Will be while, traveling a lot with work.
Jumping on a plane now for Amarillo to spend a few days with DoE folks.
Jumping on a plane now for Amarillo to spend a few days with DoE folks.
After 50 years, I have finally found my destination amps... AGD Audions!
I will never forget my first system. When I went away to college I bought a $199 Pacific Stereo special-Niko receiver, Lenco TT and Quadraflex speakers. That was 1971.I don't know how many upgrades I have done since. But, by far, finding the "right" amp has been the quest for the holy grail. And after decades of different SETs, finding a SS amp that will satisfy a SET guy has been problematic... until now. I was first inspired by Forum member's rave comments. Then looking at the reviewers, I found the unique and consistent phrase "best regardless of price". With the end users and reviewers all agreeing, I decided to try a pair of AGD Audions.
Within minutes, I understood what everyone was saying. Now, after about a month of listening, I am convinced that I have indeed found the "holy grail". A SS amp that completely satisfies a SET guy... and more. I am thrilled daily by the way the Audions grab me. Now, it is no longer merely listening. It is being enveloped by a sound that opens a window into the musician's hearts and souls. They do so with an incredible lack of distortion, detail and transparency. I have never heard anything like it. Excuse what appears to be hyperbole but now hearing the Audion mono blocks I am overcome with the emotion I hear and emotion I feel.
I have come to understand that AGD Class D amps are indeed unique. The designer, Alberto Guerra, has a long background in integrated circuit development holding 10 patents including those for the MOSFETs used in AGD amps. The galium nitride modules are the only, and patented, GaNs designed specifically for Audio. All other GaNs were designed for battery chargers, radar or lidar, etc. Alberto, like Nelson Pass and SITs, owns all these GaNs made.
These amps are extremely fast. Their switching frequency is far beyond other Class D amps. AGD amps sound organic and natural with great realism like a SET but with liquidity and slam. The definition and immediacy puts them above any SET I have heard. The “tube” on top of AGD amps is a kind of tribute to the original 1906 Audion tube even though they are not vacuum tubes. They do however contain the full output stages. This contributes to heat dissipation and is a clever way to make the amps good for future upgrades. No need to ever buy a “new and improved” model. Just replace the tube. Alberto has issued a Mark II tube which is already used in his new amps and available for older.
Some would question the unique cosmetic design but once they are heard they become very beautiful. And, personally, I find them very attractive beyond the normal metal box. And the attention to fit and finish is of a high level including two excellent power cords and flight cases for shipping.
AGD amps are my final, destination amps. I am thrilled daily. My only considered upgrade would be to the top line Gran Vivaces.
Within minutes, I understood what everyone was saying. Now, after about a month of listening, I am convinced that I have indeed found the "holy grail". A SS amp that completely satisfies a SET guy... and more. I am thrilled daily by the way the Audions grab me. Now, it is no longer merely listening. It is being enveloped by a sound that opens a window into the musician's hearts and souls. They do so with an incredible lack of distortion, detail and transparency. I have never heard anything like it. Excuse what appears to be hyperbole but now hearing the Audion mono blocks I am overcome with the emotion I hear and emotion I feel.
I have come to understand that AGD Class D amps are indeed unique. The designer, Alberto Guerra, has a long background in integrated circuit development holding 10 patents including those for the MOSFETs used in AGD amps. The galium nitride modules are the only, and patented, GaNs designed specifically for Audio. All other GaNs were designed for battery chargers, radar or lidar, etc. Alberto, like Nelson Pass and SITs, owns all these GaNs made.
These amps are extremely fast. Their switching frequency is far beyond other Class D amps. AGD amps sound organic and natural with great realism like a SET but with liquidity and slam. The definition and immediacy puts them above any SET I have heard. The “tube” on top of AGD amps is a kind of tribute to the original 1906 Audion tube even though they are not vacuum tubes. They do however contain the full output stages. This contributes to heat dissipation and is a clever way to make the amps good for future upgrades. No need to ever buy a “new and improved” model. Just replace the tube. Alberto has issued a Mark II tube which is already used in his new amps and available for older.
Some would question the unique cosmetic design but once they are heard they become very beautiful. And, personally, I find them very attractive beyond the normal metal box. And the attention to fit and finish is of a high level including two excellent power cords and flight cases for shipping.
AGD amps are my final, destination amps. I am thrilled daily. My only considered upgrade would be to the top line Gran Vivaces.
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- 58 posts total
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Just purchased the Vivace. Truly loving this amplifier and appreciating that it is Class D and so good based on the bad rep Class D has had in the past. I am coming from a decent pair of tube monoblocks (Opera-Consance Cyber 800SE) and the Vivace hasn't lost the tube magic those non SET amplifiers brought out and appreciated with those monoblocks. The Vivace has added so much more to the music that I just cannot compare the two. Again the tubes were a good pair of amplifiers that resided in my systems for years, but yes there are better tube amplifiers at a much higher price and if you are thinking tube magic you think SET not my amplifiers so my comparison is a limited one when comparing the Vivace to tube magic. I have only owned the Vivace for a couple days and still adjusting to all the improvements and know that over time like all things areas of improvement will likely become apparent so I am glad it is modular and there is an upgrade pathway open to me because I am sold on Alberto's designs. The one area that I may, not sure yet, might like to be a bit stronger is in the very low level listening levels. For this reason I was happy to hear that the next step up in the product line seems to have addressed this potential weak spot. Again I cannot say it is a weak spot with authority, because I do not have enough time to declare such a statement as fact. No matter this amplifier is so good that even if the lower volume does not match the higher volume I do not care. I have not heard an amplifier in my system create such realism and magic and when I say lower volume levels there hardly is any amplifier I have heard that matches the excitement that moderate to loud level listening brings, so maybe I should not refer to it as a "weak" spot, but just stress that at normal to higher levels of listening this amplifier is in the upper tier of amplifiers and maybe even in a class of its own for its price point. |
First Class
axo0oxa -- I recvd my Gran Vivace yesterday!! Was up damn near all eve. I also have the regular Vivace- Have had that for a few months and just had to try the GV. Vivace = 911 Gran Vivace = 911 Turbo -- It's that simple--- Not sure what I will do with the original pair?!?!!? ENJOY== |
- 58 posts total