I heard the following system at High C Stereo in Virginia in the mid-1980's. I can still recall vividly how realistic it sounded.
Crosby modified Quads
ARC D-70
ARC SP-10
Linn table and arm/Koetsu Black
I don't know that things have advanced all that much since then. |
Tandberg amp,pre,and tuner-150wpc
Nakamichi ZX9 cassette deck
Yamaha PX-2 TT
dbx III
ADS L1530 speakers
The above was my system through the eighties.Also a Koss headphone amp. I won't trust 20 year old memories enough for comparison , but I felt it was 10K 1984 dollars well spent. |
This was my Reference System (for small ensembles) back then, and it still is today. Mind you, the Quads simply will not ROCK or do really well on large orchestral works.
-Quad ESL63 speakers
-Spectral DMC50 Amp
-Spectral DMC10 Preamp
-Sota Sapphire Vacuum Turntable
-SME Type IV Tonearm
-Cartridge of choice (Koetsu, etc.) |
Tandberg 3012,Creek cd 60 Legacy studio monitors.As above from somebody ,maybe not sota,but will still blow away alot of new stuff. |
speakers: apogee
amps:krell,threshold,bryston (apogees need POWER)
pre:counterpoint,AR,copland
source:ANALOGUE !!!! (linn,michell,sota,VPI)
isolaion:mission isoplat w/spike feet under component |
Great responses so far...keep em coming...I've often thought if I ever had the room I'd purchase a Krell KSA 250 or Mark Levinson 23 series amplifier just for kicks... |
Why, this thread sounds like my system.
Krell Ksa-250 (1992)
Kinergetics KCD-55T transport (1992)
Counterpoint DAC-10A DAC (1992)
Audioprism Mantissa preamp (1994...a little short of 15 years)
Apogee Duetta Signature speakers (1992)
I've switched the Krell out of the system for around a year now, and inserted tubed monos. I still have the old Krell waiting it's turn...maybe this summer.
Dave |
Garrard Zero 100 with Shure Type 3 improved cartridge, an AR Tuner, a Dynakit PAT 4 (now wished it were the PAS 3) which I still own, and a Dynakit Stereo 70 (both of which I built). Rectilinear III's, which I still own, were the speakers. I really liked that system. The Stereo 70 is long gone (wished I'd kept it, too), the Garrard, the AR tuner, and the PAT 4 gather dust in the upstairs closet. |
I once had....Snell Type A,Perreaux SM3 pre amp, Audio Research D-60 amp, fronted by a mid 80s Linn Lp12,Ittok,Black Koetsu....sounded great...Really miss the Snells, would like to get another pair someday. |
It may not have been SOTA, but this was a honey of a system that retailed for $2K in 1989/1990. I paid about $1500 for it new. My wife and I had just split up and this was my gift to myself.
ADCOM 545 power amplifier
ADCOM 500II preamp/tuner
Magnavox CD 630 CD player (made by Philips in Belgium)
KEF Q55 speakers (original Uni-Q standmounters)
Kept the ADCOM's for 13 years before changing over to Musical Fidelity, the Magnavox for 10 years before changing to a SONY SACD ES player, and the KEF's for 7 years before changing to EPOS ES 11.
Regards, Rich |
Goldmund Reference TT/Ortofon 3000/Cello audio palette with electronic xover facility/Symphonic Line Kraft 400 class A x 4->Hartley OR modded vintage Klipshorn (alnico drivers) OR ??? |
Nelson Pass Aleph1, Jadis JP80, Magnepan 20.1s, Goldmund Studio, |
This was my system (I still remember the romantic music)
Crosby Modified Quads
Jadis JA-80
Jadis JP-80MC
Marantz 10B
Sota Cosmos
Breuer Dynamic Arm
Koetsu Rosewood
for SS:
Spectral DMA-80
Spectral DMC-10(?) |
mcintosh pre amp 28
mcintosh 2210 amp 200 watts
ads 910 speakers
denon turntable w/denon mc cart.
ads cd
great system, retailed around 5500.00
would blow away any 5500.00 system of today's standards |
Goldmund Studio with any of the great cartridges of the time, Counterpoint SA9 & SA11, ARC D250 or VTL 225/300, all premium NOS tubes, Martin Logan CLS or SoundLab A1. Just imagine what such a system might sound like with the top cables of today. And all that we have learned about clean power, power cables, component isolation, etc. |
