looking for truly transparent affordable amp s

Aolmrd1241----thanks for the suggestion of the Taranis amp. The review sounded promising although the lack of RCA inputs seems odd

Jrinkerptdnet----all my sources have variable outputs (including a Revox tuner) and I seldom come close to turning any of the volume controls all the up so I'm happy where I am on sources (after I have the Cambridge modded that is). I've heard and read great things about the First Watt amps and demoed the Aleph 5 many years ago but have found that even my quite sensitive custom speakers devour lower powered solid state without mercy. On these speakers, I use a 45w SET amp presently and used 45w EL34 monoblocks a few years back with great results only very rarely running out of power but have had to listen at much lower levels to avoiding clipping the 2 gainclones I've had on these speakers (and the speakers are biamped so the amps haven't been asked to do low bass). I've thought about trying some of the high sensitivity speakers out there so as to be able to use the lower powered SET amps, and perhaps the First Watts as well, but I'm quite satisfied with the speakers I have but thanks for the recommendations.

Peter---the Liberty amps sounds very promising, pretty much what I'm looking for and the reviews speak volumes but no one tried the amps as monoblocks so would you please comment on the sound of the bridged B2b-100. I know that a single Pathos Classic MK III sounded significantly less involving that a bridged pair. Thanks!

Lyle

Beavis---my SET amp is 45w into an 8 ohm load and it drives the custom speakers to perfection unlike the similarly powered gainclones I've tried. I have been interested in the Decware amps but, aside from the more pricey monoblocks, find them all under powered for my speakers. And I've read that SET is more transparent than PP. Any experience comparing the two? I was told OTL also compares favorably to SET but know nothing about OTL amps.

And a few have mentioned the Class D amps. I did have a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500 a couple of years ago, living with it as my primary amp for about 6 months going from a 45w SET using 805 & 300B tubes to the Wyred ST-500 to a pair of bridged Pathos Classic One MKIII and can say that the Wyred amp was considerably less transparent/detailed than either. The ST-500 was compared to the Bel Canto monoblocks favorably and these were held up as Class D champs a few back so I'm not to keen on the Class D options. Does anyone know if the newer Class D amps are better?

Tjassoc---I'd love to try the mentioned Pass amp but it's just not powerful enough, at least that would be my expectation and $3000 is a lot for me to spend on something not likely to do the job. Still, I'd love to hear it in my system. Makes me wonder if I shouldn't pursue a high efficiency speaker...... thanks for the recommendation

And regarding the Krell KAV250---many good comments about this amp. I haven't heard the KAV250 but did have a KSA 100S several years ago. Great sounding amp though too upfront for my taste but ,compared to an Alternate Audio CA 100 (similar to the Pass Aleph amps), it fell flat on its face with regards to transparency and the most subtle of inner detail. Any idea how the KAV250 compares to the KSA 100S or even to the Aleph series of Pass amps?

Many thanks to all who have taken the time to offer advice and recommendations.

Dick--thank you for illustrating the Pass Labs XA30.5 info. That changes things a bit. I'll look further into that option. Much appreciated!

Zd542---putting the KAV 250 in the same league as the Aleph 0's intrigues me. I demoed, in home for a week, an Alternative Audio CA100, which I was told by the dealer, was a similar design to the Alephs and of similar sound (he said the AA CA100 was better but that's what he was selling so MMV). That amp killed the Threshold T-200 I had at the time, which had just replaced a Threshold SA-4e which replaced a Krell KSA-100S, making the T-200 sound quite opaque.

May I inquire as to the system you had the KAV-250 in where you found it to sound as transparent as the Aleph 0? Thank you!