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(2020) Power Amplifiers

Audio Research Reference 160S Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 27 December 2020

Price: $22,000

Website: www.audioresearch.com

Jeff said: Its sound is neutral overall, but still gives you the luxury of tubes and none of the sonic drawbacks that tube aficionados can sometimes hear in solid-state amplifiers.

Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.

The gist: Solid bet in a tube stereo amp from a venerable company.

Audio Research Reference 160S Stereo Power Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 29 March 2020

Price: AU$34,995

Website: www.audioresearch.com

Edgar said: For music lovers who are chasing the purity, engagement and pleasure of music without artefact the 160S presents a solid proposition.

Read the SoundStage! Australia review.

The gist: Switchable Ultra-Linear and Triode modes offer two sound signatures to choose from.

Gryphon Audio Designs Essence Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 30 September 2020
  • Reviewers Choice

Price: $22,990

Website: www.gryphon-audio.dk

Jeff said: Well, here I go again: You can buy a Gryphon Essence and then forget about power amps for a very long time.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.

The gist: The baby Gryphon is a sweet amplifier.

Mark Levinson N° 526 Preamplifier with DAC and N° 534 Power Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 29 June 2020

Price: N° 526 AU$35,000, N° 534 AU$35,000

Website: www.marklevinson.com

Edgar said: My time with the Mark Levinson N° 526 Preamplifier and N° 534 Power Amplifier was filled with fuss-free musical enjoyment.

Read the SoundStage! Australia review.

The gist: Still a solid bet in high-end componentry.

Michi P5 Preamplifier & M8 Monoblock Power Amplifiers

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 03 September 2020

Price: P5 AU$5999, M8 AU$10,399 each

Website: www.rotel.com

Edgar said: Over and above their excellent performance, solid build quality and beautiful modern aesthetics the P5 and M8 monos will provide pride of ownership.

Read the SoundStage! Australia review.

The gist: Compelling high-end products from a value-conscious brand.

Plinius Reference A-150 Stereo/Mono Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 03 September 2020

Price: $13,000

Website: www.pliniusaudio.com

Jeff said: This is the type of sound that never goes out of style -- the type of sound that stands by you on your audiophile journey, no matter how long that journey is.

Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.

The gist: Classic class-A sound quality.

Rogue Audio Atlas Magnum II Stereo Amplifier

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 27 April 2020
  • Reviewers Choice

Price: $2395

Website: www.rogueaudio.com

S. Andrea said: Rogue Audio’s Atlas Magnum II is everything a modern vacuum-tube amplifier should be: solidly built, easy to set up and maintain, reasonably powerful with very little self-noise, and having a sound that shows a bit of tube warmth without smearing over the details in good recordings.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Hi-Fi review.

The gist: Super value in a US-made stereo tube amp.

Rotel Michi M8 Mono Amplifiers

Details
Parent Category: 2020 SoundStage! Network Equipment Buying Guide
Category: (2020) Power Amplifiers
Created: 01 December 2020
  • Reviewers Choice

Price: $13,998 per pair

Website: www.rotel.com

Aron said: It has reminded me that there are still companies out there that consistently try hard to push the boundaries of what they’re capable of while ever increasing the ratio of performance to cost.

Reviewers' Choice

Read the SoundStage! Ultra review.

The gist: For the price these are massively good monos.

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