Odd shaped Amps and preamps
I think Mike Maloney founder of THE Show and before that Scientific Fidelity takes the prize for best sculpted amplifiers. Mike Maloney, Scientific Fidelity Amplifiers Good Listening Peter |
If you can find them, then Thor Audio built everything in circular chasis. They are defunct but were well thought of tube amp and pre amp manufacturers. Who makes those wild sphere speakers and crazy electronics is it Studio Electric or something to that effect?? Look around for it, pretty wild and crazy. |
Maybe a bit off of the beaten path, but perhaps you could look into the Hypex NC400 amplifier modules. They are class D and seem to be what the people want these days, in terms of class D. What sort of package you put them into is up to you and the sky is the limit. Getting a pair of modules and power supplies is the next thing on my audio "to do" list. From what I've seen on other sites, guys are putting them into all sorts of enclosures. Again, from what I understand, just taking the parts and throwing them into an enclosure gets you a very good sounding amp. |
That Scientific Fidelity Trillium is just beautiful. I have been to THE Show many times but don't remember seeing or hearing it. Maybe it's time to correct that. Thor is on the short list as well but most of their stuff is black and gold. Keep 'em coming my friends. This is all very positive and I am really thankful for the help and all the great ideas. For source pieces I am using a Teres 155 all-acrylic TT with lead shot ballast and an Oracle CD2000 CD Player. Lots of polished metal and glass-like finish...that's the idea here. |
Not exactly on point, but related. In my contemporary living room, the system comprises a small chassis Pathos Classic One integrated and the matching Digit CD player driving SF Cremonas. These components were chosen as much for appearance as for (nonetheless pretty damn fine) performance. I don't use the system (or, the room, for that matter) very much, but it's summertime, the kids are out of school and...... We happened to see the "Heads Up" party my wife and I were hosting this past Monday evening wander into the living room. The system got fired up for the first time in while. IMHO, it sounded almost as great as it looks. The Pathos gear is rectangular, but definitely sculptural in its own way. I'd think it would fit on your stands, but you'd have to double check to be sure. If an integrated amp and CD player would work for you, I think this combo is worth at least a glance. Good luck with the hunt. Marty |
A couple of others: there was a guy out west, ElectronLuv, who made this wonderful Flash Gordon meets Doctor Frankenstein's lab gear, the casework was marvelous, have no idea how the gear sounded or what he is doing now, but I'm sure you could look it up on the Intra-Web.(TM). Also, Jeffrey Jackson (Experience Music) has some interesting 'steam-punk' styled case work for some of the custom made components he builds, uses mercury vapor tubes, retro switch gear, something that would feel quite at home in Edison's lab. Also, a blog he runs called Hi-Fi Heroin is all about vintage gear, some of it pre-WWII Western Electric, etc. Punches my buttons, don't know about yours. enjoy. |
