|
Amp/Preamp Asylum Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here. |
|
|
|
Amp/Preamp Asylum Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here. |
|
In Reply to: Big solid-state amps ... posted by Jeff Day on July 21, 2007 at 11:33:45:
Jeff,
These are all discontinued amplifiers, but I think there are a few Audio Research models that are worth considering: 100.2, D200/300/400 and the D130.
The 100.2 (100W @ 8, 200W@4, 1998-2003) is among the best solid state amplifers I've heard in recent history- clean, dynamic, great imaging, natural timbre and detail. The 100.2 is still often spoken of as the most "tube-like" of all ARC solid state amplifiers. And you you could do far worse than the D200/300/400 (1992-1997) series which are all bridgeable. I think a pair of bridged D400's - the D400/MKII is the one to have- must have something like 600W bridged. Appearently this series works well under difficult loads and are happy with electrostatics that dip into the 2 Ohm range.
I should mention that I have not used any of the above in my own systems but I follow Audio Research gear closely and have heard them periodically since they were new. In my future house- which will have a 65' X 17' X 12'H listening room, I'm thinking to use a pair of D400's. I think good D400/IIs are in the $1800-2200 range now, interestingly, prices have started to rise.
An amplifier I think is a sleeper is the cool-running ARC D130 (130W@8, 200W@4,1996) which I'm using with an ARC LS3 in my office system at the moment. After 22 years of all tubes, I thought I should see what the fuss with transistors is all about. I tried the D130 with my SP8 and SP10 and was embarasssed not to miss my D115 (105W,6550s, 1985) as much as I should. The D130 has among the best bass I've heard with solid state- not an opaque boom, but detailed, dynamic, transparent, and effortless. I noticed a few days ago there was a D130 offered (on the dreaded Audiogon) for $800. What's remarkable is the amazing neutrality of the LS3 and D130 such that all personality of the system comes from the sources and speakers. With the McIntosh MR67 tube tuner (1965), it sounds like a wonderful modern tube system, with the slightly dry Cambridge Audio 640C, it's a slightly dry, digital system. And gosh, does the LS3/D130 pair reveal the mid-bass cabinet reasonance of the Infinity Primus 360's,.. I also used that pair to evaluate interconnect's and the IC personlaity was very clear as well. My SP8 and D115 combination is claarly more "forgiving" in this respect than the LS3/D130t.
http://www.arcdb.ws/100.2/100.2.html
http://www.arcdb.ws/D400/D400.html
http://www.arcdb.ws/D130/D130.html
The other amplifiers I heard that really ipressed me were the Pass aomplifers used by Ray Kimber with B&Ws in an IsoMike demonstration, but that 2 hours is my only experience with those.
Personally, if the 100W of the ARC 100.2 is sufficient for your reviews, that would be my choice- it's really too good to be solid state!
Cheers,
Bambi B
[Audio Research : SP8, SP10, LS3, D115, D130 : McIntosh: MX110, MC240, MR67, MR77]
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Follow Ups
- Audio Research: 100.2, D200/300/400, and D130 - Bambi B 13:07:28 07/21/07 (0)
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
