Constellation Audio Centaur

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,421
2,513
1,448
He's back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Welcome back, Wizard!!! Great to have you here again!
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,421
2,513
1,448
BTW, i know someone whose ears i trust and thinks this amp is sensational and now owns one. He has access, as an industry 'insider' to all manner of great audio equipment, so i thought this an interesting choice. Have read quite a bit about it, but never heard. Has anyone heard this?
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,807
4,700
2,790
Portugal
I listened to the Centaur stereo with the Magico S5 and later with the Alexia and it was impressive. It is very clean sounding, no haze at all, and the bass seems very deep. It is one of the few solid state amplifiers I would be afraid of trying in my own system ...
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,316
1,426
1,820
Manila, Philippines
I've heard it albeit in a completely unfamiliar system and show conditions at that. If it were a Doctor it was following the Hippocratic oath, it did no wrong. If I were offered a chance to try it at home, I wouldn't turn that offer down.

Bob, it's in the 20k range IIRC.
 

Roysen

New Member
Aug 6, 2011
728
2
0
I listened to the Constellation Audio Centaur and Virgo with Magico S5, Aurender S10 and Shunyata Research cables and power conditioning at a show in Sweden this fall. This sound was impressive, effortlessly dynamic, low noisefloor, warm and yet neutral balance, very good resolution and great soundstaging.

However I must say that I am very frustrated with Constellation Audio. I have been waiting for the release of the Orion phono stage and Sirius digital player in their Reference line since they announced them three years ago. Still no sign of them and the Sirius is even renoved from their webpages.
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,010
258
1,170
Poland
Is it only me or anyone else also feels disappointed by those internals ? The amps looks gorgeous on the outside, and one would expect the internals to be equally impressive, but the amp looks quite oridinaty inside. They should definately keep them dressed up :)
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,010
258
1,170
Poland
The CA looks as pedestrian as a Cary SA-200.2 I have at home right now. The difference is, the Cary costs $3990 and CA $20k.

If you open up a Gryphon, Viola, Krell Evo or a comparably priced mark levinson 532 - they look much better build.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lunego

andromedaaudio

VIP/Donor
Jan 23, 2011
8,449
2,801
1,400
Amsterdam holland
Probably a transformer housing , in the boulder its encapsulated and potted , one of their design parameters is resonance control ., thats one reason the heatsinks are machined from solid 37 mm thick 6000 series aluminium alloy, ordinary heatsinks ring if you flip your nail against it and transistors are mounted directly on heatsinks , dan dagostino did the same thing when he designed the ventury copper heatsinks on his design, copper is even much more inert than aluminium.
The constellation heatsink cover looks more like a ....cover

-- Very nice build.

* What's inside that covered box in the picture's top? ...At the near top centre rear amp.
 
Last edited:

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
3,614
2,620
1,860
Sydney
I listened to the Constellation Audio Centaur and Virgo with Magico S5, Aurender S10 and Shunyata Research cables and power conditioning at a show in Sweden this fall. This sound was impressive, effortlessly dynamic, low noisefloor, warm and yet neutral balance, very good resolution and great soundstaging.

However I must say that I am very frustrated with Constellation Audio. I have been waiting for the release of the Orion phono stage and Sirius digital player in their Reference line since they announced them three years ago. Still no sign of them and the Sirius is even renoved from their webpages.

I wonder what comes first for these start up companies. The actual product, or distributor orders for the product in order to justify a production run.
 
Last edited:

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
6,455
29
405
Is it only me or anyone else also feels disappointed by those internals ? The amps looks gorgeous on the outside, and one would expect the internals to be equally impressive, but the amp looks quite oridinaty inside. They should definately keep them dressed up :)

Hi

I am soooo pleased, I am not the only one who finds the inside of the COnstellation pedestrian. FOr comparison this is the inside of something so low in the HiGh End pecking order as not to register. I will not even mention the name but you know them ...


EMOXPR-1.jpg
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,010
258
1,170
Poland
How about this one - Xindak A660P. I belive it sells for $2500-3000.

_vyrp12_57a600p-2.jpg



Or this one - Xindak integrated A600 ($2000?):
a600-02_Y8878Ntszznl.jpg
 

Elberoth

Member Sponsor
Dec 15, 2012
2,010
258
1,170
Poland
For comparison this is the inside of something so low in the HiGh End pecking order as not to register. I will not even mention the name but you know them ...

That Emotiva amp is $1,449.00 in retail :)
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing