Lazarus hybrid amps...anyone hear them?

I own a Lazarus Mk II 200w hybrid amp.

To this day, I believe it is a great amp. The only reason I am not currently listening to it is that I screwed it up trying to do some simple mods to it. It was my first foray into modding anything. I tried changing the output wiring to solid silver, replacing the RCA's with better ones and installing an IEC to replace the captive power cord. I loved this amp! But unfortunately it is toast.

I am currently using a modified HCA-2 (this time I got the mods right after the appropriate amount of research and reading) which I think is better in every respect, save one. Being a hybrid amp with tubes (6dj8's), the Lazarus had a deeper soundstage. Other than that I believe the HCA-2 is superior. However, I have upgraded so many things since the Lazarus it would be interesting to hear how it would compare today with the same components and tweaks.

One caveat, there is no factory service or schematics available.

I have a pair of h1a's which I plan to sell simply because I no longer use them. They are robust, dynamic and musical. A friend knows them pretty well, having tweaked a pair for a mutual friend some years ago and owning one himself.

i have a chance to hear them recently. i had 2 on hand, but the power switch on one was broken.

sonically speaking, it is very warm in the midrange and a little soft in the bass. a little distant in the soundstage department. the detail was a little lacking. not a bad amp, but nothing special imo.

please keep in mind it is a 50 wpc class a amp and i was using it alon II which are 87 db efficent. when briged, they are 200 watts rms.

i think you can do better.
alot depends how much you want to spend, what speaker are you u using it with, power requirements, system matching etc...

hope that helps !!

mike

Jsujo, which Lazarus is it?

Mine was the MK II hybrid, 200 wpc (unbridged), tons of bass slam (with the appropriate tubes of course). Amperex Orange Globes were great, Mullards were warmer, but the bass was also a little sloppy with the Mullards.

If you can get them at the right price then they will probably suit you well depending on the model. I have not heard the 50 wpc so my comments about the Lazarus have to be taken in context as to which Lazarus you are looking at.

There is one for sale now...the 200 watt/ch hybrid. Its the same price basically that I can sell my McIntosh MC250 at...The extra power would give me speaker choices.

OK, I have one at home, and I am tremendously impressed. The music has much more body. It has tremendous reserves (100k uF) and I am happy as can be.

Its going thru a Berning TF-10 tubed preamp, Thorens TD165 TT and Parasound CDP-2000, and JBL L-96's on tall Sound Anchor stands....