2. amps-preamps
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Considering simplifying my system... talk me down (or whatever)

I few weeks ago, I turned eighty.  I don't know how that happened to me, but it did, so I suppose I've officially entered Geezerhood.  Although I'm now ancient, I am anything but deaf.  I have been gifted with extraordinary hearing throughout my life and it continues to this day... I love music (my wife is a professional pianist), and I have enjoyed my current system for several years.

That said, I have been considering simplifying my system by selling my current line stage preamp, phono preamp, and power amplifier (Sonic Frontiers SFL-2, Sonic Frontiers SFP, and Audio Research VT-100, respectively), and replacing the three with a single integrated amp.  

To my ears, this system is extraordinary.  These pieces drive what may be among the best Klipschorns on the planet: 1972 K-horns, modified with Martinelli tractrix mid horns with TAD2001 drivers, JBL 2404 tweeters, and Al Klappenberger's extreme slope networks (20db/octave).  I'll be keeping these until I need some nursing home money (!)

The last time I visited the Klipsch factory (in Hope, Arkansas!), they were using a Cayin something-or-other in their listening room... it was glorious, I think one of those would do quite nicely for me.

Perhaps there is no logic at all to this "simplifying" idea.  I've just been thinking that sooner or later we will find ourselves in a different living situation and perhaps simpler might be better.  So, I'm leaving it  to the brain trust here to talk me down.

Have a nice weekend, y'all
pinkyboy

Showing 1 response by jtgofish

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jtgofish
515 posts
 
I suggest you look into the Bakoon integrated amps.Unfortunately none have inbuilt phono stages but they are compact minimalist sort of amplifiers and have incredibly natural and pure sound.They also sound superb with high sensitivity speakers like Klipsch and Tannoy.They do not sound like any other SS amp you have heard because they do not operate like any other SS amp.They are much closer to a really good SET amp-being current drive and having high output impedance but also using the unique Bakoon Satri circuit.They are by far the best amplifier I have ever heard for reproducing piano.They do tintinnabulation in a way that I have never heard before from an audio system.
I use the 35 watt Satri 5521 but even the cheaper 15 watt ones sound superb.Just to confuse you there are Japanese made Bakoons and Korean made ones.I have only used the Japanese ones.For me they are the ultimate minimalist package because they cut to the essence of what is beautiful in music and dispense with even the slightest hint of grunge or timing smear.

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