# List - Ultra High End Amplifiers



## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

The 'Sensation's: Your Honda Accords and Skoda Superb's
This is the start of High End Automotive Amplifiers. Mostly they exhibit characteristics like Good SNR, THD and Power Values. An ideal start for anyone who wants to experience high end automotive Audio. 
Focal FPS (France)
Zapco Reference (United States)
Celestra FA (Italy)
Nakamichi PA (Japan)
Zuki Eleets (United States)
Genesis Profile (England)
DLS Reference (Swedan)

The 'Exhilarator's: Your BMW 3 Series, Audi A4's and Benz C class'es
These amps come next in line of a purist audio. They exhibit characteristics like excellent SNR, THD and Power. Apart from this, they usual pack solid internals and robust exteriors. This is where the real game starts...
Focal LE (France)
Sinfoni Tempo (Italy)
Genesis Sereis III (England)
DLS Ultimate (Swedan)
Mosconi AS (Italy)
Helix B Precison (Germany)
Audison Lrx (Italy)
Arc Audio SE (United States)
Zapco competition (United States)
Tru Tech Steel (United States)

The 'Elite's: Your BMW 7 Sereis, Audi A8's and Benz S Class
As the name suggests, these are some very elite amplifiers. These specifically target Audiophiles who would want each and every components of them to be industrial grade. apart from exhibiting supreme SNR, THD, Power values, they also bring in high amount of technology in the making ensuring supreme sound Quality. 
Mosconi Zero (Italy)
Helix A Competition (Germany)
Brax matrix (Germany)
Celestra RA (Italy)
Tru Tech Billets (United States)
PHASS TP (Japan)
McIntosh MCC (United States)
Audison Vrx (Italy)

The 'Exotic's: Your Bentley's, Lamborghins and Maserati's 
These are some of the Amplifiers, which cost about 1/3rds of your yearly salary and live twice your lifetime and perform like a marathon runner. Performance is the key word. They are made to satisfy even the hardest of critics and purest of purists in Automotive Audio. Each brand in this league has its own legacy running into years. 
Tru Tech Super Billets (United States)
Sinfoni LA Prima's (Italy)
Brax X Series (Germany)
Celestra VA (Italy)
Pioneer ODR (Japan)
Audison Thesis (Italy)

The 'Supremo's: Your Rolls Royce's and Perhaps the W16 
These are the heights of technological improvements that can ever happen to an amplifier. They are so highly regrded that few of us wont even dare using this even if we get one free. They only look below at other brands, nothing up.
PHASS RE (Japan)
Audison HV Venti (Italy)


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

Found this list to be interesting.
What did he miss?


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## GEM592 (Jun 19, 2015)

Well all the cars are foreign for one thing. And a lot of mentionable amps are not mentioned. So that too.


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## FordEscape (Nov 23, 2014)

Might be nice to cite/link the source for the full context and attribution ...

https://gearheads.in/showthread.php?7574-The-League-of-Extra-Ordinary-Amplifiers

... and mention that list was last updated almost 6 years ago













does it bug you when folks use _your_ words verbatim without attribution?


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

Wow. None of that fellows. It's really not that serious. Just happened across a list of amplifiers I hadn't hear of. Using list to research info on some brands I haven't heard of, to learn.
Earlier tonight read a post with a guy warning someone earlier. Said to be careful posting on this forum, there tend to be some "snobby" posters on this site.
It's not a contest, for me. Just thought it was interesting. Not my list..


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

No interest in this topic?
I came across this list the other day. Saw brands I hadn't heard of. Been out of the car audio loop for a while. Doing a couple new projects. Wondering what's out there? Seemed like a good place to ask...


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## Justin Zazzi (May 28, 2012)

If you're going to copy/paste a ton of stuff that someone else has taken the time to build, why not add a link to the source for someone curious where the list came from, what the intention was, and what the following discussion was like?

Also, I have no idea what your intention is here. Are you asking a question?


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

Jazzi said:


> If you're going to copy/paste a ton of stuff that someone else has taken the time to build, why not add a link to the source for someone curious where the list came from, what the intention was, and what the following discussion was like?
> 
> Also, I have no idea what your intention is here. Are you asking a question?


Ran across this list, somewhere can't remember. Saw manufactures I've never heard of. In no way trying to take any kind of credit for the list. Just something I found interesting. 
Guess what I'm asking is, what are the High End amps that are currently being made? Like I've said, a couple of times, been out of the car audio for a while.

*What are the current "Holy Grail" amps?*

1. _Audison Thesis HV Venti_ seems to be thought highly of.


For speakers:
1. _Focal Ultima_ $20,000 msrp most expensive I've heard of.


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## rob feature (Nov 15, 2015)

OP


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

rob feature said:


> OP



That's it. Can't tell you how I stumbled across it. Learned quite a few new, to me, manufactures from the list. My question was for those who have kept up with car audio and would know any newer brands/models.


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## unix_usr (Dec 4, 2013)

Zapco Z / LX series come to mind as missing on the high end (not on the list above). Theres also a lot of mid/entry level type stuff particularly class D that have stepped it up (Arc XDI and Alpine PDX come to mind)...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## robert_wrath (Apr 24, 2011)

I don't see the Milbert BAM-235AB anywhere.


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

Think tube amps are a good idea for car audio system?

On the home audio system, I went through the tubed amplifier phase, that became the thing to have a few years back. I ended up with tubed pre-amp and solid state amplifiers. Especially for larger, more power hungry speakers.


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## Oscar (Jun 20, 2010)

DPGstereo said:


> Think tube amps are a good idea for car audio system?
> 
> On the home audio system, I went through the tubed amplifier phase, that became the thing to have a few years back. I ended up with tubed pre-amp and solid state amplifiers. Especially for larger, more power hungry speakers.


That's what I'm running at home. Tubed pre-amp, and solid-state amps. If only good tube amps weren't so damn expensive! To pick up a 300W vacuum tube monoblock, you're looking at $50k a piece, minimum. I need at least that much power to make sure I stay deaf!


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## cuaiajam (Apr 18, 2017)

Series III among the "Exhilarators". Like seriously????


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## Justin Zazzi (May 28, 2012)

DPGstereo said:


> Think tube amps are a good idea for car audio system?


If you enjoy starting your car to let the tubes warm up and magical-ize for about an hour before you get in and drive, then you drive ultra super carefully and don't listen too loud because tubes are susceptible to mechanical damage, and you have tons of space and electrical power and thermal cooling available to install and maintain them at a reasonable temperature, and you're skilled in the art of building power supplies to change a household AC power amplifier into running from a noisy automotive DC power source, and you enjoy the distortion that tube amps generally introduce, then they might be a good idea for your car.
_
edit: meant as a poke/jab at the mysticism surrounding tube amps, came across wrong. I'll leave this one alone._

Otherwise, a solid-state car audio specific amplifier that is designed for tremendous swings in temperature, humidity, electrical noise, use a DC power supply, and are resilient to mechanical and thermal stresses ... might be a better choice.


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## Oscar (Jun 20, 2010)

Justin Jazzi said:


> If you enjoy starting your car to let the tubes warm up and magical-ize for about an hour before you get in and drive, then you drive ultra super carefully and don't listen too loud because tubes are susceptible to mechanical damage, and you have tons of space and electrical power and thermal cooling available to install and maintain them at a reasonable temperature, and you're skilled in the art of building power supplies to change a household AC power amplifier into running from a noisy automotive DC power source, and you enjoy the distortion that tube amps generally introduce, then they might be a good idea for your car.
> 
> Otherwise, a solid-state car audio specific amplifier that is designed for tremendous swings in temperature, humidity, electrical noise, use a DC power supply, and are resilient to mechanical and thermal stresses ... might be a better choice.


Tubes with heaters on the cathodes take 6 seconds to warm up. No heaters, maybe about 20-30 seconds. Not _one hour_. While tubes in general are delicate, many are purpose built to minimize microphonics due to vibration. They sell clean power inverters that change DC into utility-grid level power. No need to build anything. Agreed on the rest.


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## Justin Zazzi (May 28, 2012)

Oscar said:


> Tubes with heaters on the cathodes take 6 seconds to warm up. No heaters, maybe about 20-30 seconds. Not _one hour_. While tubes in general are delicate, many are purpose built to minimize microphonics due to vibration. They sell clean power inverters that change DC into utility-grid level power. No need to build anything. Agreed on the rest.


All good points, and I'm being snarky when I shouldn't be. I'll walk away and let you all enjoy your fun.


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## PPI_GUY (Dec 20, 2007)

Would be interested to see where the Luxman amplifiers fall among those categories. Never heard one in person but, I know they do quite well in a/b testing. 
I have owned some Tru Technology Billets and they are quite nice. Probably should have kept them and sold everything else!


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## Reddiez (Aug 15, 2017)

nice list but i want more reviews added.


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## nineball76 (Mar 13, 2010)

I think the Arc Ks amps should be in the first group. Specs are nearly on par with the SE, even more power in smaller packages. 

Sent from my LG-V20 using Tapatalk


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## DPGstereo (Jan 16, 2013)

Reddiez said:


> nice list but i want more reviews added.




+1





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## f4sq (May 23, 2008)

the old Monolithic A class, Micro Component Systems (JDM stuff) single ended full tube amp, Audiowave..


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## robert_wrath (Apr 24, 2011)

How could I have forgotten: 

*SoundStream Reference Class A 6.0*


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## BNK (Jun 23, 2007)

This list should be a sticky.
I recently moved from McIntosh to Audison Thesis Quatro.
Do you have such a list for home amps?


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