From what I have read, just like any other topology, GaN has a number of quirks one needs to address. It appears very promising however.
The least expensive one that I know of is from AGD… $7,500.00 per pair of monoblocks.Less if you forgo the chrome finish.
Elk. What kind of quirks?
It has been a while so my memory may well be poor, but I recall one example is problematic phase and one thus needs to design tremendous bandwidth to address this.
Thanks Elk. Truth be told…I have read most reviews on the new GaN approach and never heard mention of phase problems being an issue…or even mentioned. Could have been in the earlier designs.Also,tremendous bandwidth is a great positive in GaN circuitry.
So for the folks who have heard both amps, is there a clear winner? BHK 250 vs M1200? I realize that’s probably a very small group of people, but how 'bout it? Totally legit question to be asking, especially with current limited time sale.
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The beta of the current iteration of the 1200’s has not begun yet.
Although I have not heard the sound of either amp, I would anticipate that the sound of me crying out in excruciating pain would be much louder and more piercing while injuring my 69-year-old back trying to lift the 83-pound BHK 250 compared with one of the 27-pound M1200 monoblocks.
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92lbs before you get it unboxed. Ugh. I hear ya. How about a delivery service? I’d pay it to try a BHK amp against the M700 I’ve had for 2 years+.
I too am 69 and I lifted my BHK 300’s off my bases and into the boxes the loaded them into my SUV for a trip to the distro for PS Audio intervention. I have meds to help after.
Ah, meds. I wish that were enough for me. I struggled today to drag a cast iron dutch oven in and out of the oven, and I’m sure my back will remind me tomorrow. At least the brisket was good!
Depends. Overall, BHK 250. There’s a sweetness and musicality to the BHK amps that simply cannot be touched (or has yet to be touched).
What’s difficult is what this implies. It implies the M1200s are lacking when, in fact, no one listening to them would have that feeling cross their minds. When you’re listening to the M1200s you’ve got a giant smile on your face like being on
a fun ride. Never do you yearn for this or miss that. It isn’t until you roll your sleeves up and do the hard work of AB comparisons between the two where you say to yourself, ahh, yes. The BHK 250/300s still have the edge.
That’s a far cry from a blank statement of which is better or worse.
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Thanks, that’s helpful!
M1200 is set to launch this month so we will soon start to see this opinion trickle in from some users. Paul said it well, the 250 still comes in on top. Its linear output gives it the upper hand. If I had to choose, I’d go with the 250. I sure wouldn’t be unhappy if Darren let me keep some of the new production units though 
So Jamesh, in regards to your last post, are you saying that the M1200’s will be available for general ‘launch’/purchase this (March) month?
Or are you saying that the M1200’s will only start going out to those who have signed up for the Bata program?
Hence my interest in the word ‘launch’ ?
No doubt, I am sure you can give us all some clarification on this point!
I have a full PS system including the BHK 250 and a pair of Focus SEs, which are 95 db efficient, so you would think power is not an issue, but they love power. Better than the previous McIntosh MC275.
Pretty sure he meant “The M1200 beta is set to launch…”
Any new info here? 
I have a BHK250 and love it. It runs my Merlin VSM’s like Magic. Not the same with my little Magnepan LRS speakers. With the Magnepans on music pieces that are very dynamic, some times the BHK250 stops working and needs to be reset. I have tried different things and it keeps happening. I’ve had the Stellar M1200’s for 3 days and have been burning them in with continues play since I got them. Today I played some of those very dynamic pieces of music, one of which is Arturo Sandoval’s CUBAN AMERICAN MEDLEY, and the M1200’s make the Magnepan LRS’s sing!!! I am also getting more bass from these little speakers than I thought possible. I love these Stellars!!!
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How do the m1200s do with the Merlins in comparison to the 250?