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Ultimate Amplifier for the next 20 Years

Hello all!
Well, you I am again on the amplifier merry-go-round after my last digital amp(noname mentioned!) let me down in the dumps after a comparison with a Halo A21 amp. I had a keen ear friend who reviews for Stereo Times and he felt the same. Musical instruments more real sounding with better decay. Man was I surprised after thinking that the digital amp was my last! BTW, the most important part, my speakers are a pair of Apogee Studio Grands in beautiful piano black!! Now the digital amp is on subwoofers in which it has ALOT of punch! The perfect(but not cheap) subwoofer amp! High damping factor, runs cool, dual posts to run four(4) subs if you choose to and never runs out of juice!!

Anyway, I want to keep it under $5000 used or new. Prefer 2 channel amp and maybe monoblocks. Amp can't run too hot(very important)! My pre/pro is a Lexicon MC12B.
Here are my amps that I'm considering in order:

Classe CA2200- Runs class A up to 60 watts! Right now I have a dealer making me a killer offer. Probably the one I'm going to buy...

McCormack DNA500- My big second choose!

Theta Dreadnaught II- Since I have a 8.4 sound system but don't need alot of power for the other speakers, this would be the perfect multichannel amp for me(remember the .4 is powered by my digital amp). One BIG problem, it runs tooo freakin’ hot!

NuForce 9.2- Hearing great things.

Krell FBC300Cx- Jason Bloom ran only krell amps with Apogees.

Please add your thoughts on any comparison on these amps or a new one that you think are superior. I want this to be my last amp purchase for a long time! Right.... ; )

THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP ON THIS MATTER!!!
Best,
Paul
ptheo
warnerwh
539 posts
 
Presently I'm using an Innersound ESL amp with my Vmps RM 40's which are very revealing. This amp has the most smooth and effortless sound. It runs cool, is powerful(300wpc@8 & 600@4) and was designed to handle the highly capacitive load of electrostatics. The ESL will handle an electrostatic speaker without strain. If you do some research here and at the planar asylum at AA you'll find alot of people feel the same way I do about this amp. The amp is actually made by Coda. Here's a good article by Roger Sanders who used to own Innersound: http://www.innersound.net/esl300whitepap.html
Best of luck in your search.
ptheo's avatar
ptheo OP
72 posts
 
Warnerwh-thanks for the reply. I have actually have owned in the past both the RM40's & Innersound amp. The only reason I sold the speakers is the Apogee's! Regarding the amp I bought it when I had a pair of Siverline speakers. It sounded to dry and not enough body with them, so I sold it. Coda does make great amp though plus they are located about 5 miles from me! I have read that there class-A amps run hot. The new Classe Delta amp seem to be the ultimate:

http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/classe_ca2200.htm
http://www.classeaudio.com/reviews/reviews-pdfs/DeltaSeries-TheAbsoluteSound-July05.pdf
http://www.stereotimes.com/amp051205.shtm
ptheo's avatar
ptheo OP
72 posts
 
http://www.classeaudio.com/reviews/index.htm
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