Clayton M300 and M200 in the SS area. I do like the ASR but always felt the Clayton had more Raw Power to them. |
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I have an Aragon 4004 MkII that I bought used in 1992. It has given me flawless service for more than 20yrs despite the fact it has never been in the shop for so much as a cleaning. Has driven many different sets of speakers with total authority over the years. |
Dhcod, I've read many similar comments about the ARC D70 Mk2, including from a member who happens to be an authorized ARC repair tech. I wonder if ARC can recondition old D70 units and bring them up to original spec??
I ask because the D70 might make a nice gift for my son. His current amp is a reconditioned Crown DC 300-A. The preamp is an ARC SP-9 Mk I, which I recall was just an "ok" pre.
Anyone have any thoughts about whether the ARC D70 is a better sounding amp than a reconditioned Crown DC 300-A?? Sorry if that's a dumb Q. |
I used to think my ARC D70MK2 was just right. Beat all competitors under $5 in my system but then I heard the Joule Stargates. 25W of SET beauty. Almost a Lamm knock-off, Joule was trying to get OTL sound from SET and they were very successful at it. Unfortunately the amp was too expensive to produce and didn't sell well so they discontinued it to focus exclusively on their OTLs. They come up used on Audiogon occasionally. |
CAT JL-x with KT-120 output tubes |
I will add my 300B amp to this list. It was custom made by Blackie Pagano. I will own it forever. Any other amps I own will be backups to this amp. |
Yup!!
And I sold all 14 of them..LOL
Merry-go-round hobby has no 'keeper for life'
PFF! |
Almarro 318A or B with the right speakers. |
Driving the Vandy 2's....I will be trading in the Nad series 20 for upgrade to Audiolab_8000P, should fill the room and make them sing??????
Phil |
Quad II..Every audiophile should have one in their racks |
If I don't move house and if I don't change speakers I can imagine being burried with my Icon Audio Mb 845II monoblocks. That wouldn't be the case if I didn't hand over everything below 50Hz to a pair of Velodyne DD 15 subs as the Icons don't have sufficient damping for my Usher BE 10 main speakers. |
Jhaxley its why we have several amps but you can still have a favorite or maybe brand.
But I agree something new is like rediscovering your music collection. |
If it hasn't already been said, my Lamm M1.2s. |
Just another perspective: For me, part of the fun of this hobby is changing up from time to time. Tastes change, technology evolves, financial resources become greater or lesser ... I used to think in terms of "forever" but now electronics are more like audio FWBs -- providing great musical pleasure, with no strings attached. |
Matt check out Coda's SS amps either their 15.0 or 33.0,
for that matter if money is not an issue their 60.0 monos are phenomenal.
Any one of the three will make you go Mcintosh Who? |
Is there such a thing?
My personality is that of a horse trader, so I don't keep anything long. |
My Accuphase E350... an amp for life, cos as much as I'd like, don't suppose I'll ever be able to afford E560 |
Eico HF 89 very heavily modded. One for the long haul complete with V-Caps and all parts from left and right channel matched to 3 decimal places and all mil spec parts. Hearing the Kharma 3.2FE play was simply stunning. Jallen |
Tobb.....I am really stuck with the big watt SS amp because my speakers don't really work with lower watt tube amps. My next upgrade will be a new Tube Preamp. I will say that I like to listen fairly loud ,the Darker speakers with the powerful amp makes it happen for me. Until I am willing to part ways with the Dynaudio's and go for something much more sensitive I'm going to stick with the Tube Pre and SS amp combo.
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Matt I felt that way about my MC352 until I heard an Ayon tube. I also thought the MC352 was much better than the MC402.
Less power in the MC352 but much warmer in its presentation.
Then landed back with SS in a Coda 15.0 7X pre combo.
SS Nirvana! |
There is the 211 ruby , 36 rms set. And the 300b ruby , transformers are from europe |
Pavpet,
No info on the Ruby... Has Roger finalized the design? What's the tube complement? Which output trannies did he go with? Thanks! |
Wyetech ruby 211 mono blocks , incredible set amp 36 rms |
For me the Amp I am currently in love with (and so are my speakers)is a McIntosh MC352. Charlie Randal's Finest SS Amp design. |
Perhaps not in the way you intended, but my Classe CA-100 is a keeper for life because I bought it during a time where they offered a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser.
But besides that, it sounds pretty nice also :) |
For Magico S5, clearly to my ears the Constellation Centaur. |
Pavpet,
Can you give me your impressions of new Wyetech Ruby pre, off-line? If this replaced Opal (which I own) please compare & contrast. Goodlawman2@gmail.com. Thx.
Neal |
For me, my Audio Research VT200 is a keeper. I know there are newer products with better specs, including some from Audio Research, but as this was my first tube amp after nearly 40 years of solid state, it was an epiphany. It drives my Magnepan 3.7s extremely well and has a great soundstage and musicality. |
I bought a pair of Coincident Frankenstein 300B monoblocks to use with my Coincident Partial Eclipses and they are doing for me exactly what I want an amplifier to do. The daily revelation of musical insights is absolutely incredible. It is the first time in my audio life that an audio purchase has fundamentally changed my life. They are my ticket off the "merry go round". If you can hear them with an appropriately sensitive loudspeaker with a relatively flat and high impedance, by all means do so. |
Gryphon Colosseum for me...earlier model was 14-yr old Gryphon Antileon which i sold on. |
Roger Hebert s. Wyetech labs 211 ruby monoblcks with the new ruby preamp. Simply stunning |
@ Isochronism, nice set-up you have!,thanks for the post about my mention of speakers.cheers! |
Horch Elektroakustik, Stage pre and Power Stage. I will never need to chage. My last amp. |
My McIntosh MC275 V5 is a keeper.
I don't think I will ever sell that amp.
I really like the looks, and the sound even better with my RCA Black plates, Mullard, and Genalex reissue tubes. |
While on topic of amplifiers I currently run Lowther DX4 in Beauhorn Virtuoso cabinets. |
Audiolabyrinth,
You are excused. I think I was the first to tout speakers in this amplifier thread.
Of course, another member here shamelessly mentions his favorite (Ohms) at any slightest given opportunity. He shall remain nameless for sake of embarrassment (Mapman) HA!
To keep with proper decorum... my personal nominees are my Wavelength Cardinal Signature SE pair and Wavelength 45 Silver prototype pair. |
For amp/speaker pairings, which I agree is more meaningful, I would say quality high power Class D amps and OHM Walsh perform at the highest levels and at price points affordable to many that nothing else can touch.
That is already the case with recent generation Class D amps not to mention that this technology is still relatively young in its maturity curve and well only get even better over time. Class D amps are a true enabling technology that has huge potential to push home audio to significant new frontiers.
Walsh driver and OHM Walsh speakers have been around for years but also continue to evolve and improve and Class D amps enable them to do things that were practically not possible for many in years past. |
While I may never sell my 300B mono blocks; they will not drive many loudspeakers effectively. Eight watts is eight watts, period and loudspeakers mated with them need to be north of 95 db/watt/meter to avoid obvious clipping.
That said; the 300Bs mated with my Tannoys are an excellent pairing and I could live with them till I die. Still, more power is a luxury I am fortunate to afford and 60 watts Class A/120 watts Class AB is even sweeter as I rarely bump my head with these and not a transistor in sight.
Perhaps an amplifier/loudspeaker pairing would have been a more meaningful topic. |
ASR emitter amplifiers are keepers for life. built quality is beyond reproach, cost no object quality.
Sound wise they are very balanced, never creating fatigue but with huge sound-stage and detail. they will match most speakers as their character is neutral (not to be mistaken with cold-analytical)
they count as integrated amps, though the weigh of the smaller one is approx 50 kgr (>100 pounds) including the humongous PSU.
you cant go wrong with an ASR |
@ Isochronism,Thats awsome you have all those jbl speakers! If you decide to start a jbl thread let me know,jbl currently has speakers like the everest model and down with a few new models that are very costly!I am sure they are worth it,the speakers I have are the last high-end,not junk!,none horn loaded speakers they made before they went back to esoteric costly horn loaded speakers,I made the cabinets inert with still points top notch footers,since on this paticular speaker they skimped out on the reinforcements of the cabinets to keep cost down in 1992,the drivers are the very same as the ones in the everest and a couple models below that,the bass and mid-range drivers,My speakers go a little lower in bass than the new much more costler speakers jbl has,the still points and cables that I have should put them in the same conversation as the new exspensive jbls!,sorry amp people,Its not everyday I get to speak to a jbl lover,so please excuse me.,cheers! |
Hello Audiolabyrinth,
The LE8Ts are only single 8"drivers. I just looked up your L7. I was not familiar with them until your mention. Look really nice!! Must sound fantastic!!
I have always been a JBL fan. I actually have a pair (in storage) of JBL 4550 cabs w/ original HF horns and drivers.
Since this is a thread about amplifiers, I've said too much already. |
@ Isochronism,I use JBl speakers as well,the L7,with the Taralabs omega 10" jumpers,one of the best sounding speakers with these top tier cables that I would put against anything in the $40,000.00 class speakers on down!,I have listened to all price ranges over the last 25 years,I accidently stumbled across these speakers a year ago,talking about wow!,they are the most diffulcult speakers to place that I have ever seen,but the pay-off is awsome to say the least 32hz to 27khz,with one of the best imageing and sound stage that I have ever heard from most speakers period!cheers! |
Krell FPB 600. It will drive anything, and is wide detailed and smooth on the high end, never harsh. Love it with my fully restored Apogee Diva's. |
Heathkit SA-3. 3 Watts per channel. 2-EL84, 2-7199, 1-EZ81. 4,8,16 output taps.
I had this playing through EV Baronet cabinets w/ JBL LE8T full rangers. |
i,m hoping my ordered odyssey cyclops/khartgo becomes one.....thrishman, i found going to a morrow audio map3 power cord on my xpa-2 had similar results....i.ll read up on that cullen because i have never heard of it, |
Got an Emotiva XPA-2. Upgraded the power coed to the Cullen crossover cord.........OMG!!! Sound stage expanded all over the place. Instruments became more focused, and the air.....For right now I don't see how I could do better. |
The legendary Krell FPB 700CX!,midrange to die for,plenty of power,finese,bass that is defined and deep,a huge well focused soundstage with plenty of three dimensionality and depth,with good quality cables like the Taralabs zero gold,omega gold,cabolt, all the best current offerings of Tara,this amp sounds better than what most people have ever heard this amp with these cables,quite supriseing to say the least!,A toast to all,cheers! |
Recently purchased a BEL 1001MKV. Love this amp. |
Coda for me. I have 2 15s stereo amps converted to monoblocks linked to the 05X preamp and the 06x phono preamp and I'm looking no further. Nirvana.
Great thing about Coda is that you can talk to the owners and they are so accommodating. They set up my phono amp specially to match the loading of my cartridge. They also converted the 15s for me at the factory so when they arrived it was minimum setup. They make and design all their equipment in the factory in Sacramento Ca.
They are the best. |
