I will make a prediction. I predict that the custom amp that David Berning is building for me will be the best sounding amp. My instructions were to build the "best sounding 45 amp on the planet". It will be a 12vdc battery-powered, Hand-wound Choke-loaded, Single-Ended Triode, no feedback, Zero-Hysteresis Output-Transformerless(ZOTL) amp using one pair of Type 45 output triodes. It will have no step-down power transformer, or rectifier, and no output transformer. All connections will be point-to-point hand wired, with shortest signal paths possible. This will be a no-holds-barred amp with no compromises for style or packaging. Many SET fans will agree that the 45 tubes are the sweetest of all. And there will be nothing between them and my single-driver Lowthers, but 3 meters of speaker cable. I should have this amp in a few months. The process has started. |
Audio Note Ongaku; period. I have listened to the Lamms. The Ongaku, paired with Audio Note speakers is simply heaven on earth.
Carl |
I have owned both with Mark Levinson just leaving recently and now Halcro in my room and I have to admit ...the word LUSH and total transparency as well as the lowest noisefloor I have ever heard .. -24db of niosefloor you got with the halcros compared to the levinson is what I have been told..and I can attest to it as the black on these amps are amazing.
Pls they are spectacular to look at.
wanna See them http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/mzn50/ but pls don't tease me about the RPTV, I know it looks out of place. :)
Matt |
Did we miss suggesting Halcro SS amps? They are beginning to show up more and more in high end demo rooms. I'd like to listen to them A/B against the ML 33's I'm sure that would be an interesting omparison. I've heard both separately but never in the same room so I could compare them. |
come on brian what about the 4s and 8s. ANY TUBE RESEARCH AMP IS THE END OF THE ROAD. some one in high end audio just got a pair of mono 200s. this person has a pair of 300000 $ ongocuon. i dont think the spelling is right. o well. the tube researches are not for sell. BEST OF THE BEST. |
Tube- Tenor OTL's
SS- Accuphase A-50 V's bridged to monoblocks.
Overall- Tenor OTL's. Best of the Best. Period. |
Tube- Tube Research Labs 100 Mono's or 200 Watt Monos, Jadis 200's And I've heard that the Wolcotts aren't bad. Solid State- I'm not sure |
Tube : Atma-Sphere MP-1 & MA-2 mkII
SS : Cello Audio Suite & Performance II mono's
NUFF SAID, legends are created in years not seconds. |
I'll echo Bryceeboy's Atma-Sphere MA-1 or MA-2, MkII, recommendation. I live with a pair of MA-2 MkII's and I have never heard an amplifier with better reproduction of harmonic overtones, resolution of inner detail, rock-solid soundstaging and overall agility than these. |
Tube: Audio Research Ref 300!
SS: Classe Omega ! |
If your A LAMM fan check out Lars Fredell's review of the Aloia amp. It equalled his Lamm reference at one-tenth the cost. |
tube Conrad Johnson premier 8A. note the premier 12's were stereophile rated class A also, they are not in the same league as the 8's. |
For solid state, the best I've heard are the Levinson 33s; for tubes, a few--Jadis JA80s and JA200s (using Gold Lion KT88s); Lamm ML-1s and 2s; and the Audio Matiere Ultimas. |
My two cents are for SS the Spectral 360 Monos and the Jadis 800 for tubes. |
i vote for my levinson #33 monoblocks. unsurpassed power and authority but grain-free, natural and delicate. at 360 pounds each they are theft-proof too. and.....you won't need to heat your room. problems i had previously assigned to my speakers, the software or the source hardware was revealed to be the amps when i upgraded to these amps. made my #33hs sound broken in comparison(i'm not kidding). |
Whoa guys,
I vote for Spectral monoblock 360's. Wish I had the time to listen to all that other good stuff though |
Atma-Sphere's MA-I or MA-2, MKII versions. |
My vote goes to NEW Goldmund Mimesis 29.4+ for solid state and for tubes . To be perfectly honest the winner must be CAT JL-1 Signature and Jadis JA-250.
Have fun :-) |
Oh, that's easy. For tubes, my vote goes to Conrad-Johnson Premier 12. And for solid-state, the Mark Levinson No. 33, and the Mark Levinson No. 33H.
--Charles-- |
My vote goes to the McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe Limited Anniversary Edition. Very powerful but extremely musical and fast. I had compared with Moon W-5, Krell KSA-300 and Levinson 335. Tubes, I would give my vote to Audio Aero's top model monoblock. |
I'll agree with the Lamm ML2 for tubes. Best SS I've heard is the Mark Levinson 33. |
Errr, "hear some of the others mentioned..." is what I meant, ofcourse. |
I'd add KR-8000 and Jadis (#??) monos to the Lamms, for tubes. Also vote for FM Acoustics ltd ed. and the big Pass, for ss.
Would like to hear some of the other some mentioned; would love to be able to afford the likes of FM Acoustics, too... |
nobody can say anything.because synergy is different between each amps and speakers.and nobody can listen all the very good amps of the world at the same condition.but for me...new goldmund limited edition,fm acoustics limited edition,biggest burmester brigded,krell mra,wavac 833,vac 140/140 renaissance signature,lamm ML2.i think theses one has been made without any cost considerations. |
