2. amps-preamps
  3. 1244392601

Is anything better than Aleph 3?

I do not know if I would consider myself TRUE audiophile but I have been in this hobby for a long time although for the last few years I had no time for it but getting in the game again :)

I have heard a lot of solid state amps but I only heard Rogue Audio as tube amp. I always felt like it would be a pain to deal with the tubes but frankly I just have this conception from what I read/heard from people here and there. Right now I am considering tube amps so that I can have a sound like my good old Aleph 3. I used to have this amp and did not hear anything like it so far. I do not have fancy words to explain it but that thing was so sweet. The midrange was so smooth/soft, I could almost see the airy sound that was coming from the speakers with that amp. Yes, it did not have the best bass but that was not my concern too much. However, that thing was getting TOO hot and it was adding extra cost to the electric bill.

I have been trying to find someone who had an experience with the Aleph 3 and had a chance to compare it to the other amps. I have read some people telling Golden Tube SE-40 (yes I heard about the reliability issues) is the same or better. This other guy saying Onkyo A-9555 is better sounding amp than the Aleph 3. Could this be true?

You can tell that I do not want to spend a fortune but I could go up to $1500 for an amp that I can get the sound of an Aleph 3. Sure, I can get the Aleph 3 again but the heat and power consumption is a lot. Also, I am trying to see if I can like any other amp better than the Aleph 3.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!
celo

Showing 4 responses by gandme

gandme
212 posts
 
Another good one is the Aleph 30. Looks more like the "J" than the "3". Like the Aleph 3, can be found for less $$$. All these great small class A solid state amps will sound boring in the wrong system...but with the right speakers, like small S.E.T. tube amps, will shine and be hard to beat!
gandme
212 posts
 
I am bi-amping with 2 Aleph 3s. Owning many amps over the years I still have not heard anything as true to the music as the Aleph 3. So I did reverse my field and went back in time for the Alephs. Speaker matching is the only problem. My speakers are 4 ohm 90db and do well with one Aleph but better in my big room with two! If you want pure class A, heat and power consumption is the price we pay. The only amps that matched the Alephs natural sound that I have owned were the Pass Labs XA-160s. They consummed far more energy and ran hotter by a large margin and cost much much more! If you need big power on a budget, I found the Parasound JC-1s to be very musical and should sound good with Maggies, but they too will raise the house temp and the electric bill to a greater extent than the Aleph 3s.
gandme
212 posts
 
The Onkyo A-9555 will run cool and cost less to operate...
but not in the same class as the Aleph 3. I have not heard a digital amp that sounds natural or warm etc. I agree with Peterayer about the Aleph line, the 2s are great and there is a pair for sale on Audiogon. No, they are not mine or my cousins! But we are back to the same problem heat and energy cost...sorry
gandme
212 posts
 
That is the first time I have heard boring and Aleph 3 in the same sentence.
More to discover