For a new solid state integrated at $1000, I don't think you can do better than the Odyssey Cyclops. The Odyssey amps are all based on the Symphonic Line RG11 (they share the same circuit board), but assembled in the US with different components. The RG11 currently sells for about $5000 in Europe. The amps are stable down to 1 ohm and are very ruggedly built. They will drive absolutely anything, I have my monoblocks on Thiel CS3.5s and many owners drive Magnepans with them.
It is possible that Klaus will have a unit to send you for trial, as a good number of customers trade up within the Odyssey line and turn the units in. Most likely not the Cyclops, because the integrated seems to not be a popular seller, I have never seen one on Audiogon or Audiocircle, which would be the places to look for used units.
Unfortunately, these amps (the Khartago specifically, but like I said, they are all the same design, just different clothing) recently won the Absolute Sound Best Amp of the Year award and since these are handmade to order in the USA by Klaus and a few accomplices, you would be looking at about a 4 month wait. Last time I spoke to Klaus he said he had "hundreds" of orders.
When I was looking for amps last summer, I did look at the Emos and they certainly look impressively built, but I never got around to listening to one. The base Odysseys only have a 400VA transformer and much less capacitance, but I would not rule them out in comparison. In the end, what matters is how good they sound, not how heavy they are.
http://www.odysseyaudio.com/products-cyclops.html
It is possible that Klaus will have a unit to send you for trial, as a good number of customers trade up within the Odyssey line and turn the units in. Most likely not the Cyclops, because the integrated seems to not be a popular seller, I have never seen one on Audiogon or Audiocircle, which would be the places to look for used units.
Unfortunately, these amps (the Khartago specifically, but like I said, they are all the same design, just different clothing) recently won the Absolute Sound Best Amp of the Year award and since these are handmade to order in the USA by Klaus and a few accomplices, you would be looking at about a 4 month wait. Last time I spoke to Klaus he said he had "hundreds" of orders.
When I was looking for amps last summer, I did look at the Emos and they certainly look impressively built, but I never got around to listening to one. The base Odysseys only have a 400VA transformer and much less capacitance, but I would not rule them out in comparison. In the end, what matters is how good they sound, not how heavy they are.
http://www.odysseyaudio.com/products-cyclops.html
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Thank you DreadPirate.
I"ve been asking for awhile for a reference to a fully assembled small company amps.
Whilst the proof is in using and inspecting those units, their philosophy and units appear very interesting. This might just be where I will spend some serious time in evaluating these units...thanks again.
I'll be sure to post about these if that is where I go.
Jonathan, to correct a minor misconception, more gain does not equal more power. It just means more power with the same input signal. So, if you left the volume knob in your usual position, the with the Emotiva you were listening 6 dB louder. This could have quite an impact on your perceptions of the sound quality if you didn't match levels fairly closely.
Higher power amps tend to have higher gain so that they can reach maximum power with normal signal levels. An output of 400W with a given input signal requires roughly 6 dB more gain than reaching 100W with the same input signal. (assumes constant load)
This is such an old thread I am not sure why I am posting. Let's just say it is some updated trivia which may in fact be important to some who own the 1st gen XPA5 like me.
First of all, build quality is very good for the money. It is not 'superb' by any stretch of imagination.
There is a little slop on hand soldered connections. I found out when I had one channel cutting out intermittently. I traced it to a cold solder joint on on output post. I fixed it, no more drop outs.
While setting up some cables behind the amp I leaned a little against the input cables. One of the RCA input jacks simply bent down. I was not able to pull it up square, so my cable hung from it at about a 15 degree angle from the others.
Eventually I picked up a set of 5 RCAs jacks with an insulating washer to go in the jack opening to isolate it from chassis ground, like the originals.
The original jacks came off a skinny board that ran the length of the back panel. I fastened the new jacks to back panel and then soldered some hook wire from each RCA to the where the contacts of the cheap connectors were attached.
My understanding is the gen 2 is very close to gen 1 in performance. They made some circuit refinements, and guess what, installed solid new input jacks.
I purchased mine used at Audiogon. I have it now for over 3 years and it has been great.
More than enough power and quite neutral without ever sounding stressed.
First of all, build quality is very good for the money. It is not 'superb' by any stretch of imagination.
There is a little slop on hand soldered connections. I found out when I had one channel cutting out intermittently. I traced it to a cold solder joint on on output post. I fixed it, no more drop outs.
While setting up some cables behind the amp I leaned a little against the input cables. One of the RCA input jacks simply bent down. I was not able to pull it up square, so my cable hung from it at about a 15 degree angle from the others.
Eventually I picked up a set of 5 RCAs jacks with an insulating washer to go in the jack opening to isolate it from chassis ground, like the originals.
The original jacks came off a skinny board that ran the length of the back panel. I fastened the new jacks to back panel and then soldered some hook wire from each RCA to the where the contacts of the cheap connectors were attached.
My understanding is the gen 2 is very close to gen 1 in performance. They made some circuit refinements, and guess what, installed solid new input jacks.
I purchased mine used at Audiogon. I have it now for over 3 years and it has been great.
More than enough power and quite neutral without ever sounding stressed.
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