Upgrade Time Again.... please help


OK it’s upgrade time once again. Sometime this year I will be upgrading my amps so the hunt begins. I have compiled a “short” list of amps and would like constructive feedback on what else I should consider or not consider. First my system: Front End CAL Delta (next upgrade after amps), dCS Purcell/Delius combo and two Golden Tube monoblocks (re-tubed with 6L6GC and NOS driver tubes) and B&W Nautilus 802 Speakers. I listen to mostly to Jazz, a little Rock and some Classical music. What I like about the Golden Tubes – great midrange, deep and wide soundstage with instruments precisely placed. What I don’t like – flabby bass and highs are not as airy and delicate as I would like. What I am looking for in the amp – great midrange (not syrupy or overly warm, but not dry either), extended deep very well controlled bass, and delicate extended highs that are not in the least bit bright or harsh. The amp needs to throw a wide and deep soundstage without giving up accuracy in instrument placement (no fuzz around the instruments). JA had this to say about the impedance of the Nautilus 801 in Stereophile - “(The impedance for the 801) drops to 3 ohms through the midrange and to 4 ohms in the high treble. In addition, a punishingly high capacitive phase angle in the midbass, coupled with a low magnitude, will demand a good, current-worthy amplifier.” My absolute max budget is 10K and I prefer to buy used but if need be I will by new. Here’s the list: Bryston 7BST Monoblocks, Plinius SA-250 Mk IV, (2) Plinius SA-100 Mk III, Jeff Rowland 8TIHC, Jeff Rowland 10TI, Jeff Rowland Model 12, Ayre V-1x, Mark Levinson 336, 335, 334, Lamm 2.1 Monoblocks, Lamm 1.1 Monoblocks, AR VT-200, (2) AR VT-100, and Wolcott Presence 220 Mono Blocks. I am looking for informed feedback from owners of these amps or people with a similar system. If I had to make a choice today I think I would go with Levinson, Lamm, or Rowland. Cheers – Dan.
dan2112
I would add Classe and Krell to your audition list. And the DecWare preamp would be interesting to play with.
Dan2112, you've got a lot of auditioning to do. If you do get to compare a number of the amps that were suggested here, I for one would like to get your report on the results.
dan...i agree totally with snook.if you will read lars fredell's article in the latest issue of ultimate audio you will see that he likes the aloia amps as good or in some cases BETTER then his lamms. as a former owner of arc vt100mkII/ls15 gear i changed about 8 months ago and have never looked back. they are better then any of the gear you have mentioned and at their cost you could afford to biamp your gear get the preamp also buying used and still have $ left over. email lars at ultimate audio..he will give it to you straight. the inductive power supply that the aloias use is the key to their greatness.
I will certainly try to report my findings here. This leaves me with a conundrum. I wish I could just go down to my local dealers and start auditioning all these amps. But I have a hard time "wasting" a dealer's time if I know I am auditioning an amp that I can't afford new - for example Lamm. Should I start with the amps I can afford new and go from there? This was one of the reasons I was trying to narrow the list down. I think that I might drop the Plinius and the Bryston amps from the list though. As far as Krell is concerned I have heard a Krell 300C at great length through my exact setup at a local dealer (except it was a Krell Transport) and I thought the setup sounded a little dry, but it was very dynamic and the bass was excellent. While I have not heard Classe, I have had others tell me that some Classe amps tend to be warm. So now that I have a great list to start from - where do I start?