Goldmund’s $500,000 Telos 9800 Delivers Over 1,500 Watts Because Apparently Power Has a Penthouse

Goldmund has introduced the Telos 9800, a new flagship mono power amplifier that delivers more than 1,500 watts and represents the most advanced amplifier the Swiss company has developed to date. With a $500,000 asking price, one might reasonably wonder whether it also includes a chalet in Gstaad, a numbered bank account, and someone to explain the purchase to your mistress in Geneva.

The Telos 9800 builds on the foundation of the Telos 8800, introduced in 2023, while incorporating new design and engineering developments that move it above both that model and the recently launched “midrange” Telos 4800. Goldmund does not replace its flagship amplifiers very often, so the Telos 9800 will likely remain at the top of the company’s lineup for several years.

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The Swiss Touch

Engineered and assembled in Switzerland, the Telos 9800 is built around an entirely new amplification platform. Its power supply and amplification stages are housed in separate but interconnected units, allowing each section to operate under optimal conditions while reinforcing the system’s overall mechanical and electrical integrity.

Designed with a symmetrical signal path from input to output, the Telos 9800 is intended to preserve signal integrity while minimizing electromagnetic interference and unwanted noise. It remains stable into loads as low as 1 ohm and incorporates comprehensive protection systems designed to maintain reliability under demanding operating conditions.

Developed in collaboration with designer Cécile Barani, the Telos 9800 introduces a new visual direction for Goldmund. Its two-part form mirrors the physical separation of the power supply and amplification stages, giving the amplifier a functional relationship between its internal architecture and exterior design. Precision-machined aluminum surfaces, a new digital interface, and a restrained gold accent complete a look that is notably more architectural than Goldmund’s previous flagship amplifiers.

Taken together, Goldmund says these design and engineering changes allow the Telos 9800 to deliver high output with greater control, particularly during demanding musical passages and large dynamic swings. The company also claims improvements in low-level detail, clarity, and overall precision, although those performance claims will ultimately depend on the associated system, loudspeakers, and listening environment.

What Makes the Goldmund Telos 9800 Different

Power Output: The Telos 9800 delivers 1,560 watts RMS into 8 ohms, with a specified total harmonic distortion (THD) of 0.005% from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Dynamic Range: Goldmund specifies a dynamic range of 117 dB, measured with a 22 kHz bandwidth, which is intended to preserve low-level detail across a wide range of listening levels.

Damping Factor: The Telos 9800 has a specified damping factor of 900 at 1 kHz and an output noise floor of less than 3 μV, both of which are intended to support low noise and strong loudspeaker control.

Gain: Amplifier gain is adjustable in 3 dB increments, allowing users to better match the Telos 9800 with different source components and system configurations.

Analog Signal Path: The Telos 9800 uses a fully analog signal path from input to output and incorporates thermal and short-circuit protection. An automatic shutdown system is designed to protect both the amplifier and connected loudspeakers in the event of an operating fault.

Connections: The Telos 9800 includes analog and digital inputs, including RCA and XLR connections. The rear panel also features multiple loudspeaker binding posts, a ground-lift switch, a universal power connection, and a 12-volt trigger input for external control.

Power Management System: Goldmund’s proprietary power-management system combines 10 kVA of transformer capacity with the largest capacitor bank the company has developed to date, providing 648 mF of stored energy. Custom capacitors, in-house-designed transformers, and a redesigned amplification stage using next-generation power boards are intended to improve stability, instantaneous current delivery, and loudspeaker control under demanding loads.

Goldmund Telos Mono Power Amps Comparison

The Bottom Line 

The Goldmund Telos 9800 occupies a rather lonely corner of the high-end audio market where 1,560 watts into 8 ohms, stability down to 1 ohm, a 10 kVA power supply and 648 mF of energy storage are considered reasonable engineering targets. Its new two-unit architecture, which physically separates the power supply from the amplification stage, is arguably more interesting than the headline power figure because it shows how far Goldmund was willing to go to improve isolation, current delivery and thermal management.

There are alternatives at this level, most notably the Dan D’Agostino Relentless Epic 1600, Boulder 3050 and CH Precision M10, although each approaches the problem somewhat differently. Anyone spending $500,000 on amplification is well beyond conventional notions of value, and system matching becomes far more important than shopping from a specification sheet.

For that reason, Goldmund’s own passive loudspeakers are probably the safest and most logical place to start. Models such as the Tethys Passive keep the amplifier and loudspeaker within the same engineering ecosystem, whereas Goldmund’s flagship Gaia and Apologue speakers already incorporate their own Telos amplification and therefore do not require the 9800.

Is the Telos 9800 necessary? Of course not. Neither is a penthouse overlooking Lake Geneva. At this altitude, that stopped being the point several hundred thousand dollars ago.

Price & Availability

The Goldmund Telos 9800 is priced at CHF 400,000 per unit, approximately £370,000, €430,000, or $500,000 USD.

For more information: goldmund.com

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