My evolutionary chain is much shorter:
Onkyo Receiver>
Bryston B60 Integrated>
c-j Premiere 11A amp
+
Airtight ATC-1 Preamp
I am content with this combo right now, and broke from taxes, so I'm sticking with it for the forseeable future. |
Began with a HT system that eventually evolved into a combined HT/2-ch system. You can see the evolution of amps from a mid-fi multi-channel to high-end multi-channel to fantastic sounding 2 channel. Am using the Berning for fronts, the EAD for the remaining 5 channels. Great combo.
Carver 806x 5-ch
ATI 1505
EAD PowerMaster 2000
Berning ZH-270 |
My amp evolution is as follows:
Hafler DH-200
ESS amp (can't remember model)
Bryston 4B NRB
Audio Research 100.2
It has been an interesting journey. |
My main system jumps around too much to call it evolution. But my secondary system in a home office (bedroom) is (all with phono and CD): Onkyo Receiver, Rotel Receiver, NAD 302, Cambridge Audio A3i, YBA Integre DT. |
B and k ht 5 channel amp
carver cinema grand 5 channel
clayton s40
bat vk 60
jrdg model 10 |
Moscode 300
Linn Majik
Pass Aleph 3
Pass Aleph 2s
BAT VK150SE |
From start to present:
Copland 401
Bryston 3b-st
Copland 504
Classe Ten
Krell KSA300s
CJ Premier 12's
Wolcott mono's
Blue Circle BC2's
CJ Premier 5's (next) |
Phillips Receiver
Adcom 5500
McCormack DNA-1DX
McCormack DNA-2DX
Sonic Frontiers Power 2
McCormack DNA-0.5DX
McCormack DNA-2DX Rev. A, bi-amped
McCormack DNA-2DX Rev. A (present system) |
Marantz
Tandberg 3012
Cary 300 SEI
Vac 30/30
Fi 2A3 Monos
Pass Aleph 1.2
Audio Research Ref 300 Mk II
Accuphase A-50 V (2 bridged to mono)
Tenor 75 WI |
Junk receivers
NAD 2400 THX
NAD T770(my home theater mistake)
Redgum RGi120s |
JVC RX-8 receiver
Carver 1.0
Counterpoint SA-220
Melos stereo 200 triode
Audio Valve Balduar 240's triode
Conrad Johnson premier 12's [loaner]
BAT VK-120 Mono's
Conrad Johnson premier 8's wish I still had these.
VTL 450 signature's |
Marantz Model 26 - 8 yrs.
Dynaco Stereo 120(w/mods) - 6 yrs.
Naim Audio NAP 110 - 11 yrs.
Berning MicroZOTL(NOS tubes) - current |
My start to finish:
Harmon Kardon pm 645 integrated
Onkyo receiver
Creek 4330 integrated
Odyssey Stratos (soon possibly for sale)
Innersound esl amp
|
In a 5 month span.
Technics surround receiver (owned it for 1 day)
Musical Fidelity A3 Integrated (nice intro to SS)
Rogue Magnum Tempest Integrated (really nice intro to tubes)
Rogue Magnum M120's (these are AWESOME and will be staying in my system for a very long time) |
After the Sony and Yamaha receivers I started with a used Carver t-1 amplifier. As soon as I graduated college (and got my first real job) I bought a new Rotel 990 upgraded to a McCormack DNA-0.5 which I enjoyed for many years (great amp). Bought a Levinson 331 that really didn't do it for me and decided to make the jump into the world of tubes. After auditioning many amps I ended up with my current amp....Audio Research VT-50 and couldn't be happier. |
After a couple of receivers, went thru the following:
CM Labs 912
Dynakit ST-70
Moscode 300
McCormack DNA 0.5 dlx
McCormack DNA 1 Rev. B (my present unit) |
Onkyo Intergrated
Onkyo M504
Onkyo M588F
Conrad Johnson P200
Sony N90ES
Muse 300 series II (present). |
pioneer receiver
krell kav 300i
mark levinson 336 |
Sony DA777ES receiver (got full refund after 3 months)
Marantz SR18EX (loved it, but one day, suddenly converted to a 2ch guy)
Sonus Faber Musica (heck, I own Sigs, so why not?)
CJ Premier 11A (gosh, I thought 'this is it!') + FT Audio LW1 passive controller
And now, Berning ZH270 is on its way. Can't wait!
Ken |
Main system amps used:
Huge, ugly, trashy Toshiba receiver (age 10-13)
NAD3020 integrated (got on the right path at the age of 13)
QUAD 404
Classe DR3
Classe VHC
Classe DR8 (2 of 'em, sold one off)*
BATVK500*
Other systems:
Audio Refinement Complete integrated (office, sold)
NAD7250PE receiver(garage, sold)
NAD L40 all-in-one (bedroom, sold)
NAD7100 receiver (home office, sold)
NAD2100? amplifier (home office, sold)
Grado Headphone Amp (main system, sold)
Headroom Airhead headphone amp (travelling system)*
Linn Classik all-in-one (bedroom system)*
Linn Classik all-in-one (office system)*
NAD7100 (garage system)*
Proton 930 receiver (daughter's system)*
Carver HR752 receiver (son's system)*
Pioneer SX-3600 receiver (outdoor system)*
NAD T760 Home Theatre Receiver*
Pioneer Premier GM- X602 amplifier (car)*
Pioneer GM-X314 amplifier (car)*
Items in asterix I still own and use. Sheesh, I thought this list was going to be a lot shorter than the speaker post. |
Bryston 3B, Krell KSA-50 Mk II, ARC D-70 Mk II, VTL Compact 100, Rowland Model 3, Krell KSA-80B, Krell KSA-250, Meitner MTR-100 monos, Krell KSA-100 Mk II, Classe DR-2 (bridged pair), VTL Tiny Triodes, Musical Fidelity A300, ARC CA-50. As of 4/7/02, I have an ARC D-115 Mk II driven by an ARC LS-15...and I had a 6-yr break from audio, somewhere in between all this! Pre-amps? Thats another story...
RR |
arc-vt100....aloia 13.01 x 2 ( biamped ).....tenor 75 WI,currently and probably for a long time. |
I don't change that often, but I have still had a number of amps.
Kenwood 7300 (78-83)
DIY 20W Class A (83-87)
Beard P35 (87-91)
Classe DR-8 (91-97)
Krell 300i (97-02)
Aleph 30 (02-) |
NAD 2155
ONKYO 565
ONKYO 787
Carver pro 225 w/c (2 ch)
Pioneer Elite M-91 (2 ch)
B&K 200 w/c (theater)
Citation 7.1 4x175 w/c (theater)
Mark Levinson 332 (2 ch)
Mark Levinson 335 (2 ch)
EAD Powermaster 2000 5x400 w/c (theater)
Tenor 75 wi (2 ch) |
Eico integrated
AR receiver (yes they made one)
Yamaha a700 integrated
NAD 218thx
Bryston 4BST
Classe CA200
ARC 100.2 |
Here is my little amp evolution
Quad 303
2 X Classé DR-2 bridged
Classé DR-3 VHC
Carver M4.0t
McCormack DNA-2 DLX LAE |
Marantz 2230 receiver $320 - 1979
NAD 7130 receiver $300 - 1985
Golden Tube Audio se-40 $900 - 1996
VAC PA 35/35 EL34 TRIODE-BASED $1800 (USED) - 1999
MOTH AUDIO CUSTOM S45 (2A3/45) SET $1800 (manufactor-direct) - 2002 |
'84 NAD (?) 70 watt integrated
'85 NAD 2200?
'86 Threshold Stasis 3
'01 Threshold T200, B&K AVR305(HT)
Pass Labs may be in my future... |
Pioneer receiver
Luxman receiver
Citation (H/K)
PS Audio 200CX (?)
Aragon 4004 mk II
Coda Model 10
Coda Model 20
Parasound HCA2200 mk II (downgrading, audio disease out of control)
Classe CA-200 (The bug is back)
Threshold T400
Happy, for now. |
From 1987-)NAD2200,Mcintosh2002,Counterpoint sa12,Classe DR10,Sonic Frontiers 80,Krell 50s,Cary 300sei,Bryston 4bst,Cary Rocket 88(ahhhhhh),I'm so ashamed! |
Dynaco Stereo 120
Macintosh 225
Macintosh 275
Macintosh 2105 ( two )
Marantz 16
Crown DC300
Crown D60 ( two )
Threshold 100
Threshold 800
SAE mono's
Sumo ( two stereo, run one chan each )
McCormack DNA
Quad ( two stereo, mod to mono's )
PSE Mono's ( six as tri amp )
Counterpoint SA4 Mono's
Audio Research D76
Atmasphere M60 Mono's
Atmasphere MA2 Mono's
Robertson
White Audio 750 ( now Llano, subs / surround)
Sound Valves 70 ( surround )
Tube Research GT400 Mono's
Viva Aurora 572 Mono's
Viva Aurora 845 Mono's
BWS 845 Mono's
Wolcott Presence Monos
Probably forgetting some, this is what I remember right now. |
Always wish I would have bought that Bedini...
1) Lafayette receiver - still own
2) Macintosh 240 amplifier - my father's, he says it's still somewhere around, down the shore
3) Philco receiver, with an 8 track!
4) Sony something or other, 1970? receiver - still own
5) Fisher receiver - yes, I can hear you laughing - still own
6) Emerson receiver - OK, OK, have your fun(8 track & cassette) - still own
7) Panasonic 1976 receiver(yes, with the cassette player) - still own, it sits in its original box
8) Kenwood early 80s integrated amplifier - still own
9) NAD 2600A power amp - still own
10) VTL Stereo 70 - when the Manleys were new
11) Carver Silver 7T monoblock amps - should have bought the Amazing Platinums instead, they would have been keepers
12) My uncle's homemade Williamson circuit tube amplifier - hated giving it back...
13) Jadis Orchestra Reference integrated amplifier - still own
14) Will be buying a new power amp in the next two months - hmm, what will it be??? |
**Past**
Marantz Receiver
Dynakit ST-70
Onkyo Integrated
Sansui SX1100 Receiver
Adcom GFA-555
PS Audio Delta 100
McCormack DNA-1 dlx
Denon 3600
Rotel RB985
Bryston 7B ST monos
Bryston 5B ST
**Current**
Onkyo 484
Parasound HCA-2205
Classe Omega Omicron
NAD C350 |
Marantz 2270 reciever
Denon 2 channel reciever
Adcom 5... forgot the # but it was 100 watt/channel
Arcam 8r integrated
Linn LK100
Creek 5350SE
These do not include my office and home theater. |
Apature Integrated (1982-83)
Audionics CC-2 mono pair (83-86)
Adcom CFA-555 (83-2000)
Sony STR-DB930 (00-00)
B&K AVR-202 (00-00)
Anthem Integrated 2 (00-00)
Bryston B-60R (01-01)
Sony STR-DB930 (01-01)
Arcam Alpha 9 (01-01)
Arcam Alpha 10 (01-02)
Sony STR-DB940 (01-01)
Denon AVR-3300 (01-)*
Monarchy Audio SM-70 pair (01-01)
Plinius 8200 (01-02)*
Monarchy Audio SM-70 pair (02-)*
B&K AVR-202 HT Only (02-)*
* Denotes Items I still own.
Note: Yes, I do realize that I bought and sold identicle items a couple of times. As prices dropped, items became better values and I re-purchased an identicle item only to find out why I sold it in the first place!!!
The B&K receiver dropped from $2850 list to $1850 and I bought it. I returned it to the dealer because it was too complicated to set up. I have since determined that all HT receivers are a pain. I just found a brand new in box B&K AVR 202 for $999. So, at about 1/3 the original price, it was a bargain I could not pass up.
I originally bought the Monarchy SM-70 pair and ran them unbalanced. I committed to sell them, then tried them in balanced mode. VERY NICE. So, when I found a good deal on another pair, I bought them.
Enjoy,
TIC |
SAE Integrated (from 1980 to 1995)
Acurus A150 (1995 to 1998)
Golden Tube SE 40 (1998 - 2001)
McCormack DNA 0.5 (2001 - present)
Spectral DMA 100 (next) |
Crown D150 ARC D52B ARC VT100mkII |
Benjamin portable system that I took to college
Marantz SR1000 receiver, gift from my parents
NAD 7140 receiver
NAD 2200 amplifier
Krell KSA 50 Mk. II (shoulda held that one)
Krell KSA 80
Audio Research M300s, which I had changed to Classic 150s after a few years
Jadis JA 80s (still use for 200hz up)
Meitner MTR 101 plusses, still have, debating selling
Sonogy Black Knight Mk II (below 200hz) |
NAD, Denon, Macintosh receivers
Threshold SA300 (first separates)
C-J Evolution 2000
Lectron (wonderful low power French EL-34 driven amp)
Jadis Defy 7
Jadis JA200
Classe 301 (This was a downsize, or so I thought)
CAT JL-1 LE
Atma-Sphere MA2-Mk2 (Best performance in my system)
A-S may last for awhile. Maybe an upgrade if made available |
Main rig:
Parent's console stereo (1970's, blew the speakers...)
Sony 2 channel receiver (1983)
HK 2 channel receiver (1985)
Bryston 3B (1988)
Bryston 4B-ST(2000)
Home theater system:
Yamaha rxv-1103 Digital 5 channel receiver(1999)
Denon 1802 Digital/DTS/PL2 5 channel receiver(2001) |
First amp--something I tore out of my great-aunt's 1950's vintage RCA console stereo. All tube, wish I could find it now!
Then B& K 220
Electrocompaniet AW250
Mesa Baron
David Berning ZH 270
I still have all of these, somewhere. |
Sherwood S8000-III receiver
Dynaco Mark III (mono)
Two Dynaco Mark IIIs
MacIntosh MC2105
Mark Levinson 331
Two Mark Levinson 331s (bi-amped)
Mastersound Reference Parallel 845
(same as VAIC, still have)
Don Garber Fi Super X 2A3
Homemade Gordon Rankin's "Bugle" Stereo 45 (still
have)
Wavelength Duetto (still have)
Electra-Print DRD 45 monoblocks (still have)
Electra-Print DRD 300B monoblocks (still have) |
Clearly I have not owned enough amps. I need to do something about that.
Fisher receiver (SS, circa 1968)
Superscope receiver (circa 1973)
Pioneer integrated
Pioneer receiver
Yamaha integrated
Threshold 400A
dB Systems DB-6 (I still have this if anyone would like it)
Audio Research Classic 30
Pass Aleph 5
Pass X-150 (current)
Pass Aleph 3
CJ Premiere 11a (current) |
Geez, you guys started out a lot higher on the audio food chain than I did. The evolution of my main 2CH rig:
Lafayette kit SS integrated
Technics ? receiver
Yamaha AX100
Adcom 555 Mk II
Quicksilver Silver Edition Mono amps
ARC VT-100 Mk III (current)
2nd ARC VT-100 Mk III (current)
Oddly, its all still in use except the first piece. Brother in med school has Technics rcvr (poor guy) and 'rents have AX100. I still have the other three in use. |
Techniques receiver 2yrs
Denon 350 W Amp 2 yrs
McCormack DNA .5 yrs
Pass Aleph 2 2 yrs and counting |
Marantz 2230 receiver
NAD 1130 (?) [the 30wpc integrated from late 70's]
a long pause
Adcom 555II
Adcom 5400 (Stan Warren modified)
Berning ZH270 |
Nikko receiver
Sherwood receiver
Pioneer receiver
Yamaha integrated
And now the high end:
Kenwood L-07M Series I
Conrad Johnson MV75A-1
Threshold S300 Series II
Rowland Model 1
Coda Technologies Amplifier 20
Coda Technologies System 100
Air Tight ATM2
Rowland Model 10
Accuphase A-50V |
Yamaha receiver
Carver M400 (cute cube)
Carver M500 (still have, runs whole-house audio)
Adcom 555 MKII (until a few months ago)
Aloia
Aloia x 2 (vert bi-amp) |
Yamaha CA 410II integrated (first college system circa 1977)
Harmon Kardon HK4700
Yamaha A/V integrated ( early model just awful)
Adcom 545
NAD 2100
Hafler 9500 Transnova
I have had the Transnova for over 8 years. I am currently lusting after a conrad johnson amp since I have a c-j preamp, but won't be in the budget for years. New baby and one starting college :) |
When I started this thread, I thought that it would be easy to remeber, as well as shorter than the thread on the speakers. I was wrong and I even I suffered a lapse of memory for the last years of college, graduate school and the first few years of working. I start with that famous Laffayette receiver at age 16. Who else grew up in New Jersey and remembers Laffayette? Sansui receiver to Sansui integrated, about 1974 vintage. Dynaco PAM and then PAS with Stereo 70. Fisher SA1000 power amp and CA?1000 or 100 preamp. Got these used for about $500 for both and wish I still had them. Up till then, everything was new. SAE amp and preamp with built in equalizer, new. Advent 300 receiver as a preamp/tuner with SAE amp and then a new amp in the early 80's that I cannot remember. Early 80's was a blur. Sometime around 1986 I got a NAD integrated as a preamp -- still cannot remember what power amp I was using. AH! The late 80's and early 90's. PS Audio preamp and Belles 50 watt power amp, both new. Superphon Dual Mono preamp and a modified Stereo 70, new and used. Modified Dynaco PAM done over in dual mono configuration and Belles 100 watt amp, used and new. Assortment of Electrocompaniet products, AW 65, 100 and EC 1 and then I went to a pair of bridged Electrocompaniet AW 100's. All the Electro stuff was free as I was helping them get into the US. Then a Threshold FET 10 preamp with separate phone preamp, and power supply with the Electro's. One of the first Electro integrateds and the British Fidelity (now Musical Fidelity) A1 integrated. Great little amp! Settled in for the next 12+ years with a pair of Bedini 25/25 first with the Threshold line stage then a Superphon SP 100 buffered line stage that Stan Warren updated. Today, still have that SP 100 (which is going back to Stan one last time this summer) and a CJ MV 60. |
