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Best Amp to drive my Apogee Stages?

Greetings all.
I am wondering if I might get some good suggestions from anyone who might be firmiliar with the Apogee Stages. I have owned them for quite awhile, but due to blowing up my Krell (300i)intergrated amplifier more than once now (a $400 bill to fix it each time) I beleive that it is time to buy the right amplifier for the job. I need more power for sure, but my wallet is light these days. This means that I must minimize my purchase to something definitly under $2K and even more like $1200 price range. This seems to limit me quite a bit in my findings, but I am wondering if I might have missed something with my research so far? I have reviewed Krell, Levinson, Pass Labs and Threshold to date. Each have older options in my price range, but I am not certain if any will work better with my speakers?

Any thoughts out there?

Thank you in advance.

-LoveItLoud
loveitloud
gallant_diva
143 posts
 
LitL:

In earlier version there was no difference. The original Stage stand was replaced by the subwoofer panel for the Minigrand. The Stage would just atop the subwoofer panel just like it did on the stand. My Minigrand Stages were no different from the other subwoofer-less Stages that I owned. personally, I do not care about the subwoofer panel so much.

However, I have seen slighlt different look of the Stage that came with later versions of the Minigrand. I do not know if there was any sonic difference though. Probably not.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
like my neighbor, Don S. says, The KSA 100 will give a pleasant sound with decent detail retrieval. When you think you can afford it, there are much better alternatives.
don_s
270 posts
 
Muralman1,

Please don't quote me on things I did NOT say.
sogood51
2,157 posts
 
Some very good points about amp headroom, and dynamics. Here is a short video (watch the needle nearly peg on the Krell Kas-2 amp).

This is on the Stage bass panel only (80hz-700hz)...several other speakers handle the freq's above and below this range, and have their own dedicated amps.

http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k280/sogood51/?action=view¤t=Krell_KAS-2.flv

Dave
don_s
270 posts
 
Dave,

Thank you for posting the video. That demonstrates what I was talking about. Imagine how the amplifier would have responded if the high level had been sustained instead of abruptly terminated.
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