Vistance
Super Member
Ok, so for various reasons I've come to decide I strongly wish to have a Threshold amplifier (at least one anyway). My current main system has an AVR that gets way too hot, and it makes my room miserably hot. If I leave it off, it's comfortable but with it on I need the fan on and I'm still too warm. So it's important the replacement amp runs cooler than the AVR.
So Forte is a sister company to Threshold, not quite as beefed up as a Threshold but quite similar and still well regarded. I had considered one of their amps, but the ones I found were Pure Class A amplifiers - 40-50 watts per channel. The concern I have here is Class A is generally always a "hot" amp isn't it? Would it give off so much heat so as to warm up a room literally, or is it just warm to the touch? Most amps I've had over the years never did seem to really get hot, in fact in this same room I have an older Denon AVR that never heats the room up. These Forte amps are more readily available than a Threshold, but my concern is the heat.
By "Threshold-like" I mean I don't want something that's bright (Bryston) or sterile and lifeless (Krell), something that just has a nice smooth mix of all the good stuff (I know this is subjective but I've heard this describe Threshold amps very much). Of course expressing my personal views on those brands for my own use, no intent to bash them as they're all well made gear regardless. I'm just kinda at a loss, functionally a Class A amp would be wonderful as I'm in a small room and I don't need a lot of power for my speakers. But I don't want heat.
So does this leave me with just Class A/B amps biased less towards A? Is there such a thing as a cool running Class A amp? I had considered a Sumo Andromeda III as it's a very healthy Class A/B amplifier, but that's getting into the realm of excess power I'm paying for that I don't really need. 100 watts a side would leave plenty of headroom for me. I want a high-end amplifier, relatively speaking from say Adcom, NAD, Emotiva, etc. I'm trying to take my level of listening to the next "plane" if you will, I have the money and want to give it a go.
I feel my own research now is too heavily biased on Threshold, can anyone else recommend something that would be high-end and not cook me out of my own room? I know this one's "high-end" status is questionable depending on whom you ask, but I had considered the Sunfire Load Invariant amplifier as I know it drives crazy loads and never gets hot. It's in that realm of ridiculous power though, 300 watts @ 8 ohm and doubles power up to 1 ohm. I know that's the sign of a good amp, so I'd kind of like to find a power amp that does that as well.
Anyone know of anything? New or used is fine, sub-$1k would be ideal since I probably won't be happy until I've bought a Threshold (The Threshold doesn't have to be used in this system as I have another system in a different room it can go in where heat is irrelevant, and I have a need for at least 2 high-end amps).
So Forte is a sister company to Threshold, not quite as beefed up as a Threshold but quite similar and still well regarded. I had considered one of their amps, but the ones I found were Pure Class A amplifiers - 40-50 watts per channel. The concern I have here is Class A is generally always a "hot" amp isn't it? Would it give off so much heat so as to warm up a room literally, or is it just warm to the touch? Most amps I've had over the years never did seem to really get hot, in fact in this same room I have an older Denon AVR that never heats the room up. These Forte amps are more readily available than a Threshold, but my concern is the heat.
By "Threshold-like" I mean I don't want something that's bright (Bryston) or sterile and lifeless (Krell), something that just has a nice smooth mix of all the good stuff (I know this is subjective but I've heard this describe Threshold amps very much). Of course expressing my personal views on those brands for my own use, no intent to bash them as they're all well made gear regardless. I'm just kinda at a loss, functionally a Class A amp would be wonderful as I'm in a small room and I don't need a lot of power for my speakers. But I don't want heat.
So does this leave me with just Class A/B amps biased less towards A? Is there such a thing as a cool running Class A amp? I had considered a Sumo Andromeda III as it's a very healthy Class A/B amplifier, but that's getting into the realm of excess power I'm paying for that I don't really need. 100 watts a side would leave plenty of headroom for me. I want a high-end amplifier, relatively speaking from say Adcom, NAD, Emotiva, etc. I'm trying to take my level of listening to the next "plane" if you will, I have the money and want to give it a go.
I feel my own research now is too heavily biased on Threshold, can anyone else recommend something that would be high-end and not cook me out of my own room? I know this one's "high-end" status is questionable depending on whom you ask, but I had considered the Sunfire Load Invariant amplifier as I know it drives crazy loads and never gets hot. It's in that realm of ridiculous power though, 300 watts @ 8 ohm and doubles power up to 1 ohm. I know that's the sign of a good amp, so I'd kind of like to find a power amp that does that as well.
Anyone know of anything? New or used is fine, sub-$1k would be ideal since I probably won't be happy until I've bought a Threshold (The Threshold doesn't have to be used in this system as I have another system in a different room it can go in where heat is irrelevant, and I have a need for at least 2 high-end amps).