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Who is the KING of MONOS?

WHO IS THE KING OF MONOS???

Mcintosh 501:
Big. Heavy. Reliable. Built like a tank. Smooth and pleasing. This chuck of metal will flow liquid sound at you all day and not even get warm. It is Fun to listen to and fun to look at. Arguably the best looking amp of them all. Some accuse it of being too laid back. Others would consider selling an appendage to obtain a pair.

Krell Evolution 600e.
Pretty. Maybe not Mac pretty but still pretty. Unlike lesser Krells it is smooth and articulate. Possibly possesses the best bass of any amplifier anywhere. Expensive. If it can be the King it should be expensive.

Cary SA 500.1
Probably has one of the best reviews ever written. Cary is said to be a perfect middle ground between Krell and Levinson. Not too laid back. Not too harsh or dry. Just perfectly nestled in the middle. Not big or heavy. A little plain to look at. Middle of group price tag. A few complaints floating around about reliability. A few complaints that Cary is cheaply made. Is it worthy of a King’s Crown? 10 Audio thinks so………

Levinson N 53.
It is pleasing to the eye. It has lots of clout. It has cost no object claims. It costs a lot of big American Dollars. It has a non typical switching power supply. Levinson is sometimes accused of being too warm. Is this the case the N53? The company has encountered a lot of turmoil in the recent past. Can it overcome the negatives and beat the rest? Will the new D technology be its demise?

Classe CA-M600.
Aesthetically pleasing but doesn’t match anything else. Another smooth operator. This amp has also been accused of being too laid back and polite. Sometimes polite is a good thing. Can it be the polite King of Monos?

Pass Labs XA600.5
Can anything negative be said for this beast. Another block of beauty that has a glowing meter. A little magic and a little hocus pocus maybe. I can see the others getting a little nervous with the Pass in the mix. If only the company would answer the phone and tell me who the dealers are. I hope the product is better than their customer communications.

Wyred4Sound SX-1000
Can it even fit in with names like this? According to the reviews and the manufacturer it can. Its Class D. Its Light. It looks good. According to a lot of people it does things Class A / AB cant. It is by far the cheapest or cost effective of the group. Can this economical wonder compete or beat any of these brutes? Will it wimper and run away with its tail between its legs? We shall see.

Let us discuss who the King should be. Let us discuss who it shouldn’t be. Who cares about price. This is a Royal group. Who is the best of the best? No one wants to hear “They all sound the same.” Don’t waste our time. These boxes have magic inside. Who has the most? Which one should we all be dreaming of when go sleepy at night?. Who is the King Of Monos?
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mapman's avatar
mapman
22,588 posts
 
Murlman1,

I know where your headed with that observation, but the stereotypical concept of a king implies grandeur, splendor, and in-your face excess.

Not sure Class D amps,whatever their benefits, need apply. They are in many regards the exact opposites.

So Class D owners can hope to be deemed worthy of Duke or Knight status perhaps but may at best be perceived as only "jacks" or "knaves" by some in the royal scheme of things.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Don't worry Mapman, I will not press, You are right. One day, when I was selling Pass X 600 amps a serious buyer came to listen with his wife. He was in love with the amps for there size, blue light and visual grandeur. I sold the amps for a thousand more than he could pay. I invited him over to hear the difference with my little new amp. He declined, saying he was only interested in the Pass. Sound had little to do with it.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
What a stupid thread.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,588 posts
 
Stupid, yeah, but crowning a king is at least more fun and a slightly different spin than the typical "what's the best" type threads?
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,253 posts
 
Don't forget about Spectron Musician sometimes way overlooked because they sell direct their amplifiers are not only exceptional sounding especially if you get the Bybee s
and the new Copper Teflon bypass caps to go along with 100 small caps per amp . In the Monoblock mode these amps can hold 7,000 watts for a Full 1/2 second, Not one of the others listed can even come close and well over 1500wpc into a 2 ohm load Cleanly !!
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