Counterpoint SA20

There's a Counterpoint SA-5000 preamp listed today on Audiogon. Read the ad or better yet email the seller.
You'll probably want to sell the amp ASAP, after this...

Daniel,
I just read that ad and wow! Sounds like AltaVista is pretty horrible, and I understand his frustration but he will never get out from under that preamp with that description. Unless of course his intent is just to slam Alta Vista in which case mission accomplished. Unreal!

I didn't figure it would cost so much to fix it for that much money i can buy a couple of amps I look around and there is a place call green audio that fixes the Counterpoint waiting for a reply costly TO FIX THE AMP . Any idea what i i should sell for just to recover what I lay out ..

Daniel and Jond, one consumer's problems with a product or company does not imply everyone should run from the product or the company. I have seen that SA-5000 preamp listing here for several months. First of all, anyone who has nearly $8k invested in an 'updated" SA-5000 is a fool. With the Aria WV5 out almost 4 years now, at less than $8k, and which handily outperforms any variation of the SA-5000, why would anyone put so much money into the upgrade. The same goes for the SA-11 which was in a completely different league of performance over the SA-5000. These older Counterpoint products are fine for repair but upgrading them now makes no sense at all.

My experiences with getting a Counterpoint NPS-400 and SA-2 repaired and updated through Alta Vista Audio were quite different.....both were major success stories. And the Aria WV5 preamp designed by Michael Elliot continues to perform incredibly well against the competition at much higher cost than the Aria.

Concerning the Counterpoint SA20/220, Michael Elliot, the designer, has written for years that the amplifying devices for this amp are no longer available. Buying these amps used today, might result in great sonic performance, but once the amp dies, the buyer has few options without spending much for a fully rebuilt amp with newer parts, This is costly. But as one person here wrote, some of these older devices might be available from ann amp that was sent in for upgrade.

My experience with Mike has been very good. I had the basic upgrade to one of the amps and then did the rest of the modifications myself. Whenever I emailed Mike with questions regarding what parts I wanted to try versus what he used, he was always very helpful. Remember that Mike knows the product better then anyone and he backs up his work. I still own my modified COunterpoint and find few amps that can compete with it when you get it fine tuned. The old mosfets were known to fail. Once they do, do not get the used mosfets, that is a mistake. Either update the amp or sell it.

Happy Listening.