My mini-review on the AGD Productions Class D “The Audion” amps from my Audion thread:
“Components:
Anthony Gallo Acoustics Strada (MK I) Speakers
Anti-Cable Speaker Wires
The Audion mono amplifiers (85 wpc, Class D, “Chip in a bottle” design)
BSG Qol Signal Processor
Hattor Mini Preamplifier (passive preamplifier w/ optional, 3-level op/amp buffer/gain stage)
Emotiva and Better Cables XLR cables (connecting amps to Qol and Qol to Hattor preamp, respectively)
REL Acoustics T/5i Subwoofers (Stereo pair connected directly to The Audions – as is “the REL way”.)
Jolida tube DAC
Auris bluMe “True Hi-Fi Bluetooth Audio Receiver”
Denon DVD 2900 “Universal” Disc Player (primarily used as a transport with the DAC, and to spin SACDs directly now and then)
Beldin digital coax cable and Lifatec toslink cables to connect the DAC to the Denon and Auris, respectively.
Morrow Audio RCA interconnects to connect DAC to the Qol processor
Adcom ACE 515 power conditioner
PS Audio PowerBase (The Audions are plugged into the PowerBase)
Listening impressions:
Smooth presentation
Neutral to slightly warm overall
Holographic (great H x W x D capability)
Excellent realism with acoustic instruments, especially reed instruments
Not the last word in bass snap and low level resolution, but certainly no slouch*.
Plenty of dynamics and they play with a real sense of ease no matter how busy, loud, quiet or simple the signal it is amplifying is.
*A word about the bass slam and ability to reveal low level information (i.e., subtle details that are more buried in the recording): My observations here are very subjective and relative in nature in that my impressions are as compared to my “reference” 500 wpc Emotiva XPA-1 (MK I) Class A/AB mono amplifiers. The Emotiva’s and their 500 watts proved to be a bit more dynamic and revealing in head to head comparisons made in my main, home system. Given the disparity in available power/head room I don’t think that should come as a surprise. One surprising outcome of my listening sessions was coming to realize just how good the budget minded, “world beater” Emotivas really are. I paid about $1,800 for the pair, new many moons ago.
That said, the 85 wpc, large-brick-sized Audions are nearly the equal of the 75 pound, 500 watters in all characteristics and are better in throwing up a beyond-the-speakers sound stage.
I highly recommend these amplifies and I hope others with an interest in these amplifiers will continue to contribute to this thread.
Cheers”