2. best-of
  3. 946442905

Best solid-state amp made anywhere

I'd like to open up this "best of" to include amps from New Zealand, Canada, France, England, Germany and (my personal favorite) Italy, as well as whoever else I've left out (no extraterrestrial amps, please). I have spent some time with the most amazing solid state amp - made by Aloia of Italy and uses an inductive (!) power supply. These amps have a naturalness and ease I haven't previously encountered in solid state, not even Pass or Claytons. Have you noticed that the Italians make superb audio equipment? In this country, audio engineering is to engineering as podiatry is to medicine. It just doesn't typically draw the cream of the crop. In Italy music matters far more, and audio equpiment is designed by people who will make an opera singer sing her part over if they aren't satisfied with her performance. Well enough sociology - what's your vote for best solid state amp?
captain_imho
rayhall
393 posts
 
I love my Pass Aleph 4 and I couldn't argue with anyone choosing Aleph 2's or 1.2's, but what about the Pass X series? Are there not any X-350, X-600 or X-1000 users out there?
mfslgoldcd
90 posts
 
In the same family of Nelson Pass except a little earlier. The Threshold SA/1's mono-blocks in silver. Beautiful sound and aesthetics.
cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
hey, i have a jrdg 8ti, which sounds great but ain't near as pretty as any of the burmester line. to my ears, tho, burmester electronics (@ least amps and pre's) are a bit too bright and analytical. they remind me of of the thresholds during the "pass era" (his new stuff doesn't suffer from the problems i experienced while he was @ threshold; perhaps getting one's own way thru ownership solves many problems).
slowhand
605 posts
 
Not the most expensive by far, but I love the Audio Research 100.2. This is a real sleeper in the Audio Research line. They may be known for their Tube amps, but this SS amp is fantastic!
audiokinesis
1,872 posts
 
Warner Imaging! This amp has the sweetness and nuance of the Pass Alephs but also does the frequency extremes, and with seemingly endless power. This amp is NOT strictly neutral - it is on the warm side. If you are familiar with Atma-Sphere OTL tube amps, this amp is like a solid state version of the Atma-Spheres, but with no load or dynamic limitations. This is THE solid state amp for tube lovers.
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