The amplifier is the core of any hifi system. All your source devices feed their signals to it and you use the amplifier to choose which one of them you want to play. It takes the modest signal that they provide and turns it onto the muscular power required to drive loudspeakers.
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As such, choosing your amplifier is a vitally important part of building an exciting high-fidelity system. Here's what you need to know to make the best choice for you.
First, let's dig in a little more to what an amplifier does. The output signal from, say, an audio streamer or a CD player is only a couple of volts at most, and they are designed to connect to devices with an input impedance of tens of thousands of ohms. Which means that at most they could deliver only a fraction of a milliwatt to your loudspeakers.
Loudspeakers do work. Quite a lot of it. They have to vibrate the air to make the sound. To do that work, they have to be powered. I'm sure that you're familiar with the kind of power audio amplifiers normally deliver ' it'll be anything from twenty or thirty watts, all the way up to hundreds of watts, with most probably falling in the range of 50 to 125 watts. When an amplifier is pouring one hundred watts into an 8-ohm loudspeaker, it is delivering 28 volts and 3.5 amps of current. That's a lot.
Powering loudspeakers is only one of the jobs to be performed by an amplifier.
Another is to select between your sources. There are three kinds of analogue sources you're likely to come across. The most common are line level sources. These almost always connect using RCA sockets and plugs. Sometimes they are called 'single-ended' or 'unbalanced'. Line level means a signal level which is typically between around 0.5 volts to 2 volts maximum. Think CD player, old-fashioned tape deck and so on. They will also work with the headphone output of an iPod or iPad or (if your has one).
Some high-end gear employs balanced connections. These use three-pin XLR plugs and sockets, adopted from the pro-audio world. Much of the time they double the voltage, so the maximum voltage may be as high as four volts. The main advantage these connections offer is a reduced chance of the connecting cables picking up noise.
The third kind of analogue source is the turntable. Most of these produce an extremely low-level signal. If fitted with moving magnet cartridge the signal level will be somewhere around 5mV. That's one hundredth of the usual line level. Furthermore, the frequency balance of the recording on the vinyl has to be adjusted significantly, with the bass being boosted by up to 20dB and the treble similarly cut. If the turntable is fitting with a moving coil cartridge, its output is likely only one tenth of that of a moving magnet cartridge, requiring even more of a boost.
Some amplifiers include a phono preamplifier to properly treat signals from a turntable, but not all. For some you will need an external phono preamplifier, which you can then plug into a line input.
Some amplifiers also now feature digital audio inputs for connecting digital sources. And some incorporate a source. For example, an amplifier with a built-in radio tuner is called a receiver. In recent years an increasingly number of amplifiers have incorporated network streamers.
And then there is a multitude of other features sported by different amplifiers, such as circuits to adjust the frequency balance or perform other processes. In general, we high fidelity types prefer our amplifiers to avoid most of those things. Still, you may have a particular need for such things as balance and tone controls, perhaps a mute button.
Amplifiers come in two different forms: one is where you have a separate preamplifier and power amplifier, and the other is where they are combined. Those are called integrated amplifiers.
Most preamplifiers and power amplifiers are designed with broadly compatible inputs and outputs, so you need not always stick with the same brand for both devices. That's one advantage of separates over an integrated amplifier: you can upgrade your power without having to change the preamp. Some power amplifiers have a 'trigger' connection, usually a 3.5mm socket. When connected to a compatible (not necessarily the same brand) preamplifier, switching on the preamp will trigger the power amp to also switch on.
A pre-amplifier is primarily responsible for selecting which source you want to listen to. Often ' but not always ' they also boost the level of the signal. What they always do is allow you to control the level of the signal that is ultimately passed through to the power amplifier. Since they are not driving the loudspeakers, they do not need the massive power supplies and heatsinks often employed by power amplifiers, so they can often be slighter than the power amplifier.
It is the power amplifier that's doing the heavy lifting, taking a the incoming signal ' which is typically up to two volts and a few hundred microamps ' and boosting it to potentially 28 volts and 3.5 amps for 100 watts output. It typically has just one set of inputs and of course the speaker terminals. In most cases it will be heavily built and feature heatsinks to help dissipate the internal heat it produces while working. As with a lot of gear, an imperfect but useful proxy for its quality is simply how heavy it is.
A significant part of the weight of a power amplifier is in its transformer (if that's what it uses) and associated electronics. Power amplifiers are almost always rated to work properly with speakers of both 8 ohms and 4 ohms nominal impedance. One mark of unusual quality is if the rated power output for 4-ohm loudspeakers is double that for 8-ohm loudspeakers. That suggests a high quality internal power supply.
Power amplifiers come in multichannel form ' often for home theatre use ' stereo or mono. Mono power amplifiers are often called monoblocks. I should note that some stereo power amplifiers can be bridges, which turns them into mono amplifiers. Obviously you'd need to purchase two of them if you plan to use them in this mode in a stereo system.
The advantage of this method of operation is that usually the power output into 8 ohms is more than double what it was in stereo mode. One disadvantage is the a minimum impedance supported is doubled. So most bridged amplifiers require speakers of at least 8 ohms impedance.
An integrated amplifier simply has both a preamp and power amp in the same box. The great majority of amplifiers are integrated. Some straddle the integrated/separates division by including pre-amp outputs and power amp inputs, so you can go to a separate for either function.
Any discussion of amplifiers ' well, integrated and power amplifiers primarily ' must include talking about their 'Class'. Audio amplifiers have been around for a very long time, first in the form of designs based on vacuum tubes, and since the s increasingly on solid-state electronics. I'll leave valve or vacuum tube amps out of this discussion since they really should be judged on their own individual merits by enthusiasts seeking the particular character to the sound that these devices can impart.
As far as high-fidelity solid-state amps go, there are three main types of design that are employed. As is so often the case, there is a little overlap and variation.
Transistors are largely DC devices, but audio is AC. That's a problem. One design solution to this was to use two complementary transistors. One would handle positive sections of the signal while the other would handle the negative sections. Then the two would be stitched together.
Unfortunately, that stitching part is hard to do seamlessly, and it resulted in 'zero crossover distortion'. In that instant when the signal was at zero ' neither positive nor negative ' both transistors were off and there'd be a brief non-linearity. Which we would hear as harmonic distortion, generally of the unpleasant odd-order kind. Those designs were called Class B and they aren't used in any hifi amplifiers worthy of the name.
Class A amplifiers solve all this by applying a significant bias to the signal. Bias is one of those scary electronic terms, but in this case all it means is that some DC is mixed in with the signal, which shifts the whole signal into either the positive or the negative. So instead of it being an AC signal centred on zero voltage, it becomes a varying DC signal, centred on the bias voltage. And that means the signal never crosses the positive-to-negative boundary, which results in inherently low distortion. The DC bias is filtered out before the signal is delivered to the speakers.
But this comes at a cost. The main one is inefficiency. The bias voltage is set at half the maximum voltage. So, for a 100-watt amplifier, it would be running at around 14 volts. And that 14 volts is running all the time that the amplifier is switched on, even if there's no signal. So they even idle hot and consume a lot of power.
And given the large amount of heat sinking required, they tend to be large and heavy. Nonetheless, many audiophiles aspire to Class A when possible, simply because of the complete lack of crossover distortion.
Class A/B amplifiers are a compromise. They still use a bias voltage, but only to lift the crossover a little away from zero. That reduces much of the distortion inherent in Class B, while avoiding the extreme inefficiency of Class A. Class A/B remains the most common design method for high fidelity amplifiers and with modern careful design they often deliver magnificent performance.
There are lots of design choices available to designers, including the level of the bias voltage. The brand Moon by Simaudio, for example, sets its bias voltage relatively high so that the first five watts of power in its higher end models are pure Class A.
Class D ' also known as a switching amplifier ' is radically different, and quite hard to explain. Don't worry if you don't understand this bit. We'll get to the practical stuff in a moment. Although the D in Class D does not stand for digital, the confusion is not surprising. In Class A and Class B designs, at every point through the electronics the signal is pretty much the same. It comes in rising and falling as the music does its thing. That's what it does in the transistors, and that's how it's delivered at the speaker terminals.
With Class D, instead the incoming signal is converted to pulses. It kind of looks like digital (particularly Direct Stream Digital), but it is still analogue in the sense of not having a specific number space defining where the edges of the pulses must fall. The pulse might be wide, or frequent, to represent a high point in the wave form, and narrow or infrequent for a low point.
At the speaker terminal, a simple filter is applied and this converts the pulses back into an analogue signal.
This seems like a very weird way of doing things, but it does have some real benefits. The main one is efficiency. Instead of the signal ramping up and down to different levels in the output transistors, they are at all times simply on or off. The pulses determine when they are on or off. Transistors are highly efficient when they are fully on, so they're not wasting a whole lot of energy as heat.
So, if you need a lot of power but in a lightweight package, with little need for heavy heatsinks, Class D is a viable solution. So viable that a lot of subwoofers use Class D. The technology is still not common in high end audio amplifiers yet ' but it is in some. And don't be surprised as you see more of them about.
Whether a pre/power combination or an integrated amp, you should consider what features you'd like in your amplifier. Here are a few that may appear on amps, along with my views on them. Yours may differ.
Rega IO Integrated Amplifier ' $849
Cambridge Audio AXA35 Integrated Amplifier ' $699
Yamaha A-S301 Integrated Amplifier ' $599
Schiit Audio SYS Passive Preamplifier ' $115 ' and Burson Audio Bang Stereo Power Amplifier ' $599
Naim NAIT 5si Integrated Amplifier ' $
Simaudio MOON 240i Integrated Amplifier ' $
Peachtree Audio nova300 Integrated Amplifier ' $
Schiit Audio Saga + Stereo Preamplifier ' $730 ' and Schiit Audio Vidar Stereo/Mono Power Amplifier ' $
Schiit Audio Freya+ Balanced Stereo Preamplifier ' $ ' and 2 x Schiit Audio Aegir Stereo/Mono Power Amplifiers ' $ (each)
Simaudio MOON 340i Integrated Amplifier ' $
Naim SuperNAIT 3 Integrated Amplifier ' $
Yamaha A-S Integrated Amplifier ' $
Peachtree Audio preDAC Preamplifier ' $4,299 ' and Peachtree Audio amp500 Power Amplifier ' $3,699
SPL Elector Preamplifier ' $ ' and SPL Performer s800 Stereo Power Amplifier ' $
Naim NAC 202 Preamplifier ' $4,850 ' and Naim NAP 200 DR Power Amplifier ' $5,200 (well, it's only a little over the upper bound!)
Simaudio MOON 600i V2 Dual Mono Integrated Amplifier ' $15,800
Simaudio MOON 700i v2 Balanced Integrated Amplifier ' $24,000
Bryston B135³ Integrated Amplifier ' from $11,200
Naim NAC 252 Preamplifier ' $14,600 ' and Naim NAP 300 Power Amplifier ' $18,300
Bryston BP17³ Preamplifier ' $ ' and Bryston 4B³ Stereo Power Amplifier ' $11,000
Simaudio MOON 740P Preamplifier ' $15,500 ' and Simaudio MOON 860A V2 Two Channel Power Amplifier ' $31,000
As a general rule, the more the better. But as an also general rule, you'll need to double the power to even start to notice a difference. Doubling power only adds ' potentially, not always actually ' three decibels. A three-decibel level difference is slight.
So, if choosing between fifty and a hundred watts, all else being equal go for the higher output. But if your choice is between 115 and 130 watts, ignore the power differential ' it makes only 0.5dB difference ' and concentrate on other aspects of the devices.
The damping factor is sometimes specified for amplifiers, and it's kind of a measure of the amount of control the amplifier exercises over the loudspeakers. It's inversely related to the internal impedance of the amplifier output. Want to learn more? Read about it here.
No. I've never understood why these illustrations appear. I've been to product launches and demonstrations in which this happens. And it's bad. Power amplifiers need plenty of ventilation. Preamplifiers do not need to have excessive heat pumped into them. Don't do it.
Welcome to 's Best Power Amplifiers from the Part-Time Audiophile Buyers Guide.
We're not saying that these are the 'best' power amplifiers in the world or that these choices somehow overrule anyone else's favorites. We're saying that these are the products we've reviewed, owned, or have extensively auditioned that have impressed us when it comes to value, performance and sound quality. This is the gear that we, the staff of Part-Time Audiophile, recommend.
Decware Zen Triode SE84UFO2 ($1,495 USD)
There's a six-month waiting list for these 2.3wpc power amplifiers, but it's worth the wait if you're an audiophile who wants to investigate single-ended triode amps at their finest. This is the same $1,195 amp that put Steve Deckert (and Decware) on the map, but with various upgrades and option such as a wooden base, meters and XLR inputs. 'You get some pretty refined, high quality power, and more than you might think when it comes down to actually driving (and enjoying) a pair of quality speakers of reasonable sensitivity.' A Reviewer's Choice winner.
LSA Discovery Warp One ($1,499 USD)
Another class D amplifier that made us seriously reconsider how we felt about Class D power amplifiers, the Warp One delivers 150 wpc into 8 ohms and 250 into 4 ohms, sounds like a 'compact powerhouse' and still weighs next to nothing. The LSA's deepest bass performance was impressive and unique'it sounded tight and controlled and always honest. A Reviewers Choice Award winner and one of 's best power amplifiers under two grand.
Audio by Van Alstine DVA M225 Monoblocks ($1,699 ea USD)
We've had many spirited discussions in the PTA War Room about these small, unassuming monoblock class AB power amplifiers from the mind of Frank Van Alstine. Some believe the DVA M225 are the ultimate giant killers while others sound skeptical'the former group, however, has actually spent time listening to these little masterpieces. 'Hook a pair up to your system, and soon you'll stop laughing,' we declared, giving the DVA M225 a Reviewer's Choice Award and the Best Value Award for .
Emerald Physics 600.2SE Stereo ($1,999 USD)
For those times when you need a great-sounding 600wpc amplifier and you only have a couple of grand in your pocket, the Emerald Physics is in a class by itself. Another brilliant class D amplifier from the Underwood Hi-Fi stable, the 600.2SE also contains a vacuum tube input buffer for a touch of sweetness. 'Well, Underwood Wally might just have made me even more of a believer in the sonic nuances of well-executed, powerful class D amplifiers,' our reviewer concluded, giving this amp the Reviewers Choice award.
First Watt F8 ($4,000 USD)
The latest amplifier straight from Nelson Pass's kitchen table is far more friendly to a wider range of speakers than past models'its 25wpc were a superb match with ATC SCM 100 passive speakers as well as high-efficiency single drivers models from Charney. 'To this end, the First Watt F8 squarely carves out a niche for itself in the pantheon of First Watt goodness.' A Reviewers Choice winner.
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Jeff Rowland Design Group Model 125 ($4,300 USD)
A 125wpc power amplifier that weighs less than ten pounds and can easily picked up with one hand'must be Class D, right? But Jeff Rowland has always done more with these circuits than just dropping a module into a chassis. 'Clever power supply and input transformers, to further isolate line noise, and combined with a RF defeating chassis, combine to make an exemplary presentation.' Endlessly bridgeable'many use a small army of Model 125 power amplifiers in larger systems'this amp offers a smooth yet detailed sound that's surprisingly rich. A Reviewer's Choice winner and still one of 's best power amplifiers.
Audio Hungary Qualiton APX 200 ($4,700 USD)
'Vacuum tubes how I love thee, let me count the ways,' we exclaimed after using this Hungarian amp. We found that the Audio Hungary was an 'imaging Godzilla' but what we loved the most was its value'you get 100wpc from tubes, with the short signal paths, high parts quality and plenty of useful features.
ToolShed Amps Transcendence 300B (starting at $5,500 USD)
These unusual DHT power amplifiers come from the mind and hands of Matt Formanek, a designer who counts Gordon Rankin among his admirers. 'From the hand-mitered finger-joined wooden bases to the intricately etched aluminum metalwork,' we were smitten with the craftsmanship and artistry of this power amplifier. Plenty of options are available, from Hitachi FineMet amorphous core output transformers to Gold Point stepped attenuators and much more'our review sample topped out at $8,250. 'Good sound, superb build quality, attention to detail, out-of-this-world appearance, and great value for the dollar, it's a no-brainer.' A Reviewers Choice winner.
McGary Audio SA-1E ($7,000 USD)
Mike McGary's latest tube power amplifiers run in Ultralinear class A/B mode and 'uses a capacitor multiplier circuit for input and driver stages to minimize noise and hum. It also runs differentially once the signal passes the input tubes.' But what makes this 30wpc amplifier sing is the 'secret sauce' that launches this design into the pantheon of the greats. 'A massively vivid portrayal of anything you feel like playing,' we concluded. A Reviewer's Choice award winner.
Parasound Halo JC 5 ($7,495 USD)
Just one step down from the highly regarded Halo monoblocks, the Parasound JC 5 is a dual mono design 'from the transformer windings on.' We found this stereo power amplifier to sound good, first and foremost, with a midrange quality that's rare among solid state amps at this price point. 'Inherently neutral, accurate without being dry, no solid state etching or harshness whatsoever, and imaging and soundstage that could compete with similarly priced tube amps.' A Reviewer's Choice winner.
Bryston Audio 4B³ ($7,495 USD)
This classic 300 wpc Bryston amplifier is back in its 'Cubed' edition'but if you think you already know what a 4B sounds like you need to revisit this beloved Canadian brand. The Cubed line uses the vaunted Salomie circuit in every model, which features 'a low-noise input buffer that's super-linear'this patented circuitry reduces RF and audio interference.' Astonishing build quality. 'Yes, the 4B is still a major force in amplification in ,' and we think it's one of 's best power amplifiers.
SPL Performer s ($7,500 USD)
SPL is a German company well-known for their pro audio products, and their flagship home audio power amplifier is a compact yet dense class AB beast with 300 watts per channel'not to mention three included choices for faceplate insert colors. The sound seems very neutral at first, but the s has a definite personality that 'pops' with excitement. 'Open and natural without any noticeable colorations,' we decided.
McGary Audio SA-2 ($7,985 USD)
Mike McGary has created a timeless classic of a tube amp'warm, seductive and romantic in all the best ways. Fit and finish are impeccable, and befitting an exceptional beautiful device as this, and with its silky 80 watts per channel it can be used with a wider variety of loudspeakers. 'Factoring in the extra power, bigger everything, and all that extra user versatility, the McGary Audio SA2 hits it out of the park. Oh, and don't forget about that lifetime warranty.' An Editor's Choice winner.
Allnic Audio A- 25th Anniversary ($9,900 USD)
The 25th Anniversary version of these Korean-made tube power amplifiers features KT-150s instead of the usual KT-88s, and delivers 100 wpc in pentode and 50 wpc in triode. Fit and finish are impeccable, but the A- impressed us with its 'invisible tonality' and its ability to sound both incredibly linear and still deeply textured. 'It's quick, linear and punchy while gripping the speakers in a way that makes the official spec sheet look criminally modest,' we declared, bestowing a Reviewer's Choice award.
Manley Labs Snapper Monoblocks ($10,699 pr USD)
The ability to switch between triode and ultra-linear modes makes these monoblocks two amps in one, in more ways than one. The Snappers are smooth without being rolled off, with surprisingly little editorializing so that you can clearly hear what the other components in your system are doing. (Yes, a tube amplifier can do all that.) The Manley Labs Snapper power amplifiers are also a tube roller's dream since they can be so revealing.
Classe Delta STEREO ($12,999 USD)
The big and powerful STEREO power amplifier has an output stage that 'works in class AAB, delivering the first 12.5W in pure class A and everything higher than that up to 250W in class AB.' Fantastic parts selection, and a sound that works well in a wide variety of systems. 'The Classé DELTA STEREO has serious muscle under the hood and is ready to rock like a top fuel dragster waiting for the green light.' A Reviewers Choice winner that belongs on the list of 's best power amps.
BorderPatrol P21 EXD (starting at $13,150 USD)
Matched with Living Voice speakers, which BorderPatrol sells here in the US, the P21 EXD 'disarms with its truth-telling,' and reveals the true potential of the 300B vacuum tube. Neutral and honest, the BorderPatrol's presentation is uncommonly open and immediately captivating. An Editors Choice winner.
BorderPatrol SE300B EXD (starting at $13,500 USD)
A variation of Gary Dews' original 300B power amplifier design, the EXD puts out eight beautiful watts per channel and goes to considerable length to show how modern single-ended designs can drive a greater variety of loudspeakers than before. 'You get a copper and wood clad amplifier, overbuilt power supply, artisanal build quality, and great application of modern technology,' we summarized, and we gave it our Reviewer's Choice Award.
ampsandsound Casablanca monoblocks ($16,000 pr USD)
These tubed monoblocks from Justin Weber are based on the classic Eico HF97, and they'll work with KT88s, s or EL34s. The Casablancas have 60 wpc with the first two tubes and 45wpc with the latter valves, which means you can have ampsandsound monoblocks with more power than the Bryce and Arch monoblocks for a mere fraction of the price. 'Certain instrumental passages just reach out, tap you on the shoulder and say, 'Hey, buddy, stop what you're doing, and notice me!'' A Reviewers Choice winner and one of 's best power amps.
Parasound JC 1+ Monoblocks ($19,995 pr USD)
The first update from Parasound on the 20-year-old JC 1 power amplifiers, the Plus is Richard Schram and John Curl's effort to make a worthy successor that will stand the test of time. Powerful, clear and quite a lot of value when you compare it to more esoteric monsters, the JC 1+ is very neutral. 'There was no major sense of lack of color or excitement, they simply tell a speaker to move like the music moves,' we observed.
Ampsandsound Bryce monoblocks ($24,000 pr USD)
Designed to be a 'touch more romantic' than the awesome Zion monoblocks, the smaller Bryces are 'completely single-ended construction, from 12AX7 input directly to a fixed-bias KT88 or KT120/150 stage.' Incredibly dense, tactile, and sweet harmonic color for a sound that is 'whisper quiet and extremely clear.' A Reviewers Choice award winner.
TIDAL Audio Intra ($28,000 USD)
The TIDAL Audio Intra is a four-channel amplifier that results from an uncompromising implementation of their most basic requirement: pure amplification of the musical signal, without adding sonic color or concealing even the smallest of details. Big sound in a relatively small package. The TIDAL Audio Intra is good enough for a Grammy winning studio to deem it one of the best amplifiers ever to grace its doors. A Reviewers Choice winner and one of 's best power amplifiers operating in class D.
Ampsandsound Zion Monoblocks ($36,000 pr USD)
Fit and finish is extraordinary (and decidedly old-school) on these hand-built monoblock power amplifiers, and they wowed us with an 'unbelievably tactile and palpable sense of the auditory image.' Not for tube newbies'the Zions are short of features and conveniences and require length start-up and cool-down procedures'but the sound is worth it. 'The densest, most pristine and most elaborately textured auditory image I've heard in my setup,' our reviewer proclaimed them the best amplifiers he's heard this year, pulling out the Reviewer's Choice award.
Pass Labs XA-200.8 Monoblocks ($44,000 pr USD)
One of Dave McNair's reference power amplifiers for his mastering work, the XA-200.8s are massive beasts that offer and incredible 200 wpc in Class A, and they don't even run that hot! Clear, clean neutrality, the power to drive almost any speaker, these monoblocks also have 'subterranean low-frequency extension and detail, and a holistic flow and silkiness with lots of dynamic subtlety.' A Reviewers Choice Winner.
Dan D'Agostino Momentum S250 MxV ($44,950 USD)
Based on the changes made to input and output stages of the Relentless line, the new MxV series can be purchased new or offered as an upgrade to owners of existing S250 power amplifiers for $10,000. The MxV was quieter, with greater dynamic contrasts and an even larger soundstage than before. Reviewers Choice award winner'the reviewer upgraded his own S250 without hesitating.
ampsandsound Arch monoblocks ($50,000/pr USD)
When Justin Weber rebuilt the classic Citation V into his ampsandsound Zion monoblocks, that opened the door for him to rebuild the Citation II into his new flagship monoblocks, the Arch. The Arch has two objectives: 'don't change the circuit and execute the build with no compromises.' The result is an amp of the highest possible quality, and 'at a technical level it successfully delivers everything you would expect at this price point.' A Reviewers Choice winner and our tubed pick for 's best power monoblocks .
True Life Audio SSA-300 Monoblocks ($75,000 pr USD)
'All materials are carefully chosen, all transformers and chokes are again in-house wound, all capacitors are selected for their sonic virtues and the whole sits inside a solid, well finished aluminum CNC'ed chassis' is how we described this ultra-high-end product. The price, we observed, 'would be a major cause of embarrassment if it wasn't for the sound.' What a pair of beasts these TLA power amplifiers are'and they'll play louder and go deeper than just about any other high-end audio amplifier. One of 's best power amps.
VAC Statement 452 IQ Musicbloc ($75,000 each USD)
'The 452iQ's raison d'être is for VAC mastermind Kevin Hayes to answer the question: what is the best amp we can build, period?' Eight Gold Lion KT-88s are used for power, fed by four Tung-Sol 6SN7GTB for the small-signal front end. The VAC Statement 452iQ is fully balanced throughout, which also is out of the ordinary for tube power amplifiers. 225 wpc into 8 ohms, all tube. 'Heirloom build quality, flawless vacuum tube sonics, and the ability to drive even the most demanding loudspeakers,' we concluded. A Reviewers Choice award winner.
If you would like to hear even more on our choices for the Buyers Guide, check out our tips, picks and highlights in our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
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