VOTE: Best sounding power amps

[MacManNM]

What are your all time favorites? I like the McIntosh and older Marantz sound.

 

[Dan Banquer]

Best sounding power amp

Why the R.E. Designs LNPA 150's of course.

d.b.

 

[Duffinator]

Krell

According to the movie "The Forbidden Planet", the Krell are the smartest people in the universe so they should be smart enough to make the best sounding amps.

 

[Sleestack]

I haven't heard many of the amps listed. My vote goes to Pass Labs and my current Meridian G57.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

You forgot to mention Mark Levinson and Jeff Rowland. Check out this one. The power supply alone is 128 lbs. It's the model 9. See the spec sheet.
www.jeffrowland.com/ClassicAmps.htm

 

[Jason Coleman]

What about Anthem or Parasound, too? Seems like an incomplete list to me, not that any list like this could be complete, but those seem like no-brainers.

Jason

 

[Audiosouse]

Don't forget Monster!

 

[annunaki]

My vote would be for Classe'. It was the most accurate, dynamic amplifier I have had the opportunity to listen to.

Although, I have yet to listen to a Halcro amplifier setup.

 

[MacManNM]

What about Anthem or Parasound, too? Seems like an incomplete list to me, not that any list like this could be complete, but those seem like no-brainers.

Jason

parasound yes, anthem, no. you only get 10 choices, and since I'm an old school guy I put old school stuff on it.

 

[Audiosouse]

Anthem Statement P5 and D1 Pre/Pro powering Paradigm Reference Signature S8s. Probably the best sound I've ever heard.

I'm biased, I don't consider tube amps because I'm a flat frequency response addict. If I wanted warm and fuzzy I'd buy a beannie baby.

Plus a local audiophile shop I like said I couldn't listen (again) to the Dynaudio Evidence Temptations (one of the best speakers I've heard...ever!) they had set up because the VTL amps wouldn't run since it was hot outside...even though the store is air conditioned.

 

[Audiosouse]

Forgot to mention the Denon (don't know model number) integrated amplifier I used to compare the Paradigm Monitor 7s and Phantoms sounded unbelieveable. It was huge! Would have offered a price for the demo, but I needed the 3805 for HT. I find Denon amps impressive, not sure why they don't offer separates anymore.

 

[Sleestack]

Forgot to mention the Denon (don't know model number) integrated amplifier I used to compare the Paradigm Monitor 7s and Phantoms sounded unbelieveable. It was huge! Would have offered a price for the demo, but I needed the 3805 for HT. I find Denon amps impressive, not sure why they don't offer separates anymore.

You may be talking about the Denon PMA2000IVR. I have one for my secondary system. It is awesome and at less than $1K, a great piece for the money. Completely clean, very powerful and unlike most equipment these days, simple and straightforward.

 

[LEVESQUE]

Anthem Statement P5 and D1 Pre/Pro powering Paradigm Reference Signature S8s. Probably the best sound I've ever heard.

I know. That's what I'm using.

I just sold my Bryston 4BSST to replace it with an Anthem Statement P2 after comparing both in-house.

And after comparing the combo P2/P5 with the 4BSST, I can say that if Bryston is in the list, then Anthem should definitely be in there...

 

[Aliixer]

Classe'

CLASSE', can't understand why its not listed. Please listen to one of their amps and enjoy.

 

[race4aliving]

Of the amp's I've owned I would have to say Accuphase but, I heard an Audio Reseach tube amp I dont remember the model number but it sounded great.

 

[Audiosouse]

You may be talking about the Denon PMA2000IVR. I have one for my secondary system. It is awesome and at less than $1K, a great piece for the money. Completely clean, very powerful and unlike most equipment these days, simple and straightforward.

Yeah that's the one, still shows as current on the Canadian website for $2220! It was extremely powerful and simple to use, priced at $999 if I remember correctly. If I had known what it was worth I would have lived with the debt. It was one of the nicest pieces of equipment I've used and left quite an impression on me, it really took control of those speakers. When I finally went back to the store where I bought my 3805 and Monitor System Seven, it was long gone.

 

[Audiosouse]

I know. That's what I'm using.

I just sold my Bryston 4BSST to replace it with an Anthem Statement P2 after comparing both in-house.

And after comparing the combo P2/P5 with the 4BSST, I can say that if Bryston is in the list, then Anthem should definitely be in there...

All I can say is lucky (rich) bastard.

 

[surveyor]

Krell Killers

MarkLevinson No. 33.
The Krell Killers 433 lbs each. They're Mono Blocks.
They sold for about 22,000 a pair.
This is a link to the No. 33's little brothers the mere 33H.
http://www.marklevinson.com/products/overview.asp?cat=pa&prod=no33h

 

[Yamahaluver]

Yamaha M and MX and the latest MX-DI series, the true underdogs of amp world, muscial, accurate and truly powerful and also Accuphase's fantastic M series amps, expensive but jusitified with their sound and build.

 

[9f9c7z]

You forgot to mention Mark Levinson and Jeff Rowland. Check out this one. The power supply alone is 128 lbs. ...
www.jeffrowland.com/ClassicAmps.htm

I was reading a website about amp design and they said to get a push-pull amp to optimize you need over 1.1lbs of power supply per watt, i.e. 220lb+ power supply for a 200w amp. Can’t tell you want they mean by ‘optimize’ since just about everything I read on that website was way over my head.

I haven’t heard enough amp/speaker combos to vote.