+1 on the CODA S5.5, best SS Class A amp the near side of $6K new IMHO, but might not work well with your tube pre unless it has low-ish impedance.
Make sure whatever you are looking at matches up well in terms of impedance.
After 20 years, in the market for a power amp
Hello:
Longtime lurker/reader of this forum. Recently my long time and beloved Odyssey Khartago shed its left channel and I had been long past ready to move on from it anyway. I am a typically slow upgrader as I am much more a listener than a tweaker. It is therefore time to invest in a new power amp. My system specs:
GoldenEar Triton Ones
Rega P8 TT w/Apheta 3
Aria phono amp
Primaluna Dialogue Premium p/a
Rotel 1570 CD spinning into a Schiit Yggdrasil
Odyssey Khartago Power amp
AntiCable interconnects
AudioQuest speaker cable
The Khartago, while wholly competent, has long since since been bypassed by the rest of my gear. Looking for something with some synergy with the Primaluna.
Budget $5-7k. Been researching feverishly but it is difficult to get an audition. Suggestions?
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I would call Doug Dale with Coda. Tell him what you have for gear. You should also think about your long term plan. Will you ever change speakers? For my Von Schweikert Endeavor RE speakers, Doug recommended the No 8, V1. That's what I bought. I've been using tube preamps with solid state amps for years. First were conrad-johnson. Now it's a Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL preamp. |
I know there are strong opinions about class D amps and if you have a strong bias against them, I might as well shut up right now :). However if you don’t, there are a number of class D offerings featuring Hypex and Purifi modules as well as ICEpower amps by OEM manufacturers. While many will poo-poo their sonic signature or perhaps the lack thereof, class D has truly arrived. Their advantages over other more traditional architecture is well documented and quite valid. I just recently got a VTV amplifier (assembled in Ohio) featuring the Hypex NC502 module that is one of the cleanest I have ever heard. Neutral, powerful, cool running and 350-ish clean watts into 6 ohms. Physically attractive in a minimalist kind of way and 759 bucks delivered. Hard to argue with roughly $1/watt of quality amplification. This could save you a ton of money over some choices you could make and you get a 30 day trial period. If you don’t like it send it back for a refund. Warren was great to deal with and answered my questions prior to purchase. No, I am not being compensated for the recommendation. Its based entirely on my own satisfaction with what I got for my money. https://vtvamplifier.com/product/vtv-amplifier-stereo-hypex-nc502mp-ncore-amplifier-500wx2/ |
sensitivity 92 seems easy; 4 ohms, compatible with 8 ohms seems easy however, they are nominal 4 ohms, and there must be dips below that, so I would limit my list to amps that do well with 2 ohm loads. Prima Luna EVO 200’s offer 2 ohm taps as well as 4 and 8 when used as MonoBlocks, and fit your budget |
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