Looking for an AMP to match JA Pulsar and Lampi


Hey everyone,

I’m on the hunt for an amp that pairs well with my Joseph Audio Pulsar speakers and Lampizator Big7 DAC. Right now, I’m using an older Arcam Alpha 9 amp and preamp, but the Arcam is struggling to drive the Pulsars properly. I’m still undecided whether I should go for a solid-state or tube amp. I’ve been considering a preowned Audio Research 80S, but it’s pretty expensive and hard to find in Europe. Been thinking also about VTL, Ayon Audio... 

Any recommendations? I’m aiming for a sound that’s detailed but also rich and full. My budget is around $9k.

 

Thanks!

 

gabriel123

From my own experience I can recommend Coda and Audionet. A Coda #8 will easily handle the demands of your speakers. I hear that the #16 is a significant step up in sound quality. I replaced my Coda with an Audionet amp, on a bit of a whim, and it is exceptional as well. Of the two, I think the Coda offers the richer sound that you seek, with Audionet being more on the neutral side.

Thank you so much for your replies! I've been checking carefully all your recommendations over the weekend - so much new stuff to read about :)

For now I decided not to go into class D and monoblocks. It's about a lack of space and a personal need to dive deep into A and A/B class amps.

That said, I'm very curious about Coda #8 and #16 and Audio Hungary amps, there's a lot of rave reviews about them. 

Out of curiosity - why not Audio Research amps? No one commended on Audio Research, VTL and Ayon Audio and for me, those choices were like a safe bet.

Sorry, I don’t know anything about Qualiton separates, but given the high praise for their x200 integrated I’d expect good things.  For what you’re looking for I’d go with a tube pre and solid state amp, and a relatively neutral tube pre like ARC or Octave with a warmer amp like Coda might be a good match.  Or a something like a VAC or Audio Hungary pre with a Hegel amp may also work well.  I’d avoid VTL as their customer support/service has a poor reputation unless it’s somehow better in Europe.  I still think a hybrid integrated like the Unison Unico or Class A integrateds from Gryphon or Vitus could also work really well. 

Thanks, I think too that tube pre + ss amp would be great for my taste. For a moment I was toying with the idea of tube pre + tube amp, because Qualiton prices are very reasonable, but then I got afraid that with my Lampizator and Emerald USB cable it may be too too sweet/warm together.