Amplifiers:A Keeper for Life. Do you know of one ?

For me, a McIntosh 2105. I have had several other amps, (other Macs, Pass Labs, DeHavilland and Quicksilver) and I'm sure that I will have others, but it is such a soulful amp, and I have had it for so long that I will never part with it. Classic.

Ces4x4,
Yes, I have. I was able to compare it directly to Quicksilver 90 watt silver monos for several months, using Spendor SP100 speakers as well as Celestion SL6s monitors.
The quicksilvers gave a singers head a more 3D quality, which was good. The downside of the Quicksilver (besides frequent blown fuses) was that the tonal balance was so colored compared to the Mac. Plummy bass, and slightly rolled off highs. (and believe me, the Mac is rather mellow)
I think that what I missed the most was the overall "architecture" of the sound. Compared to the Mac, all other amps I have tried lacked the sense of solidity, maybe you could say gravitas, of the Mac. I owned an MC 300, and it was the same story, only since the MC300 was a much newer design, it had a lower noise floor, and was a bit silkier, and I would say the 2105 is a little more midrange-prominent, in the way that tube amps sometimes seem to be. Also, compared to the 2105, the Quicksilver was lacking in image height. The overall picture seemed to be a little vertically compressed.
In comparison to a Pass Labs 250.5, it sounded rich and colorful, while the Pass amp, with 4 different speakers I owned, sounded thin and sterile.
I'm sure that you have noticed that these amps still command prices up to 2x their original retail. Some of that is simply a collector's nostalgia gone wild, but there is also a good solid reason. It is a classic amp because even by today's standards, it sounds great.
I would also like to mention that last year, I had it fitted with abn IEC outlet so that I could get rid of the ancient zip cord that was originally used. I now use a Pangea AC-9 SE. The amp is quieter, and the bass is more powerful.
Pull the trigger- you won't regret it.

Stephenss,
You didn't say what kind of amp you have!

Nightfall,
Very surprising to read the contents of your post to say the least. From what I read, it seems that you have not heard about all of the controversy surrounding Joe Fratus, and how he misrepresented his association with Art Audio as well as leaving several customers high and dry with partial or full deposits kept, but no amplifiers received. The last I heard, another distributor (Hudson Audio?) was in charge of distribuyion, and Joe was nowhere to be found. As I remember, neither Hudson nor Art Audio UK were taking responsibility for the customers who got stiffed.
At the time, this was a big deal, so big in fact that I think that the thread was discontinued if not erased.
I actually checked that date on your post to make sure that this wasn't a few years old!

Excuse my typo on the spelling of distribution.

Nightfall,
I don't think you can dismiss such an incident that affected a number of people with a simple and cryptic comment. If there is nothing to hide, then why have you been asked not to speak about it, and by who were you asked?
From what I remember of the detailed accounts of some of what went on with Joe Fratus, it was far from a case of misinformation.
I hope some others who recall this incident chime in, and maybe we can get some truthful explanation from them.

Nightfall,
Yes, I remembered correctly; the new distributor was Hudson Audio. I just pulled this paragraph from their website, which I was posted there in 2011.

10.17.2011: It has come to our attention that there is some confusion regarding the Art Audio product line and its distribution here in North America. To clear things up I would like to say that all Art Audio products are designed and manufactured in the UK by Tom Willis, except for the Vinyl Ref phono which was designed and manufactured by K&K Audio. Hudson Audio Imports is the distributor and service center for all these products, including the ones sold by the previous importer in the past. All original replacement parts will be supplied by Hudson Audio Imports. Joe Fratus, under the name of Art Audio USA, will not be able to obtain these parts for servicing any of the units that were previously sold under the name Art Audio USA. All service and support for any products that have the Art Audio logo will be handled by Hudson Audio Imports here in New Jersey. For any questions regarding any products that have the Art Audio name and logo please direct them to either Tom Hills of Hudson Audio Imports or Tom Willis of Art Audio UK.

So Nightfall, exactly who did you purchase this amplifier from?

Grabinsky,
You have been a member for 10 years and only one post. By now I'm sure you know that you should only try to sell here through a classified ad.

The Eagle 7 is a very good amplifier. I owned one and wish I had kept it.