Okay, Classe CA 2200 or and Ayre V -5xe amps


......if you had a choice for my Avalon Eclipse speakers, Jeff Rowland Synergy IIi pre-amp, Esoteric P-5 and D-05 front end with Purist Audio 20th Anniversary power cords and interconnects with PAD Proteus Provectus speaker cables.....music ranges from jazz, blues...from the Allman Brothers, to Frank Zappa ...to Bach to Allison Krause ...you get the picture. Looking for a good ss amp from an established, reputible, American company....no Krell's, no Levinson's...
garebear

Showing 2 responses by guidocorona

About Ayre, I also find their sound to be a bit aggressive for my prefs. I heard them 4 years in a row at RMAF and AYRE electronics, including flagships MX-R and KX-R remains not of my liking.

As mentioned in a private msg to Gary, the JRDG 501 all by themselves can sound a little matter of fact. . . a pair of external JRDG PC-1 rectifier/conditioners will make them sing, but they will add significantly to the cost.

Within Gary's budget and within the classic JRDG line, one device to look at is, to all reports, the Model 8 stereo, frequently seen on Audiogon for under $5K. Several people I spoke to believe Model 8 may have been at the pinnacle of Rowland's classic lineup.

During the last RMAF I was very taken by the sound of a system which used a Belles stereo amplifier--more than likely the 350A. Did not A/B it to my own JRDG 312, but it gave me the same sense of musical ease, revealing low level detail, and grip on speakers. . . I suspect it is definitely an amp to look into. . . I just seen there is a unit on Audiogon for just under $5K offered by Hollywood Sound.

Last but not least, Gamut is also a fabulous brand of amps. The reference level monoblocks featured at RMAF were spectacular. have unfortunately not heard their stereo version, nor have I compared them directly with my JRDG 312.

Guido