Graham Slee Proprius Monoblocks

[JMac]

Does anyone have any experience of these? Relatively inexpensive at £649 each and come very highly reccomemded by various reviews by they're tiny and just 25w @ 8ohm. They also do a loan scheme for home demos and probably 30 mins drive from me.

http://www.gspaudio.co.uk/power-amp.htm

 

[drummerman]

Nop but they read very expensive.

Not sure why GS couldn't make a stereo power amp with dual mono lay-out. Would probably have saved some cost (but of course doesn't fit in with the cigarette packaging size).

Also, the volume controls have no indentation/markings, making exact matching a bit of a pain I could imagine. Are they really necessary for a product like this? Seems another opportunity to have saved some money (and probably increased SQ in the process).

Add a pre-amplifier and you are in quite serious integrated amplifier territory, both valve and solid state.

Of course if it sounds fantastic, it all means little.

 

[ifor]

I've not yet had a loan of them, but will do in due course. I have heard them in the system described here and they sound fantastic.

http://audio-forum.gspaudio.co.uk/complete-gsp-systems_topic2319_post32263.html?KW=Speaker#32263

I would encourage you to try the loan scheme and if you're not too far from Chesterfield I'm sure Phil would be pleased to let you hear them in his set up.

 

[JMac]

A one chassis amp is in development. Whether it will be a fully integrated I dont know.

I'm currently using a MF SDAC as my pre and dac so only looking at power amps over integrateds. The intention being to sort the power side out and then decide if I want to change the dac/pre.

My speakers are only 83db on the sensitivity front so i'd have to try before buying but it'd be interesting to compare them to something like the Arcam P49 which is my current preference.

 

[ifor]

A one chassis amp is in development. Whether it will be a fully integrated I dont know.

It will be, but don't count on it being available soon. Graham takes his time, but gets it right.

 

[drummerman]

I guess its easy to criticise anything and as I haven't heard them I am certainly not qualified to comment on anything but perceived value on paper!

Furthermore, you do get a (switch mode) power supply with each mono amplifier plus it looks well made. GS is also only a small manufacturer so no economy of scale here.

Still, I personally probably would wait for the (dual mono) stereo power amplifier if such is in development and hopefully pocket some money in the process.

It also lacks that manly factor but as a cyrus owner I am somewhat used to that

It will be interesting to hear your opinion after using these! - I don't know what speakers you use but even with a low 83db/w sensitivity, if the load is not to punishing, 30 or so watts should be sufficient for reasonable volume.

Another factor to consider, especially in comparison with something like the P49, is distortion characteristics at higher volume (and usually, though not always, higher frequencies). At 'loud' volume listening the little mono blocks will operate at their limits whereas the Arcam will only be idling.

Interesting times ahead