My local dealer has a Mesa Tube amp in thier show room,big bugger. they keep it around for looks i think lol. not sure if it works never seen it up and runing.
Mesa Engineering Baron vacuum tube power amplifier
Does anyone still own a Mesa Engineering Baron vacuum tube power amplifier from the 1990’s? It was Randall Smith’s (of Mesa Boogie fame) first, and penultimate, foray into the audiophile realm.
- ...
- 8 posts total
I was not aware that the Baron was Mesa’s penultimate amplifier, @porchlight1. What amplifier did they manufacture after the Baron? |
jasonbourne71: You should see the review the long departed and deeply missed Audio magazine gave to it in their December 1996 issue. I saved that issue for some reason… cleeds: Their second effort was an amp called the Tigris. It was based on multiple EL84 output tubes using their “Tandem-State Imaging” system. The Baron used six 5881 outputs per channel. Both amps used this system that offered both triode and pentode operation plus two intermediate modes. |
The Tigris was an integrated and a great one at that. I compared it to the CJ CAV-45 at the time and it smoked the CJ. I couldn't afford either and bought a BEAT 100 from Audio Outlet in Mt, Kisco, NY
The Baron was a stereo amp that had two separate power supplies and two power cords. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650007817-mesa-baron-tube-amp/ |
A direct report employee of mine, at an audio manufacturing company we were both working for, called Mesa Engineering around the time the Baron Amp was introduced and was able to speak with Randall Smith. After the conversation, Randall sent him one to try. It ended up at my house for a couple of months, hated to see it go. Very holographic and versatile using the output mode selection. Awesome product. |
- 8 posts total