Top Amplifiers By Retail Price
This is a list of the top amplifiers that i have experience with. If you don’t see an amp make my list, it might be because I haven’t owned it or I personally did not feel it was a strong candidate to make the cut.
Without further due, here we go:
TOP AMPLIFIERS UNDER $12K
1. Jeff Rowland 535: Excellent clarity, bass control, dynamics and speed. Soundstage could be wider (but remember I have power hungry Martin Logan Neoliths). Nothing is lacking, but it does not have the “finesse” which is expected since that is what the model 935 has in spades. This amp takes the number 1 spot because it is the cheapest amplifier of the bunch which means it gives you the greatest bang for the buck plus It can also be bridged to add more power. I think this is perhaps the best Class D amplifier i have ever heard.
2. Plinius SA 103: Excellent Class A power amplifier. It has detail, clarity, and never fatigues. Its bass is not at the level of the Jeff Rowland 535 (can sound a little bloated when pushed) but it has the highs you’d expect from a Class A power amp (liquid, pour out of the speaker). This has the highs that the SB301 MK2 does not have. It is the amp that would shine if you love musicality over bass control.
3. Plinius SB301 MK2: Awesome bottom end. It just slams each note with grace and authority. I think this amp takes the 3rd place because the highs are not at the level of the Plinius SA103. If you were to compare it to the best amps out there, you would notice right away that it has a little grain without the last ounce of refinement that can be expected from a Class A amp for example. I personally value highs over lows. This has the lows that the Plinius SA103 does not have. If you want bass control for your speakers, this sucker is it.
TOP AMPLIFIERS UNDER $20K
1. Luxman 900u: This amp easily beats the rest on this category list. Incredible musicality, smoothness, very quiet, insane build quality, easy to pair it with any preamp and it just sounds awesome with every speaker I have owned. When used in mono, everything is just bigger, more enhanced and the bass becomes tighter. The very best 150 watts per channel I have ever heard. The highs are sparkly, mids very tube-like, but the one negative would be that you could end up listening to music until 3am like I did. No other amp beats it for the money (that I have owned)
2. Simaudio 860a: Awesome 200 watt per channel amp. It runs cool (unlike the 900u Luxman), incredible highs, mids, bass. One thing, this amp is designed to always be left on because it needs a few days of warm up before it begins to shine. It drove my Revel Salon 2s with ease which was totally unexpected because they are not an easy load. Very beautiful presentation with a big soundstage that opens almost wall to wall. Lovely amp. Why is it behind the Luxman? because the luxman has that lovely sweetness that is lethal for many including me.
3. Hegel H30: Very neutral, monstrous punch, visceral bass attack. That said, it does not have the musicality of my top 2 picks above. It is just a neutral amp that will give you what you put in it. Construction is a little suspect in my opinion. Does not seem as well built as the Luxman or Simaudio, but besides that this amp is really a powerful amp that will take on any speaker without breaking a sweat.
TOP AMPLIFIERS UNDER $30K
1. Luxman 900u Monos: Incredible soundstage width and depth. Clean, liquid, smooth, musical, and a hell of a lot of fun. For the money, NOTHING BEATS IT. It really sets a benchmark for the money.
2. Musical Fidelity Titan: Can power an entire nightclub with ease. This amp has perhaps the LARGEST soundstage I have ever heard out of my Neolith. Incredible bass control (easily beating any amp above ). I believe this amp kills the Mcintosh 1.2kw at all levels. NO CONTEST. If you want sheer power, control, huge soundstage, this is the king. The only downfall is it is heavy and it is not easy to find on the used market. It has been a silent killer on my list
3. Mcintosh 2301: Shocker huh? I believe this amp is an incredible amplifier and perhaps the best amplifier that Mcintosh has ever built. It is very engaging, musical, fun. It has great mids and highs, but the bass could use a little more control (which is expected from a tube amp). Every time i turned this amp on, i was happy with what i was hearing
TOP AMPLIFIERS OVER $30K
1. Constellation Centaur 2: This was a tough call. I could see the Block Audio as #1, but because the Centaur 2 is so musical and very LUXMAN-LIKE in terms of sound, it is just easy on the ears and listening sessions become long. Downfalls? Expensive and very big…
2. Block Audio SE: This could be #1, but I prefer the Centaur’s presentation. That said, Block audio is a race car in terms of speed, monster bass control with its 5,000 damping factor and a level of Class A liquidity that Pass Labs only wishes to duplicate. I see this amp as an improved Pass Labs. In my opinion, THIS IS THE BEST BUILT AMPLIFIER I HAVE EVER OWNED. Downfalls? HEAVY @ 98kgs.
3. Jeff Rowland 925: Beautiful, clean sounding. Very SMOOOOOOTH, non-fatiguing, excellent construction and an incredible level of transparency. Only CON? Soundstage is not exactly the widest I have heard and it needs too long of a break-in. Incredible build quality that looks like a ROLEX.
4. Pass labs XS150: Amazing Class A clarity with bass control. Mids, lows, highs are all there in spades. Why #4? HEAT… they will make you sweat like you are in a sauna and they need just too much space. They also don’t have the extra ounce of finesse in terms of highs and mids as my top choices from this category.
TOP DISSAPOINTMENTS:
1. Pass labs 350.8: I liked this amp at first, but once I tried the luxman 900u it was rather apparent it is so far behind from its direct competitors. It is a huge amp that really makes you wonder WHY something is so huge and not sound as good as it looks. It has a decent presentation, but it does not grab you or make you sit and listen the same way the Simaudio 860a, Luxman or Plinus SA103 would. They must go back to the drawing board with their .8 series.
2. Classe Audio CAM600: These amps are lifeless. No soul, warmish, nothing really jumps at you and those fans on the back can be annoying at times. I would much rather own the old CAM400s over these.
3. Mcintosh 601s: I just don’t know WHY would anyone buy these amps over a single Luxman 900u. Is it the gauges? The look? I am not sure because it sure isn’t the sound. Nothing about these amps grab you at all. Nothing jumps at you so this is just a good purchase in terms of investing your money in something that won’t depreciate as fast as some other amps on this list
4. Boulder 2060: Excellent construction that just doesn’t deliver any sort of WOW factor. It sounds NOTHING like Class A. Very cold, sterile, boring, lifeless, etc.
5. New Line of Krell Amplifiers: They have fallen behind in so many ways. I’ve owned some of their new stuff and the highs are just not there anymore. I don’t know why, but I don’t like how their design creates so much class A, yet it does not sound like pure class a to me. They lack emotion, soul, etc.
BEST AMPS OVERALL FOR THE MONEY:
1. Luxman 900u: This amp simply wins the overall category due to its sound and price. It really is number one because it brings SO MUCH performance for the money and easily shows you the kinks in the armor of other manufacturers.
2. Plinius SA 103: Given how much this amp can be had for on the used market, it is a steal what you get for the money. I love Class A and THIS IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE CLASS A amplification you can get. I prefer this amp over any Krell amplifier I’ve owned. I prefer Class A over Class D
3. Jeff Rowland 535: This is a steal for the asking price. Extremely clear sounding amplifier that might sound even clearer than my top picks here, but it is Class D and it won’t engage you as much as a Luxman 900u. However, it has thunderous control, speed and dynamics in spades and some of you might totally appreciate that over the heat of a Class A design.
That is it folks, if I you don’t see a certain amp here, it probably did not leave me with a long lasting impression. Enjoy!