Help build my list of amps to try

Though I am a big fan of Bakoon…with the current speakers, you might want to demo an amp with some ballz too. Not just for the loud factor but for the ease and effortlessness that can come from that. Of your list, I think an Essence is a very attractive one..even at the very low wattage of 50.

Edit: forgot about your budget. Can probably find a Diablo 120 and maybe a 300 if you’re patient. Much different sound than your Enleum now though…I came from a Diablo 120 and it did very well with a neutral speaker before, TAD ME-1.
 
I agree with you Randy the Purifi has been the best of the Class D amps I have. I still think well designed Class AB has it beat in sound quality. Class D probably has some room to improve with new design ideas.

I agree, with the exception of pricing. What I mean is that a Class AB amp certainly can out distance a Purifier if budget is not a consideration. However, if budget does come in to play, I doubt there is an AB that can stay with the Purifier in its price level.
 
Though I am a big fan of Bakoon…with the current speakers, you might want to demo an amp with some ballz too. Not just for the loud factor but for the ease and effortlessness that can come from that. Of your list, I think an Essence is a very attractive one..even at the very low wattage of 50.

Edit: forgot about your budget. Can probably find a Diablo 120 and maybe a 300 if you’re patient. Much different sound than your Enleum now though…I came from a Diablo 120 and it did very well with a neutral speaker before, TAD ME-1.

If I wait long enough I bet I'll find an Essence I can manage, if I have to stretch the budget a bit.

How about the Bakoon 41 or 51? The Enleum really sounds great. And I'm somewhat familiar with the sound of higher-powered class A amps, my last amps were Ayre mono-blocks, and before that the Ayre integrated, altho my speakers at the time probably didn't do them justice.
 
Though I am a big fan of Bakoon…with the current speakers, you might want to demo an amp with some ballz too. Not just for the loud factor but for the ease and effortlessness that can come from that. Of your list, I think an Essence is a very attractive one..even at the very low wattage of 50.

Edit: forgot about your budget. Can probably find a Diablo 120 and maybe a 300 if you’re patient. Much different sound than your Enleum now though…I came from a Diablo 120 and it did very well with a neutral speaker before, TAD ME-1.

Note that the speaker manufacturer recommends > 50 watts
 
Note that the speaker manufacturer recommends > 50 watts

Yep, saw it. Enleum is probably close at 5ohms but a little less. Still, sounds great to me. I did query Soo In if he thought the speakers' sensitivity would be ok with his amp and he believed it would be fine, and my ears tell me it is. I had a couple amps before the Enleum with more power that didn't sound as good to me, but there's a lot of variables of course.

I'll definitely be auditioning 2 or 3 more higher powered amps when it becomes possible.
 
I'm going to have a chance to hear the Bel Canto E1X power amp in my system this weekend. If all goes as planned I'll start a new thread to share my experience. Looks like they are using a version of Ngore.
Bet it sounds bloody good
 
I would consider a pair of Van Alstine DVA 225 monoblocks. They are small and pack a punch. I did a review of them on the AC forum for Frank. There are 2 excellent pro reviews. They only have XLR inputs. Frank has a 30 day money back guaranty to there is no risk.

Audio by Van Alstine DVA M225 Monoblock Amplifiers | REVIEW - Part-Time Audiophile

Audio by Van Alstine DVA M225 Mono Block Solid State Amplifiers — Audiophilia

These are very dynamic, full, rich sounding monoblocks with lots of detail, bass slam and musicality. They present a huge and deep sound stage. They are 9" wide and 10" deep, Class AB. They gave my Pass X250 a run for the money.

DVA M225 Monoblock Solid State Amplifier – Audio by Van Alstine

And do not let the price fool you. They would sell for 2 or 3 times that if sold in stores. Franks gear is also built to last and the customer service is excellent. Frank always answers his phone.
 
You’re probably going to get more of the same from the 23R if you try the bigger ones! The important part if you like Enleum/Bakoons presentation, then place the 23R on long term or use it to swap out when you want a different flavor. Its really that good, imo. Soon In did say his amps sound mostly the same, but the bigger ones might sound a bit more relaxed when I inquired before.

Also, I knew a couple of folks that did the all the Bakoons on home demo, and also felt pretty confident all of them sounded relatively the same…beautiful. :). There are also the Japan Bakoons too that seem to get refreshed every couple years or so.

I could’ve probably just did with the 23R and my Devilles and pocketed some cash, but I’m human, I want more power even if for no other apparent gain, haha.

If you are still kind of “merry-go-rounding”, I still think the new Gryphon sound is worth a listen to in ones system if they are at that budget and level. The X1 into the Essence have garnered good vibes from other folks…

Class D GAN from AGD is picking up some popularity….! They have a pretty good trial period. I’m not affiliated in any way btw.

The more and more I listen to my Bakoon AMP-51R, I feel like I’ve found my anchor for amplification.

If I wait long enough I bet I'll find an Essence I can manage, if I have to stretch the budget a bit.

How about the Bakoon 41 or 51? The Enleum really sounds great. And I'm somewhat familiar with the sound of higher-powered class A amps, my last amps were Ayre mono-blocks, and before that the Ayre integrated, altho my speakers at the time probably didn't do them justice.
 
Those DVAs are a good recommendation too. Flies under radar and one I meant to demo. I was waiting for his pre/dac but my plans moved faster than I anticipated.

Lots of power, XLR, monos, what’s not to like….oh and they’re relative small too.
 
I would consider a pair of Van Alstine DVA 225 monoblocks. They are small and pack a punch. I did a review of them on the AC forum for Frank. There are 2 excellent pro reviews. They only have XLR inputs. Frank has a 30 day money back guaranty to there is no risk.

Audio by Van Alstine DVA M225 Monoblock Amplifiers | REVIEW - Part-Time Audiophile

Audio by Van Alstine DVA M225 Mono Block Solid State Amplifiers — Audiophilia

These are very dynamic, full, rich sounding monoblocks with lots of detail, bass slam and musicality. They present a huge and deep sound stage. They are 9" wide and 10" deep, Class AB. They gave my Pass X250 a run for the money.

DVA M225 Monoblock Solid State Amplifier – Audio by Van Alstine

And do not let the price fool you. They would sell for 2 or 3 times that if sold in stores. Franks gear is also built to last and the customer service is excellent. Frank always answers his phone.

This looks appealing.
 
This looks appealing.

Here is a link to my review if you are interested-

Review of the New DVA 225 Mono Block Amps

And here is a review from an owner on the AC forum-

"RETURN TO THE FAITH
Well, I’m back.
“Who are you, where are you back from, and why should I care?” I hear you ask.

I am a Van Alstine disciple of the last 43 years, and have owned Frank’s gear from the days of Jensen’s Stereo Shop. I sort of fell away from the path of True Faith about seven years ago, and though I’ve always kept an AVA amp and preamp on hand, was seduced by the spell of gear with copious reviews and higher prices. It’s a long story, and boring too, so I won’t burden you with details. But even in my time of being lost in the hi-fi wilderness, I continued to recommend AVA gear to friends and family as a superb, cost-effective means to sonic enlightenment.

The shining audio beacon that lights my return to the AVA fold is the DVA M225 amp. For the last year I have owned two very highly regarded Pass Labs monoblocks, and was initially quite happy with them. But I gradually became aware that although these amps did depth and detail and gravitas extremely well, I was missing out on at least a couple of attributes I really wanted. I was able to identify the lacking qualities as – to use the vernacular of our passion – soundstage and dynamics. No doubt the many adherents to the faith of Pass amplification will, at a minimum, be quick to call me crazy and question the acuity of my hearing. So be it. I am willing to go so far as to attribute my perceptions of problems to poor system synergy.

But after a trial with the M225s, I have sold the Pass amps – which list at four times the price of the M225s – and am now enjoying music that calls out to me, demands my attention, and pulls me in. The M225s render a very accurate, clean and clear audio picture, and present a soundstage to die for. I am convinced that they are world-beaters, certainly at anything near the price point and probably several multiples of it. Some have called it the best amp Frank has even come out with, which is a bold statement but one I must agree with.

To answer my opening questions: I am a happy audiophile, I have returned from a sojourn into non-AVA gear, and – OK, so you might not really care – I hope more audiophiles can experience this audio achievement that AVA has wrought.

System Equipment: Martin Logan CLX speakers and BalancedForce subs, Audio Research Ref 6 preamp, PS Audio Stellar phono pre, Exemplar-modified Oppo UDP-205 CD deck, Denon DP-75 TT/Kuzma 4 Pt tonearm/My Sonic Labs cart."
 
Like Larry I'm a big fan of the current Van Alstine amps and own the Vision SET 400 in one of my systems but another option worth exploring are the two amps from Kinki Studio. I own the EX-M7 stereo amp but they are also available as mono amps the EX-B7's for the same price as the DVA-225's. Slightly different sound profiles but really good amps for the money. The Kinki amps have both SE and XLR inputs.
 
Here's what I think my list has evolved to.

Currently have the Enleum, and really enjoying it. I get more pleasure listening to my system than any other system I've had and I'm sure the Enleum is part of the reason, it will take a lot to replace it. I'm actually a bit hesitant to rotate others in because I'm having trouble imagining how much better something else could sound, but at the same time realize there's plenty out there, in my range, I could like more. But also out of laziness for the effort and not wanting to hear my girlfriend whining at me....

1- Aavik i-280 (another Class D apparently, built on something called UMUC? Anyone familiar?). Hard to find pre-owned in US.
2- NAD M23 (I don't need most of what the M33 has to offer, and the Lumin X1 has Leedh for volume control). I'm wondering if these can be used as dual mono's by buying 2.
3- Pass Int-60 or 30.8. Everyone loves Pass. I get it. These are far bigger and heavier than what I'd like, but I'd try them if I could find one local (no shipping).

Three that just depend if I can find one in my budget. Lots and lots of great things said.
4- Soulution Int 330, or 311.
5- Constellation Inspiration 1.0
6- Bakoon 41 or 51

Amps that interest me but I won't try because I worry about resale when I eventually get the bug for something else: Van Alstines, ADG Vivace GAN amps (heard these at Florida expo and they sounded wonderful).
 
The Bakoons/Enleums are nice but I get it. One thing it doesn’t have that can be beneficial are XLR inputs. The 41 and 51, you’ll just get more of the same sound that you’re enjoying already.

You might want to try something with a little more power that would be my recommendation.

Fwiw, my Bakoon 51R checkboxed my amp lust. Some others that were on my list.
Luxman 595
AGD dual monos
Dartzheel Int
Gryphon Essence
 
The Bakoons/Enleums are nice but I get it. One thing it doesn’t have that can be beneficial are XLR inputs. The 41 and 51, you’ll just get more of the same sound that you’re enjoying already.

You might want to try something with a little more power that would be my recommendation.

Fwiw, my Bakoon 51R checkboxed my amp lust. Some others that were on my list.
Luxman 595
AGD dual monos
Dartzheel Int
Gryphon Essence

Definitely. I have very good/expensive XLR interconnects that made a huge difference in a few systems, after trying the top end of many other well-rated ones, that I'd love to be able to use again. I don't really want to spend 4k on RCA interconnects to get to that level again.

I do really love the Enleum sound which is why I'd like to try the 41 or 51.

- Luxman I've seen described as warm and tube-like, which isn't really my thing. Also not a fan of that retro styling.
- AGD I heard at the Florida expo; they were one of the best rooms there and they are on my list above, but I won't go out of my way due to the reason I gave.
- Would be interested in Dartzeel but I'm not sure I've seen them in my range (<10k-ish pre-owned)
- Gryphon ruled out on 3 counts. Too too big, showed to g/f she gave them a big "not in the living room", seen - the Diablo at least - described as on the warm side and not sure that's what I want. That said if I saw an Essence for an incredible price I'd probably do it.
 
If you did want to try a NAD C 298 I just put mine up for sale because I just completed my Mc Stack... great amp, and I am tempted to keep it, but I simply hate having gear (especially brand new gear) sitting and not being enjoyed.
 
If you did want to try a NAD C 298 I just put mine up for sale because I just completed my Mc Stack... great amp, and I am tempted to keep it, but I simply hate having gear (especially brand new gear) sitting and not being enjoyed.

Thanks Randy, appreciate the offer. I just pulled the trigger on an Aavik and a cable upgrade so can't do right now, also may wait for the M23 so I can do it on a trial period a little down the road.
 
Decision (and purchase) made!

Was able to try out a few of the amps on the list, and a few others, but in the end one stood out to me, checked all my boxes.

If I had to say what lesson I learned, it would be there are many really excellent sounding amps, it’s just up to what you prefer. Some more forward, some more laid back, some more romantic, some more analytic, and so on. The one I chose satisfies my tastes, and there were others that would likely be preferred by other people.

Fwiw, I ended up spending around double my original budget.

While I’m waiting for it to arrive, have to say I still absolutely love listening to the Enleum. And would have been very happy keeping it, other than the one I ended up going with just gives me a bit more of what I like most.

Once the amp is here and settled in, I’ll reveal the winner as well as where I purchased (kudos to them for helping through the journey). I’ll have a small listening session for the Suncoast Audio Society group after a few weeks of burn-in, in case you’re in the area.

Next up…. Maybe speakers.
 
Decision (and purchase) made!

Next up…. Maybe speakers.

That's a troubling statement! You've done exactly right in making a short list of amps to try - hopefully all tried at home with your speakers, otherwise a bit of an academic exercise!

Now you say maybe speakers next. Choosing the right speakers for your room should be Job No 1 as it's the room acoustics that governs this choice and one very good speaker (in showrooms, shows and reviews) may be dire in your own room - as I found out to my cost after buying the highly regarded Martin Logan 13A Expression, that sadly didn’t appreciate my room one bit!

But once you do find the right speaker, you'll be back to square one regarding the most suitable amp to power it. Your new speaker may have very different sensitivity and may present a very difference load to the amp and these factors alone may render your new amp purchase less than ideal. Also the new amp may offer the best sound with your existing speakers, but it may not be the best sounding with your future new speakers.

I hope your “Next up…. Maybe speakers” is still several years in the future!
 
Back
Top