2. amps-preamps
  3. 159710-87559

D'agostino amplifiers: where's the beef?

So I've owned two of the classic monster Krell amplifiers from the distant past, the KSA 50 and later the KSA 250.  Both great amplifiers in their time and both collectible for those interested in that kind of stuff.  I'm generally a fan of D'agostino as a consequence.

I'm currently shopping for a new solid state amplifier to pair with potentially new speakers (Wilson or YG or Von Schweikert or Magico or Joseph - long story for another day).

 So recently while auditioning at my local dealer the system was powered by the current D'agostino M400 mono amplifiers.  While the sound was good I couldn't help but notice how TINY the $65K amplifiers were sitting on stands near the speakers.  OK they had nice metal work and were shiny but I couldn't help wonder WHY are these things so expensive?!  Later at home photo's of the insides of these amps on Google led me to wonder even more!!  The power supplies and interior construction in these things are nothing like the monster supplies and parts in the classic Krell's

Plus while the Krell's were expensive in their day (with great sound) the current D'agostino's have absurd pricing, far exceeding inflation.  

Are people spending this kind of money for fancy heat sinks?  Really?

I'd rather have an old Krell and a new Porsche Boxster or C8 Corvette for the same money.

Any one else have similar impressions?
bobbydd
jjss49's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
jjss49
6,605 posts
 
state of the art/excellent/good/high quality are all notions that exist in the eye of the beholder

as is expensive/high value/smart money spent

as is new/modern/interesting/sexy

but the thing about money and time is... money is important, till you run out of time, then all the money in the world can’t buy you more time

d’agostino is audio jewelry, good sounding, great looking, if you are into the looks and have fat wallet

but given the above, who are we to criticize who makes and buys stuff that seems ridiculous to some of us
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
That's cheap compared to that Scottish pedigreed ram that sold recently at auction for $450K! 
daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,835 posts
 
D’Agostino is a brand that I believe appeals to an a’phile who primarily is concerned with the look of the case...and not so much the total SQ. While his amps and preamps don’t seem to fall down in the SQ department anywhere, I think they can be bettered by a number of competing products at equal and lower price points. You will not get the ’bling’ factor that his products are known for ( fancy casing, large dials and gauges etc) but you will get superior sound in some instances.
IME, High end is solidly in the camp of price high/ high looks. This is a marketing decision based on an obvious knowledge of who the current high end/high price consumer is...and more importantly what he expects to spend for the ’look’.
Your older KSA50 and KSA 250 were from a period when function was more important than form, now it is swinging the other way, IMO.
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
While I don't disagree with anything you're saying, I also know that yg acoustics uses D’Agostino amplifiers in their in-factory listening room. Given that they could afford to have anything in there, I do believe those amplifiers can be a preferred option under some use cases and there is more to the brand than bling. Unfortunately I've never gotten to hear any A/B's vs competition.
More to discover