Timos Posted June 28, 2012 Posted June 28, 2012 Has anyone here bought or had experience with this amp? I'd be interested to know the opinions... Timos.
Timos Posted July 3, 2012 Author Posted July 3, 2012 I have read the review by JD, but this is based on the separates. The integrated looks very interesting and I would appreciate any comments. Thanks. Times.
Braddles 63 Posted July 3, 2012 Posted July 3, 2012 (edited) It's only been recently released so I don't think you will find much out there yet. By the looks of it it's a step up from the std model so I expect it would be a good thing but weather it's the one for you is other question. Edited July 4, 2012 by Braddles 63
Cafad Posted July 4, 2012 Posted July 4, 2012 I'll keep an eye out Timos but since it is new I doubt I'll be able to pick up a cheapie for test listening anytime soon.
daveo Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 I'm interested in hearing some comments re this integrated, also. Has anyone had any experience with it so far?
twwen2 Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 If it wasn't so big and expensive I'd probably get one to try. Kingwa needs to make a cut-down budget version: 80-100W/channel normal case height balanced & unbalanced inputs ~$1000USD I'd be all over something like that.
frizzup Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) Has anyone here bought or had experience with this amp? I'd be interested to know the opinions... Timos. Considering buying one at the moment. Started off with a DAC19-DSP which I then paired with an Audio-GD CIA-400 single ended integrated AMp. Have now paired the DAC19-DSP with an Audio-GD C2.2 (Headphone amplifier) with Senn HD650's as my Headphone rig. Purchased a Audio-GD Reference 5.2 now paired with the CIA-400 through Grave Science XLR balanced interconnects. Which gives me balanced output from the Ref 5.2 into the XLR in the single ended CIA-400. Now thinking of replacing the CIA-400 with Master-10 balanced ampiifier and selling the CIA-400. Have not found any reviews of the Master-10 Frizzup Edited October 10, 2012 by frizzup
AudioGeek Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 There is a demo one on the addictedtoaudio website at a good price. Was interested, but would not work for what I had planned.
Cafad Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 This thing looks like a brute of an amp, massive power at a very nice price. It seems to use a version of of "enhanced class A" similar to the Dussuns, Cambridge 840A and Consonance amps and combines that with what sounds like similar tech to Krell's "keep everything in the current domain" approach to amp design. I would love to hear it, unfortunately I am now unemployed so it will just have to wait for someone else to buy and demo/review one.
frizzup Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 There is a demo one on the addictedtoaudio website at a good price. Was interested, but would not work for what I had planned. Thanks for that information. Purchased...just waiting for the shipping cost quote from Addicted Audio through to NZ. A brand new Master-10 direct from Audio-GD including shipping and paypal costs = NZ2750 (shipping was NZ$370 of that by DHL China to NZ) Frizzup
AudioGeek Posted October 10, 2012 Posted October 10, 2012 Congrats! Let us know how it sounds. What speakers are you using?
frizzup Posted October 11, 2012 Posted October 11, 2012 Congrats! Let us know how it sounds. What speakers are you using? Cos the Master-10 is shipping to NZ from Addicted 2 Audio the purchase price was AU$1699 less GST so approx AU$1550.. So the GST refund + another AU$80 paid for shipping. So saved approx $800 on new unit direct from Audio-GD. Thanks for your advice on the unit for sale. Using Rega RS5's spiked into maple butcher blocks which in turn are spiked through the carpet to the underfloor. Speaker cables are NAIM NACA5 Source is Dell D630 Laptop running Windows 8 with JPLAY as the software audio player. Laptop connected to Audio-GD DAC with Audiophilleo 2/Puerpower Battery Pack. Great sound as was...but really keen to try a 'balanced rig' hence the Audio-GD Master-10 and Reference 5.2 As I've upgraded from a full Rega system (Appoloo CD, Mira 3 Amp and the RS5's) over the last 5 years to now to full digital. Anyone interested in a 2 year 9 month old Audio-GD CIA-400 in mint condition ? Frizzup
Krypton Posted October 11, 2012 Posted October 11, 2012 Has anyone here bought or had experience with this amp? I'd be interested to know the opinions... Timos. For those interested: I have the Audio – gd integrated amplifier (C-500) for about 10 months now. It is not the master 10 model but the previous iteration. I have found it to be an excellent amplifier – clearly out performing every amplifier I have owned. It does everything King Wa claims and it drives my fairly inefficient (87 dB) two way floor standers with ease. It has finesse with oodles of power and I doubt that I will ever own speakers that it couldn’t do justice to. It is heavy (about 40 kg) – I had to buy a new stereo cabinet and it dissipates about 100-200 watts under normal conditions (ie it runs warm, so leave space for air circulation). It has no real sound of its own. I use it with the Audio gd REF 5 DAC connected via ACSS. Recently I incorporated a MK3 JKSPDIF between my Mac mini and REF 5 dac – the C-500 easily captured the improved clarity and imagining rendered by the new SPIF converter. I recommend Audio - gd gear (I also own a earlier NFB 3 DAC) because it is well made, works as described on the web site and represents excellent value for money. regards K
remii Posted October 12, 2012 Posted October 12, 2012 I demo'ed one of these at Addicted to Audio during the week with a friend who is looking to upgrade from his Leema Pulse integrated. It was a pretty big deal for me as I have always been both excited and curious about these affordable, yet impressively spec'ed Chinese amps (A-GD, Dussun, at al). Sadly, I didn't walk away impressed. Perhaps it wasn't a fair competition. The Leema is worth over a thousand dollars more when purchased new. But it didn't need to be driven as hard to achieve the same output as the A-GD, in addition to having more 'presence', or a 'punchier' presentation. I'm not good at describing Hi-Fi, so hopefully you understand what I'm saying. I also didn't feel that it was $750+ more amplifier than my Rotel RA-1520. However, I'm always going to be slightly biased towards my own gear so I'll stick to the Leema for comparison. Pictures on the internet simply can't prepare most of us for the sheer size of the A-GD amplifier. It's massive! For comparison, the Leema Pulse is less than a third of the size and the equivalent to two Rotel RA-1520s stacked on top of each other. The average person who doesn't have a dedicated listening room will need to re-arrange their lounge around this amplifier as the average TV or equipment rack won't be able to accommodate the sheer size of the A-GD. The A-GD didn't color the sound coming from the source. It simply passed the music through to the speakers without adding it's own 'flavor', which I believe to be true to the A-GD ethos. Totally invisible. To it's credit, it was also a non-fatiguing listen. You could leave it on all day and never feel like your ears have had enough. On the flipside, the Pulse placed more emphasis on the lower frequencies, which being raised in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, I found to be a good thing. If you're adamant about buying new and are a ***** for specifications, then the A-GD represents great value. Just don't go in expecting it to blow your socks off like I did. You'll be disappointed. If it's taught me anything, it's that you can't rely on size and specs to gauge how powerful/impressive something is going to be. 1
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