Now that Ive had eight years to think about it, there were a couple of components that I bought, back in the 90s, that curtailed my audio endeavors for quite some time... my girlfriends boobs. |
Tidal Piano Diacera for sure! |
Mark Levinson No. 27 power amp, Audible Illusions Modulus preamp. This combination is by far the best performing duo I've come across so far. |
Stax 323 Series 2 amplifier for Pro Electrostatic Headphones. |
I could have list many such products, such as the ARC SP-3 pre and Dual 75 stereo amp, the H-Cat preamp, Fulton Premiers and speaker cables early on, but the reality is that whether I was looking or not, I found superior components. I now know that such thinking about looking no more is fanciful.
I have components and cables now that are far superior to earlier "best" products. |
Kerry-
for me, Conrad Johnson electronics. Transparent Cable/Cords. I am still auditioning both cd/sacd players and speakers. |
Almost there. Finally found a PSE Studio IV amp, added a Cal Audio Tercet MK IV CD player and a Luxman T117 tuner, Cardas speaker cables and Discovery Signature interconnects..older KEF 102 reference speakers ( go the 80's)...this summer will slip in a Cary SLP50 pre and a sub and only trod the Audiogon boards to window shop. |
Mcintosh MA7000, Monitor Audio GX300 speakers. Could not afford the PL300's. |
TRL ST-100 stereo tube amp
TRL Dude preamp
Intuitive Design Gamma Summits
Mosaic Suspension Bridge power conditioner
Mosaic ICs and SW
Sistrum SP101s
Starsound technology Energy room (the room is part of the "system after all).... |
B&W 802 Diamonds! I'm building my new system around them. I have some old Mac gear and Mitsubishi automatic turntable and arm with a Grado X6 cartridge. I am using Analysis Plus Black Oval 9 speaker cables and Oval One interconnects, and considering either an Oppo BDP105 or Primare BD32 universal bluray player. Later, I may decide to install a McIntosh surround sound processor and multichannel amp. However, I am primarily interested in good stereo music, and if my old reconditioned MC2505 amp and C26 preamp are up to the job of driving the 802's, I may very well take the advice of Normanseizemore, and be happy with my stuff, old and new. |
VAC(amplifier) & Von Schweikert (speakers) |
The Krell amps - so transparent and powerful - I love it. |
Tannoy Canterbury SE's
PrimaLuna Prologue 5
Decware Zen Torrii III |
My Leben HiFi RS28CX tube preamplifier is likely never to be replaced unless I can one day afford a Jadis JPS8 preamplifier. I like this preamplifier better than the Audio Reseach, McIntosh, and Cary preamplifiers that I have owned in the past.
My Bob Carver Cherry 180M tube mono blocks will also likely never be replaced.
My Jadis JS2 D.A.C. Would only be upgraded with a newer Version of the Jadis JS2, but I am very happy with it so I dont see that happening anytime soon.
I love my Core Audio Component Rack and Isolation Stands, they will never be replaced.
That's about it. |
My current system as is, cables and all. Especially cables, thank God! I turned into a neurotic crazy nutcase looking for the right ICs for my system. Turned out that for me, I preferred copper for all cables (SC, IC, and PC). That really helped me zero in on what was best for me. So I am done looking. Though will still go out to hear other equipment, but only out of curiosity. Not because I am dissatisfied in any way. (Chose to not list my equipment here. You can look up my system if curious.) |
Calloway, I appreciate your kind offer. If I ever have another cause to be in the East, I would hasten to give you a call. Alas, being retired there are few business trips. |
After years of change I purchased a pair of Quicksilver V4 mono amps. I am finally done changing amplifiers. |
Modwright tube Oppo 83
Placette Active preamp
Pass Labs XA30.5 |
Classe' CP-800 Preamp. The Preamp is one of the finest I have heard. The DAC built in IS the best I've heard. The headphone amp is outstanding. Bass management function is awesome. Flawless HT bypass. The product truly is revolutionary. I could go on.... |
Audiopax Amplifiers. Whilst I will always consider upgrades to other gear, I doubt my amplifiers will ever change and I am not actively looking for a replacement. |
Tbg..you are more then welcome to come and listen anytime. you will be familiar with my speakers so it should give you a pretty good idea as to how good the amps are. come and stay a couple of days at my house. i can have the creators of the 'Grails' there .i think..for any of your questions. i promise good food and wine too.. |
Audio note TT3 Super, AN Meishu Silver, AN-E Spe Sign!!! |
Calloway, I am going to have to give these a listen. If only they were not so expensive. |
Chalice Audio 'Grail' SET monoblock amps...nothing i have heard comes close...! |
Mapleshade single and double helix speaker cables. |
Ebm, given your bent for exaggeration, I must say I expect that within a year, your list will be entirely different.
I have never thought that anything would stop me for further looking. Probably the closest I ever got was the Decca London cartridge in the 60s. I still have two around here somewhere. |
STEALTH cables,MAGICO speakers and THORESS Preamp Dude!!!! |
My new Breeze speakers from Vapor Audio. These are some of the best speakers I have ever heard regardless of price, and they are silly inexpensive. I got mine custom built, redwwod burl, matching stands with crossover in the stands,
amorphous core Raal tweeter, and Dueland resistors. This is my last speaker puchase! See my reviews if interested. |
I have to agree with Ohm speakers. They are wonderful. |
Well, I still have my Jm Lab Mini Utopias, that must count for something. But just like a happily married man, I might stop searching, but Ill probably never stop looking :-) |
3 things: 1) rockport speakers, 2) modwright sony 5400, 3) TG audio for ICs. |
First Heard'em;
Then drooled over 'em, all the while fantasizing over 'em; and ...
finally SOLD OFF MY ENTIRE EXISTING SYSTEM and bought 'em ... AND NEVER LOOKED BACK.
now:
REGA ISIS VALVE CDP
REGA OSIRIS INTEGRATED AMP
REGA R9 SPEAKERS
CHECK 'EM OUT, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED. |
StillPoints isolation feet, except the Ultra Fives are better than the Ultra SSs. |
Ohm loudspeakers. After owning/reviewing ~40 pairs of speakers in 40 years, the Ohms did it for me. |
STAX headphones, paricularly the tube driven units. |
ARS Emitter....I think I'm done. |
TW Akustics Raven One turntable, Joule Electra LA150 Mk2 preamp. And my 1983 Fender Stratocaster which is a reissue of their '57 double (not triple) sunburst.--Mrmitch |
Well Tempered Lab Amadeus -- a world beater. |
here's one from the "supply" side. My Fender Custom Shop Stratocaster. |
1. Vienna Acoustics speakers.
2. JL Audio fathom sub. |
|
Usher R1.5 amp
Usher BE 718 speakers |
A few:
EMT 927st with 139st phono, ortofon RMA297 and EMT cartridges based on pressing at play.
Kanno K597 Field coild tweeters even if the original WE or GIP are said to better, can't see how. |
tidal 'contriva diacera-se speakers |
My Blue Circle NSCS/Shahinian ARC combo has been in use for 6 years. In that time I've not auditioned any other equipment. So I suppose that qualifies as "equipment that has made me stop looking." |
you know tbg, i had read about that potential before i bought them so i made sure that i bought the first "metal screen" and it seems to do the trick. no hums anywhere (i don't use tubes, for what that's worth), except when used on a cable box and, in fact, it probably exhibits less hum there than any of my other digital cables. i went with glass optical for that anyway, though.
this is from the vdh website:
>>The major difference between the members of our The FIRST ® series is their shield series resistance; Our The FIRST ®, The FIRST ® Ultimate and The FIRST ® Metal Screen progressively exhibit a lower shield resistance. (Respectively: ~14, ~4.8 and 0.0049 Ohm/m.).
[...] The FIRST ® Metal Screen with its lowest shield resistance has been specially designed for those situations where excessive ground currents flowing through the cable shield are present (e.g. with some tube equipment), in complex grounding situations and/or where extra shielding against strong external electrical interference is required (e.g. in highly electrical noise polluted areas). << |
Atma-sphere S-30. Fabulous sound and able to get a jumper to lower the gain, which gives me more fine-grained control of the volume on my pre-amp.
Stopped looking, but I am saving my pennies for the upgrade from MK II to MK III.1 |
Dcrugby, my only problem with First was ground loops given its high resistance. |
van den hul "the first" cable used as a digital interconnect.
warm and terrific soundstage. |
I must say that I seldom find much from major manufacturers that excites me. The little guys seem to have the passion that moves them toward excellence. Obviously, I have had instances where I thought something would cause me to stop looking for speakers or amps, etc., but soon I was looking again. Now being in my 70s, I have a new thought, namely that I might have the last speakers, amp, etc. I am still looking and listening, however. |
