What is the best power amplifier for audiophiles?

It depends on your speakers and budget. For Class D, we like the NAD M23 V2 and the ArgentPur IBIS GaN amp. Our best value pick is the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono, our best bargain is the Buckeye Amps PuriFi 1ET9040BA, our favorite Nelson Pass amp is the Pass Labs XA30.8, and our best expensive amp is the T+A A 3000 HV.

Is Class D as good as Class A or Class AB?

Today, yes, in many systems. Modern Class D designs from Purifi, Hypex and GaN makers measure extremely well and sound smooth and natural, while running cool and using little power. Class A still offers a special smoothness and pride of ownership, and many audiophiles love it.

What is a GaN amplifier?

A GaN amplifier is a Class D amp that uses gallium nitride transistors instead of silicon. They switch faster, which can lower distortion and make Class D sound more natural, often compared to tubes without the heat.

How many watts do I need?

Efficient speakers can sound great with 25 to 50 watts, while low-sensitivity or hard-to-drive speakers benefit from 200 watts or more and an amp with plenty of current. Matching the amp to your speakers matters more than the number alone.

Do I need a preamp with a power amp?

Yes. A power amp needs a preamp, or a DAC or streamer with a volume control, to set the level and select sources. If you want one box, consider an integrated amplifier.

Are monoblock amps better than a stereo amp?

Monoblocks give each channel its own power supply and lower crosstalk, and they can sit next to your speakers. They usually cost more, but they are a classic high-end upgrade.

Best Power Amplifiers: Audiophile Amp Reviews & Comparison

SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase Reviewed

Welcome to the age of the modern audiophile, where products like the SVS Prime Wireless Pro SoundBase (buy at Crutchfield) make it possible to buy an entire audiophile system for under a grand. Manufacturers have been clamoring to make one-box solutions since… Read the Review »

Read More Audiophile Power Amplifier Reviews

The Amped America AMP 2400 Class D audiophile power amp reviewed by Michael Zisserson

Amped America AMP 2400 Amplifier Reviewed

From my latest experiences, it is high time we stop discounting Class D amplification (learn more about Class D here) as a serious high-fidelity option. Like the screaming metal-dome tweeters used in loudspeakers from the 1980s era that have been… Read the Review »

PS Audio Stellar S300 Stereo Amplifier Reviewed

The PS Audio Stellar S300 stereo amplifier is PS Audio’s entry-level two-channel amplifier (buy at Amazon) targeted at those thinking of upgrading from a receiver or integrated to quality separates. Make no mistake, though: entry-level or not, this is a… Read the Review »

Pass Labs XA 60.8 mono-block audiophile class A amp reviewed

Pass Labs XA60.8 Class A Monoblock Amplifiers Reviewed

If you’re an audio hobbyist, you are probably aware of Pass Labs, its founder Nelson Pass, and the company’s reputation for innovative audiophile amplifiers, preamplifiers, and integrated amplifier designs. All the company’s amplifiers are solid-state designs (meaning that transistors amplify… Read the Review »

The Bricasti M30 audiophile mono block amplifier reviewed

Bricasti M30 Amplifier Reviewed

The Bricasti Design M30 monoblock audiophile amplifier is a rack-friendly version of the company’s beloved M28 amplifier, which is also a mono amplifier. The difference between the two is their form factor. The M30 carries the same award-winning differential amplification… Read the Review »

Anthem MRX-8 Audiophile power amp with ARC Room correction reviewed

Anthem MDX-8 Distribution Amplifier Reviewed

You can’t find a product in the audio/video space that says “custom installation” more loudly than the Anthem MDX-8 distribution amplifier. It is an eight-channel power amplifier that has up to 200 Watts-per-channel of Class-D power waiting for any number… Read the Review »

Parasound A 21+ audiophile power amp reviewed

Parasound Halo A 21+ Amplifier Reviewed

For several years, the Parasound Halo A21 reigned as the amplification king in my listening/design space. It was an affordable monster that could drive any speaker one could throw at it. I shorted the outputs of the A21 several times… Read the Review »

Anthem MCA 225 power Amp Reviewed by Andrew Dewhirst

Anthem MCA 225 Gen 2 Power Amplifier Reviewed

The Anthem MCA 225 Gen 2 (buy at Crutchfield) is a two-channel class A/B audiophile power amp from Anthem, one of the better-known names in Canadian amplifiers, which also has three- and five-channel siblings in the 325 and 525. It… Read the Review »

T+A elektroakustik A 3000 HV Power Amplifier Reviewed

German audiophile manufacturer T+A has built a reputation for creating sophisticated and technologically advanced audio equipment designs ranging from the mid to extreme levels on the audiophile product spectrum. The A 3000 HV audiophile power amplifier reviewed here falls more… Read the Review »

NAD M10 Integrated amp delivers an all-in-one solution including streaming, a preamp, a Hypex power amp, room correction and more.

NAD Master M10 Amplifier Reviewed

(originally published in The Audiophile Voice Magazine in print, December 2019) NAD M10Check price at Crutchfield → NAD has since released the M10 V3; read our NAD M10 V3 review. As I have mentioned before in recent reviews, modern audio… Read the Review »

All 50 Audiophile Power Amplifier Reviews