*Thank you for watching! This one is quite long so please feel free to utilize the time stamps on the video or in the description/pinned comment here to skip to parts you are interested in* AGD Audion MKIII: agdproduction.com/product/audion/ref/NBTStudio/ GaNTube MKIII: agdproduction.com/product/audionagdproduction.com/product/agd-gantube88kt-mkiii/ref/NBTStudio/ Other AGD Products: agdproduction.com/shop/ref/NBTStudio/ Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/ follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: th-cam.com/play/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0.html Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3 Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/ acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/ acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ amzn.to/3chBuFZ other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1 amzn.to/30bsUCH my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM 0:00 Best HiFi Amplifier 2023/Best of All Time 1:38 How I Found AGD Amplifiers 6:22 Why is this the BEST Amplifier? 14:25 Best Amplifier For Audiophile Speakers? 20:25 AGD Audion MKIII Sound Review! #hifi #homeaudio #audiophile
Interesting presentation. What is the noise floor like with this amp? Could you use it with speakers over 95db efficiency without any hash in the background?
We met Alberto and discovered AGD at the February 2020 Florida Audio Show in Tampa. SO GLAD we bought the Vivace monoblocks and the Ocean Way Eureka monitors. This amazign set was very well used during Covid and still very much used today. Just yesterday, a neighbor was talking to me about some Klipsch gear they just bought for a new home they're building and the new music room he's setting up. I invited him to my place to see my gear & listen to music. He asked me to play Dire Straits Money for Nothing... after a few minutes, he turns to me and says he bought crap compared to the amazing sound the Vivace & Eurekas were delivering. Hope he reaches out to AGD. I encourage all reading my post, get to a show and listen for yourself...hopefully you'll be as amazed as jay, myself and the other devoted AGD consumers.
I've been listening to you for some time now..I have never heard you soooo excited about anything.. The AGD must be particularly special...I now have to rethink my approach to hifi!. Thank you for this very special review...
FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY! I have been asking for weeks when you'd get to the AGD!!! thank God you have because its aWeSomE!!!! I had a feeling it was going to wow you because all my other favorite reviewers have been impressed beyond impressed by the sound and the cost to value of this set. And also hearing the story behind the brand is amazing too...now I just need to scrape up $7k to get them, but I will.
@@bertroost1675Why? Because misery loves company? He’s excited. Good for him. You’re jaded. Bad for you. No reason to rain in his parade though. Go fix your own problems pal. And let the rest of us enjoy this beautiful world we live in. Any time you feel like joining in on the fun. We’ll still be here. But until then….✌️
To the OP. I love your enthusiasm. And I sincerely hope you get a pair. Maybe try to get a used pair of older ones on Audiogon/USAM. And then you can upgrade later, as funds allow. I’m tempted to do this myself actually. These are exactly what many of us have been waiting for.✌️
I saw this video when it first posted but forgot the name AGD and confused the amp with Galion and don't ask me how I could confuse the two but I did. I live in L.A. and know AGD are made there. Today is Saturday, guess where I'm going on Monday. I have to get me a pair. I like Jay and respect his opinion, so we'll see what happens.
Jay, I’ve been watching these TH-cam hifi videos for a few years now and many times I’ve almost purchased a particular amp, speaker, or streamer, but always waited to see more. I’ve always been focused on a tube amp, but now I’m definitely focused on those AGD monoblocks. I’ve also been focused on the klipsch speakers for the efficiency since I was focused on tube amplifiers. Anyways the streamers continue to improve and I think I’m going to be fortunate to get a super nice streamer when I purchase these items. Jay, we have some things in common since my mother is Korean and I truly enjoy watching your TH-cam videos, so thank you very much for all your efforts along with how well you articulate your love for MUSIC!
The trick is not the fake tube, it's GaN tech done right. I have a LSA Voyager GaN 350 DUAL MONO! MSRP $~ 3000 that I have owned for 2+ years. Kicks ass, and EVS/Tweak Audio has mods to make it even better. I have sen a few come up for sale at silly good prices then send to EVS for mods
Hi Jay Thanks and No Thanks. Just as I was able to wean myself away from considering any further HiFi gear, you then dragged me right back in 😅 Thanks for a great detailed video, I am now interested
@@JohnLee-db9ztSo in your logic anyone selling or promoting something is shilling? OCD HifiGuy is one of the rare few that is a reviewer and retailer. He doesn’t hide that he owns his own audio company. A shill is someone who is not upfront or indirect of who they are, their motivations, that they are selling someone something.
I recently purchased old Lyngdorf SDA-2175 class D amplifier and it absolutely amazed me! Fantastic mellow sound with strong presence and lots of power.
Wow, to hear Jay gush like that means that he really liked those. And I agree, on paper, they shouldn't be as good as claimed. Its nice to live in a age where we could have such leaps in technology.
I very much agree with you, Jay. I have had a pair of the AGD Vivace monoblocks for a couple of years. Now that you have heard the AGD sound. Imagine hooking them up to HEAVILY modded DUEVEL Jupiter Omni-Direction Horn Speakers. They were Stereophile Class A Rec Speakers in their day. Now greatly modded to add highend extension, and lower any distortion or coloring. The walls completely disappear. And transport you to inside the performance venue. A ridiculously emotional combination within that 3D experience. Welcome to the club... Oh, and yes I got my pair from OCD Mikey.
Im freaking out here. My first ever set of monoblock amplifiers, a set of AGD Audion Class D Special Edition polished MK3 amps have been ordered. No clue how I’m going to transition my 5.1 channel Denon AVR 4806 based HT system into a combo set up, but it should be fun and I’m hoping for a big bump in the 2 channel performance. Single largest investment I’ve ever made in my HiFi system/journey. Aaaaaaaah! Lol
glad you had the opportunity hear them. They are always on my short list of stops at every show. Love AGD. Its good to know you haven't heard it all and surprises are literally one small room away! Thanks Jay.
Hello Jay I own the Audions mkII they are the : "BEST" amps I have ever had pairing with my Soundlabs period ! I have found that the Audions are so revealing and transparent it's shocking no exaggeration. Now I have found "not directly plugging " into the wall the Audions without a better power cord and a "isolation transformer" has elevated my system to the best it has ever sounded. Try a better power cord and plug the Audions into the isolation transformers separately!
Gallium Nitride switching transistors are flooring silicon ='s of other Class D amps imo. It's GaN for me, when I go class D, what greatness my ears would behold, with a pair of these, or three. (For a spare & ryming purposes)
I’ve been into stereo and listening to tunes for almost 60 years and I might be able to I have personal interaction on a decent basis of maybe 5% of your experience, so that is VERY impressive. That said I have a buddy who I think is one of the most knowledgeable Altec guys has put his 45 tube amp aside and listens now to Class D amp by a former tube manufacturer, so it seems reasonable that you’ve had this experience
It's only the best, if you keep it using all through 2024 and still in 2025... And as my comment is from Dec. 24, your enthusiasm seems valid, AGD is still used in your recent videos.
These amps with the little ocean way bookshelves were one of my top five rooms at Axpona. Sounded freaking fantastic even in a crappy little hotel room! Just missed a pair of local used ones going for a good price. Kicking myself hard! Nice work Jay
I am looking at the AGD Duets. I suspect they would be very similar to the Audions and the Vivace. I have a Hegal H190 now, so a Hegel comparison is appreciated. I have B&W 705-S3 speakers. Is an upgrade to the AGD worth it? Is the sound that much different than the Hegel? I am torn. These things are mega $$$, so I don’t want to purchase till I am sure. Even though B&W speakers are more ubiquitous, it’s still difficult to find say some 800 level speakers to compare in person. The AGDs are even more rare, so in person listening to them is even more difficult. Hegel or AGD… Help! -Thanks.
Great review. Funny how OCD Mike discovers and promotes brands multiple years before the mainstream picks them up and by that time has moved on to other undiscovered brands. I picked up my AGD amp 2 years ago.
My personal opinion is that not all amps/speakers match. So many variations to consider with things like db sensitivity and design of the speaker/drivers. I’d still like to hear them! Edit: of course you addressed this topic. And you are far more knowledgeable than I. So, I take your word for it.
I find it best to watch the whole vid. twice, or very closely if you're seriously thinking of buying the review product because we can miss important snippets of info on 1'st view and hearing these in situ at home, I bet you'll want to keep them. I've no chance of that in the U.K. but if I was loaded, after hearing some very knowledgeable folk praise these amps very highly like here, in fact all GaN tech' amps so far in reviews when verses the previously standard Silicon trsnsistored Class D amps, I'd buy these amps blind, rather deaf & pay the shipping if I was loaded enough, & asap. I've seen this vid b4 but now i'm seriously on the verge of buying a cheaper Class D GaN amp, the only similarity to these will be it having the same GaN transistor technology as these, & wanted to hear again about what may be the ultimate expression of GaN Class D amps. As they seem to be wiping the floor when compared to the same priced & higher.. (2 or 3 review guys claimed, like the non-GaN Jeff Rowland giants, allegedly) ....same priced Silicon equivalent Class D amps & maybe floor all tech' of amp, A, AB, H (Carver?) or whatever tech', with this particular GaN amp. If there was a market for little pinkies, I'd seriously think about cutting my little finger off, to own them, R.hand or my guitar chording will suffer, but i could strum & pick with a plectrum glued to my right arm's stump, for a $5'million system. Good luck dude
I'm more into honeydew melons. The texture and taste has that perfect smooth balance. And it taste so much better in the hammock with a bug net, to stop all outside interference.
Thanks for the review but the lack on comments regarding the preamps used was curious. Would you recommend tube preamp? Can you use an inexpensive solid state? 30:56
I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now
One of the best amp of all the time was the Yamaha M2, and it's bro M4, since it had the punch and all what we enjoy from tube amps, without any audible distorsion.
I bet that's the Yammy I heard many years ago for a week or so. Black & large with 2 lines (or slight slopes?) of red LED's showing output from 0.1'watts, or less(?) & logrithmicallly, all the way to max output, so you always saw them move. If that's the same as I recall, it had a very high damping factors of 1000, v.good for it's day. it controlled woofers & ribbon or e/stat's bass panels very well compared to some, i'd had a s/h one on loan, for my then fave' s/h Quad ELS 57's but ended up preferring a cheaper Radford STA 25 from the same new & s/h dealer, it bettered the Quad II's mono's designed for them. Horses for courses. I may be wrong but M1 or M2 rings a big bell, top of the line then, I thought & cool to look at
Its wild, I have tried many amplifiers, and its amazing how often I come back to a Tripath. A nice preamplifier improves it also, Using a Quad qc22 at the moment and I just get lost in the music so quickly.... Tannoy t165 is my go to speaker in this setup...
Similar hype & excitement were heard from every reviewer when Devialet came out with their amps. The next best thing in audio and so on. Devialet is not bad, I owned 2 different models including the 440 Pro Dual. But went back to old school McIntosh MC1.25KW and C1100 and couldn't be happier! Whatever floats your boat people, hype doesn't last long that’s reality!
yes I remember as the store I used to work at carried it. It sounded great but much like you, I preferred other stuff like the McIntosh that we also carried
@Jayiyagi Yes Jay I know, as I bought a lot of stuff from them including my MSB DAC. I love your reviews, so my comments were general & not directed at you. As I am getting older, I have stopped running after the next best thing, that's all, cheers bud.
It is a very good example, Devialet is OK....but I don't think it is really top 3 amps in terms of its price category. So I have to wait more time to see if its really capable to handle challenging speakers.
Comparing this to Devialet is misguided. While they have some amazing digital tech - their amp tech is the weakest point by far. Try using your tube preamp in front of a pair of AGD amps. You might just get tired of having to get a friend involved every time you want to move your MC1.25KW. This amp company is not just a next best thing or flavor of the month type deal. Will likely win over as many tube amp fans and it will solid state. And I find it hard to believe someone who went from Devialet to your current tube/SS rig is really done chasing better sound
Alberto said he bought out the last supply of the unique transistors that he uses in his amplifiers. So when he runs out of these transistors then what? What would a new generation of amplifiers sound like. How can you repair a broke anplifier if he has no more of these transistors. You should call Alberto and ask him about this. Talk to OCD Mikey also.
Someone mention my name ? Lol. Alberto has enough parts to make 500 pairs of monoblocks, and he has 3 different transistor types he uses... ;-) to answer directly, he could simply swap your tube for a new one. Don't worry about it not being as good, he's the designer !! ;-) 😊
I was a beta tester for PS Audio Stellar Gold Da and Pre, trading my BHK Pre in on these, also compared Gold to MKII keeping the Gold. The Pre is awesome I might loose a little spaciousness but the detail and soundstage is better
Thanks Jay for the video ' I'm about to drop my favorite amp of all time very Soon Work has been crazy '' but the amp ain't New Age ! And it's known to be very very reliable And it stole the Frankinfeast audio show! Robust n detailed Insane drive power even at low volume bass is insane ' Those AGD do look nice ' wish they'd bring back Vfets and To3a output devices
😂 I’ve gone through 3 amplifiers in 43 years lmfao . That’s y I listen to your advice I guess . Hope to c u in Florida next show . Another greeaatt video . My next system I’m going to start on in 24 or 25 will b a Decware unit
Hey Jay, what pre-amp did you use for these. I'm not sure if you mentioned that. I'm interested in buying these, I'm just not a fan of their preamps. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Jay, you're the best. I was listening to this video while working and I plan on listening again or even more because the information seems important. I love tubes and kept thinking...looks tubes and Jay say's its actually not tubes. Hence the rewatching I will need to understand it all. The equipment is simply gorgeous to look at i really love this hobby so much and constantly amazed at the gear that comes around. Thank goodness im not on the marry go round to purchase like Ive heard about. Thanks take care
Have gotten a taste of GaN implementation with my GoldNote amp (Gallium Nitride MOSFETs for the output). LOVE it..but...AGD....Sigh.......almost 20k. But I want. Thanks a lot. You've hooked me!
yes it was long but helpfull and I enjoyed it as your enthusiasm seems to be quite honest. I believe hifi is about bang (based on personal preferencies) for bug and it seems like very good candidate. Thank you for the review.
I was at a showroom and saw the AGD amp, neveer dig into it and missed the chance to listen to them, what a drag... Thanks for your introduction, I will investigate in it. BTW, I also wanting to hear the SPEC from Japan which was on my radar but hard to find a dealer.
Heard the JansZen Nine.Five speakers powered by these amps at Axpona. My friend and I spent the majority of or drive home debating if it was the speakers or the amps. Defiantly one of if not the best sounding systems we heard.
Nice review Jay! Sounds really intriguing, just with they had an integrated version. So I also really like the music samples you provided and the sound quality of them. Can you give us your playlist? Were the samples recorded from your system?
I just auditioned the Luxman CL-38uC and CL-88uC, a preamp and amp. It was in my home with my Quad ESL-63 electrostatic speakers and I fell almost instantly in love. They are expensive for me so I urgently need a professional opinion. Have you heard these? Could you review them?
Curious about the difference between Denafrips Thallo amp and the AGD's...I bought the Thallo on your review, love them with my Musical Paradise 701 MkII preamp and Gustard R26 DAC.
Hi jay i am big fan of your chanel, youre riviews are to honest, i saw your opinion on the comparation of the bhk preamp and the mcintosh 70th aniversary, when discribeb your preference, for the bhk preamp i buy the bhk preamp for my legacy focuse se and sound great, now i saw your review of the AGD audions mono i whant to buy them , or the duets , you think the bhk pre and AGD monos is good match for my legacy focuse se, ? If dont bather you i like to now your opinion becuase the legacy have great bass, and class d amp are streong on bass. My concern is not to overkill and lees sound detail on the mids and highs, thanks. Alfredo
Jays thanks for the information! I’m glad to heard about new brands and new technology at least out of the regular brands, it’s fresh. My question, what preamp do you use with this amps?
I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now
1. How much do the Audions heat up? My tube amplifier here is like an oven. 2. Do I need 2 of them, for bi-wiring? What's the difference if I have 1 or 2 of them - I never understood bi-wiring, is it just for more power, or more sound qualities, or both? 3. You said that this amplifier for sure won't sound good with all speakers. Does that mean the amp won't be worth the money for some speakers, or it will sound very good and worth it for all speakers and exceptionally great for most? Great review as always though, I love how you give examples and do a lot of comparisons!
Hello, well it heats up very little, for 2 reasons, it is a Class-D and uses GaN Mosfets and not silicon Mosfets. Then yes, for wiring you need 2+2 power amps, for each section of the speakers, time the number of speakers. The rest is a matter of trying the amp with the speaker you wish to try and landing on a personal conclusion. I am sure Jay has tested numerous speakers, but ultimately not all speakers available in the market and produced since the beginning of HiFi.
@@Albert-nj9xm Ah, I just read on their website that they say this is a monoblock type amplifier. So their price is per pair (2 monoblocks, like Jay has in the video), which means I have nothing to worry about. I just never used a monoblock, so I got confused why there are 2 amplifiers in the video.
Hey Jay, I saw the big Revival Audio Atalante 5 Monitors in this video. Today I was for a visit in france at the factory of Revival Audio. Please tell me your Impression and if you like the speakers. 👍🌹👍
Fo those who dont want to spend $8000 for a channel, AGD has the Tempp di gan for $5500 for a stereo amp. Did you review the other AGD amps ? Thank you.
Lets reframe best amplifier to "best of all time" sounding or most musical: a well regarded audiophile CEO told me years ago that his favorite (fastest most musical) amplifier was the Pilot 232 EL 84 amplifier which, for years, has been at the center of the Hong Kong Audio club's favorite systems. Of course, there is no best amplifier - what matters is the amplifier speaker combination which is the way systems compete in Hong Kong. Curious to know if the Hong Kong audio club did a listening comparison between the Pilot 232 and AGD?The pilot 232 is a simple push pull amplifier which 1) distorts harmonically and 2) is very very fast on transients, while also adds decay and "hall sound" to notes as is the characteristic of the el84 tube...the end result being the recorded playback sounds more like the live concert than the recording and more live than if played back on a more "accurate" amplifier.
I haven't listend to the Peachtree or the AGD. The thing that distinguishes the agd is it was designed form the ground up as a musical playback device. All others that I'm aware of were adaptations of a existing GAN device designed for other applications. The AGD has the mark of a true head to trail design and apparently it's really really nice sounding product.
Jay, it would be enlightening to hear your opinion of the Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra GaN-based amp that you also heard at the Florida show. Many thanks.
I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now
Jay you have been biased about class D AMP until you heard this AGD likewise until I heard leema elements class D Amp from Leema Acoustics which is just 56watts @ 8 ohms. Class D if well implemented (expensive) can sound as good as an AB or even better.
Love the review Jay! I have so many Amps already - now I’m seriously considering selling them to get these instead.. 🙈I need to find a way to audition them first though. Can you please add some info on what pre-amps will work well with them?
Good question and I knew that question was coming. It is very different. The Brunoco is more “fun” and has that soul in the music that I associated with the “rca sound.” It isn’t as balanced as the AGD. Two very different amps that sounds magical in their own ways but if they have one thing in common; the midrange is magical on both. Id say the brunoco is more comparable with my NAT monos and for the price… brunoco kills it but if price was not a concern, NAT still takes it by a smidge. I do still have the brunoco and plan to try different tubes and maybe try different coupling capacitors.
I am interested in the RF Certaldo Series 2 speakers. Would you have info on where to see, listen to, and purchase a pair? I live in the US. I am building a new system. I watch and enjoy your channel. I have learned what and how to listen to hifi equipment and what I like. Your description of this pairing interests me. This will probably be my endgame system. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Great amp but in general class D and tube amplifiers are a no go with the Dynaudio Heritage Specials are they? Did you had the oppurtunity to try this?
I heard these GaN amps compared with a beefy pair of Audio Research Mono's, I s/state revered amp (4get) & a seriously expensive looking pair of S.E. triode amps. From digi out into my Arcam surround with it's Zone 2 speaker outs playing into my main stereo pair. In comparison only (of course) they absolutely flawed the other amps on every conceivable parameter of sound quality. I can only aspire to owning a pair but GaN is where it's at, man. Especially these charmers of the ear
Hi Jay, enjoying your reviews, you are e real pro! want to ask what do you think of their combination with the Greshman Avantgarde thanks in advance Best regards Ran
I’ve been seeing these Amps on your videos for a while now…why so long to review?? And I would love it if in future videos you share which other equipment you use when reviewing just amplifiers, not Integrated. And yes the video was long mostly because of “redundancy”. For me, the Brunoco, Integrated for $3500…which you gave tremendous praise to, is a better value by far. I went back and listened to your review of the Brunoco and your descriptions of it were very similar. Is the connected power cord third party or is it the one included with the unit?? Are the speaker cables the same as the ones at the show??
In an earlier post, Jay mentioned - ‘I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now’ Cheers!
*Thank you for watching! This one is quite long so please feel free to utilize the time stamps on the video or in the description/pinned comment here to skip to parts you are interested in*
AGD Audion MKIII: agdproduction.com/product/audion/ref/NBTStudio/
GaNTube MKIII: agdproduction.com/product/audionagdproduction.com/product/agd-gantube88kt-mkiii/ref/NBTStudio/
Other AGD Products: agdproduction.com/shop/ref/NBTStudio/
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0:00 Best HiFi Amplifier 2023/Best of All Time
1:38 How I Found AGD Amplifiers
6:22 Why is this the BEST Amplifier?
14:25 Best Amplifier For Audiophile Speakers?
20:25 AGD Audion MKIII Sound Review!
#hifi #homeaudio #audiophile
Interesting presentation. What is the noise floor like with this amp? Could you use it with speakers over 95db efficiency without any hash in the background?
@@mfr58yes. Noise floor is very low
@@Jayiyagi Good news! Thanks Jay.
What were the top 20 albums you have purchased so far in 2023?
@@DBTAudio my answer is most likely but message AGD to confirm
We met Alberto and discovered AGD at the February 2020 Florida Audio Show in Tampa. SO GLAD we bought the Vivace monoblocks and the Ocean Way Eureka monitors. This amazign set was very well used during Covid and still very much used today. Just yesterday, a neighbor was talking to me about some Klipsch gear they just bought for a new home they're building and the new music room he's setting up. I invited him to my place to see my gear & listen to music. He asked me to play Dire Straits Money for Nothing... after a few minutes, he turns to me and says he bought crap compared to the amazing sound the Vivace & Eurekas were delivering. Hope he reaches out to AGD. I encourage all reading my post, get to a show and listen for yourself...hopefully you'll be as amazed as jay, myself and the other devoted AGD consumers.
I've been listening to you for some time now..I have never heard you soooo excited about anything..
The AGD must be particularly special...I now have to rethink my approach to hifi!.
Thank you for this very special review...
I’m blown away by how effusive you are bout this amp. I can’t believe it.
FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY! I have been asking for weeks when you'd get to the AGD!!! thank God you have because its aWeSomE!!!! I had a feeling it was going to wow you because all my other favorite reviewers have been impressed beyond impressed by the sound and the cost to value of this set. And also hearing the story behind the brand is amazing too...now I just need to scrape up $7k to get them, but I will.
Relax buddy.
@@bertroost1675 ^^^^^lol!
@@bertroost1675Why? Because misery loves company? He’s excited. Good for him. You’re jaded. Bad for you. No reason to rain in his parade though. Go fix your own problems pal. And let the rest of us enjoy this beautiful world we live in. Any time you feel like joining in on the fun. We’ll still be here. But until then….✌️
To the OP. I love your enthusiasm. And I sincerely hope you get a pair. Maybe try to get a used pair of older ones on Audiogon/USAM. And then you can upgrade later, as funds allow. I’m tempted to do this myself actually. These are exactly what many of us have been waiting for.✌️
I saw this video when it first posted but forgot the name AGD and confused the amp with Galion and don't ask me how I could confuse the two but I did. I live in L.A. and know AGD are made there. Today is Saturday, guess where I'm going on Monday. I have to get me a pair. I like Jay and respect his opinion, so we'll see what happens.
Jay, I’ve been watching these TH-cam hifi videos for a few years now and many times I’ve almost purchased a particular amp, speaker, or streamer, but always waited to see more. I’ve always been focused on a tube amp, but now I’m definitely focused on those AGD monoblocks. I’ve also been focused on the klipsch speakers for the efficiency since I was focused on tube amplifiers. Anyways the streamers continue to improve and I think I’m going to be fortunate to get a super nice streamer when I purchase these items. Jay, we have some things in common since my mother is Korean and I truly enjoy watching your TH-cam videos, so thank you very much for all your efforts along with how well you articulate your love for MUSIC!
The trick is not the fake tube, it's GaN tech done right. I have a LSA Voyager GaN 350 DUAL MONO! MSRP $~ 3000 that I have owned for 2+ years. Kicks ass, and EVS/Tweak Audio has mods to make it even better. I have sen a few come up for sale at silly good prices then send to EVS for mods
Hi Jay
Thanks and No Thanks. Just as I was able to wean myself away from considering any further HiFi gear, you then dragged me right back in 😅
Thanks for a great detailed video, I am now interested
Hey Jay, looks like we share opinions on NAT and AGD. Glad you got to hear them. It's why I sell them ! ;-) Cheers !
Dude don’t be a shill.
I thought they looked familar, did you review these before OCD Mikey?
There are others and less expensive
@@JohnLee-db9ztSo in your logic anyone selling or promoting something is shilling? OCD HifiGuy is one of the rare few that is a reviewer and retailer. He doesn’t hide that he owns his own audio company.
A shill is someone who is not upfront or indirect of who they are, their motivations, that they are selling someone something.
I was gonna say OCDMikey is where I heard these. Mikey likes it!
I recently purchased old Lyngdorf SDA-2175 class D amplifier and it absolutely amazed me! Fantastic mellow sound with strong presence and lots of power.
I have found the Lyngdorf equipment is consistently excellent.
Thanks!
Thank you!
Wow, to hear Jay gush like that means that he really liked those. And I agree, on paper, they shouldn't be as good as claimed. Its nice to live in a age where we could have such leaps in technology.
I very much agree with you, Jay. I have had a pair of the AGD Vivace monoblocks for a couple of years. Now that you have heard the AGD sound. Imagine hooking them up to HEAVILY modded DUEVEL Jupiter Omni-Direction Horn Speakers. They were Stereophile Class A Rec Speakers in their day. Now greatly modded to add highend extension, and lower any distortion or coloring. The walls completely disappear. And transport you to inside the performance venue. A ridiculously emotional combination within that 3D experience. Welcome to the club... Oh, and yes I got my pair from OCD Mikey.
Im freaking out here. My first ever set of monoblock amplifiers, a set of AGD Audion Class D Special Edition polished MK3 amps have been ordered. No clue how I’m going to transition my 5.1 channel Denon AVR 4806 based HT system into a combo set up, but it should be fun and I’m hoping for a big bump in the 2 channel performance. Single largest investment I’ve ever made in my HiFi system/journey. Aaaaaaaah! Lol
glad you had the opportunity hear them. They are always on my short list of stops at every show. Love AGD. Its good to know you haven't heard it all and surprises are literally one small room away! Thanks Jay.
Hello Jay
I own the Audions mkII they are the : "BEST" amps I have ever had pairing with my Soundlabs period !
I have found that the Audions are so revealing and transparent it's shocking no exaggeration. Now I have found "not directly plugging " into the wall the Audions without a better power cord and a "isolation transformer" has elevated my system to the best it has ever sounded. Try a better power cord and plug the Audions into the isolation transformers separately!
Gallium Nitride switching transistors are flooring silicon ='s of other Class D amps imo.
It's GaN for me, when I go class D, what greatness my ears would behold, with a pair of these, or three.
(For a spare & ryming purposes)
Greetings from Europe.
My actuel setting :
The Apps you enthusiastically talk about AGD
Preamp Klyne 7
Loudspeakers : Audiostatic ES 900
I’ve been into stereo and listening to tunes for almost 60 years and I might be able to I have personal interaction on a decent basis of maybe 5% of your experience, so that is VERY impressive. That said I have a buddy who I think is one of the most knowledgeable Altec guys has put his 45 tube amp aside and listens now to Class D amp by a former tube manufacturer, so it seems reasonable that you’ve had this experience
About 2 . 5 per month for 10 years .
Assuming he's 25 ish. That is a lot.
It's only the best, if you keep it using all through 2024 and still in 2025...
And as my comment is from Dec. 24, your enthusiasm seems valid, AGD is still used in your recent videos.
These amps with the little ocean way bookshelves were one of my top five rooms at Axpona. Sounded freaking fantastic even in a crappy little hotel room!
Just missed a pair of local used ones going for a good price. Kicking myself hard!
Nice work Jay
Sounds like I found my new amps for my Martin Logan Montis. Many thanks. Was looking at Krell and Pass XA's.
Please let us know how you like this pairing. Especially the dynamics. Thanks!!😊
Great vid Jay. Thanks for sharing this gem. What pre-amp, dac and source did your use with the AGD for this review? Thanks.
I am looking at the AGD Duets. I suspect they would be very similar to the Audions and the Vivace. I have a Hegal H190 now, so a Hegel comparison is appreciated. I have B&W 705-S3 speakers. Is an upgrade to the AGD worth it? Is the sound that much different than the Hegel? I am torn. These things are mega $$$, so I don’t want to purchase till I am sure. Even though B&W speakers are more ubiquitous, it’s still difficult to find say some 800 level speakers to compare in person. The AGDs are even more rare, so in person listening to them is even more difficult. Hegel or AGD… Help! -Thanks.
Great review. Funny how OCD Mike discovers and promotes brands multiple years before the mainstream picks them up and by that time has moved on to other undiscovered brands. I picked up my AGD amp 2 years ago.
Same here, I have had my Audions for a couple of years, got them from Mike, only wish I had a second pair.
What speakers are you guys pairing with the AGD amps?
Same experience I have in Raleigh NC at Audio Advice Live, last month. Good people, very engaged in their craft and presentation was top notch.
What preamp did you use for the agd amps?
My personal opinion is that not all amps/speakers match. So many variations to consider with things like db sensitivity and design of the speaker/drivers. I’d still like to hear them!
Edit: of course you addressed this topic. And you are far more knowledgeable than I. So, I take your word for it.
I find it best to watch the whole vid. twice, or very closely if you're seriously thinking of buying the review product because we can miss important snippets of info on 1'st view and hearing these in situ at home, I bet you'll want to keep them. I've no chance of that in the U.K. but if I was loaded, after hearing some very knowledgeable folk praise these amps very highly like here, in fact all GaN tech' amps so far in reviews when verses the previously standard Silicon trsnsistored Class D amps, I'd buy these amps blind, rather deaf & pay the shipping if I was loaded enough, & asap.
I've seen this vid b4 but now i'm seriously on the verge of buying a cheaper Class D GaN amp, the only similarity to these will be it having the same GaN transistor technology as these, & wanted to hear again about what may be the ultimate expression of GaN Class D amps. As they seem to be wiping the floor when compared to the same priced & higher.. (2 or 3 review guys claimed, like the non-GaN Jeff Rowland giants, allegedly) ....same priced Silicon equivalent Class D amps & maybe floor all tech' of amp, A, AB, H (Carver?) or whatever tech', with this particular GaN amp.
If there was a market for little pinkies, I'd seriously think about cutting my little finger off, to own them, R.hand or my guitar chording will suffer, but i could strum & pick with a plectrum glued to my right arm's stump, for a $5'million system.
Good luck dude
Grape is the best fruit off the year 2023. It's my top fruit after tasting more than 300 fruits. Waiting for the next best of....
I'm more into honeydew melons. The texture and taste has that perfect smooth balance.
And it taste so much better in the hammock with a bug net, to stop all outside interference.
Also i have the dual mono version of this amp. It is better than the single ps version, sold my PS M1200 monos when i compared them
How did the Audion sound compared to the PS M1200s? I own the M1200s and am thinking of making a change..
Thanks for the review but the lack on comments regarding the preamps used was curious. Would you recommend tube preamp? Can you use an inexpensive solid state? 30:56
I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now
One of the best amp of all the time was the Yamaha M2, and it's bro M4, since it had the punch and all what we enjoy from tube amps, without any audible distorsion.
I bet that's the Yammy I heard many years ago for a week or so. Black & large with 2 lines (or slight slopes?) of red LED's showing output from 0.1'watts, or less(?) & logrithmicallly, all the way to max output, so you always saw them move. If that's the same as I recall, it had a very high damping factors of 1000, v.good for it's day. it controlled woofers & ribbon or e/stat's bass panels very well compared to some, i'd had a s/h one on loan, for my then fave' s/h Quad ELS 57's but ended up preferring a cheaper Radford STA 25 from the same new & s/h dealer, it bettered the Quad II's mono's designed for them. Horses for courses. I may be wrong but M1 or M2 rings a big bell, top of the line then, I thought & cool to look at
Its wild, I have tried many amplifiers, and its amazing how often I come back to a Tripath. A nice preamplifier improves it also, Using a Quad qc22 at the moment and I just get lost in the music so quickly.... Tannoy t165 is my go to speaker in this setup...
Similar hype & excitement were heard from every reviewer when Devialet came out with their amps. The next best thing in audio and so on. Devialet is not bad, I owned 2 different models including the 440 Pro Dual. But went back to old school McIntosh MC1.25KW and C1100 and couldn't be happier! Whatever floats your boat people, hype doesn't last long that’s reality!
yes I remember as the store I used to work at carried it. It sounded great but much like you, I preferred other stuff like the McIntosh that we also carried
@Jayiyagi Yes Jay I know, as I bought a lot of stuff from them including my MSB DAC. I love your reviews, so my comments were general & not directed at you. As I am getting older, I have stopped running after the next best thing, that's all, cheers bud.
It is a very good example, Devialet is OK....but I don't think it is really top 3 amps in terms of its price category. So I have to wait more time to see if its really capable to handle challenging speakers.
Comparing this to Devialet is misguided. While they have some amazing digital tech - their amp tech is the weakest point by far. Try using your tube preamp in front of a pair of AGD amps. You might just get tired of having to get a friend involved every time you want to move your MC1.25KW. This amp company is not just a next best thing or flavor of the month type deal. Will likely win over as many tube amp fans and it will solid state. And I find it hard to believe someone who went from Devialet to your current tube/SS rig is really done chasing better sound
Alberto said he bought out the
last supply of the unique transistors that he uses in his
amplifiers. So when he runs
out of these transistors then
what? What would a new
generation of amplifiers sound
like. How can you repair a
broke anplifier if he has no more
of these transistors. You
should call Alberto and ask him about this. Talk to OCD
Mikey also.
Someone mention my name ? Lol. Alberto has enough parts to make 500 pairs of monoblocks, and he has 3 different transistor types he uses... ;-) to answer directly, he could simply swap your tube for a new one. Don't worry about it not being as good, he's the designer !! ;-) 😊
Thank you Mike! Actually a bit more than that...much more 😊
Jay, what would be your favorite speaker to pair with these amps? .
I like the same sound characteristics from a system as you!
I was a beta tester for PS Audio Stellar Gold Da and Pre, trading my BHK Pre in on these, also compared Gold to MKII keeping the Gold. The Pre is awesome I might loose a little spaciousness but the detail and soundstage is better
Thanks Jay for the video
' I'm about to drop my favorite amp of all time very Soon
Work has been crazy ''
but the amp ain't New Age ! And it's known to be very very reliable
And it stole the Frankinfeast audio show! Robust n detailed
Insane drive power even at low volume bass is insane '
Those AGD do look nice ' wish they'd bring back Vfets and To3a output devices
Glad to see that you’ve experienced what I had with AGD Audions a few years ago. One of the best amps I have ever owned. Will never part with them.
What speakers do you have paired with the Audions?
Hey jay great review. In your opinion what is the best tube preamp that can match the agd amp?
A comparison to the Orchard Audio Starkrimson would be interesting.
😂 I’ve gone through 3 amplifiers in 43 years lmfao . That’s y I listen to your advice I guess . Hope to c u in Florida next show . Another greeaatt video . My next system I’m going to start on in 24 or 25 will b a Decware unit
Did you ,by chance, hook it up to some Arendals? Would be interested to see what that combo would sound like.
Hey Jay, what pre-amp did you use for these. I'm not sure if you mentioned that. I'm interested in buying these, I'm just not a fan of their preamps. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Agreed - I was making that too. Hope Jay adds this info down the line
Jay, you're the best. I was listening to this video while working and I plan on listening again or even more because the information seems important. I love tubes and kept thinking...looks tubes and Jay say's its actually not tubes.
Hence the rewatching I will need to understand it all.
The equipment is simply gorgeous to look at
i really love this hobby so much and constantly amazed at the gear that comes around.
Thank goodness im not on the marry go round to purchase like Ive heard about.
Thanks take care
Have gotten a taste of GaN implementation with my GoldNote amp (Gallium Nitride MOSFETs for the output). LOVE it..but...AGD....Sigh.......almost 20k. But I want. Thanks a lot. You've hooked me!
Shootout please:
AGD vs Daniel Hertz Maria Amplifier
Steve Huff refers to this
Any chance you heard these amps paired with Martin Logan 13A ESL?
Agree Jay....The Audions are MUSICAL......I went with Aavik Class D (Pascal)...Both are the Cream of Class D.
yes it was long but helpfull and I enjoyed it as your enthusiasm seems to be quite honest. I believe hifi is about bang (based on personal preferencies) for bug and it seems like very good candidate. Thank you for the review.
I was at a showroom and saw the AGD amp, neveer dig into it and missed the chance to listen to them, what a drag... Thanks for your introduction, I will investigate in it. BTW, I also wanting to hear the SPEC from Japan which was on my radar but hard to find a dealer.
I am really curious comparing these babies to the Mola Mola Kalugas. Both Class D, almost same price, measurements and musicality.
Do you think that the AGD Duets are better ?
Heard the JansZen Nine.Five speakers powered by these amps at Axpona. My friend and I spent the majority of or drive home debating if it was the speakers or the amps. Defiantly one of if not the best sounding systems we heard.
Nice review Jay! Sounds really intriguing, just with they had an integrated version. So I also really like the music samples you provided and the sound quality of them. Can you give us your playlist? Were the samples recorded from your system?
It's coming
Good solid state preamp match to keep the slight warmth, detail, air and speed?
Hi
How does it compare to other GaN class D amps?
Regards
Dag
At their prices I wonder how they’re selling?
Have you heard Aavik or atmasphere amplifiers to say this is the best?
U nailed it jay..peace!
I just auditioned the Luxman CL-38uC and CL-88uC, a preamp and amp. It was in my home with my Quad ESL-63 electrostatic speakers and I fell almost instantly in love. They are expensive for me so I urgently need a professional opinion. Have you heard these? Could you review them?
Curious about the difference between Denafrips Thallo amp and the AGD's...I bought the Thallo on your review, love them with my Musical Paradise 701 MkII preamp and Gustard R26 DAC.
Hey Jay!
What about best amp for under 1k. I have (or am waiting on) the Heco Celan Revolution 3. What would you pair it with? Thanks man! best a
Hi jay i am big fan of your chanel, youre riviews are to honest, i saw your opinion on the comparation of the bhk preamp and the mcintosh 70th aniversary, when discribeb your preference, for the bhk preamp i buy the bhk preamp for my legacy focuse se and sound great, now i saw your review of the AGD audions mono i whant to buy them , or the duets , you think the bhk pre and AGD monos is good match for my legacy focuse se, ? If dont bather you i like to now your opinion becuase the legacy have great bass, and class d amp are streong on bass. My concern is not to overkill and lees sound detail on the mids and highs, thanks. Alfredo
Great video, , do the agd amp’s do better then Hegel amp’s with Maggie’s?
I wonder if you would ever loan this amplifier and two speakers as I once in life try for me😊
Jays thanks for the information! I’m glad to heard about new brands and new technology at least out of the regular brands, it’s fresh. My question, what preamp do you use with this amps?
I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now
Thanks!
@@Jayiyagi
1. How much do the Audions heat up? My tube amplifier here is like an oven.
2. Do I need 2 of them, for bi-wiring? What's the difference if I have 1 or 2 of them - I never understood bi-wiring, is it just for more power, or more sound qualities, or both?
3. You said that this amplifier for sure won't sound good with all speakers. Does that mean the amp won't be worth the money for some speakers, or it will sound very good and worth it for all speakers and exceptionally great for most?
Great review as always though, I love how you give examples and do a lot of comparisons!
Hello, well it heats up very little, for 2 reasons, it is a Class-D and uses GaN Mosfets and not silicon Mosfets. Then yes, for wiring you need 2+2 power amps, for each section of the speakers, time the number of speakers. The rest is a matter of trying the amp with the speaker you wish to try and landing on a personal conclusion. I am sure Jay has tested numerous speakers, but ultimately not all speakers available in the market and produced since the beginning of HiFi.
@@Albert-nj9xm Ah, I just read on their website that they say this is a monoblock type amplifier. So their price is per pair (2 monoblocks, like Jay has in the video), which means I have nothing to worry about. I just never used a monoblock, so I got confused why there are 2 amplifiers in the video.
Hey Jay, I saw the big Revival Audio Atalante 5 Monitors in this video. Today I was for a visit in france at the factory of Revival Audio. Please tell me your Impression and if you like the speakers. 👍🌹👍
Should be an exciting review with the AGD😅
Thanks for the AGD Audion review. Correct me if i'm wrong, but I saw cabinet/stands/panels used but no mention of the preamp or DAC used!
T
Fo those who dont want to spend $8000 for a channel, AGD has the Tempp di gan for $5500 for a stereo amp.
Did you review the other AGD amps ? Thank you.
Lets reframe best amplifier to "best of all time" sounding or most musical: a well regarded audiophile CEO told me years ago that his favorite (fastest most musical) amplifier was the Pilot 232 EL 84 amplifier which, for years, has been at the center of the Hong Kong Audio club's favorite systems. Of course, there is no best amplifier - what matters is the amplifier speaker combination which is the way systems compete in Hong Kong. Curious to know if the Hong Kong audio club did a listening comparison between the Pilot 232 and AGD?The pilot 232 is a simple push pull amplifier which 1) distorts harmonically and 2) is very very fast on transients, while also adds decay and "hall sound" to notes as is the characteristic of the el84 tube...the end result being the recorded playback sounds more like the live concert than the recording and more live than if played back on a more "accurate" amplifier.
The GeN400 by Peachtree how do they compare? It's a very good amplifier and not overexpensive have you listened to one jay?
I haven't listend to the Peachtree or the AGD. The thing that distinguishes the agd is it was designed form the ground up as a musical playback device. All others that I'm aware of were adaptations of a existing GAN device designed for other applications. The AGD has the mark of a true head to trail design and apparently it's really really nice sounding product.
Go for Fosi v3. Only choice for class D.
Jay, it would be enlightening to hear your opinion of the Orchard Audio Starkrimson Ultra GaN-based amp that you also heard at the Florida show. Many thanks.
yes, from what I heard at the show, it was promising. Not like omfg like the AGD but for fraction of the price, it was still impressive
@@JayiyagiThanks Jay for sharing your observations.
What is the best preamp match for these monos I wonder. Perhaps Denafrips Athena?
I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now
Jay you have been biased about class D AMP until you heard this AGD likewise until I heard leema elements class D Amp from Leema Acoustics which is just 56watts @ 8 ohms.
Class D if well implemented (expensive) can sound as good as an AB or even better.
Beautiful thank you exactly what I’m looking for ;-)
Jay, You’d rather have the AGDs over the Audio Note Tonmeister?
Love the review Jay! I have so many Amps already - now I’m seriously considering selling them to get these instead.. 🙈I need to find a way to audition them first though. Can you please add some info on what pre-amps will work well with them?
Elephant in the room...How does this compare against the brunoco that made you cry?
Good question and I knew that question was coming.
It is very different. The Brunoco is more “fun” and has that soul in the music that I associated with the “rca sound.” It isn’t as balanced as the AGD. Two very different amps that sounds magical in their own ways but if they have one thing in common; the midrange is magical on both.
Id say the brunoco is more comparable with my NAT monos and for the price… brunoco kills it but if price was not a concern, NAT still takes it by a smidge.
I do still have the brunoco and plan to try different tubes and maybe try different coupling capacitors.
😂
I am interested in the RF Certaldo Series 2 speakers. Would you have info on where to see, listen to, and purchase a pair? I live in the US. I am building a new system. I watch and enjoy your channel. I have learned what and how to listen to hifi equipment and what I like. Your description of this pairing interests me. This will probably be my endgame system. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
How does it compare to kinki monoblocks? Thanks
Which speakers would match well with these Audions? How would the Arendal THX Towers or Monitors match with these amps?
Thanks for responding
I appreciated this review, Jay. I really hope you get a chance to review their other products.
Will it do justice to the Eminent Tech panels, I would love to pair them with a full range flat panel system.
How is it in the midrange compared to the Meishu Tonmeister?
quite comparable but Tonmeister is softer and more laid back.
Can we have demo of these amplifier and let us decide for ourself's Jay's, thank you your presentations
Great amp but in general class D and tube amplifiers are a no go with the Dynaudio Heritage Specials are they? Did you had the oppurtunity to try this?
how is this amp different from the hegel h30a ?
To what extent can one attribute the performance of the amplifier to that of good quality speakers? Still confused there…
Simple. You try with multiple speakers with the same amp
Fantastic video, Jay! Do you believe the audeon MKIII would be able to drive Infinity Beta speakers?
Meaning the midrange and treble, not the subwoofers.
And also meaing the Infinity IRS Beta speakers, now an older speaker.
It was a bit long but your enthusiasm was as convincing as you would have hoped 👍🏼
I heard these GaN amps compared with a beefy pair of Audio Research Mono's, I s/state revered amp (4get) & a seriously expensive looking pair of S.E. triode amps. From digi out into my Arcam surround with it's Zone 2 speaker outs playing into my main stereo pair. In comparison only (of course) they absolutely flawed the other amps on every conceivable parameter of sound quality. I can only aspire to owning a pair but GaN is where it's at, man. Especially these charmers of the ear
I'm glad these drive Maggies well. Fantastic review, I've been eyeing these for awhile. How would you compare them against Hegel with Maggies?
It is similar but the imaging and sound staging is even better than the Hegel H600 in my opinon
How does the power of the Hegel H600 compare to the AGD? Will they drive B&W 805d3’s with ease?
Hi Jay, enjoying your reviews, you are e real pro!
want to ask what do you think of their combination with the Greshman Avantgarde
thanks in advance
Best regards
Ran
I’ve been seeing these Amps on your videos for a while now…why so long to review?? And I would love it if in future videos you share which other equipment you use when reviewing just amplifiers, not Integrated. And yes the video was long mostly because of “redundancy”. For me, the Brunoco, Integrated for $3500…which you gave tremendous praise to, is a better value by far. I went back and listened to your review of the Brunoco and your descriptions of it were very similar. Is the connected power cord third party or is it the one included with the unit?? Are the speaker cables the same as the ones at the show??
Hallo Jay, nice! Which preamp did you use? Do you think that Auralic Vega 2.2 can be match as preamp? Thanks
In an earlier post, Jay mentioned -
‘I used many different pre amps but audio note m2 and denafrips athena was what I mainly used. Athena being my favourite for the AGD. Looking to try AGD's own pre now’
Cheers!
Did you try the Audion with Tad ME1? If not, what are your thoughts on this combination?