Cayin A-88t vs. Almarro A318B

By the way, the Cayin A-88T has dramatically more power than the Almarro 318B. Whoever said it is only marginally more powerful must have been speaking in a highly hypothetical way and not have actually listened and compared the two.

In addition to haveing 250% more wattage, the Cayin has heavier transformers for even more current yet. From having listened, the Almarro's relatively feeble output through the same speakers relative to the Cayin, isn't even in the same ballpark as the impressive 45 Watts/Channel Cayin A-88T which drives my Spendor S8e floorstanders at party levels with ease. The Almarro 318B, couldn't begin to muster playing the music with any significant emphasis through the same Spendors, much less playing at party level volume like the Cayin did. I had both these amps at the same time, so I know a priori.

Plangco,
Was the Almarro you tried the 318A or 318B?
Very different amps when it comes to driving ability.

Of course not all amps suit all speakers.
I find the 318B drives most speakers as well as 100 watt RMS transistor amps.They even handle 4 ohm loads quite well.NO push pull amp I have used compares to the hear through resolution of the Almarro.
They even drive old Gale 401a speakers to moderately loud levels-and they are a killer of a load.

I never heard the Cayin before but my Almarrow A318B drove Hyperion 938 90db 6ohms in my small room [13x16x9]verywell and I only turn the volume only 10 o'clock which is very lound for me.

Are the 318A and Bs intended for different types of speakers? Do you lose something with the Bs in order to get more current?

The 318B is a re-engineered A . It gives up nothing in return . The A isn't in the same class as the B . The ext. is exactly the same and it uses the same tubes . But the B was electronically changed to maximize the very thing the A was lacking . Highs and lows . The mids on the A are incredible . The B has the same mids and more extention on both ends . And it's mere 18 wpc energy and drive is equivilant to around 100wpc ss.