Looking for SS amp help.

[tom_hankins]

I'm going to get a SS amp to compare with the Manleys with the new Harbeths when they get here. has to have balanced inputs, can be stereo or monoblocks. Must be in the $3k or less range. No room on this one. has to have at least 200-300 watts into 8 ohms. What i want i cant afford, thats the Arye V-1xe. had one and it was the nicest SS amp i had heard or owned. Just wasnt enough for the Thiels at the time.

Here are my choices so far.

Pass Labs X-250

BAT VK-500 w/batpak

McCormack DNA-2

Odyssey Stratos extreme monoblocks (I only know what I have read on these???)

I've had two Pass amps here and although I thought the Ayre was better, They were nice. (X-600 mono, X350.5)

I like the BAT and think it will work with all my other bat gear. I have heard the McCormack twice in two system and they both were nice, but thats all I have to go on.

Any other options?

Thanks

[aerius]

There's a Simaudio W-5 with your name on it on Audiogon.

The other nice solidstate amp I can think of is the Gamut D200, but I'm not sure if you can find a used one in your price range. I've also never heard it on a lower efficiency set of speakers so I'm not sure how well it'll mate with your Harbeths, whereas the Simaudio will happily drive anything short of an Apogee Scintilla.

[tom_hankins]

Thank you both , I'll check them out some more.

[tom_hankins]

I went and listened an older Threshold SA/4E 100W pure classA amp tonight. It was in a system i very familiar with, driving Thiel 3.7s. Very, very strong 100watts. Nice warm but detailed class A sound. I am going to borrow it tues. and keep it through next weekend to use along with the Manleys and my SHL5 speakers. Only downside was it got super hot.

[n_maher]

I would expect that a 100W Class A (if really pure) would get motherfracking hot.

[Duggeh]

You could fry eggs on my 25W Aleph M and it wasn't small either.

[tom_hankins]

I had the Krell 650 watt monos classA and they were HOT! But the Threshold (Pass) classA amps seem to take it to the next level.

My biggest concern is the low input of the Threshold amp. 600ohm. Wondering how its going to work with the 200ohm output of the BAT preamp???

[luvdunhill]

I've never liked the BAT solid state amps having owned two, but perhaps your ears tell you different. Any reason that you're not considering the '5 series Ayre amp? I'm not sure I could tell the difference between it in and the 1 series and seems to be within your price range..

[tom_hankins]

I've never liked the BAT solid state amps having owned two, but perhaps your ears tell you different. Any reason that you're not considering the '5 series Ayre amp? I'm not sure I could tell the difference between it in and the 1 series and seems to be within your price range..

The guy whos loaning me the Threshold is an Ayre dealer and says pretty much the what your saying. That the 5xe is close to the 1xe. I've owned the 1xe and loved it. i guess I'll demo the 5xe at home and see. I really like the VK-600se amp, but cant afford it, was wondering how close the VK-500 with the batpak would get me to it? The Threshold was nice. Power, warmth, finesse. Not the last word in slam but still nice. If it works out with my preamp, and sounds better than the Snappers, I'll probably buy it. I dont remember liking the newer Pass amps with my Thiels as much as i liked this Threshold. But then again, I'm old, and memories arent what they once were.

[deepak]

The Pass XA100 I heard ran hot, but nothing like my Aleph 30.

Those Krell amps were 650w and never left Class A? That's bloody madness.

Parasound JC-1 might be another one in your budget, though I have never heard them.

[luvdunhill]

The VK-600se is something I don't have much experience with. From what (little) I know, it's similar to the Ayre in that it doesn't use any negative feedback (in the traditional sense). However, that's pretty much where the similarities stop I'd suspect. The BAT doesn't use a complimentary output stage, but is it class A design? I'm not sure I believe it is, or it slides into AB really early. Is it DC coupled? Traditionally, BAT power amps aren't (have to upcharge for fancy rebranded Jensen caps, right?).. not that these two things really matter in some senses, but perhaps you might care..

[tom_hankins]

The Pass XA100 I heard ran hot, but nothing like my Aleph 30.

Those Krell amps were 650w and never left Class A? That's bloody madness.

Parasound JC-1 might be another one in your budget, though I have never heard them.

I've owned the JC-1s, but not with my present speakers. They ran out of gas pretty early with the Thiels and always seemed a little thin in that system. I'll give a few amps a try until the new speakers get here. The Harbeths i have should give me a pretty good idea, I'd love to stick with tubes and go to the Neo classic 250s from Manley, but after spending the cash on the speakers it isnt going to happen. I have to be able to get (at least close to) what I can get out of the Snappers or get back what I spend to try an amp used on the resale.

[spritzer]

Those Krell amps were 650w and never left Class A? That's bloody madness.

I believe those amps have the "Sustained Plateau Bias" or what it was called where the bias is variable but the amp should never leave Class A.

[jp11801]

Tom try the McCormacks, they are great sounding amps. I've had a DNA .5 on and off for the past 20 years. The DNA .5 plays louder than its rated power and many think it as good as or better than the DNA 1. If you can find a SC modded version they are highly recommended. I got my DNA .5 sliver level for just over a grand. This amp smoked the Krell intergrated I owned.

[tom_hankins]

Tom try the McCormacks, they are great sounding amps. I've had a DNA .5 on and off for the past 20 years. The DNA .5 plays louder than its rated power and many think it as good as or better than the DNA 1. If you can find a SC modded version they are highly recommended. I got my DNA .5 sliver level for just over a grand. This amp smoked the Krell intergrated I owned.

Thanks. Have you heard the DNA-2, or talked to anyone who has compared it to the .5 or 1?

I'm looking at this one

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1277441796&/McCormack-DNA-2-

[jp11801]

I have not just the .5, 1 and 500. The 500 is a beast and sounded awesome in Al's set up.

[tom_hankins]

Lots of versions of all the McCormack amps. The one I posted is the standard version of the DNA-2, any idea if that is a good price?

[jp11801]

it appears to be the stock deluxe .5 goes for about $650 to $750 and the 1 goes for $1000 ish, this is one of the few 2s I have seen. (more because I never needed that amount of power)

[faust3d]

Tom try the McCormacks, they are great sounding amps. I've had a DNA .5 on and off for the past 20 years. The DNA .5 plays louder than its rated power and many think it as good as or better than the DNA 1. If you can find a SC modded version they are highly recommended. I got my DNA .5 sliver level for just over a grand. This amp smoked the Krell intergrated I owned.

I like DNA 1 Deluxe just a bit more, but yes it is a killer amp. I have had my DNA-1 for a few years now and it sound great with right speaks. DNA-2 is a monster, but IMHO is not as fluid and musical as DNA-1/0.5, something is lost when you have that much transistors and power I guess.

[tom_hankins]

I've been listening to the Threshold for around an hour. Lots of detail, smooth as smooth can be. Not as lively as the Manleys, and i think (so far any way) the Manleys have an edge on bass. This could be an amp/preamp matching issue though. I will try the SE inputs after a few hours of this (xlr inputs) and see if it makes a difference.

[tom_hankins]

Well,

1. Its too hot for my room

2. Where it seemed to really get it right with the Thiels, it seems to laid back with the Harbeths.

The Manleys are livlier, more texure, and bigger bass.

The Threshold , more inner detail, more refined, and better since of space and air.

I bought the whole system and will sell the amp, preamp, and phono. then on to the Pass or McCormack.

[tom_hankins]

Here are some pictures of the amp from my for sale add on Agon.

Threshold SA/4E For Sale | AudiogoN

[tom_hankins]

Decided to compare some high power SS amps to the Manleys and then go from there. i picked up a pr. of Bryston 7B SST monoblocks off Agon today to try out. I know one guy who swears by them with the M40.1s and i think i can get my money back if I like the manleys better. I'll report back next week on what i hear.

[DigiPete]

If you have a chance try out the Modwright KWA-150, very nice sound, to me anyway.