Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifier Reviewed

In the last few years, there have been few new technologies that have come along that are as exciting as what we have seen from modern Class-D amplification, many of which are using gallium nitride or “GaN FET” chips. If you’re not yet familiar with what’s going on in the world of Class-D semiconductor-based audiophile amplifiers, I would encourage you read this piece from our publisher, Jerry Del Colliano, about Class-D amplification using this technology. Orchard Audio has established itself as a true player in this space, with multiple GaN FET amps with various power outputs in both monoblock and unified cases. 

The Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium is an update to the original Starkrimson monoblock amp that Orchard Audio released a few years back. The upgraded version features a higher switching frequency and greater damping factor, as well as higher bandwidth, improved phase shift at 20 kHz, improved output filtering, and updated modulator and feedback circuits. These are fully-balanced amplifiers that output 150 watts at eight ohms and 200 watts at four ohms, are two ohms-capable, and each mono block comes in a case that is just 11 inches deep, 6.1 inches wide and 3.1 inches tall. Let’s take a closer look at these small monoblocks to see if they are worth the GaN FET hype and your money at $1,249 per amplifier.

What Makes the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifier So Special? 

• The heat output or lack thereof is just game-changing. One of the things that make gallium nitride (really all modern Class-D) amps so special is that they have so little heat output. Let me tell you the hype around that is completely justified. With amplifiers this size that stay cool, it allows you to really think about the setup of your audiophile gear in a completely different way, as you could place these behind your speakers to make them discreet.
• Most modern audiophile loudspeakers will be easily driven by the Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers. With 150 watts per channel into eight ohms and 200 ohms into four ohms, you should have no issues driving the vast majority of all the speakers and do so quite well.
• The power draw from the wall will not even impact your electric bill. Where a Class-A amp will suck all of the available AC power from the wall, Class-D amps are extremely efficient, which means you can leave them on and not even notice a difference in your power bill. 
• The Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers are incredibly lightweight.I never would have thought that you could get 150 watts out of an 5.5 pound amplifier. Yes, you read that right, each mono block weighs only 5.5 pounds. This allows you to move these amplifiers around in ways that you never could with much bigger and heavier Class-A/B-designed power amplifiers. 

Why Should You Care About the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifier?

The audiophile on a budget can’t spend unlimited amounts of money on each component but when you read the establishment magazines, you can feel like you never have enough money. At an aspirational price, Orchard Audio delivers an audiophile amp that demands your attention even if you have more money to spend. The heat, power and size advantages with modern, Class D amps are well-established but the real draw is that when doing the Pepsi Challenge with other, more lofty Class A amps that drink power from the wall, the Orchards hang right in there with them at a fraction if the price. The Orchard Audio client isn’t looking for “audio jewelry” but he or she is looking for performance and the Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amps deliver in a no-frills style that is super-high on value. 

Some Things You Might Not Like About the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifier

• The Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Monos are not eye candy. Part of what keeps these amplifiers affordable is that they are delivered in a simple black chassis with the Orchard Audio logo etched in the top. If you would prefer something that catches the eye, you can consider the limited edition silver Mono Ultra Premium monoblock amplifiers that are set to release in late 2025. You are not going to get that Vinnie Rossi or D’Agostino look, but you will get more than your fair share of the sound at a tiny-tiny fraction of the price, which is the appeal here.
• There is no included unbalanced connection option. If you happen to not have balanced outputs from your preamplifier, you will need an RCA-to-XLR converter to use these monoblock amplifiers, which can be had for a modest price from Orchard. They do this to maximize the value that they can offer without sending the price through the roof. 
• You might need to reconsider the cabling configuration in your audiophile system. If you’re like me, you likely have short XLR cables that run from your stereo preamp to your power amp, and then longer cables for your speakers. But with the ability to place the amplifiers so close to the speaker, you might want to consider flipping that paradigm and go to long XLR cables and short speaker cables. This is far from the end of the world, but certainly something you should consider.

Listening to the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifiers … 

I tested the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers with my Anthem STR preamplifier along with a Bluesound Node (2024) and played through Paradigm Premier 700Ffloorstanding speakers.

Rush’s “Armor and Sword” (Qobuz 44.1 kHz) from their 2007 album Snakes & Arrows. While this album was Rush’s eighteenth album, it is anything but boring. This track by the legendary prog rock trio, when reproduced with the Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers in the signal chain, had an openness to the sound, particularly Neil Peart’s drums. He was quite active behind the drum kit, and you could hear every percussive detail as he went through this six-and-a-half-minute track. Geddy Lee’s bass sounded tight, while easily separated from Alex Lifeson’s guitar tracks, and I didn’t sense any brightness from the acoustic guitar that features early in the recording. This was a really revealing demo that I listened to over and over during my time with these amps. 

Another track that is great for testing out amplifiers is R.E.M.’s 1991 track “Drive” (Qobuz 96 kHz).  This comes from their four-times-platinum-selling album Automatic for the People. This track sounded very open in comparison to my reference Anthem amplifier and reminded me of the Bryston 4B Cubed amplifier, that I reviewed a few months back, which retails at nearly four times the cost of these Orchard Audio monoblocks. The layering of this track was easily distinguished, with the acoustic guitar and the strings from the violin, cello and viola (which happens to be arranged by Led Zepplin legend and, later in life, record producer John Paul Jones) didn’t sound harsh or bright whatsoever, when on other amps it can. I am far from the biggest R.E.M. fan, but this track was irresistible in my system setup. 

The last track I used was “Icky Thump” from The White Stripes (on Compact Disc). This comes from the band’s 2007 album, also titled Icky Thump, which was their final album. What makes this track great to review for an amplifier is that it really shows the bass, as there is a consistent kick drum that plays throughout the track that is sonically unmissable. What the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers did so well was that they enabled you to not just feel that drum, even when played through modest speakers such as the Paradigm Premier 700Fs that I was using for this review, but how realistic that drum sounded as well. You didn’t just get the bang of the drum, you got the full sound, as though you were in the room for the recording.

Will the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifiers Hold Their Value?

I expect your investment in these amplifiers should be quite safe. Orchard Audio has earned a strong following due to their GaN FET amplifiers, to the point that the first run, at the time of writing, is sold out. Don’t worry, more are coming, but they are weeks out. The Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers are full of cutting-edge technology, and they are at a price that is difficult to match, so I wouldn’t expect significant amounts of depreciation in the coming years, despite Orchard Audio not being an establishment audiophile brand. Also, if you need to ship them, they won’t cost you much as they are so light, which is an added bonus.

What is the Competition for Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifiers?

The Buckeye Amps Hypex NCx500 ($1,095 – read Dr. Mike Prager’s review) uses the HyperX chip instead of GaN, but is also a Class-D amplifier, priced in a similar range. These aren’t monoblock amps, but Dr. Prager’s review spoke glowingly of them, not just for their value, but their overall quality. According to Dr. Prager, the newest, even lower-cost Hypex amps from Buckeye have very much bridged the gap between Hypex and GaN options. 

If you’re seeking something even more tweaked out and much more visually appealing, but still a Gan FET amplifier, you may wish to consider the Argent Pur GaN Monoblocks ($5,900 – read Jerry Del Colliano’s review here). These amplifiers feature silver cable internally, which make them quite unique, and their silver casing has a premium look. They also happen to feature ULTRA-balanced modules from Orchard Audio’s head designer, Leo Ayzenshtat. In Jerry’s review, he noted that “they delivered clean, dynamic, open and layered sound.” Exactly what you hope to get from your amplifier. Ernie and the Argent team have the budget to get fancier with the power supply which can have a big sonic difference. 

Maybe you’re looking for more power than the Starkrimson 25 Mono Premiums provide, but you like everything else in this value proposition. In that case, Orchard Audio has you covered there as well with the Starkrimson Mono Ultra Premium amplifiers ($2,499 each – read the review). These have a similar form factor and all the same benefits, but have double the power output at 250 watts into eight ohms and 500 watts into four ohms per channel. That’s a lot of power at $5,000. 

A dark horse contender in the Class-D world is the AMPED America 2400 (read the review), which uses the Pascal chipset and is another Class-D option, used at one point by Jeff Rowland in a $30,000-plus Class-D amp in their lineup. The AMPED is sold direct. At $5,000, it delivers perhaps the most power in the class and is a solid premium option in the space, but is more comparable to Orchard’s Ultra Premium monos. The AMPED 2400 is also a stereo amp in a more standard width configuration. 

Final Thoughts on the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium Amplifiers …

I can tell you that if an audio enthusiast was to ask me today what amplifier they could buy for less than $2,500, I would emphatically tell them to get the Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium monoblocks. Once you place these amps in your signal chain, you will quickly understand what all the hype is about. Even our reviewers who own amps costing 10 times (or more) than the Orchards have been beyond impressed, as many have asked for them to be sent post-review, just so they can hear with the buzz is about. 

The Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers truly are game-changers in the audiophile industry, to the point that I think many people should strongly consider looking at GaN FET amplifiers like these moving forward as the first thing they contemplate, instead of, say, more traditional Class-A/B designs. The combination of power, low heat, and low weight to go along with sound that comes close to what you might pay for from an amp that is four times more expensive is one that I can say I haven’t run into in quite some time. I will have to really consider if I wish to send the Starkrimson 25 Mono Premium amplifiers back to Orchard Audio, as they really are that good.