Agoners: Need Advice! Have 3K to spend on an Amp, what do I do with no way to audition?
I'd give Klaus at Odyssey Audio a call. Talk to him about a Kismet Reference amplifier. I can't imagine you'd be able to get a better sounding, better built amp for anywhere near the price. Here's the link > http://odysseyaudio.com/products-kismet-reference-amplifiers.html |
audioman2015, I have been interested in the Parasound gear as well, just failed to mention it as a contender, as well as the Conrad-Johnson class Ds. All of them have great reviews....thanks. minorl, I agree that auditioning them is a great idea, but in most cases those of us on A-gon are in another state, I'm in Ft Worth, Tx. If I could find a deal in Texas, I would, most certainly, drive to audition and pick up. Most sellers are out of state. |
Since you might not live past Thursday, get a tube amp. Tube amps are more interesting, and often make make the owner of tube gear "seem" more interesting. A win win. Also, no amp (or pretty much any piece of audio gear) can really be auditioned except in your home, and then it has to be over a good chunk of time. Reviewers often have gear for many months. If you read enough reviews and opinions here and there you can likely make a relatively safe purchase based on all that, although, for example, if your listening environment is a leaky tent you might stay away from wooden speakers, or if no electricity is available you might have to learn to play an acoustic instrument and make the music yourself. These are important things to consider. |
One other company I'm surprised hasn't been mentioned yet is Bryston. They built their reputation on 20 year warranty on all their gear and guaranteeing that the parts would be available if needed. They are also particularly known for their ss power amps. Like Classe, they are a Canadian company, highly reputable and with a good track record. I would also cross Audio Research off the list unless you want to open it up to tube designs too. ARC is built on tube gear, and without hearing it, associating their beloved fans to there ss gear is a stretch. You built a good list of brands, now you really ought to consider a road trip to do some listening to figure out your preferences. Have to agree w/others that 30yrs is a lot to ask for, and especially if not buying new. Cheers, Spencer |
