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The most emotional amp out there?

OK gang, I need your votes for the amp you feel that brings the chills, the goosebumps, yes maybe even a teardrop or two when you sit down and listen to your particular music of choice. Although many responders will automatically think of tubes, I do not necessarily share that "prejudice". I'm trying to find that special amp to mate with my Virgo IIs that really takes me to the heart of the music...as opposed to just performing the requisite audiophile tricks (e.g. imaging, soundstage depth, etc.). I'm tired of appreciating the specific virtues of a well known amplifier that I am auditioning but never really being transported to a place where I forget about the gear and simply am enthralled with the music.

Don't get me wrong - I enjoy the audiophile thing as much as the next person. But I am searching for the amplifier that will transcend the need to go through the checklist of listening attributes a reviewer does and instead will simply allow me to sit back and just be enveloped by the message that the particular recording artist I am listening to is trying to communicate.

I hope I'm being somewhat inteligible here and thanks for your suggestions.

Gregg
reneaugroup309c
mikelavigne
1,274 posts
 
Jsujo, i think you mis-understood my post. i agree that we give gear too much credit.....all good gear does is expand the possibilities.....but not necessarily the enjoyment or performance. good synergy is not necessary for connecting to the music. but synergy is important if you desire to get as close to hearing the unveiled musical event as possible and get the maximum emotional involvement that your gear is capable of. i would expect that participants here would typically want that.

musical enjoyment is valid in any way one wants it.....i'm no music snob. it can be over the damn phone.....if it moves you then fine by me.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
For those who think an amplifier can be emotional, then can a capacitor, a speaker binding post or amp stand also be emotional? It sounds silly to me if you say yes.

If you can't connect to truly great music when played back on lo-fi equipment, then you won't connect to it on a reference quality system either. A well setup synergistically matched system definitely adds something nice to the music, but in the scheme of things its not as important as the performance itself. It's akin to going to a sports arena and the difference between courtside seats and nose-bleed seats. Who wouldn't want the courtside seats? But any seat in the arena is hugely different and better than experiencing the event on TV.
jsujo
348 posts
 
Mike, much good music thru the phone when on hold..:-)
ghunter's avatar
ghunter
164 posts
 
My vote goes to the Audio Research VS110. This amp replaced the famous Naim NAP 250 in my rack, and has all the speed and impact that the Naim was famous for, but with far more detail, nuance, and warmth that the Naim couldn't touch. Other high-end tube amps I've heard never could meet the first part of that equation for me. In my opinion, you need slam to reach the more frantic/excited part of the emotional spectrum.
krellm7
113 posts
 
Tube amp, I don not like to be one sided I kinda pride myself in that but every time I compare a tube to solid state the tube amp always wins. IMHO
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