Recommended Modern Amps

The purpose of this thread is to allow people to post reviews or recommendations of the modern gear they have or have used. Again, first person experience only.
For the purposes of this thread, "Modern" shall mean anything in current production, or the previous model. For instance, both the Rega Brio and Brio-R would eligible.
If you disagree with a persons recommendation, please take that to a separate thread.

Again, this is something new we are trying, so we can tweak and fine tune as we go.

Please post any comments in this thread:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=441123

Hi,
This is a genuine question before I post it here or it should be elsewhere.
While re-arranging my music playback system, I became aware that perhaps my Vintage amp sounds "much" better than my modern Onkyo amp (Pure 2ch stereo) and I would like responses from those (with personal experience) who simply rely on their listening skill to decide and also from folks who have technical knowledge about amplifiers and sound reproduction. If you feel it will be appropriate, I will give full details of equipments in question and how I came to think of airing this topic.
 
Beware - the first recommendation the Audio Source amp 100 catches on fire by itself!

Shy away from it - and if you have it, don't use it!

Nonsense. I own this amp and it runs nice and cool; in fact my Ashly GQX-3102 EQ probably runs at twice the temperature.

This is a great amp and unless you have personal experience with it catching on fire I doubt your sources.
 
I recently bought an Emotiva XPA-5 Gen 2 to flesh out my HT needs. While testing the amp I had it connected to my main speakers. Normally I drive my main speakers with a Yamaha B-2, which is a vintage amp that uses V-FETS. Although it's vintage it is still extremely good and is the best amp I've heard so far. I didn't expect much from the XPA-5 as it was really purchased to drive a center and 4 surrounds, and was really just putting it through the paces to make sure everything was working and no issues, etc.. I have to say I am very impressed. It's not a B-2, but is very, very good. No noise was detected even when I had it briefly connected to a set of horns. On my mains (JBL XPL-200A) the sound was very satisfying with no listening fatigue. Classical came across very realistically with proper dynamics, violins did not make my ears bleed (always appreciated), jazz was smooth and silky, rock nice and punchy.

Mechanically, the appearance and build quality are first rate.The RCA jacks are machined, the five way binding posts are top notch, and it also has balanced XLR inputs. The amp weighs in at over 70 lbs and is also rack mountable. The PSU consists of a 1,200 VA torroidal transformer and 60,000 uF of filters. The amp is rated at 200 Wpc all channels driven, 20 Hz - 20 kHz. Rated noise is 96 dB at 1 Watt to 119 dB at full output.

I'm extremely satisfied, so satisfied that I think its a shame that this amp will only be used for HT duty.
 
I'll nominate the Harmon Kardon HK990. I'm a very satisfied customer with the clean 150wpc and the room correction software is a plus. It makes my meager listening setup sound better than it should.
 
Rogue Audio……M-180 MonoBlocks

an incredible value KT-120 tube amplification

Plinius ……. SA-103

to my ears, every bit as good as Pass labs……..
 
Best Steampunk amp ( TPA3116 )

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I'll nominate the Harmon Kardon HK990. I'm a very satisfied customer with the clean 150wpc and the room correction software is a plus. It makes my meager listening setup sound better than it should.

I just got one of these amps today. So far, I am very impressed. Lots of options to contour the sound which is very cool. It has a lot more punch and detail than the Yammy' A-S1000 it replaced. It just may be a keeper.:scratch2:
 
FWIW I just completed a dealer speaker demo whirlwind review and in that process I noticed some tendencies with modern amps-

yamaha s series- e.g. S700- VERY smooth sounding. I could live with these amps!
low end NAD- e.g. 326Bee- sounded ringy and cheap, no warmth. also one actually lost the left channel at one dealer. the rep had to switch to the marantz.
marantz- PM series. also very smooth. no problems with these. the lower end models did struggle to power some floor standers to decent volume however.
cambridge audio. only heard the highest end models. again, very nice amps.
 
This is my version of the TPA3116 which I've crowned "King of Chips."

Given it's $15 price point it's a perfect companion to the $5 flea market SCPH5501 ( now highly modded ).

Remember price is no indication of performance.

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Rear view of the recession busters:

TPA3116 amp ( $15 ), Guanzo 3 tube preamp ( $45 ) and 5501 ( $5 ). You'll spend that when you take your wife to dinner.

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Another vote for NAD. At 800 bucks, the C-356BEE is simply an amazing, open sounding unit (forget the warm and dark NADs of the past). This one sounds true. True and balanced at all frequencies yet with deep extremely clean bass, transparent clear and strong midrange and high end sparkle / air that rival the best class D has to offer. This one separates itself distinctly from the lower end NAD models and climbs in with amplifiers well above it's range- example Marantz PM series (hard to believe but do a comparison), Rogue Audio Sphinx (I cannot see the hype behind this one) and Creek Evolution 5350.
There are no veils or hidden frequencies. Everything is front and center, loud clean and clear and with dynamics that literally do not quit.
The appearance doesn't fit in with higher end minimalism but this amp clearly shouts sound and function over boutique styling.
It has more than enough power to drive large tower speakers (e.g. my PSB T6) at very very high volume in fairly large finished basement sized room. My ears say stop before the amplifier starts sounding compressed or distorted.
This amp receives the highest recommendation of any audio component I have ever owned.
 
Loving my Yamaha A-S500!

^^^Totally dig this amp! I don't own it but have played with it quite a bit at a local record shop. Since no one else has mentioned it yet, my latest toy: Musical Paradise mp301. 6 watts of tube loveliness for $340. I love this little amp
 
I recently bought an Emotiva XPA-5 Gen 2 to flesh out my HT needs. While testing the amp I had it connected to my main speakers. Normally I drive my main speakers with a Yamaha B-2, which is a vintage amp that uses V-FETS. Although it's vintage it is still extremely good and is the best amp I've heard so far. I didn't expect much from the XPA-5 as it was really purchased to drive a center and 4 surrounds, and was really just putting it through the paces to make sure everything was working and no issues, etc.. I have to say I am very impressed. It's not a B-2, but is very, very good. No noise was detected even when I had it briefly connected to a set of horns. On my mains (JBL XPL-200A) the sound was very satisfying with no listening fatigue. Classical came across very realistically with proper dynamics, violins did not make my ears bleed (always appreciated), jazz was smooth and silky, rock nice and punchy.

Mechanically, the appearance and build quality are first rate.The RCA jacks are machined, the five way binding posts are top notch, and it also has balanced XLR inputs. The amp weighs in at over 70 lbs and is also rack mountable. The PSU consists of a 1,200 VA torroidal transformer and 60,000 uF of filters. The amp is rated at 200 Wpc all channels driven, 20 Hz - 20 kHz. Rated noise is 96 dB at 1 Watt to 119 dB at full output.

I'm extremely satisfied, so satisfied that I think its a shame that this amp will only be used for HT duty.

I'm with you on the Emotiva gear. I just picked up a XPA-2 to replace one of my Onkyo Amps, the M-504, and it sounds great! I was concerned with going with modern gear, but this amp has removed those concerns. I'm so pleased that I will more than likely pick up another to replace the M-506RS I have in use.

Both of my Onk's, along the pre-amp, need servicing, but there is no one in town anymore that knows how to service them. I'm sad to not see the big set of meters bouncing around, but without servicing, I don't think they will last another 30 years!

Enjoy
 
The TPA3116 ( using a new chip from T.I ) is beyond amazing with near SET like performance.

At $20 it destroys the concept that you get what you pay for.

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I recently purchased an Arcam FMJ-A19 integrated amp from Audiophile Liquidator. They generally sell for $999 but it is still selling for $778 at Audiophile Liquidator, plus shipping.

I was skeptical that a 50 WPC, chip based amp would out perform my very minty NAD C 162 preamp and my slightly tired Rotel RB 980BX power amp (120 WPC). The sound went from slightly brittle top end and over extended bass to very smooth, yet detailed. The sound stage improved significantly as well. The Rotel would do deep bass somewhat better. The Arcam has no tone controls which does bug me with some old LP's that don't have much dynamic range. But mostly, such refined sound from IC chips is amazing. Overall much better than the discrete component based Rotel that preceded it.
 
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