(2013) Power Amplifiers
- Details
- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $7000 per pair
Website: www.anthemav.com
Jeff said: What I can unequivocally say is that the Anthem Statement M1 is darn near the ideal of a straight wire with gain, and at 1000W, that gain is almost unlimited. Is that enough for you? I suspect that, for many listeners, the answer will be an emphatic yes.
The gist: Awesome power, great sound quality, reasonable price.
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- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $1340
Website: www.axiomaudio.com
Roger said: It’s a great-sounding amplifier. I was impressed by the sound quality of this budget-friendly amp, and was more than happy to have it in my reference multichannel system for an extended period.
Read the SoundStage! Xperience review.
The gist: Watts-per-dollar champ that sounds good, too.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $1950 each
Website: www.calyxaudio.com
Tim said: The Calyx Femti does a whole lot right and very little wrong, and does it in a neat, tidy, power- and space-efficient package at a price within reach of many audiophiles. In the world of power amplifiers, less indeed seems to be becoming more.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Class D continues its impressive evolution.
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- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $6500
Website: www.copland.dk
Doug said: The Copland CTA 506 is a modern-day implementation of tube technology with a thoroughly enjoyable sound that retains the best aspects of tubed designs while doing an admirable job of avoiding the technology’s weaknesses.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: A solid value in the tube-amplification arena.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $57,000
Website: www.gryphon-audio.dk
Jeff said: I’ve never heard the equal of the Gryphon Mephisto. It combines qualities that seem clearly contradictory: It had the best bass I could imagine, yet could image as precisely as anything I’ve heard. It expanded the soundstage in every direction, yet perfectly retained the midrange purity of a single performer standing dead center in the soundstage. It resolved the finest details of hi-rez recordings, and at the same time presented music in a cohesive, musically enjoyable manner at all times.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Best solid-state amp Jeff has heard.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $16,000
Website: www.je-audio.com
Michael said: JE Audio’s Dyad S400 showed itself to be an excellent performer in all respects. I put it through its paces and compared it to some excellent-sounding amplifiers, and it more than held its own.
The gist: Solid-state excellence from a company normally associated with tubes.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $6400 per pair
Website: www.je-audio.com
Doug said: I can strongly recommend the VM60 to those who desire a bit of tube magic, and whose speakers will mate well with them. What I heard from the VM60s was extraordinarily good sound for the price.
Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.
The gist: Good-sounding, high-value tube monos from Asia.
- Details
- Parent Category: 2013 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
- Category: (2013) Power Amplifiers
Price: $16,500 per pair
Website: www.kraudio.com
Michael said: The KR Audio VA910 sounds wonderful and looks great. Its build quality -- which should create great pride of ownership -- its refinement of appearance, and its exceptional sound make for a very compelling amplifier. There’s a lot of competition at the VA910’s price, but it’s definitely worthy of your consideration for all that it might bring to your listening room.
Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.
The gist: Made in Prague, and very competitive in the tube-amp marketplace.