I do not intend to be polemic, but for those who make big claims on power amplifiers such as the ARAGON 8008, BRYSTON 3B, etc., as well as for those who want to purchase a new power amplifier, my advise is short and simple: "Do not make any claims, and DO NOT purchase any power amplifier, until you have tried the CITATION 7.1 power amplifier (150W x 4 channel, 500W x 2 ch., bridged)".
Granted, CITATION dealers are scarce (CITATION brand is manufactured by MADRIGAL
AUDIO LABORATORIES), ads and reviews on CITATION equipment are rare, and the CITATION 7.1 is not unexpensive ($2,850), but this is a monster (MONSTER!) piece of equipment in any regard: definition, power, finesse, built quality, beauty, etc.(let aside weight: nearly 80 pounds). We are talking KRELL-league here! We are talking nearly orgasmic experience here! (bridge the 7.1, hook it up to your
power-hungry speakers and you'll see what power and control really is!!!!!).

My humble advise: Give CITATION 7.1 4-channel power amplifier a try (for both Home Theater & Music). Your bases are not covered until you have listened to this magnificent piece of equipment.

José Vicente Gomez

Not quite an audiophile yet, but hopefully getting there. I purchased an Aragon 8008BB a couple weeks ago after much comparison shopping. I found this to be the finest amplifier for my system -- I have a HK Signature 2.0 preamp/processor and ProAc 1sc speakers in the $2500 and under price range. The amount of tight, focused bass produced by my ProAcs is incredible with this amp. The soundstage is deep and rich. I am thrilled. By the way, I listen to jazz, folk, rock and some classical.

I recently purchased this amp as a replacement for my Pass Labs Aleph 5. The Pass Labs is truly a wonderful amp, but I felt there were times I needed more power for my Apogee Cepheus 8's. I didn't want to spend $7000 for the Pass Labs Aleph 4, so I started looking elsewhere. I called Apogee and they said they recommend around 200 wpc for this speaker and that one of their favorite "affordable" amps was the Aragon. I decided to give it a try and I couldn't be happier that I did. The Aragon 8008BB is an outstanding amp. It has a more dynamic, effortless sound with my Apogees while still having great detail, warmth, and openness. The Pass Labs Aleph 5 does have a certain purity that the Aragon doesn't quite match, but overall the Aragon is a superior amp in my application.My system:
Apogee Cepheus 8 speakers
Aragon 8008BB amp
Sonic Frontiers Line 3 preamp
Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1 cd player

Just bought an Aragon 8008BB to replace a pair of 8 year old Carver TFM-45's. [One broke and service is a pain for Carver these days]. Thought the TFM-45's were OK before, but wow! what a difference. I am driving an old pair of Carver AL PLatinum's (5 foot tall trapezoids for youngsters who have never seen these beasts). The Aragon had no problem driving their 80 pound ribbons.
My five stars are based on value for performance. If price were irrelevant, I would probably cut my rating to only four stars, but is price ever irrelevant? Aragon should be applauded for putting out such a high quality component, for less money than a five year old Honda Accord.

Now that I'm hooked, I want to upgrade the speakers. Any suggestions from more experienced listeners on a pair of tower speakers or other suggestions to replace my Carver AL's that will best match the Aragon 8008BB? Towers would look good in place of the AL's, but I'm not stuck on the shape if I will appreciate the difference in sound. Try to keep your suggestions under $5,000 per pair.

The 8008BB is an OK amp among the midst the most noteworthy amps. As an introduction to audiophilia at its price, it is a great amp especially if one craves after pop, jazz, chamber music and some symphonies. With these, the sound is smooth, clean, the bass while not in the same zone with some more expensive models, in depth, has the impact of a construction truck. Play Gustav Mahler's 8th symphony and it's shortcoming in its ability to present the choir coherently is unmistable. The BB falters in the imaging department for it lacks the resolving ability to present instruments as been there with you. The soundstage it presents doesn't extend wider than the speakers' locations but is solid. In conclusion, the 8008BB is an amp I can live with for some serious stereo listening but it is best suited for surround sound tasks.

I feel that the 8008bb is a phenomenal amp in this mid priced category. Beware, it takes a long while for it to break in correctly. The amp effortlessly powers my Dynes and has developed into a champ. I don't feel that it fully broke in for about 3 months. Initially it sounded a little harsh but has mellowed with age. Instead of upgrading your amp, upgrade your speakers. I am using it with dynaudio contour 3.3 speakers, straight wire virtuoso platinum cables, and a proceed pav.

Anyone that gives this amp less than a full 5 stars obviously has no clue. I guess the experts at STEREOPHILE MAGAZINE are off their rockers for giving it very high marks in their review and putting it on their "recommended components" list. They have been doing reviews all their lives. I own one and I would put it up against many amps costing up to 5 times it's price. It is the least expensive piece in my system but performs better than everything else. I recommend trying it with neutral sounding speakers from a manufacturer such as B&W. My 802's never sounded better. This amp RULES.5 star + + + + + + + + +.................

Aragon's 8008BB amp is one when acquired new, needs time to settle to its best. Then the high frequency harshness immediately experienced, becomes absent.This amp transforms to monster with a very muscular low end, reticent mids and unobtrusive highs. With a competent front end, the Aragon daredevil will engage the super amps in a knife fight yielding a little here and there. Comparing the price differential to its disadvantages, it comes out unscathe. Deserves 5 stars and more perhaps, after it mellows with age.

I have been fortunate to have been the proud owner of an Aragon 8008BB amp for 2 years now, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I run my Theta "Miles" cd player's balanced outputs directly into my Aragon using Kimber Kable "Silver Streak" interconnects.(Volume is controlled through the cd player). I am currently playing through a pair of Definitive Technology BP2000's and it really sounds great, although I am considering changing to a more musical and neutral set of speakers such as B&W's, but until then I'll continue to enjoy the awesome sound of this amplifier the way it's set up now.

OVERVIEWThis is one amazing unit. I've read reviews that it has a 'zippy'
top end, but it delivers exactly what is contained in the source. If
the source material is 'zippy' it will come out zippy; the Aragon will not
alter the signal in any way (either by rolling off the highs, or by making
them more 'zippy' for added detail). What goes in, comes out.


SOUND
The unit is limited in its ability to deliver power, only by the power
coming from the outlet. And power is what you will get, I have never heard
dynamics such as this. I'm using NHT 2.9s with the BB, and those 10"
drivers are controlled effortlessly by the Aragon.

The sense of space when playing back music is amazing, and I would guess
the dual-mono design of the unit is the main reason. There is a definite
depth and width to recordings that adds realism. Instruments sound incredibly
real. Subtleties such as a harp being lightly plucked come across with
amazing clarity and resolution; they seem to just hang in space (really, I'm
not just spouting something I've read elsewhere).

Dynamics are also where this unit shines. It has so much current on reserve,
that a transient will often cause all the people in the room to literally
jump with surprise (a very efective trait for HT as well).

Effective test material for this and other units is James Horner's BraveHeart
soundtrack. It contains dynamics, transients, and low-level details that
will really seperate the best amps from the good.


CONSTRUCTION
At 78 pounds, the unit is quite a work of engineering art. The faceplate
is 3/4" thick aluminum, with a distinctive "V" in the top, and a massive
heat sink for each channel occupying each half of the V. The sheetmetal
used for the casing is a beautiful brushed ~1/8" metal, and is very solid.

The unit has double sets of 5-way binding posts on the back for each channel
(for effective bi-wiring), and also has balanced and single-ended inputs,
and a heavy duty 3/4HP power switch.


CONCLUSION
This is a *very* good amplifier. It is very powerful, will provide
details of your recordings that you have not heard before, and is very
easy on the eyes to look at.

I should note that the unit is not only excellent for music, as I have it
mated with the Aragon 8008x3 (for center & surrounds), and the 2 units
together always amaze with their ablity to deliver subtle details such as
grass blowing in the wind, or a startling gunshot from any of the 5 channels.

This is very serious gear, at a fraction of the price of its performance
competitors (Krell, Levinson, et al).

Definitely an audition for those seriously considering a powerful 2-channel
amplifier.



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