is safe to do so. At the moment my house is crazy with too much running around that could knock over the Blade. The 400i would be a great match with the Blade.