2. amps-preamps
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What the most musical power amp for under $1K?

I have this Audio Research tube amp that soon will need to be retubed. So, one night I decided, just for fun, to hook up a little NAD 50 watt receiver, that I have in my office system, to drive my Von Schweikert VR4 SE's. Well, I couldn't believe it. The damn thing sounded pretty good. The word that coming to mind while listening was MUSICAL. No, it didn't have near the resolution, or air, or extension on the top as the Audio Research, but it sounded very nice, rich, warm and musical.
So, now I've been looking for something like a used NAD C272. Something to hold me over, until I really decide if I want to spend the bucks to retube, or get something else.
To get to the question, what's your recommendation for an inexpensive, MUSICAL, solid state amp to hold me over until I decide what to do (NAD, Parasound, Quad 909, Cambridge Audio, used Krell, etc). I'd like to find something for under $1K.
In advance, thanks!
louisl
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knownothing
1,584 posts
 
In addition to my previous recommendations, I second the Odyssey Audio suggestion - either a new khartago or a used Stratos.
infotrad's avatar
infotrad
29 posts
 
"Inexpensive, musical, and solid state are mutually exclusive"
Whoa, what about the Naim Nait 5? it's pretty musical for the money, I would say.
coffee2
88 posts
 
a used mccormack. hands down
ferrari
617 posts
 
Biggest value in price/performance ratio and there still in business and thats important is Musical Design. Hand crafted in the U.S. by John Hillig. The Musical Design D 75, D 140 or D 150 more than will fit your requirements, and all can be upgraded to a higher level of performance as time and resources dictate. Just not found that often as they do not come up for resale that often. People that get them, tend to keep them. I used a D140i for quite sometime and later it was upgraded to Signature service. To this day regret selling that amp to move on am amp I initally thought was better, it was not. That amp was a Musical Fidelity which just never made it for me.

Now using a PS Audio HCA 2, which is a damn fine amp and that one fits into your price category. Later this summer will have Rick Cullen do the upgrades and I am set for a very long time.
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dogmcd
115 posts
 
Lots of great suggestions! I'd go for a used McCormack DNA.5 or DNA1. Both ar excellent. Another thing to consider is a Bel Canto S700; one of best amps I've ever used and a steal second-handed!
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