The Galion Navy, Discovery & Comet Defy HiFi Logic.
By Steve Huff
For the last 7 months or so I have been listening to a tube preamp from Galion called the Navy. This pre-amp has quickly become one of my favorite pre-amps for mainly four simple reasons.
#1 Sound Quality. #2. Price. #3 Design. #4 it uses tubes.
For starters, it uses for 12AT7 tubes which I love as a tube pre-amp is often a great mate to a solid state amp, adding some of that sought after warmth along with the large soundstage that tubes are known to throw. While 12AT7’s are not known for their tubey goodness, when you roll in the right tubes here you can enhance things here and there. I have done this myself and have experimented for months with the Navy, in anticipation of this review which I knew would be a very long term kind of thing.
I will also review the brands Discovery Mono amps within this text as well as I have had them here for months, listening, comparing and enjoying. The new Comet amp has been here for a few weeks but I will also spill the beans on this quite special under $1700 amplifier. Yes, I did say special as the Comet amp is a bit different from the Discovery in the realm of the mirage and treble, and it is right up my alley in sound signature.
I will spoil it here but I have just made the Galion Navy and Discovery my reference for a pre/power combo and for me this is quite insane as I usually go for “the good stuff” or should I say “The fancy looking pricey stuff” as for me this is what usually sounds the best here but this time it’s different.
The secret here? This Mono amps set from Galion is the good stuff, and for a few grand less in cost than the others who these actually compete against. I am not talking about brands such as Rotel or those who make affordable gear like Galion as the Navy and Comet compete against higher end brands that cost much more. That is what I love about Galion as it’s one of the brands who are truly into delivering what we want, for less.
The Navy Preamp.
The Navy is the flagship pre-amp at Galion and thus is built very well indeed. It’s in a larger chassis than the brands lower priced P75 pre-amp and maybe more handsome (or not depending on tastes), which is usually the case for a brands flagship product. As good as the P75 is from Galion I couldn’t believe the sound improvement I was getting from the Navy in soundstage depth, imaging and clarity though with what seems like even more dynamics and even bigger bass. It’s also silent, clean and open with audiophile traits in the imaging and holographic depth it can weave.
While stock tubes are as good as it gets for “stock” I fond tubes that bring the performance of the Navy up to new levels from RayTubes.com, namely the 12AT7 select tubes. I wouldn’t bother with NOS these days as there are new tubes that sound as good or better but come with an actual warranty. After spending thousands on “NOS” tubes I was left disappointed and a few ended up going bad quickly. Sound wise, they were not really more special than what is being made today by brands such as PSVANE or RayTubes. The Select 12AT7 are superb and I also own some RayTubes 300B Reserve tubes which are fantastic for a 300B application.
The RayTubes elevated the Navy pre-amp in the soundstage, the body, the imaging and well, almost everything. I would consider this a “must have” upgrade if you go for the Navy but this can be done anytime and listening to the stock tubes first is well worth it before the switch.
The Navy has a nice muscular look and while it sounds better than one specific over $10k preamp I had here for a while, this Navy preamp comes in at only $3395. As I listened to this pre-amp in my reference system with some matching Galion amps I have on hand (the Discovery and Comet) I always sat and asked myself “HOW CAN THIS BE”? Seriously. I have heard some big money pre-amps over the years and the Navy get scary close to them in sound and while I can not speak to the Navy’s long term reliability, it has been solid for the last seven months or so that I have had it here.
There is something unique about the sound of the Navy and while I can not put my finger on it, I hear it time after time when I place it in the system. It must be the tubes but the Navy is not a soft, mushy or in any way bass bloated preamp. Instead it is very dynamic and allows your amp to shine with clarity while the bass and the midrange is clean, silky and ever present. There is also some warmth injected but just enough to make it oh so right. This is a stunner in sound and for me also bests the Galion P75 which is also sort of a giant killing pre. I will say some may prefer the P75 as for me it brought a bit less all out resolution and sparkle but more of the tube sound, meaning more puffed up bass in the mids, which can be nice.
The Navy sits atop the Galion Discovery Monoblock amps. I will say now that the Discovery amps are all out masterpieces and at $1999 a no brainer if you are looking for a high current amp that delivers the goods in dynamics and WOW factor. They are clean, clear and powerful in sound but also have body and huge low bass capabilities. These sound like a high end audiophile amp in many ways yet for both the cost is under $2k. Insane.
I am getting ahead of myself a little bit here but I believe that this pre-amp may one day be seen as a classic, and probably sought after by those seeking an amazing deal for a really great tube based pre-amp. It’s that good and especially for the price it commands. While not a “cheap” preamp to purchase the Navy doesn’t feel cheap in any way though I have felt “better” in parts and build on the exterior, again, noting fancy here with the Navy. No display, just black with blue LED’s. To some high end products it can look “cheap” but that is just the outside appearances. On the inside the Navy is rocking it with parts and design:
I feel the price was kept low maybe due to not having a fancy display of which the Navy has none at all. This is almost like a new model vehicle that sells for $75k but one in which you can get the base model for $30k. Same exact performance but without the added bells and whistles which we do not necessarily always need.
For me the Navy brings the performance of a higher end high performance preamp but in a stripped down chassis. Interestingly enough, the Navy was created to be a matching pre-amp to the Galion A20 Class A 20 WPC amp but guess what? We can no longer buy the A20 as it was discontinued by Galion yet the Navy remains. All in all this pre-amp is a fantastic buy at its price point and performs to a level of $5-7k pre-amps or 2X the cost. This makes it a superb buy for those who like dynamics. drive, clarity and holographic imaging injected into their audio system.
Yes, I used AI to enhance some of the photos here. Just testing it as it can improve lighting and while I hate Ai in
The Discovery Mono Block Amplifiers
The Discovery come in at UNDER $2k these are just unreal in performance. Both the Navy and Discovery are pretty much dead silent in operation as well. At under $5500 for a Navy and Discovery setup, it’s kind of insane really, what I have been hearing from them as they get so close to the sound and refinement of say a good $20k pre/power but at 1/4 the cost I will argue the gap is small and yes, for me this combo is more than “good enough”.
So yes indeed, what really has excited me the most about the Navy and the Discovery amps I have been running is the cost to purchase them for what I get back from them. I will also review the Galion Comet here (the newest amp $1700) so stick with me as these amps sound different to one another and for my sound preferences I will say I may prefer the Comet. This doesn’t take away from the incredible sound of the Discovery, which I also love. It really depends on the music I listen to.
Burn In is Real, Sort Of
The Galion Discovery mono amplifiers have some serious mojo but out of the box, fresh, they may sound a little hard, edgy and flat. This happened when I placed them in fresh from Galion as brand new amps. When I first heard them I said to m myself… “This is about what I would expect from an under $2k set of Class A/B mono amps” but after say 30 hours of use I was in disbelief as the amps blossomed fully and now were painting quite the lovely soundstage with depth and life. Energy and dynamics were here yet injected with a tiny bit of warmth and beauty. Imaging that could make some higher end pieces jealous. Yea, I was hearing all of this from the Galion Navy and Discovery setup.
While only 80 WPC the Discovery amps sound like a much more powerful amp due to being high current, which is more important than watts to these ears. For example something like a $9000 Yamaha AS3200 integrated amp is not a high current amp, and it may suffer driving some harder to drive speakers. The Galion amplifiers are high current and have a much easier time as current is needed for many speakers to shine. I always seem to prefer high current amps to those that are not as the sound is also more dynamic and offers a sense of ease.
Thomas, who runs Galion, is alot like me it seems. He has a strong passion for 2 channel audio and while I just sit here and write/shoot videos talking about my love of audio, Thomas took it way further than this. He decided to start a company and make audio gear that sounds awesome, looks great and performs to a higher end level than the price he charges. After hearing so much gear as a reviewer he chose to offer up products that he himself would love, with a great value as well. High performance, spend less to get it. That works for me.
This is why I love that he is a YouTuber who turned his passion for reviewing audio gear into something real, something tangible and something that can benefit so many in this hobby who do not want to spend the cost of a starter home on an audio system. Instead of a guy who may say “what can I get into to make a fortune” I feel Thomas did it right by going with his passions, turning them into real life tangible experiences for all. I am sure with this set of gear his profit margin is much lower than most in this hobby who sell gear. How could it not be when you get a set of true mono amps like this for under $2k?
Oh, they have been rock solid in reliability as well. No issues at all just as with the Navy. I am sitting now listening to the Navy with Discovery amps along with the Fleetwood Helios speakers. I have the Matrix NT-1 streamer and SC-1 clock in play (my reference) with the Audio Mirror Wave DAC (DAC reference) and the sound is not making me want for more, at all. It seems the money I sunk into my source would dictate I spend more on my amps but this is not the case really. While my streaming setup with DAC has a retail of around $33k, does the Galion stack at under $5500 do justice to my source equipment?
Well, yes it does and it took me maybe over 100 hours of comparing and listening to really let it sink in that I did not have to spend more. Even with my $11k T+A Talis R330 speakers the Galion gear is not a bottleneck at all. It powers them with ease, power, drama and even a wow factor at times. These Discovery mono amps are indeed keeping the same Galion tradition and by that I mean they are true giant killers. Even moreso than the A75 power amp from Galion. These are the real deal.
Yea, Let me talk a bit about these Discovery amplifiers.
The Discovery Mono amps. Well, I will argue that these discovery amps sound a bit better to me and look much better in design than the Galion A75 Giant Killer. These are also dead silent in operation and have zero buzz or hum in my room where I often hear buzzing from lower cost gear. I feel these look much nicer than the A75 as well and seem to have a cleaner more refined sound. Again though, give them at least 24-40 hours of play time for them to sound their best. Out of the box the sound is a touch congested and edgy. After 30 hours they have none of this.
To these old eyes, the Discovery amps look like a much higher end amp than the now famous A75 as well. Along with the Navy these amps make for one hell of a system. After hearing some mega amps, big money integrated amps and many separates that cost so much more I am flabbergasted at the performance of this lovely setup.
Does it get better? Well yes, I have heard “better’ but not for anywhere even near this price point. For example, I will say that I may prefer the sound of the SoulNote A2 MKII Integrated amp I recently reviewed a little bit more, as in 10%. But the SoulNote, while made in Japan vs China, costs close to $10k so almost double for 10% better in sound and refinement. I am sure I can get “better” for $20k, $30k, etc but for $5500 there is nothing I am aware of that will get close to this combo for sound, ability to drive so many speakers and even style.
I have really been enjoying these Galion amps with the Navy and it took me some time with them to fully understand how good these really are. I love them.
The first to snag me…
While I have really enjoyed Galion products in the past, and have tried them all, this setup here is different for me and is showing me that Thomas is upping his game over at Galion. His newer products seem to be getting better and better in quality and refinement. Even so, I do not see his prices getting jacked up as many others seem to do. Even with tariffs he is keeping his prices down, which is another thing I applaud. I keep hearing from other companies telling me that the tariffs made them raise prices.
As for this review it is more of a love letter and I will admit this right now. I could talk about the specs, the tubes, rolling tubes or even talk about the endless hours of listening I did with this setup, and I will. I could talk about how I once had a $13k pre-amp here that I struggled to enjoy and the Navy, at least IMO, sounds better at almost $10k less. Now again…do not get me wrong… I am not saying the Navy is the best preamp ever made, not at all. I am saying that it is well made, uses top tier parts, has a superb design, has an all metal remote and has a sound that is open, transparent and dynamic yet also has some warmth and a realism in the mids that is spooky at times.
The Discovery amplifiers are possibly the best buy I have see in HiFi in a long while. True mono amps, nice looking, high quality parts and all out gorgeous sound and again, quiet and noise free here in my room. They drive my speakers here with ease and deliver a striking sound, one that startles when the music calls for it. I will say the Navy preamp seems to be a bit of a high gain design so not much volume on the dial is needed to make the speakers come alive.
Going to my T+A Talis R330 speakers the sound is again… alive, dynamic, hard hitting bass and imaging that is up there with some of the big money brands. I will say the Galion combo at $5500 has more treble sparkle and air than my Vinshine Dazzle integrated amp ($8500 USD) but offers up less all out power. The Dazzle can deliver 580 watts into 4 ohms, which is crazy but there is not a speaker on earth that the Dazzle cannot drive with ease.
Sound wise the Discovery sounds more “audiophile” vs the Dazzle but take that however you like. These can do all of the things many seek with the soundstage and again, focus on clarity, drive, energy, dynamics, imaging, depth and bass is stunning, for sure in no way lacking. It’s big yet controlled.
The Discovery amps sounds much more powerful in use than on paper, just as the A75 does from Galion. They easily drove my 87DB 4 ohm T+A speakers in my 13X18 space and brought a sound that was detailed, resolute and magical in the soundstage department. The Galion Discovery amps are in no way clinical or cold but they lean ever so slightly to the musical side of neutral, which is awesome.
THE COMET – Simply Special.
So the Comet arrived and as soon as I placed it in vs the Discovery I heard the change but I did let the comet run for a few days in a smaller 2nd system to burn in as out of the box, again, a bit congested. After this run in the Comet was instantly warmer, and sounded more like tubes to me as I now heard midrange glow and magic along with a smoother treble vs the Discovery. The Comet for me offered a bit more soul and warmth vs the more energy filled Discovery. I just heard a more welcoming sound with the Comet but some may like the Discovery better for the all out detail and resolution it seems to bring. The Discovery is more illuminating vs the Comet and has more upper treble energy as well as a slightly leaner midrange (vs the comet).
The Comet brought many late night stirring “soul sessions” with the Navy where I was immersed and relaxed by the music. Yes, my Audio Mirror DAC is doing alot of the work here as well because this is a special DAC that does immersion like no other DAC I have heard. It is magic. So going back to the excellent Weiss 204 MKII ($3999) the sound was still beautiful, warm and fluid but now I heard less 3D and detail separation was not as well done vs the Wave. Still sounded top level but this showed me what a truly top level DAC can do within a system. This also means these Galion amps are allowing me to hear the differences in my front end, which is good.
After a week of pure daily listening with the Navy and Comet I went back to the Discovery and was wowed again by what it does. Detail, Energy, Illumination and a sense of drive, attack and dynamic power. I loved them as well with my T+A and Fleetwood speakers. Even so, the Comet had the ability to touch the heartstrings more. I may end up going to the Comet as my reference but hey, who am I kidding. I will use both as they both bring different things. I suspect though that I will leave the Discovery in most of the time when testing preamps or enjoying what they do during my personal time.
OH, and Thomas sent ne a couple of his power cables to test. The P200 and P400. After this I can easily say I want two more P400’s and now will try his RCA interconnects as well. His P400 is stunning and the competition for it may cost around the $2k+ area. The P400 is under $500. I would highly recommend one if you go for a Comet and a P200 for the PreAmp. This is how I am running them after trying them with three other power cables. The Discovery would probably benefit from a P200-P300 per cable more than the P400 as the P400 uses silver.
I WAS WRONG
I have had this setup running on and off for months and I admit, for one month it sat in the corner, unplugged. Getting no love. Why? Well I had more expensive amps here to test and they were calling my name like a drug. I said “ohh, look at this fancy amp, it costs so much so it must be amazing” and yea, I was wrong to think this.
Yea, that amp was indeed amazing but I was wrong to leave the Navy and Discovery alone for so long. I would look over at them and think ‘if I put these in, my sound quality will suffer” as many times when more affordable gear comes in this is indeed the case.
This hobby likes to trick us sometimes. To make us feel “lesser than” if we cannot afford the cool stuff. Some brands also spend money on making amps look good with bling, fancy shiny metal and displays. None of which add to the sound quality. With Galion we lose some of the physical sparkle of the high end brands in looks but really give up nothing in sound. Galion also offers many options for those who like different kind of sounds and offer up three power amps along with two integrated tube amps.
The Galion A75 for an all out fantastic amp to power your speakers costs around $1500 USD and is considered the “Giant Killer” in the lineup but I like the Comet more for my tastes in sound and looks. It’s more refined, sweeter and for me, brings a more emotional connection.
The Mono Amps are for those who want the audiophile kind of vibe with all out imaging and details being exposed yet also has some life, body and a hint of warmth. The P75 Preamp is under $2k and also uses 12AT7 tubes and is crazy good for $2k but the Navy is more of an audiophile style preamp, hence the extra cost. Even so, Galion is offering us choices. I have never reviewed a Galion product I did not enjoy but the Navy and Comet and/or Discovery are just superb.
Galion as a company is maturing nicely and now offering some very serious products for not so serious money.
Why I made the Navy, Discovery and Comet part of my reference review setup.
I like the looks as these now look better vs the A75 with their simple understated black color and zero loud graphics or bling. The rounded corners add a nice touch as well. Just the electric blue light when on, which is not bright at all. I love how the name is embossed into the front, in black, on the amps. Stealthy indeed. I love that I can roll tubes in the Navy preamp to change up the sound if I want to do so. I can go warmer, I can go more impactful. I can go a little more forward or a little more recessed. Just by changing the tubes. I also like that the tubes are inside of the chassis and not exposed up top.
Also, being a reviewer of audio gear these are reference for me due to what they cost for what they bring back in performance. I may never get pieces in to best them at this price point but I will always seek them out. I love a good bang for the buck, so this is my “bang for the buck and then some” setup.
The only reason I can give for spending more is:
- If you have the funds, buy what you love and what connects with you, no matter the cost as this will make you happy.
- You may want better in looks as the Galion products are somewhat bland here so spend more if you want the bling. I like this myself in audio products…great looks.
- Spend more if you have brand loyalty to a high end or fave brand, if you want to. I do this sometimes as well.
- Maybe you need more power, which many do. Spend more if so.
- You want something that is not made in China.
- Finally you may want something a little more refined. You can get that last 10% in beauty, immersion and fluidity, smoothness and immersion and better looks but yes indeed BE PREPARED TO PAY FOR IT.
These are reasons you may want to spend more and all are valid. With this said, if you only seek superb sound quality with great parts being used in the build do take a look at Galion. Heck, I enjoy the look of the amps myself. Sleek, stealthy and nice. I also love that Thomas tunes these by ear many times and this shows. I feel many more should do this.
One more thing. I used to have the P75 here and I really enjoyed that one as well but to me the Navy is a little more refined, a bit quieter and brings out more musical detail from the depth of the tracks like many high end products do. The P75 for me was warmer, richer and plumper yet still delivered on details and soundstage. The Navy sounds like a proper high end preamp but with some of the best qualities from the P75 injected in as well.
I can easily recommend the Navy and the Discovery either alone or together. They are a superb value within the audio hobby and deliver shocking performance for the price. I can easily recommend the Comet amp as well as it’s more soulful and sweeter vs those all out striking dynamics, clarity and energy.
I did not test the Galion amps at this time with another preamp as I wanted to get the full Galion synergy, and this is what I got! I may test them later on with a new very high end preamp that is starting to ship soon ; ) Maybe then I will be able to fully put the Navy to the test.
See the products at the Galion website HERE, There are also many actual owner reviews there so see what they have to say if you like!
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