Little Milton, don't get too excited. Some here just like taking pot shots at the HCA-2.
I find it hilarious that many of the amps that are often compared to the HCA-2 are 2 to 3 times more expensive than the HCA-2. And if modding a product means the product wasn't "well-engineered" to begin with, then virtually every component ever discussed here has to be considered poorly engineered because they all get modded searching for better performance. Not to mention the manufacturer mods (upgrades) to their own products, i.e the Spectron I, II, and now III or the Bel Canto 2002.x or xx, xxx. I can't even keep up with all of the Bel Canto changes. I am shocked, in fact, that Spectron and Bel Canto had to come out with so many upgrades to their products since Nealhood annointed them as "well engineered". And the ironic thing is that the HCA-2 upgrades I did to the HCA-2 cost $75 vs. the Spectron and Bel Canto upgrades which cost several hundreds more!
I think you get my point.
Spend $75 in premium parts on a $1,700 amp and I suspect it will compete with any of the amps mentioned here. Oh, and BTW, in its stock form it kicks the crap out of the Bel Canto based on virtually every post I have read comparing the two.
Click on the Review section at AA and read the HCA-2 reviews and the follow-up threads. There is much good information there from posters who have actually done direct comparisons of the HCA-2 to other "well-engineered" amps. Either the balance of the opinions at AA are correct about the HCA-2 or the "drive-by" HCA-2 posters at the 'Gon are correct. Take your pick. |
Muralman1, when you say Ear, are you talking about the Tube amps Tim Paravicini designed.
Which model number for the Ears. |
I have not heard any other digital amp other than
Spectron, but have owned many great amps in the
past such as McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe JR Model 7
mono blocks, and many many others and I have gone
back to the Spectron twice, and believe it's the best
amp I have owned (and it's the older D-1).
If I ever go to another amp, it will be a new Spectron.
It makes my Green Mountain Europas sing!! |
Stereo Times reviewed the EVO very recently too. They are going to regret using up so many superlatives on the other reviewed digitals.
I've hear all but the PS, and that is not in the same power league I need. IMO The eAR is hands down the very best amp ever produced.
I've run some of the best solid state amps, and tube amps too, and using the eAR improves on the sound in all categories. It's mids and highs sound like tubes, except with total clarity into the musician. The Bass is as powerful as with the biggest Krells, but natural at all frequencies. What's more, the eAR exudes power like you've never witnessed.
The ICE module has greater potential than the TacT and TRI Path modules. Only Rowland, and Acoustic Reality has produced home audio amps with ICE. The Rowland uses digital switching in its power supply, while the AR uses analogue. The difference is easily heard.
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Nealhood, the PSA amp stock sounded better to the Bel Canto and Spectron amps I've had in my system. No $1000 pc, no fancy caps, no smoke and mirrors, just clearly superior sound reproduction in my system. Try it before you trash talk it.... |
I also heard the Acoustic Reality EAR II amp was about to receive a good review. I can't see how StereoTimes
could give it more of a "rave review," then they already gave the MII and Tact 2150, but hey, that was last month.
I've heard the MII and Tact 2150 and they're both excellent. The MII excels at dynamics, the Tact is more detailed. The Tact also allows you to eliminate a preamp & dac from your system. |
I hear tell StereoTimes is coming out with a review of the Acoustic Reality EAR II amp. Suppose to be real good. The Bel Canto, Tact, newest Spectron and Rowland are all very good amplifiers. The appear to be well engineered and don't require replacment exotic power cords, new capacitors and other circuitry changes, etc to sound decent. I like a well engineered product. |
I got to go with the Spectron Musician 2 Amp. I heard this Amp on the JM Lab Electra 946 speakers. This Amp sounded so smooth and sweet. The build quality on this Spectron Amp looks average, but man did this Amp sound great.
On most digital Amps the build quality is ok. The Tact Millenium I think is built the best. That weighs 60 pounds. I'v not heard the amp, but the Spectron Amp was as good as any Amp i'v heard. |
5 years warrantee can also be a pain when you should send your unit back to manufacturer for repairs or replacement(s).
It realy matters how many units had to be returned for a warranty service within given term of a such...
My experience was directly with servicing and repairing a digital amplifier. |
I've only heard the TacT at a show, but was mightly impressed. |
Marakanetz...My experience suggests that digital equipment tends to be much more reliable than analog. The Carver executes an automatic self-test every time it turns on, and has various other self-protection features. On top of this, the Warantee is five years. I sleep peacefully! |
I run the Musician II with Maggie 3.6's. Superb,superb,superb............ |
One side is a great potential to get more power due to the high efficiency but in my listening experience I only heard the lack of one despite even of power ratings.
I also heard about reliability issues with digital amps where the clocking circuitry may often go down taking away the output stage. |
I have heard Bel Canto on HE 2003 in SF with Grand Utpias and was very disappointed, two years ago heard GU with Lamm and dCS and electronics it was another league. |
Does "best" take price into account?
Can anyone provide a list of "steet" prices for the units in question. I paid $840 for my Carver 1600s. |
In addition to other companies like Bel Canto that will likely be around in 10 years and have world class real support, there are offerings from Audio Research: model 150.2 (not their 5 channel capable 150-M, but a new 2 channel listed at $2495)see http://www.audioresearch.com/150.2.html
and Jeff Rowland see http://www.jeffrowland.com/Model%20201%20Page.htm#specs |
Acoustic Reality. Do a search and you'll find some people who are using the amp over some major brand name amps. |
Don't forget the PS Audio HCA-2 150 watt per channel power amp. |
AR: www.acoustic-reality.com
and Jeff Rowlands new ice power amp are two good candidates. |
