Has anyone heard the Pro-ject Maia? On paper seems pretty good for a second system? Or maybe it's just a class d trying a little too hard?

Looking for low to mid price solid state amp suggestions. Right now I have a nuforce ha-200, which sounds too smooth and syrupy to me at times. Using DAC 19, HE-400I, and TH600.

I'm thinking about an AGD C2 to match the DAC 19, but it's kind of expensive. Should I just get a magni 2? Perhaps a Custard h10?

I've also been hankering for a leckerton to replace my cayin c5... Is it just as good as the other 2? I don't necessarily need a separate home amp.

Hi Manbear! All of this YMMV, IMO, etc. etc.

In this bracket, the Custard H10, Asgard 2, Project Polaris, and the Leckerton are all incredibly solid options. I think the Asgard 2 is a substantial step up over the M2Ü and is worth the additional cost.

I preferred the Leckerton UHA.6S MKII w/ 4627-1BRZ Opamp to all of them - felt it was the cleanest, most tonally even, and most resolving of the lot. Given your headphone choices (the 400i and TH-600) it would probably be my choice. My choice might not be your choice though, so here's a few quick differentiating comments for the rest:

- The Project Polaris is designed to emulate the harmonic distortion traditionally associated with tubes. In this way, it sounds more "tubey" than the other solid state options in the bracket. Project Ember, depending on the input tube used, can even sound more solid state than Polaris. If you're looking for something clean and not syrupy but with a little bit of a euphonic tilt, the Polaris is great for that.

- The Gustard H10 is the most open and airy of the bunch. Out of the box, it's a very good match for both planars and Sennheiser 6XX dynamics - so that's a plus. It's also a very good "tweaker" solid state amp as it has rollable opamps. Hans has had some very good success with rolling opamps in the Gustard. If that's your thing, then for the price I don't think you can do better.

- The Asgard 2 is a pretty neutral, rather smooth solid state amp. It's more closed sounding than the Gustard. I liked it better with planar dynamic headphones (T50rp mods, midrange HiFiMans) than with dynamic drivers. It's kinda the opposite of the stock Gustard H10 - the Gustard with stock opamps seemed to lighten up or even out the bass a bit on my headphones. The Asgard 2 gripped the bass on my phones hard.

Out of the four options here, only two have preamp outputs, the Project Polaris and the Asgard 2, so if you want to connect active desktop speakers those are the best options for that. If you need to keep your desk warm on cold evenings, the Asgard 2 will get that done for you. (It's pure class A, so it gets pretty damn warm.)

Whether anyone had experience with German Maestro GMP 8.35 D, compared it to others and/or mixed on them? How does they stand against Audio-Technica ATH M50?

If that's the OE clone also labelled under DBI and MB Quart from years ago, totally different. Assuming it's the same, it's incredibly clear and a midrange to treble specialist on the analytical side. M50 has extra mid bass and for many a perceptible recessed midrange which my have been fixed with more recent versions.

Keep in mind, the M50 and DBI/Maestro/MB Quart units I used to have were compared about 4-5 years ago. After I sold both, I missed them for different reasons. I miss neither now with my current rig obviously. I have thought about picking up a DBI every now and again just to reminisce as it's a durable junker phone you can toss around like the T50RP or HD25.

Thank you!

I was planning to buy M50 in the future, but when I tried them I just didn't like them for some reason. They were too much forward, then I stumbled on German Maestro recommendation, that I can't test here.

What would you recommend in that price range, since you really don't dig both of them? P.S. It's mainly for mixing.