Endgame monoblock amp choice

[christoph]

I will only sell it in EC with the matching preamplfier, the L2REF. Several people were have shown interest in the amplifiers, but I will not separate.

Thanks for the clarification.
I will add this important piece of information when I recommend your amps next time

 

[Lagonda]

Thanks for the clarification.
I will add this important piece of information when I recommend your amps next time

And this is why Fransisco never sells his equipment !

 

[microstrip]

And this is why Fransisco never sells his equipment !

Considering that I have owned tonnes of equipment that fortunately have easily sold and the feedback shown at the usual sites I would say that this time you are wrong. Fortunately Lamm is an isolated case in my extensive high-end swapping route.

 

[Lagonda]

Considering that I have owned tonnes of equipment that fortunately have easily sold and the feedback shown at the usual sites I would say that this time you are wrong. Fortunately Lamm is an isolated case in my extensive high-end swapping route.

How do the Lamm hybrids compare to your VTL Siegfrieds ? Maybe your next speaker will be a better fit for the Lamm's.

 

[Pacha]

Many Years ago I had Scintilla's and later Diva's that I drove with Krell Reference. The sound was spactacular and even though the amps were class A, here in New Mexico it was not too bad heat wise in the summer.

 

[martin778]

Krell has always been the go-to combination with Apogee but the heat output and the fact they wear out so quickly makes me want to skip the brand this time altogether. My go-to technician is probably still pulling his hair trying to get the 250M's fixed.

Does anyone know MSB M204 mono's?

 

[micro13]

If your budget allows it I‘d recommend EMM Labs MTRX2 mono amps for endgame. They are stable to at least 2 Ohms, they have more than enough power to drive whatever speaker and they are not getting hot. Ok, if you push them, they get quite warm but not hot.

 

[LL21]

Martin778,

You have got some great recommendations here. As a pure Class A audiophile for over 12 years now, I can say that for whatever reason, the Antileon was the hottest-running of the 3 Gryphon amps we owned (Colosseum and Mephisto being the other two). The Mephisto does run hot but did not produce nearly as much heat as the Antileon by some measure...not sure why.

You've made up your mind to avoid high-powered, pure Class A, so I respect that. I am simply adding this in case you might still be wondering as you deliberate your many options. The combination would likely otherwise be spectacular. And the Mephisto 2nd hand would fit within your stated budget, and they are readily available in Europe.

 

[plasmod3]

hmmm no one mentioned the wavac sh833! now thats end game haha

 

[Sampajanna]

Similarly, very few people ever mention the flagships from AVM that I have (Ovation MA 8.3). AVM has become known for all-in-one products, but these monos are absolutely stunning. They are hybrid tube input, with tons of power (1,100 w on all loads). Totally worth a listen if you can get the chance.

 

[martin778]

Heat output really is a problem, the FPB's already heat up to 50*C on the heatsinks which means they will be due for another recap in a few yeras. Only way to manage this would be to place silent 120-140mm fans under the heatsinks but that kind of defeats the point of Class A.
From a technical point of view, the choice feels almost impossible... a) gets hot b) has no service c) can only be serviced by the manufacturer d) is unavailable e) has obsolete parts and the list goes on.

Truly feels like one of these "first world problems". Mephisto is also reaching the 'due for recap' age nowadays and I can't place such a big single unit anywhere in the living room. With monoblocks I can try to hide them somewhere around the speakers ;-)

 

[andromedaaudio]

CAT Jl 7 used fits your budget .
The JL 5 that i have doesnt run hot .

End game ampliification afaik if you like what they do.

But to have endgame sound you need to have a end game pre amp too, its the whole package.
Ps i never heard the ZENA pre amp.

 

[martin778]

That's all tube gear, don't want any tubes in the system anymore. €1600+ to retube the CAT's, with my luck with tube gear that will be a KT150 each 50 hours of use

 

[andromedaaudio]

Yes but in a CAT they go a long way .
I d say 6 years depends on how much you listen .

Then i would go with Lloyds recommendation , a Memphisto since you like the pre already .

 

[Phantom-Audio]

Would OTL work ?

 

[bonzo75]

Would OTL work ?

To power big Apogees?

 

[bonzo75]

I'm looking for my 'endgame' monoblocks (would work best with my cabling) to power big Apogees but I'm at the point of choosing by eye rather than by ears thinking there aren't many (if any) truly bad amps in the €25k used market.
Repairability and reliability are very important, speaking from experience with expensive audio gear.

I especially look for good MF/HF resolution and punchy, tight lows. I have 2 preamps available a Gryphon Zena and No.326s but will be keeping the Gryphon

What would you think about the following?

- McIntosh MC1.25kW, 'legendary' brand but seems to have a lot of strongly biased users, on both sides. Can be had way under the budget and almost new so should be hassle free
- Pass X600.8, still pretty young, shouldn't need servicing anytime soon, well reviewed
- D'Agostino M550's, 3 years old, gorgeous looks however a bit disappointing on the inside
- MSB M203, unknown serviceability, no option to listen before buying.
- Big Krells, probably all well due for a recap?

I'd rather not want to buy pure class A gear as every amp class A I've bought in the past was already crusty as a sin (caps/solder joints) and they got scorching hot.

I would go with the Dags first choice, followed by one of the big Krells or MSB. You can also try hybrids like Lamm. Stay away from tube amps.

A great amp is Symphonic Line Kraft which is 300 - 400w depending on model and you can get it at 14k Euro approx from German manufacturer or try used market.

 

[martin778]

I've heard a heavily modded Croft 3 OTL with PL519's and it had the purest midrange I heard to this day but I don't see it delivering current to 2-4 Ohm Apogees. Maybe big Atma Sphers would cut it but we're talking 48+ tubes in total, that's a no-go. Have to admit that MA-2's do look amazing ;-)

 

[christoph]

To power big Apogees?

I would love to hear a pair of very good OTLs playing with my very easy to drive Apogee Studio Grands.
I could easily imagine this to be a match made in audio heaven

 

[martin778]

Unexpectedly, stumbled upon a pair of Cello Performance II mono's and here they stand. Very different kind of sound.