Gamut D200i Stereo Power Amplifier Preview

Two Gamut power amplifier models have been alternately pulling duty in my system for a few months. My full review of the D200i stereo amp and an accompanying sidebar about the M250i mono amps will appear in a future TAS Issue. In the meantime, here is a little teaser.

The 200-watt Gamut D200i stereo amp ($11,500) is a clear improvement over the earlier D200 and M200 in their non-”i” Mk III versions. The newer D200i has an even greater quotient of positive tube-like qualities than its predecessor: liquidity, image density, soundstage depth, and tone color texture. The newer D200i also integrates its close-to-neutral tonal balance with a natural sense of dynamic timing. These, and other qualities—addressed in my review—combine to make the D200i a beautiful (and competent) sounding amplifier. It runs cool, has a standard sized chassis, and is an advancement on a well-established design and should therefore be very reliable. (I have been using a pair of Gamut M200 MkIII for six years without so much as a hiccup.)

The pièce de résistance of the two Gamut models is the heavier, more powerful, and much more expensive M250i mono blocks ($26,000). With well over double the power supply energy storage reserves and 50 more watts on hand, the M250i ramps up all the goodness of the D200i to a whole new level. More power, alone, does not account for all of the M250i’s elevated performance, though, and I cover this more fully in my sidebar. Frankly, I was not quite prepared for the enveloping experience the M250i evokes. It casts a very large soundstage and brings out musical nuances and vitality in ways that invite the listener in to explore the music on both intellectual and emotional levels.