Gene, thank you so much for taking the time to do these videos when you’ve recently been sick with coronavirus. If you’re not feeling well in this video we’d never know it! You’ve been in our thoughts and prayers daily! We hope you’re fully recovered very soon! God Bless you! Kevin Turpin
So happy to see you back at it again. You must be so relieved to have that behind you now. Just a few months ago I purchased the Anthem STR Integrated amp. Overall I'm very happy with it. However, I am interested in your experience with the XLR inputs. Maybe it's different with the Anthem separates, but I learned that on the STR the balanced inputs are not truly balanced. Initially I was using the RCA inputs. When I tried the XLR inputs (source is a Denafrips DAC) I noticed that the soundstage had collapsed somewhat. A noticeable decrease in the depth of the sound. I emailed Anthem support and they confirmed my suspicion that the XLR inputs are converted to single ended so they could perform correction on the signal. I still really like the amp, but I am sticking with RCA as the source input.
I'm really glad! First off, I had the following Aragon 2004, Luxman M-02, Denon POA 2200 until I got a Parasound A51 matched with Parasound C1, xlr connected driving B&W Nautilus 804s, HTM1, 805s, and wow! Simply blew all my previous amps away! So much more transparency (top, mids, bottom), way more detailed, incredible punch, etc,. I've never heard previously and just continues to surprise me with great aplomb wherever there are attack passages or nuances I never new existed! So, having included both the A21 and A51 was really something I looked forward to when I saw the title! Excellent choicers! Thanks!👍👍
Common theme to listing the top 3 power amps that I have owned.. Parasound A21, A51 and now I have returned to 2 channel... The JC5..... All fantastic performers with great design and quality of manufacture, superb customer support... But the JC5 is another level in presentation altogether.... I can only imagine how much further on a pair of the new JC1+ push things!
I ordered a Parasound a51 amplifier a week ago. Glad to see it so well respected by you. I bought it without hearing it. Now I just need it to show up at my local audio store,
I am glad you have parasound In your list Gene, I got into the Parasound brand with the A21. I now have the Parasound JC 5, to me it is the best sounding amp for the money. I demoed it against the Anthem STR, the JC 5 was more músical, more dynamic, better sound stage, it smoked it! Another friend also demoed it and felt the same way with different equipment. I highly suggest you listen to the Parasound JC 5.
Currently use Parasound JC1 monoblock amps driving Martin Logan Summit X. The JC1 amps replaced a Krell FPB700CX 700W class A which is elsewhere in the system now. Biggest surprise in amps was Rotel RA 840BX2 which made a good job of the Summit electrostatic speakers. Great design and bullet proof built!
I'm a lot older than you and have older amplifiers too. I have a Soundcraftsmen Pro Power 10 that is 205 * 4 into 8 ohms, and is stable down to one ohm. The amplifier can be bridged to two or three channels. I'm using two channels to drive my mains which are ESS AMT-1Bs and the other two channels are bridged to drive a four ohm VMPS Larger Subwoofer. I've owned amplification from Audio Research Corporation, Adcom, NAD, Marantz, Harmon Kardon, SAE, Carver, Yamaha, Onkyo Integra, Kenwood, Amber, Crown and others. I really like your channel and enjoy the content and your professional reviews.
I had a parasound hca-855a that sounded phenomenal. I currently have an Acurus 200five made by Mondial. It sound great too, but still miss the parasound.
Thanks again Gene for toughing it out and carrying on, you look good man! On topic, I have the Emo XPR-2 for my mains and I absolutely LOVE it. Based on Audioholics' recommendation in the past I run an Oppo BD-105 directly from the pre-outs into my amps and it sounds sublime. Keep up the great work!
I currently use Aragon Palladium 1Ks on my Sanders panels that can get down to 1 ohm. No issues at all. These have been with me for years! 400/wpc and great sound! I use Merrill Audio Thor amps (350 wpc class D) on the woofer cabinets. The sound is, quite simply, spectacular!
I would like to see your measurements for Outlaw Audio 2200 monoblocks. Running it with Parasound 200 pre amp and using Legacy Audio Studio HD. Great sound for a small near field room. Keep up the great work.
My favorite amplifier is the Sony STR-VX200 because of it's ergonomics, it's a humble 20 watts per channel A/B stereo, with a series linked option for running both A/B speakers for 4 all at once. First up, the Volume knob, isn't a knob! It's a slider! Which is pretty cool for micromilimeter fine tuning, but so are the bass treble and balance knobs, which were flush with the face other than these flat protrusions which were very easy and comfortable to pinch and turn, and they flowed smooth without any click points, except at the neutral point which softly settles into place, no rough springy feedback into the fingers, more like a fat dove falling into a pile of velvet. If that weren't enough! the faceplate has big buttons 1-9 for radio presets, and that is a luxury not to be overlooked! the ease of use, both in saving, recalling, and traveling to channels with the quartz lock technology makes modern menus feel like an SAT test. I liked to set it up in my living room very prominently so I could easily interact with the sound. I love knobs and fine controls because of the intimacy I feel with being able to reach out and touch the sound. I also found the Sony STR-VX200 to be sonically very pleasing, and particularly it had a fuller richer bass than the amplifier I subsequently got to replace it with which, was a low end Yamaha 5.1 from the future the HTR-5830, I just assumed 30 years newer and dolby surround would be an improvement in ever respect, but I didn't much like the HTR-5830, but I enjoyed Yamaha's suite of spatial effects, although I found the 5 channel stereo setting the most pleasing of all. I still have my Sony STR-VX200 and I have added several buddies that all stack with it, a Pioneer pre-amp that also has a 7-band equalizer and subsonic filter button, no ultrasonic though :/ and I also have a pro-audio Yamaha reverberator with 99 preset reverberation modes, which can be customized too. I'm frankly overwhelmed by the 99, and rarely use it, but I really like toys like that which I can use to do my own little listening experiments by changing and altering the playback. I got a Schiit Loki to add in there, but the knobs on it are disgusting! They roll smooth but they have allot of internal resistance to movement from the neutral point, and when they return to neutral they abruptly jolt into place, like a raven into a piece of cardboard, and they aren't even spaced far enough apart for me to pinch them! You cant even fit a pencil between those little knobs! let along your finger to grab one of them, it's a complete ergonomic failure, and the whole device is too small to play well with the stack. I swapped out the knobs for something a little smaller, and it improved the feel of it very much. Anyway my STR-VX200 stack has 4 1" tall stopper corks on the corners of every tier in the stack, they bear the whole load of the stack producing an air gap while also absorbing some vibration, they're solid cork, not conglomerate, cork is awesome! we should grow allot of it, and use it as insulation. Even though sorbothane would be better for vibrations, and I would acoustically isolate the amp in a special soundproof box if I was really nutty about tweaking the microphonics out of the system. The cork is primarily a spacer, and a building material passion. It is very useful, and very sustainable, I like tweaks that have some science to them, even if it is .000001% affect, I would never pay fools prices for them though. Did you know LED's are also solar panels? as in they both turn electricity into light and light into electricity, the phenomenon runs both ways! that's how I feel about microphonics and vibration dampening. If the circuits are making sound and vibration when electricity is running through them, then external sound is likely to introduce noise into those circuits, assuming the sound is of the same resonant frequency. Would be cool to see someone run an experiment with their fancy test equipment ;) to see if acoustic noise piped into an amplifier can measurably influence the noise floor. It would likely be most notable in noisy electronics, so your high end stuff is probably already damped or engineered to the point that microphonics are extremely irrelevant, but maybe not. Just don't cough while you're in there, unless you bring a wedge of lime with you lol This was too long.... but so were the 24 gauge wires I had on my Yamaha htr-5830's rear surround speakers. lol
Adcom was my first step into non everyday name brands (Yamaha, denon etc). I had a 2 channel. The model was GFA-.... (cant remember). Loved that amp. That was like 25 years ago though.
Gene, I bet you're right that the Integra Research amp was made by ATI Amplifier Technologies. I own the Morris Kessler Signature Series ATI 6005 (300W RMS x 5 ch) and the Signature Series ATI 4006 (200W RMS x 6 ch) and as soon as I saw the back of the Integra amp in your vid, I immediately thought that it looked just like the back of my amps which were made in 2014. The Signature Series ATI amps are the best I have ever owned. If memory serves me correctly the Signature Series amps were sent to 3 national press magazines and won product of the year from all 3. They sound amazing.
@@totalbliss1 Audioholics has reviewed several ATI amps, including the new class D amps, as well as Monoprice, which are also made by ATI as you stated. All of the Audioholics reviews were very positive and I know Gene said he respects the brand in several of his vids.
My favourite amps, still in use since '86 are my Bryston 3b's. Followed by my 2b's , 3bnrb and 3bst used in my triamped stereo main system. Super reliable amps. Second favourite are my BGW model 75, 6500 proline series2 and 7500 proline series2 being used in my HT system (triamped stereo). I will never get to try out all the wonderful amps that Gene has tried because the amps I have are very reliable and well built. I cannot bring myself to replace them.
I've got a couple of HK Citation 7.1 amps. Got them online when they discontinued for 750 around 04. Wish I had bought another. Absolute beast, huge current, amazing specs.
My current system is with the PERREAUX 750P Mono Blocks from New Zealand. Can produce up to 1,300 WRMS into 4 ohms with a gain of 34dB , 700 damping factor and peak to peak voltage rail of 322volt in total , current capable of 160 amps. Class A,AB. Mosfet design. I just love them. No clipping and excellent musicality.
I think the McIntosh MC2500 is one of the all time great amps. I would love to hear your opinion (if you have heard it). I personally run 2 MC402 amps bridged into my Magnepan 20.1 speakers and they do a very nice job.
I know I am a year late to this, but here are my amps/pre-amps. I bought the Mitsubishi line of separates way back when they were trying to get into audio separates. I have the DA-P20 Dual-Monaural pre amp and the matching DA-A15DC dual monaural amplifier, rated at 150 Watts RMS into 8 ohms both channels driven with 0.01 THD. The pre-amp was 0.005 THD, I think that is correct. My amp blew a channel and I got a BK Components, LTD. ST 202 amp. I am not sure of its rating, but is is around 130 to 150 watts RMS into 8 ohms, both channels driven. This BK sound great. I have an old pair of JBL L100 Control room monitor speakers. I purchased the Mitsubishi components and the JBLs new in the late mid 1980s. I would like to get my Mitsubishi separates serviced, but I don’t know of anyone in California who can repair vintage audio. Any ideas?
I had a Kenwood Basics C2 Preamp and Basics M2 amp. They were a great pair. Bought them in late 80s and they lasted me nearly 30 years. That amp was rated at about 200+ watts per channel at 8ohms. I replaced both with Emotiva seperates and kinda miss those Kenwood pieces. LoL
Loved this presentation Gene. Hope you are feeling better. Currently I am using a Hegel h590, that I got used. Almost got the anthem but then this one came up. I was using a lyngdorf TDAI 2170. I really liked it but eventually left it because it I needed more power. Keep your doing these, they’re great. However I used to like it when you say, “welcome to the show that never ends” you need to bring that back
Interesting choices. I have a humble Class-D Crown XLS 1502 for 2-ch music system into an Emotiva PT-100 Preamp/Dac. Very good sounding and great value.
I've just hooked up a pair of ADS L910's and while I have a pair of Adcom 555's, the tiny A-100 amp and pt-100 preamp/DAC powers these 93db loudspeakers to very acceptable levels and with detail and potency. Really impressed by the BasX line!
Expensive exotic amps might be nice to have but in my opinion reliability and servicing is very important. I’ve been burned by buying expensive things then later finding the companies have disappeared and the items can no longer be serviced. My current amp still has a service agent in my country but it would need to be shipped interstate.
Sean Lacroix Some items cannot be attended to where they have proprietary technology. Once the manufacturer closes shop followed by their service centres the item can become trash.
Would you consider pairing an Emotiva 2 channel amplifier with a pair of B&W 801 D4’s? I’m considering buying a pair 801 D4’s but it takes up almost my entire budget and pairing them with an Emotiva amp is the only way I can think of driving them on my budget.
I know your situation isn't the best but videos like this are very helpful for us who are always looking for the gems on the secondhand market. Thank you!!!
My favourite amp was a Robertson 4010 which I owned throughout the '90s. But in the end it kept failing on me and parts were hard to find as it was somewhat rare and the company was no longer in business. I decided to get something more stable but the Robertson was magical. One recently came up for sale locally but with the reliability issues I had, I could not convince my self to buy it. Someone else did of course and posted to our local audio forum how much he loved it.
Subscribed - great to see you staying busy and for fighting Corona! Hang in there. I have Axiom Audio speakers. Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery!!!
My main music system is triamped with Brystons, they are super solid great amps. My HT system is 2 channel triamped with a BGW model 75 for high end, BGW 6500 proline 2 for low mids and a 7500 proline 2 (in mono) for the subs. I used to have a BGW 250D (my first really good amp) and an 8000 proline series (sold it because of the fan cooling; the 7500 is convection cooled, nicer for home use). I have never had a failure with BGW amps as they were extremely well made. BGW (rip) was a very good engineer and built some of the best amps of the era IMO.
I purchased a Proceed AMP 2 back in 1999 and I still have it today. I had a Krell KSA-150 and a Classé CA-100 amp. They did not sound well with my Revel speakers, the Proceed amplifier sounded the best.
After going through a few receivers, I bought a Cinepro 3K63 amp, 550 watts x 6 and paired it with the Integra Research RDC7 that you mentioned. That was in the early 2000’s and they sounded amazing together. I got the RDC7 used on Audiogon and the cinepro was a b-stock direct from the company. Because new was very expensive. I had called about a cheaper Cinepro model but it was gone so Eric, the owner, sent me the more expensive unit for the same price. Super nice and I wish he and his company were still here today. I use that same 3K63 today but pair it with the Yamaha CX-A5200. Along with my legacy audio speakers it is still a great amp.
I have a Spectron musical MK II class D amp to drive my Maggie's. 7's This amp was designed by John Ulrich in 2005 and I'm pretty sure he invented the class D amp in the late sixties. He worked with Arnie Nudell of Infinity speakers then started his own company Spectron. This amp puts out 500watts@8ohm, 650@4ohms &1,200@ 1ohm!! But more importantly it will produce 65 amps for 500 milliseconds. All I know is it sure makes my Maggie's sing!!! I love it!!
Madrigal Audio Laboratories Mark Levinson ML 20.6 is my favorites amplifier of all time. I didn't get the opportunity of owning a pair. However, I still own a pair of Mark Levinson ML 20.5 These were all designed by John Curl during the era of Mr Mark Levinson himself. Sadly, they don't make them like this anymore. Massive acknowledgement to the work done by Mr John Curl. Thank you
Emotiva was happy to share schematics for the XPR-1 to a local electronics repair shop who was able to fix it. The components side are all available. This saves the high cost of shipping such ha beast which when added to the repair cost makes the amp not worth fixing for them
Thanks. I totally enjoyed this video. Hearing the names of these amplifiers brought back some fun memories. From my past I still have great memories of once owning a SAE A501. What a amplifier.
I have seen a lot of YT reviews on the Emotiva XPA gen 3 amps but we are still missing the one that matters, yours Gene. Can you please run some test and analysis on one of those units. Thanks.
Unless you enjoy buying throw away electronics stay away from Emotiva,especially Emotivas high dollar amps,once Emotiva stops making an amplifier you will play hell getting any help from Emotivas service dept even if you agree to pay all shipping & repair costs,Emotiva is horrific to deal with to even get the company to send a schematic so you can repair what Emotiva refuses to work on . Ask Gene about Audioholics 1st hand experience with Emotivas top of the line XPR-1 1,000 watt reference monoblock amplifiers they sold off once one monoblock died ,Emotiva left thousands of us who spent over $3 grand with amps that cannot be repaired ,for me I will never buy another Emotiva product.
Gene, just wonder if you ever came across the “Heaven forbid” Bose 1801 power amp. I got this amp along with 4 Bose 901s back in 1972 because Bose had a promotion on the amp that if you bought it and bought 2 901s they gave you another pair for free. It cost me about $1500 then but launched me into my audiophile journey. The amp was a 82 pound beast with 400wpc into the 4 ohms from the two speakers per channel. The power transformer weighed 41 pounds. The amp had huge meters and leds for monitoring peak power with a clipping indication. The bass from this setup was astounding which was both a blessing and a curse, which is why I ended up selling everything for $1500 after a couple years so I listened for free 😁 The Bose equalizer boosted the bass by 18dB at 35 Hz so even with that much power with certain songs the amp would clip, but I made the best of everything by turning the speakers around and not reflecting everything off the back wall.
I would say that class D is also the wave of the future, specifically Hypex N Core amps. So well received that other amplifier companies are licensing their technology.
I have a complete integra set up in storage..i did recognize when I had it set set up how quiet the set up was and clean..i used the dac on the pre for cd s and bought an onkyo record player and loved the phono on the pre no NOISE at all.... I just got a cary 7.250 hope to hear from some one on this one..... hope everyone is feeling well😁 ..we have keep moving on even if this stuff is a bit silly.. we have to keep are hope and enjoy life's pleasures... Peace...
Gene, I always assumed I’d eventually upgrade my emotive amps to parasound halos, but I recently discovered D-sonic class D amps. They are highly regarded by the few pros that have reviewed them. Do you have any opinions about them? Which would you pick?
Thanks Gene. I still have an upgraded Acurus Act-3 SSP and I'm not sure what to do with it...I hate to just throw it away but I have no use or need for it now. Great list! I currently have an Adcom GFA-5802 amp in my system for my 2 channel audio...I want to upgrade but I want to make sure Im getting a true discernible sound upgrade. I'vve considered Parasound, Bryston, Emotiva and a few others...but cant audtion them in my system so I'm finding it to be a difficult decision. Would appreciate your thoughts...Thanks again!
Totally forgot about the interga research. Had one of these in a showroom I worked in around 2005 I think... Sexy processor (motorised control flap) and power amp in the blue / silver. Deff had power, never had great set up rooms back then to truely appreciate it.
Gene, thanks for another great video. Would you please name the Rotel amps you have been enjoying? I'm looking to find an older model with > 150 watt into 8 ohm. For my front channels. Greetz from Germany
@@Audioholics Would love to hear what you think about the Crown XLS 2502. Seems like it would have the power to do anything one could ask of it especially when bridged and for only $650. Too good to be true?
The ARC in the Anthem is game changer. I have the integrated, and once you use ARC, there's no going back. It was a major reason I narrowed my choice down to the STR when I was looking for a higher end integrated in the $ range. Without ARC, it would compete easily with other units in the $ range, it's leaves all others behind with the ARC. Finally, considering all the gear Gene gets to test, that the STR series is what ended up in his personal system, should tell people all they need to know. My review of the integrated: ua-cam.com/video/hUCf1cfF1rs/v-deo.html
You've owned way more amps than I have. So far I've owned a Coda 11, a Levinson ML 11, a Bedini 100/100, a Perreaux 2150 and a Bryston 2b. Would like to see a review from you covering any of these. my favorite so far is the Coda 11 which I've been using for the last 20 years.
What amp or avr would you recommend for B&W 702 s2, htm71 s2, 706 s and subowoofer? I have a Marantz sr7010 and I don't like it, it sound too bright to me.
I used to use (back when I had enough room to set up a stereo music system) a Hafler DH-110 pre-amp feeding a Hafler DH-220 amp and driving Snell Type E Series II loudspeakers - I had built the Hafler components from their kits. A couple of years ago, I sold them to a friend who was just starting to get into hi-fi. He is driving some large Klipsch speaker systems and is extremely thrilled with how they perform.
Love your channel as a new member. I have just recently started using my system again. Retired and stuck at home. I am still using my Adcom GFA 5503,GFA-5800 amps, Velodyne ULD series11 for my 5 channel man cave. Apogee Centaurs and Kiplish rear channel speakers. I Have a sony STR-GX 10es receiver with a Pioneer SP99D processor. I need a new receiver or proceesor as I have no HDMI imputs. Need to play some catch up. Any suggestions. TV and Blue ray are 4K newer models.
If possible please review the Krell 750 mc. I know it's old but I've never seen one reviewed in order to see what it is really capable of. I'm currently running x2 Krell TAS in my home theater. They seem to be really solid.
"Hi Gene, thanks for the content. Have you ever had any experience with the "PowerMaster" series of power amplifiers from Enlightened Audio Designs? if so what is your view on them? Thanks
Gene glad your alive.. The info you have provided has saved me big money and helps me purchase products from great companies. Keep it up I learn so much of "What not to buy.". I always thought that marketing has taken over true benchmarks and reviews. Stay safe....
Still looking for a clean Aragon X3 or two Palladium MKII's to add to my Aragon collection (8008BB, two 8008X3s & an 8002). Incredible pieces, built like tanks, last forever. What were those crazy speakers in the picture @12:33 with the Classe & Pass amps?
Yep those old Aragons were da bomb. I owned the 8008X3 and 8008X2. They run hot AF though. Those are the Status Acoustics 8T by RBH Sound. Best passive speakers I've ever owned and heard. I miss them dearly.
Gene, great selection of amps. What would you recommend as a value power amp for bi-amping the bass panel of my Magnepans (3-4 ohms) on 2 channel.. I already have subs. Current or used would be ok. Want dynamic punch but also subtleness as called for in the music. Thanks
Thank You for all you great information. Also I hope you recover.. ASAP... we need you knowledge.:) I am always confuse about what to get. currently I have a 5.2 set up consisting of Bowers and Wilkins 704 all around and using 2 NHT small atoms.. just to test. My receiver is an Onkyo 830. My question to you will be.. if you had $3,000 to spend? What received would you recommend? I was thinking Marantz 8012 for option 01. Denon 6500 option 02. Or separates Emotiva... not to familiar with separates but would like to explore. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank You
Hi Gene great video about the power amplifiers.. I owned currently and emotiva mps-1... 7 channel power amplifier.. Can you do a review about this amp? Its actually a great one from emotiva one of their first power amp...
Gene, thank you so much for taking the time to do these videos when you’ve recently been sick with coronavirus. If you’re not feeling well in this video we’d never know it! You’ve been in our thoughts and prayers daily! We hope you’re fully recovered very soon! God Bless you!
Kevin Turpin
0:50 Aragon 8008X5
3:04 Parasound Halo A21
4:43 Integra Research RDA-7
7:59 Denon POA-A1
11:44 Classe CT-2300
14:18 Emotiva XPR-1
17:50 Anthem STR
So happy to see you back at it again. You must be so relieved to have that behind you now.
Just a few months ago I purchased the Anthem STR Integrated amp. Overall I'm very happy with it. However, I am interested in your experience with the XLR inputs. Maybe it's different with the Anthem separates, but I learned that on the STR the balanced inputs are not truly balanced. Initially I was using the RCA inputs. When I tried the XLR inputs (source is a Denafrips DAC) I noticed that the soundstage had collapsed somewhat. A noticeable decrease in the depth of the sound. I emailed Anthem support and they confirmed my suspicion that the XLR inputs are converted to single ended so they could perform correction on the signal.
I still really like the amp, but I am sticking with RCA as the source input.
Thanks for sharing Gene! Hope you’re feeling better.
I'm really glad! First off, I had the following Aragon 2004, Luxman M-02, Denon POA 2200 until I got a Parasound A51 matched with Parasound C1, xlr connected driving B&W Nautilus 804s, HTM1, 805s, and wow! Simply blew all my previous amps away! So much more transparency (top, mids, bottom), way more detailed, incredible punch, etc,. I've never heard previously and just continues to surprise me with great aplomb wherever there are attack passages or nuances I never new existed! So, having included both the A21 and A51 was really something I looked forward to when I saw the title! Excellent choicers! Thanks!👍👍
Common theme to listing the top 3 power amps that I have owned..
Parasound
A21, A51 and now I have returned to 2 channel... The JC5..... All fantastic performers with great design and quality of manufacture, superb customer support... But the JC5 is another level in presentation altogether.... I can only imagine how much further on a pair of the new JC1+ push things!
I have an ati1505 and outlaw 770. I use the ati right now to power two subs in a smaller setup. Great amps.
Hey Gene my favorite amp so far is my SAE A501 that I bought about 15 year ago from my friend in Tampa and its truly a jewel of an amp.
I ordered a Parasound a51 amplifier a week ago. Glad to see it so well respected by you. I bought it without hearing it. Now I just need it to show up at my local audio store,
I recently picked up a used Rotel RB-1090 for 1/3rd retail, it's driving my Martin Logan Motion 20 speakers.
I have 1 powering my Von Schweikert VR-2’s. Bought it used 10 years ago. It sounds great and is a tank
Good to see Anthem, Parasound A21 included in the list. I once owned the A21. It is an amazing piece of gear. Both companies make great products.
Before the video even starts I bet I can't afford any of these LOL
im really confused by amp prices
A51 for sale 3500 and she's yours
Check out parasound
Work and save?🤷🏻♂️
You are right about the price how many people in Canada can honestly afford a 3 or 4 or even 10 thousand dollar amp
I am glad you have parasound In your list Gene, I got into the Parasound brand with the A21. I now have the Parasound JC 5, to me it is the best sounding amp for the money. I demoed it against the Anthem STR, the JC 5 was more músical, more dynamic, better sound stage, it smoked it! Another friend also demoed it and felt the same way with different equipment. I highly suggest you listen to the Parasound JC 5.
ha, I have been googling for this exact comparison for months, I finally find it in the middle of a big list of youtube comments. thanks :)
@@vincentcaudo-engelmann9057 Go listen to them and see, to me it wasn't even close 😂
@@chriswelljack4910 haahhahahahaha, it wouldn't have mattered, all that matters is that I enjoy it.
Currently use Parasound JC1 monoblock amps driving Martin Logan Summit X. The JC1 amps replaced a Krell FPB700CX 700W class A which is elsewhere in the system now. Biggest surprise in amps was Rotel RA 840BX2 which made a good job of the Summit electrostatic speakers. Great design and bullet proof built!
I'm glad you included the Parasound A21. That's my current setup.
Running a pair of that amps little brother, the A23. Absolutely love them!
I'm a lot older than you and have older amplifiers too. I have a Soundcraftsmen Pro Power 10 that is 205 * 4 into 8 ohms, and is stable down to one ohm. The amplifier can be bridged to two or three channels. I'm using two channels to drive my mains which are ESS AMT-1Bs and the other two channels are bridged to drive a four ohm VMPS Larger Subwoofer. I've owned amplification from Audio Research Corporation, Adcom, NAD, Marantz, Harmon Kardon, SAE, Carver, Yamaha, Onkyo Integra, Kenwood, Amber, Crown and others. I really like your channel and enjoy the content and your professional reviews.
I had a parasound hca-855a that sounded phenomenal. I currently have an Acurus 200five made by Mondial. It sound great too, but still miss the parasound.
Thanks again Gene for toughing it out and carrying on, you look good man!
On topic, I have the Emo XPR-2 for my mains and I absolutely LOVE it.
Based on Audioholics' recommendation in the past I run an Oppo BD-105 directly from the pre-outs into my amps and it sounds sublime.
Keep up the great work!
I'm currently using Outlaw audio m2200 mono blocs to run my Magneplanar 1.7i's. I'm considering the Parasound A21.
I currently use Aragon Palladium 1Ks on my Sanders panels that can get down to 1 ohm. No issues at all. These have been with me for years! 400/wpc and great sound! I use Merrill Audio Thor amps (350 wpc class D) on the woofer cabinets. The sound is, quite simply, spectacular!
I would like to see your measurements for Outlaw Audio 2200 monoblocks. Running it with Parasound 200 pre amp and using Legacy Audio Studio HD.
Great sound for a small near field room. Keep up the great work.
sandmanoseven I also would like to see the 2200’s measured up.
Would love to see how these classic amps compare to something like the Monolith 5X/7X
My favorite amplifier is the Sony STR-VX200 because of it's ergonomics, it's a humble 20 watts per channel A/B stereo, with a series linked option for running both A/B speakers for 4 all at once. First up, the Volume knob, isn't a knob! It's a slider! Which is pretty cool for micromilimeter fine tuning, but so are the bass treble and balance knobs, which were flush with the face other than these flat protrusions which were very easy and comfortable to pinch and turn, and they flowed smooth without any click points, except at the neutral point which softly settles into place, no rough springy feedback into the fingers, more like a fat dove falling into a pile of velvet. If that weren't enough! the faceplate has big buttons 1-9 for radio presets, and that is a luxury not to be overlooked! the ease of use, both in saving, recalling, and traveling to channels with the quartz lock technology makes modern menus feel like an SAT test. I liked to set it up in my living room very prominently so I could easily interact with the sound. I love knobs and fine controls because of the intimacy I feel with being able to reach out and touch the sound. I also found the Sony STR-VX200 to be sonically very pleasing, and particularly it had a fuller richer bass than the amplifier I subsequently got to replace it with which, was a low end Yamaha 5.1 from the future the HTR-5830, I just assumed 30 years newer and dolby surround would be an improvement in ever respect, but I didn't much like the HTR-5830, but I enjoyed Yamaha's suite of spatial effects, although I found the 5 channel stereo setting the most pleasing of all. I still have my Sony STR-VX200 and I have added several buddies that all stack with it, a Pioneer pre-amp that also has a 7-band equalizer and subsonic filter button, no ultrasonic though :/ and I also have a pro-audio Yamaha reverberator with 99 preset reverberation modes, which can be customized too. I'm frankly overwhelmed by the 99, and rarely use it, but I really like toys like that which I can use to do my own little listening experiments by changing and altering the playback. I got a Schiit Loki to add in there, but the knobs on it are disgusting! They roll smooth but they have allot of internal resistance to movement from the neutral point, and when they return to neutral they abruptly jolt into place, like a raven into a piece of cardboard, and they aren't even spaced far enough apart for me to pinch them! You cant even fit a pencil between those little knobs! let along your finger to grab one of them, it's a complete ergonomic failure, and the whole device is too small to play well with the stack. I swapped out the knobs for something a little smaller, and it improved the feel of it very much. Anyway my STR-VX200 stack has 4 1" tall stopper corks on the corners of every tier in the stack, they bear the whole load of the stack producing an air gap while also absorbing some vibration, they're solid cork, not conglomerate, cork is awesome! we should grow allot of it, and use it as insulation. Even though sorbothane would be better for vibrations, and I would acoustically isolate the amp in a special soundproof box if I was really nutty about tweaking the microphonics out of the system. The cork is primarily a spacer, and a building material passion. It is very useful, and very sustainable, I like tweaks that have some science to them, even if it is .000001% affect, I would never pay fools prices for them though. Did you know LED's are also solar panels? as in they both turn electricity into light and light into electricity, the phenomenon runs both ways! that's how I feel about microphonics and vibration dampening. If the circuits are making sound and vibration when electricity is running through them, then external sound is likely to introduce noise into those circuits, assuming the sound is of the same resonant frequency. Would be cool to see someone run an experiment with their fancy test equipment ;) to see if acoustic noise piped into an amplifier can measurably influence the noise floor. It would likely be most notable in noisy electronics, so your high end stuff is probably already damped or engineered to the point that microphonics are extremely irrelevant, but maybe not. Just don't cough while you're in there, unless you bring a wedge of lime with you lol This was too long.... but so were the 24 gauge wires I had on my Yamaha htr-5830's rear surround speakers. lol
Finally, you spoke on parasound! Thanks Gene! I love parasound!
I have some Carver amps that rock
Adcom has produced some excellent amps at realistic prices.
Adcom was my first step into non everyday name brands (Yamaha, denon etc). I had a 2 channel. The model was GFA-.... (cant remember). Loved that amp. That was like 25 years ago though.
Gene, I bet you're right that the Integra Research amp was made by ATI Amplifier Technologies. I own the Morris Kessler Signature Series ATI 6005 (300W RMS x 5 ch) and the Signature Series ATI 4006 (200W RMS x 6 ch) and as soon as I saw the back of the Integra amp in your vid, I immediately thought that it looked just like the back of my amps which were made in 2014. The Signature Series ATI amps are the best I have ever owned. If memory serves me correctly the Signature Series amps were sent to 3 national press magazines and won product of the year from all 3. They sound amazing.
The back looks similar to my Monoprice 7 channel amp and that's also made by ATI. They make some fine amps.
@@totalbliss1 Audioholics has reviewed several ATI amps, including the new class D amps, as well as Monoprice, which are also made by ATI as you stated. All of the Audioholics reviews were very positive and I know Gene said he respects the brand in several of his vids.
My favourite amps, still in use since '86 are my Bryston 3b's. Followed by my 2b's , 3bnrb and 3bst used in my triamped stereo main system. Super reliable amps. Second favourite are my BGW model 75, 6500 proline series2 and 7500 proline series2 being used in my HT system (triamped stereo). I will never get to try out all the wonderful amps that Gene has tried because the amps I have are very reliable and well built. I cannot bring myself to replace them.
I have always been an Adcom Guy. I had 555's and a 565 for base but settled into the 585 Gold Series for years. I thought about trying another
I've got a couple of HK Citation 7.1 amps. Got them online when they discontinued for 750 around 04. Wish I had bought another. Absolute beast, huge current, amazing specs.
Glad you're back Gene! EXCELLENT VIDEO!
My current system is with the PERREAUX 750P Mono Blocks from New Zealand.
Can produce up to 1,300 WRMS into 4 ohms with a gain of 34dB , 700 damping factor and peak to peak voltage rail of 322volt in total , current capable of 160 amps. Class A,AB. Mosfet design. I just love them. No clipping and excellent musicality.
I think the McIntosh MC2500 is one of the all time great amps. I would love to hear your opinion (if you have heard it). I personally run 2 MC402 amps bridged into my Magnepan 20.1 speakers and they do a very nice job.
Hi Gene
Hope you doing well.
Great video. Nice to see Canada represented twice in your favourites.
Keep well!
I know I am a year late to this, but here are my amps/pre-amps.
I bought the Mitsubishi line of separates way back when they were trying to get into audio separates. I have the DA-P20 Dual-Monaural pre amp and the matching DA-A15DC dual monaural amplifier, rated at 150 Watts RMS into 8 ohms both channels driven with 0.01 THD. The pre-amp was 0.005 THD, I think that is correct. My amp blew a channel and I got a BK Components, LTD. ST 202 amp. I am not sure of its rating, but is is around 130 to 150 watts RMS into 8 ohms, both channels driven. This BK sound great. I have an old pair of JBL L100 Control room monitor speakers. I purchased the Mitsubishi components and the JBLs new in the late mid 1980s. I would like to get my Mitsubishi separates serviced, but I don’t know of anyone in California who can repair vintage audio. Any ideas?
I had a Kenwood Basics C2 Preamp and Basics M2 amp. They were a great pair. Bought them in late 80s and they lasted me nearly 30 years. That amp was rated at about 200+ watts per channel at 8ohms. I replaced both with Emotiva seperates and kinda miss those Kenwood pieces. LoL
Loved this presentation Gene. Hope you are feeling better. Currently I am using a Hegel h590, that I got used. Almost got the anthem but then this one came up. I was using a lyngdorf TDAI 2170. I really liked it but eventually left it because it I needed more power. Keep your doing these, they’re great. However I used to like it when you say, “welcome to the show that never ends” you need to bring that back
Sunfire Amplifiers from Bob Carver is my speciality.
How on earth, did the Emotiva XPR1 fail? Also what components failed?
Interesting choices. I have a humble Class-D Crown XLS 1502 for 2-ch music system into an Emotiva PT-100 Preamp/Dac. Very good sounding and great value.
I've just hooked up a pair of ADS L910's and while I have a pair of Adcom 555's, the tiny A-100 amp and pt-100 preamp/DAC powers these 93db loudspeakers to very acceptable levels and with detail and potency. Really impressed by the BasX line!
Expensive exotic amps might be nice to have but in my opinion reliability and servicing is very important. I’ve been burned by buying expensive things then later finding the companies have disappeared and the items can no longer be serviced. My current amp still has a service agent in my country but it would need to be shipped interstate.
I have local guy that can fix anything. He'll even put better parts than what were originally in the amp.
Sean Lacroix Some items cannot be attended to where they have proprietary technology. Once the manufacturer closes shop followed by their service centres the item can become trash.
Loved this episode! Was wonderful taking a trip down memory lane.
Great amp history! I still have that Integra Research amp running my home theatre. Great performance and bulletproof.
Would you consider pairing an Emotiva 2 channel amplifier with a pair of B&W 801 D4’s?
I’m considering buying a pair 801 D4’s but it takes up almost my entire budget and pairing them with an Emotiva amp is the only way I can think of driving them on my budget.
I know your situation isn't the best but videos like this are very helpful for us who are always looking for the gems on the secondhand market. Thank you!!!
I’d like to see how well the Parasound classic v2’s measure.
My favourite amp which I bought recently is Pass xa30.8 together with Pass XP-12 preamp.
I'm in heaven 🤩
Better I hope!!!! say a word about the APC power conditioner, I have the lower model, looks the same. I added an Emotiva XPA-3
My favourite amp was a Robertson 4010 which I owned throughout the '90s. But in the end it kept failing on me and parts were hard to find as it was somewhat rare and the company was no longer in business. I decided to get something more stable but the Robertson was magical. One recently came up for sale locally but with the reliability issues I had, I could not convince my self to buy it. Someone else did of course and posted to our local audio forum how much he loved it.
Subscribed - great to see you staying busy and for fighting Corona! Hang in there. I have Axiom Audio speakers. Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery!!!
Gene I love these nostalgic looks into our past would love to see more keep well xxx
Planning a system with the STR separates and a pair of the Paradigm Founder Series 100Fs. So excited and so hard to wait for it to become a reality!
My top 3:
Hafler DH 500
Ashly FTX 2000
( I love power MOSFET's )
BGW 7500 Proline ll
My main music system is triamped with Brystons, they are super solid great amps. My HT system is 2 channel triamped with a BGW model 75 for high end, BGW 6500 proline 2 for low mids and a 7500 proline 2 (in mono) for the subs. I used to have a BGW 250D (my first really good amp) and an 8000 proline series (sold it because of the fan cooling; the 7500 is convection cooled, nicer for home use). I have never had a failure with BGW amps as they were extremely well made. BGW (rip) was a very good engineer and built some of the best amps of the era IMO.
What do you think about the onkyo TX-SR 501
I purchased a Proceed AMP 2 back in 1999 and I still have it today. I had a Krell KSA-150 and a Classé CA-100 amp. They did not sound well with my Revel speakers, the Proceed amplifier sounded the best.
After going through a few receivers, I bought a Cinepro 3K63 amp, 550 watts x 6 and paired it with the Integra Research RDC7 that you mentioned. That was in the early 2000’s and they sounded amazing together. I got the RDC7 used on Audiogon and the cinepro was a b-stock direct from the company. Because new was very expensive. I had called about a cheaper Cinepro model but it was gone so Eric, the owner, sent me the more expensive unit for the same price. Super nice and I wish he and his company were still here today. I use that same 3K63 today but pair it with the Yamaha CX-A5200. Along with my legacy audio speakers it is still a great amp.
I have a Spectron musical MK II class D amp to drive my Maggie's. 7's This amp was designed by John Ulrich in 2005 and I'm pretty sure he invented the class D amp in the late sixties. He worked with Arnie Nudell of Infinity speakers then started his own company Spectron. This amp puts out 500watts@8ohm, 650@4ohms &1,200@ 1ohm!! But more importantly it will produce 65 amps for 500 milliseconds. All I know is it sure makes my Maggie's sing!!! I love it!!
Gene how are the cube Bryston amps ?
Madrigal Audio Laboratories Mark Levinson ML 20.6 is my favorites amplifier of all time.
I didn't get the opportunity of owning a pair.
However, I still own a pair of Mark Levinson ML 20.5
These were all designed by John Curl during the era of Mr Mark Levinson himself.
Sadly, they don't make them like this anymore.
Massive acknowledgement to the work done by Mr John Curl. Thank you
Emotiva was happy to share schematics for the XPR-1 to a local electronics repair shop who was able to fix it. The components side are all available. This saves the high cost of shipping such ha beast which when added to the repair cost makes the amp not worth fixing for them
Thanks. I totally enjoyed this video. Hearing the names of these amplifiers brought back some fun memories. From my past I still have great memories of once owning a SAE A501. What a amplifier.
I have seen a lot of YT reviews on the Emotiva XPA gen 3 amps but we are still missing the one that matters, yours Gene. Can you please run some test and analysis on one of those units. Thanks.
Unless you enjoy buying throw away electronics stay away from Emotiva,especially Emotivas high dollar amps,once Emotiva stops making an amplifier you will play hell getting any help from Emotivas service dept even if you agree to pay all shipping & repair costs,Emotiva is horrific to deal with to even get the company to send a schematic so you can repair what Emotiva refuses to work on .
Ask Gene about Audioholics 1st hand experience with Emotivas top of the line XPR-1 1,000 watt reference monoblock amplifiers they sold off once one monoblock died ,Emotiva left thousands of us who spent over $3 grand with amps that cannot be repaired ,for me I will never buy another Emotiva product.
Gene, just wonder if you ever came across the “Heaven forbid” Bose 1801 power amp. I got this amp along with 4 Bose 901s back in 1972 because Bose had a promotion on the amp that if you bought it and bought 2 901s they gave you another pair for free. It cost me about $1500 then but launched me into my audiophile journey. The amp was a 82 pound beast with 400wpc into the 4 ohms from the two speakers per channel. The power transformer weighed 41 pounds. The amp had huge meters and leds for monitoring peak power with a clipping indication. The bass from this setup was astounding which was both a blessing and a curse, which is why I ended up selling everything for $1500 after a couple years so I listened for free 😁 The Bose equalizer boosted the bass by 18dB at 35 Hz so even with that much power with certain songs the amp would clip, but I made the best of everything by turning the speakers around and not reflecting everything off the back wall.
I would say that class D is also the wave of the future, specifically Hypex N Core amps. So well received that other amplifier companies are licensing their technology.
I have a complete integra set up in storage..i did recognize when I had it set set up how quiet the set up was and clean..i used the dac on the pre for cd s and bought an onkyo record player and loved the phono on the pre no NOISE at all.... I just got a cary 7.250 hope to hear from some one on this one..... hope everyone is feeling well😁 ..we have keep moving on even if this stuff is a bit silly.. we have to keep are hope and enjoy life's pleasures... Peace...
Gene, I always assumed I’d eventually upgrade my emotive amps to parasound halos, but I recently discovered D-sonic class D amps. They are highly regarded by the few pros that have reviewed them. Do you have any opinions about them? Which would you pick?
Thanks Gene. I still have an upgraded Acurus Act-3 SSP and I'm not sure what to do with it...I hate to just throw it away but I have no use or need for it now. Great list! I currently have an Adcom GFA-5802 amp in my system for my 2 channel audio...I want to upgrade but I want to make sure Im getting a true discernible sound upgrade. I'vve considered Parasound, Bryston, Emotiva and a few others...but cant audtion them in my system so I'm finding it to be a difficult decision. Would appreciate your thoughts...Thanks again!
Really interested in the new class d hypex amps, but also some cheaper AB amps like Tonewinner 7ch
Totally forgot about the interga research. Had one of these in a showroom I worked in around 2005 I think... Sexy processor (motorised control flap) and power amp in the blue / silver. Deff had power, never had great set up rooms back then to truely appreciate it.
I may get some stick on this one, but back in the day I had the Technics SE-A1 & SU-A2 combo... really superb!
Gene, thanks for another great video. Would you please name the Rotel amps you have been enjoying? I'm looking to find an older model with > 150 watt into 8 ohm. For my front channels. Greetz from Germany
Hey Gene glad to see you're getting better, I was wondering if you ever tested the crown xls 2502 power amp?
no but I hope to in the future as things go back to normal. Lots of requests.
@@Audioholics Would love to hear what you think about the Crown XLS 2502. Seems like it would have the power to do anything one could ask of it especially when bridged and for only $650. Too good to be true?
Reminds me of my amp in the early 70's...a Crown DC 300. Great video. Thanks
The ARC in the Anthem is game changer. I have the integrated, and once
you use ARC, there's no going back. It was a major reason I narrowed my
choice down to the STR when I was looking for a higher end integrated in
the $ range. Without ARC, it would compete easily with other units in
the $ range, it's leaves all others behind with the ARC. Finally,
considering all the gear Gene gets to test, that the STR series is what
ended up in his personal system, should tell people all they need to
know. My review of the integrated:
ua-cam.com/video/hUCf1cfF1rs/v-deo.html
You've owned way more amps than I have. So far I've owned a Coda 11, a Levinson ML 11, a Bedini 100/100, a Perreaux 2150 and a Bryston 2b. Would like to see a review from you covering any of these. my favorite so far is the Coda 11 which I've been using for the last 20 years.
What amp or avr would you recommend for B&W 702 s2, htm71 s2, 706 s and subowoofer? I have a Marantz sr7010 and I don't like it, it sound too bright to me.
do you have an opinion about the d Sonic m3a line of amp
Can review the tw ad-8300 - 11 channel amp please?
Integra has a few prepros that carry the research designation are they of the same high quality as the older stuff?
I'm still with my SAE 2400L amp, and I've never looked back.
I've got my A501 on sub duty and it's bad add.
I used to use (back when I had enough room to set up a stereo music system) a Hafler DH-110 pre-amp feeding a Hafler DH-220 amp and driving Snell Type E Series II loudspeakers - I had built the Hafler components from their kits. A couple of years ago, I sold them to a friend who was just starting to get into hi-fi. He is driving some large Klipsch speaker systems and is extremely thrilled with how they perform.
Because of the terrible Hafler amps I sold many hundred of those ,St Peter will never let me in through the Pearl gate,
Please more on Class D amps Gene. I'm in the market to match my Amv70 pre/pro that is on the way.
Love your channel as a new member. I have just recently started using my system again. Retired and stuck at home.
I am still using my Adcom GFA 5503,GFA-5800 amps, Velodyne ULD series11 for my 5 channel man cave. Apogee Centaurs and Kiplish rear channel speakers. I Have a sony STR-GX 10es receiver with a Pioneer SP99D processor. I need a new receiver or proceesor as I have no HDMI imputs. Need to play some catch up. Any suggestions. TV and Blue ray are 4K newer models.
If possible please review the Krell 750 mc. I know it's old but I've never seen one reviewed in order to see what it is really capable of. I'm currently running x2 Krell TAS in my home theater. They seem to be really solid.
What's the best bang for your buck 5ch power amp out there? Receiver is denon 4500
Is the Sunfire Cinema Grand Signature a contender?
"Hi Gene, thanks for the content.
Have you ever had any experience with the "PowerMaster" series of power amplifiers from Enlightened Audio Designs? if so what is your view on them?
Thanks
Gene glad your alive.. The info you have provided has saved me big money and helps me purchase products from great companies. Keep it up I learn so much of "What not to buy.". I always thought that marketing has taken over true benchmarks and reviews. Stay safe....
Still looking for a clean Aragon X3 or two Palladium MKII's to add to my Aragon collection (8008BB, two 8008X3s & an 8002). Incredible pieces, built like tanks, last forever.
What were those crazy speakers in the picture @12:33 with the Classe & Pass amps?
Yep those old Aragons were da bomb. I owned the 8008X3 and 8008X2. They run hot AF though. Those are the Status Acoustics 8T by RBH Sound. Best passive speakers I've ever owned and heard. I miss them dearly.
Gene, great selection of amps. What would you recommend as a value power amp for bi-amping the bass panel of my Magnepans (3-4 ohms) on 2 channel.. I already have subs. Current or used would be ok. Want dynamic punch but also subtleness as called for in the music. Thanks
Thank You for all you great information. Also I hope you recover.. ASAP... we need you knowledge.:)
I am always confuse about what to get. currently I have a 5.2 set up consisting of Bowers and Wilkins 704 all around and using 2 NHT small atoms.. just to test. My receiver is an Onkyo 830. My question to you will be.. if you had $3,000 to spend?
What received would you recommend?
I was thinking Marantz 8012 for option 01.
Denon 6500 option 02.
Or separates Emotiva... not to familiar with separates but would like to explore. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thank You
@audioholics what are the best floor standing speakers?
Hi Gene witch 5 channel amplifier do you recommend under $2000?
Monoprice Monolith for $1299.
Audioholics thank you 😊
Gene What do you think of the XPA-3 Gen 3 from Emotiva?
Had pair of old adcom gfa555s they were outstanding value
Please test the Emotiva XPA DR 2
I hope you are feeling better Gene.
Hey Gene.. So awesome to see ya feeling better..
Hi Gene great video about the power amplifiers.. I owned currently and emotiva mps-1... 7 channel power amplifier.. Can you do a review about this amp? Its actually a great one from emotiva one of their first power amp...
Loved the video. My favorite amplifier right now are my Emotiva xpa-1s gen 2 but I really love my Emotiva RPA-2 as well.