Starting in '71: 626 pioneer receiver, something sansui receiver, hafler 200, Son of Ampzilla. That's it. Used the Hafler for 20 years. The Son of Ampzilla (an original) is just stunning. |
Pat 35 I built myself
Heathkit receiver I built myself
McIntosh 235
McIntosh 275
Phase Liniar 400 (this was really a stupid move but I was power hungry
Carver 4000 (another studid purchase)
Crown DC 200
PS Audio 200
Krell KSA 200s I'm still power hungry |
onkyo receiver to arcam receiver to roksan caspian power amp |
NAD>>>ADCOM>>>B&K
I know stuck in mid-fi but it sounds pretty to me through my 801s and its alot less work... |
40 watt onkyo reciever for college in 1978
80 watt yamaha reciever, sleek silver with tiny red led's 1979
250 watt hafler 500, with a carver z-coupler to use the yamaha as a pre 1981
Conrad Johnson MF2500 1999
Mcintosh c352 2004 |
Denon integ.-Hafler DH200-Aragon 4004 MkII(still have)-Blue Circle 2.1 (still have) Atma-sphere M60 MKII.3 (on the way)
Aragon powering my VMPS larger sub. I put my BC2.1's up for sale, but may hang on to them since I got a good deal on the M60's, (and not sure if they will work out). |
1.Classe CA100
2.Threshold T200(still have)
3.Copland CTA504(still have)
WHo says tubes are better. Have gone back to the Threshold as sound is more involving.My experience is some tube power amps roll off the highs and can't control bass, but do have that presence in the midrange. I use a tube pre-amp though. |
Sansui AU-317
Marantz 2250
SAE (Integrated?)
Luxman (Integrated?)
Hafler pre&Power comb
Revox Integrated
Linn Intek
Marantz 7 - 5
Classe 100
Copland Integrated (405)
Rowland 1, Consonance
Rowland 2
Rowland 8, Consumate
Metaxas Opulence - Soliloquy
ML 23.5 - ML 30
Gryphon anthileon - elektra
NAIM nait3 - 180
Accuphase 203
Gryphon Tabu AT
Pass X250 - First Sound (current) |
Years in the wilderness of "mid-fi" and an early and brief entry into HT was followed by:
Creek 5350 SS integrated (couldn't afford the SE at the time)
Marsh a400s SS power amp (significant step up in my system)
Granite 861 tube monos (glorious, sweet and detailed without being revealing, keeps getting better)
I keep telling myself a Berning ZH-270 will be in my future or if I should win the lottery, a pair of Joule Electras. |
I started out with a Kenwood Receiver, then upgraded to a Rega Brio integrated. From there I moved on to a Conrad Johnson CAV-50 (which I still regret giving up), and finally to separates with a Krell KAV-250a. I also spawned a second system along the line somewhere which evolved from a Parasound Halo A23 to a Belles 150A(<--best value I have owned). |
Dynakit SCA-35 integrated ( age 16 )
--theft, uninsured--
HK Citation Twelve, kit
d-i-v-o-r-c-e
HK503 integrated
Sima PW3000 integrated
Linn Majik integrated
Sima Celeste W-4070
Shanling SP-80 ( age 53 )
Full circle, tubes to tubes. |
I owned the Tenor 75 for about a year. I did a head to head with the CAT JL2. The CAT is in a different leaque. In my opinion it's the best amp in the world. I own the Verity Audio Parsifal. Maybe the results will be different with another speaker. I did do the comparison with a Talon Khorus as well and once again the CAT was head and shoulders above the Tenor. |
I started out with a very poopy amp. cant remember what is was. Then i bought a carver. Remember when they used to use switching power supplies. It was somewhat poopy. From their i bought a marantz 5 channel power amp. This was my venture into 5 channel. Like the Carver it was somewhat poopy. But not as poopy as the Carver. Now, back to my senses, i bought a two channel amp. This being Blue Circle, and it isnt poopy at all. |
some old '80s Naim amp-its been so long I've forgotten the model number
BGW 500-D
an NAD reciever-although rated @ 15 wpc it shamed a friends 40 wpc name brand reciever
Superphon SA-120
Rotel RB-991 |
Man, this is gonna be fun!
Adcom GFA-535
NYAL Moscode 300
VTL de Luxe 90/90
H.H. Scott LK-72
H.H. Scott 222
Fisher 400
Cary CAD300sei
Dynaco ST-70
Dynaco Mk IIIs
Quicksilver KT88 mono's
KSS OTL
47 Labs Gaincard
Moth Audio s45
custom-made 300B mono's with Audio Note transformers
Berning EA230
Bedini 25/25
Naim Nait1
Naim NAP110
Rega Mira
Pass Aleph 3
Densen DM10
Naim NAP180 (still got it)
Naim Nait2 (still got it)
Naim Nait5
Naim Nait5/Flatcap2
Cary Rocket88 (still got it)
Quicksilver 8417 mono's (still got 'em)
Quad II (still got 'em)
Moth s2A3 (still got it)
...and I think I'm done! |
ok. lemme see if i can keep these straight.
sharp md-x7 (minidisc minisystem)
sony str-db930 (receiver)
acurus 200five (added to the receiver's preamp outputs)
sony str-db930 (sold the acurus)
acurus 200five (i got wishy-washy and bought another one)
aragon 8008x3b (replaced 200five)
aragon 8008bb (replaced 8008x3b for front mains, the 8008x3b became center and surround amp)
aragon palladium ii monos (replaced 8008bb)
aes sixpacs (demoed but returned. kept the palladiums)
plinius sa-102 (replaced the palladiums)
cary slm-200 (finally, tube nirvana with great bass extension)
nothing on the horizon. i think **crosses fingers** that i am done with the ever-changing amp.
kevin t |
(various pedestrian integrated amps)
Carver Receiver
Rega Mira
Primare A20
Densen B-100
Densen B-300
Pass Labs X3
(soon to be) Pass Labs X150.5 |
This covers about 16 years ....
Classe 15
Classe 25
Jeff Rowland Model 10
Jeff Rowland Model 12
Butler Audio TBD 5150 |
all tube amps sold and custom interstage coupled 300b single tube SET amp being built with excellent parts throughout..tango output trannies, electraprint trannies (interstage/power), blackgates, sophia tubes, GZ34 rectifiers...
hopefully this is the end of it until I decide I require much more power and then another custom tube amp will probably result. |
Arcam Alpha 10 integrated
Classe CAP-100 integrated
Audio Research D130
Sonic Frontiers Line 1 driving Plinius SA-100MkIII - Done for now |
1.B&K 5000 multichannel amp
2.Clayton s40
3.Batvk60 - my 1st tube amp.
4.Rowland Model 10
5.Belles 250i integrated
6.Panasonic sr45 digital amp while i waited on...
7.Rowland Concerto integrated. I love it and I'm done upgrading! |
1. Kenwood Reciever
2. Sonographe SA250 Used
3. Mark Levinson No 27 Used |
1)Denon reciever.Forgot the model
2) Stock Dynaco ST-70 with NOS tubes that cost more than the amp.
3) Pass Labs Aleph-3 Incredible but not enough power.
4) Electrocompaniet AW-75 Peak current in the high 80's.Reminded me of the Pass on steroids.I 'thought' this would be my last amp.
5) Threshold S/200 stasis.Loved it,wanted more.
6) Threshold S/300 stasis.This 'may' be my last amp.:>)
7) Looking for a 60-100 watt tube amp but the Threshold isnt going anywhere.(I hope) |
Onkyo / Yamaha / Denon / Harman-Kardon / Cambridge Audio / Musical Fidelity
I had some all in one systems as a kid, but my first real amp was purchased in 1984 and was an Onkyo TX-35 Receiver. I then purchased a a Yamaha integrated in the late 80's and a Denon integrated around the early to mid 90's. Oh, I also had a Kenwood in there for a period of about a week - but it sounded horrid. I kept the Denon until 1999 when it decided to start giving me switching problems and I purchased a Harman-Kardon amp.
As you can see - I was pretty much confined to "big-box" stores for my equipment selection and I ran the whole line of the better brands available from such stores. I can honestly say that up until the H/K I didn't hear much difference in all the others. I enjoyed the H/K quite a bit and it helped me rediscover my analog LP's which led me to upgrade my turntable (to a MMF-5) around 2002.
With the better turntable came a better amp - the Cambridge Audio 640A and a CIAudio VPP-1 phono-amp. The CA/CIAudio combination trounced the H/K in a major way!
I've again upgraded turntables this year to the Rega P5/Exact combination and couldn't resist the temptation to upgrade amps again. Thanks to Audiogon, I've got a very nice used Musical Fidelity A300 on the way, which I'm very excited about! I like the idea of having a good built in phono stage and everything I've read about the A300 leads me to believe that it will be with me for quite some time. |
Just 3 months ago I said I was happy & would keep the Ayre V-5x & while I wasn't actively seeking another amp, the opportunity to upgrade to an Ayre V-1x "fell into my lap" and has now become part of my system. |
Looking for amplifier with the same Quad Forty II quality sound, but alot more power |
A pair of Carver M 4.0t (1988-1994)Sold both
Denon receiver DR-350? 55wts per channel(1994-1999)Kept
Audio Refinement Complete (1999-2000)Sold
Nakamichi PA 7 (2000-2000)Sold
Sonic Frontiers Power 2 (2000-2002)Sold
Audio Refinement Complete (2001-2001) This I was trying to set up a secondary system but it gave me trouble twice...Was my unit a lemon?
BC-2 Monoblocks which I got as trade for the Nak PA 7. Kept.(2000-present)
Assemblage ST300B Platinum (2001-present)loaded on closeout sale at SF!
McCormack DNA 225(2001-present and current set up.)
Most likely there will not be a change in my current amp for a long time. Maybe I will get a new preamp.
PAUL
Fast forward 2 years:
Sold the BC-2 in Winter 2003/2004
DNA 225 sitting idling
47 Labs Shigaraki Integrated (2003-still here)
very fast and pratty
Final Music 6 battery powered amplifier (2004-current standard!) Wow paired with the Final Music 5 battery powered preamp.
Financially strapped for now. No more upgrades or changes, I promise (Yeah right.) |
Since October 2003, my audio journey has taken me from...
1)Marantz SR7200 receiver
2)Fisher Studio Standard BA6000
3)Adcom GFA-555
4)Pioneer Reference M-90
5)PS Audio 250 Delta Monoblocks <== Current 2 channel setup.
I still have all the amps. Amps 1-4 are used in my HT setup right now. The PS audio sounds wonderful in my setup. They will be staying in my system for a while. |
ARC VS110...harkens back to the tube magic of yesteryear without the limitations of frequency or control. |
Wow Amps i have had.
Starting in The teen years . My very first amp was actualy two Langvin Public address 250 watters. I had to replace all 4 tubes per chassis to operate them. and it cost me a summer of lawn mowing. They didnt have the quality i soon learned to appreciate. I next bought a 20 watt per channel intergrated bare chassis from lafayette radio corp. it severed well till I was handed down a Fisher 101A with a matching tuner. But as a kid "tubes" we now obsolete. I remember smashing that unit for kicks,/
I again found a nice retailer who offered used equipent and in high school i got my first Marantz 1030 and then a 1060 with 104 tuners. The speakers were marantz and I still have them, Upgraded in collage to bi amp and used the 1060 as a tweeter amp and bought a DC 300 III for the bass, soon needed larger woffers. and bought 18 inch JBL's I still have in 8 cu ft cabinets.addd another DC 300 and a Clarion Intergrated amp with huge input flexibility, Im now running two crown dc 300 's a BOSE 1800 pro, and a hafler 120P. with dolby digital via a yamaha reciever.
Ive had along the path a Phase linear stereo 200 and 400's both self destructed.The same with the Dynaco stereo 120 and a Dynaco stereo 400 and a beat up by a band DC150 crown. But with a loading factor in the 2 ohm range I expect that to happen to weaker amps, I now have established a vintage electronics business located in Upstate NY and at wolf_audio on eBay.
Theres a dynaco SCA 80 there now. |
Guess I'll add mine after seeing this post has run for over 2.5 years.
Start: Acurus A150
Parasound 1500A
Anthem Amp2 SE
VAC PA100/100
McIntosh MC126 |
A UK perspective:
1978 Quad 45/303, lasted 20 years a very good early SS comb
1999. E.C.Audio Finestra (early Tom Evans)/ Quad 606, a clear improvement, particularly the pre. Now used by my son
2003. Finestra/ Pass Labs Aleph 3, I can'nt see myself getting rid of the Aleph
2003. Graaf WFB-one/Aleph 3, very good Italian valve pre with good phono stage.
2004. Conrad Johnson Premier 17/ Audio Synthesis Passion Phono stage/Aleph 3. As near perfect as I can see myself needing ( I know, we all say that) |
Good time for me to add my list as I just made a very satisfactory upgrade :
1982 JVC receiver - 60W (ha!) plus cheesy tone controls
1991 Nakamichi receiver 3 - 35W - blew the JVC away
2001 Rotel RA-972 integrated amp - 60W - really blew the Nak away
2004 Acurus A200 amp - 200W - harsh and brittle using RA-972 as preamp
2004 Rotel RC-995 preamp - really sings with the Acurus amp
I should be happy for a long time to come as the RC995/A200 combo sounds better than I could have imagined and has more power than I will ever need (never say that huh?!). |
Just a quick update:
1988 Pioneer A-656 MKII (ALR Nummer 3 stand speakers)
1993 Harman Kardon HK1400 (ALR Nummer 3 stand speakers)
1998 Rega Mira (Original) (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
2003 Linn Classic (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
2004 Linn Wakonda/LK85 (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
? some tube integrated ? - (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
So far it's been all solid-state. If I can find a good tube amp to drive my 751 speakers I might switch someday....
2004 ... just found one: Jolida JD302B: even right out of the box beats all of the above hands down, I think I just got converted... |
1972 Sansui can't remember the model.
1985 Yamaha A1020.
1990 Yamaha B2-X.
2003 Adcom GFA 565 Monoblocks. |
I got a superscope cassette player with built in speaker, I believe it was the C-101A. It was a Christmas present in 1975.
My next upgrade was a Centrex "by Pioneer" compact am/fm, cassette, turntable complete with a four wpc amplifier.
My first real receiver was a Kenwood KR 2400- 15 wpc model, foll0wed by a KR 4070 40 wpc in high school.
My high school graduation present was a Luxman 1050 55 wpc receiver and at that point I knew I had something special.
In college I bought a used McIntosh 2205 amp that I owned until I bought a just released Mark Levinson 23.
After several years with that, I quickly went through a Rowland Concentra, Sonic Frontiers Power One, Pass Aleph 3, and X250 amp.
I have now settled down-I think forever- with an Air Tight ATM with all NOS tubes. |
Started out with a Sony - whatever model, does it matter?
Arcam Alpha
Linn LK1 - LK2-75
Leak Stereo 20
Krell KAV300i
Conrad Johnson CAV50
Cary V12i MonoBlocks (still have these)
Perreaux 3150B (still have this)
Perreaux 2150B (still have this)
Krell FPB 200 - present amp
Looking at Pass Mono's or VTL's for the future. Anyone want a used Perreaux (or two)? |
1988 Pioneer A-656 MKII (ALR Nummer 3 stand speakers)
1993 Harman Kardon HK1400 (ALR Nummer 3 stand speakers)
1998 Rega Mira (Original) (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
2003 Linn Classic (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
2004 Linn Wakonda/LK85 (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
? some tube integrated ? - (Mission 751 monitor speakers)
So far it's been all solid-state. If I can find a good tube amp to drive my 751 speakers I might switch someday.... |
TECHNICS RECEIVER
HK AVR 25 II GOOD RECEIVER
KENWOOD RECEIVER JUNK
ADCOM GFA-5800
PS AUDIO
MUSE MONO BLOCKS DRY SOUNDING
THRESHOLD S/150 (POSSIBLY THE BEST SOUNDING SOLID STATE-I WISH I KEPT IT...)
THRESHOLD S/300
ROGUE 120 MONO'S LIVED WITH FOR ABOUT A MONTH, DECIDED TO MUCH MONEY
CODA 10.5 VERY GOOD AND CLOSE TO THE S/150 WITH A LITTLE MORE POWER AND THE NEWER "ESOTERIC LOOK"...
ODYSSEY STRATOS VERY HAPPY WITH FOR THE PRICE, 10.5 WAS A LITTLE BETTER.
CARY 70B SIGNATURE TRUE TUBES 65 WATT PER CHANNEL, CAN'T GO BACK. (CURRENT) |
CROWN 75 watt pre-amp into a SAE 500 watt amp into BOSE dbx box into BOSE 901 speakers. At least I think that is how it went. The CROWN and the SAE could have been the other way around. Got Them in 1975 and had them up to 1999. Still wish I had them. Let's just say that the system was great!!!! at least for an old back woods farm boy such as myself. |
I started with a Harmon Kardon, replaced it with
2) JVC M3030, a pure class A 30 wpc amp.
3) Forte model 5
4) Aragon 8008st
5) Krell FPB 200
6) Cary V12 signature monoblocks (borrowed from a friend)
7) Krell FPB 700cx (currently enroute, no pun intended) |
Updated:
1980 - Akai something-or-other
1984 - Naim Nait (the first version)
1985 - Musical Fidelity A1
1986 - Cyrus II/PSX
1994 - SimAudio 4070
2003 - Sugden Au51P
2003 - KR18 BSI
2003 - Coincident MP300B
2003 - Wavelength Triton Blue
2004 - deHavilland Aries 845G
2004 - Canary CA-339
The Canary amps are killers, especially with KR 300BXLS power tubes |
Homebuilt Pass Aleph 3 with a homebuilt Aleph P 1.7 preamp. Long live DIY! |
1967: SAE MK IV x 2; SAE MK III; SAE MK I pre (early SS heavyweights used with my Infinity Servo Statik I; eventually gave III and one IV to my kids, still working. One IV eventually lost a channel; it and the I in my attic now; well-made stuff)
1998: Creek 4240SE (gave its all trying to drive my Maggies, then croaked; dumb move on my part, but sounded pretty good for a while on classical music; in my attic now).
Current System
2002: Denon AVR-3803 (pre/pro and 3 amps for surround channels; pretty nice DACs for midfi receiver, but just not enough juice to make my full-range Maggies sing)
2004: Adcom 5802 (drives my FL/FR channels; Nirvana with my Maggies)
Next update in about 20 years I hope, although the heat of the 5802 may impact its longevity. Fortunately it resides in a room adjacent to my listening room so I could use an AC fan on it. Anyone had one for say five or more years? care to comment on overall ownership experience? |
Sony year of 1978( ia do not remember) it had greens leds,marantz sr5300, yamaha rxv-795 a, rotel rb 1070,macormack dna 1 dlx, AR vt100 mkII, and now the best I heard Gamut d200 mk3. |
Lafayette LR-500B receiver (1969)
Dynaco SCA-80 intergrated amp (1971)
Sony TA-1130 (???) intergrated amp (1974)
GAS Son of Ampzilla (1978)
Hafler DH-200 (1980) (used both Hafler & GAS)
Berning EA-230 (1987)
BEL 1001 (1990)
Music Reference RM-9 (1992) |
|
Funny to see this thread going so long but thought the Adcom starting thread was amusing.
Since that Panasonic LP/Tape console thing some punk roommate left behind in '83, or that JVC Boombox I plugged that BIC 'table I stole from my cousin doesn't count, my first real piece of equipment was a 20 year old NAD integrated that was given to me('92) and I fronted with a Dual turntable with a Denon DL-165. I worked in the record store in a place that also sold high-end audio and my real entree was when I walked up to the audio guys and asked if they could repair the volume knob on my NAD. When they heard what I had (they asked if I had separates or an integrated - I called it the NAD "one piece amp thing")they started selling me on the idea of new equipment, and separates, but it was when they said that I could get "Cleaner Sound" that I was hooked. I couldn't believe it, here I was, this big record collector and I wasn't getting "clean sound", wotta chump. I started reading Stereophile to find out what I was missing, which was a lot, and that was the beginning.
After spending a coupla months reading, talking, listening - getting the audio thing down, the first amp I bought myself was the Adcom GFA-555 MkII. I enjoyed this piece very much, from everything I had heard previous in my life this was heaven. It had power and could play loud, the Stooges never sounded so good. Later a pair of Mark Levinson Prototype 25 Watt monoblocks ended up at our stereo shop that were donated to an art auction by old friends of his (along with a pair of Klipsch speakers they had been paired with). These were old and and in need of repair so working equipment replaced these at the auction and the monoblocks were repaired at our shop(rewired with Kimber Silver and new power cords made from Kimber wire). With classical music they were so much more detailed than the Adcom that I sold the Adcom and bought the Levinsons.
Later I decided to buy a new amp and bought a Sonic Frontiers Power 2 SE and this amp is stunning. It sounds great and my only gripe is the heat. Which possibly might be enough to get me to change amps to something solid state and cooler. Not to diss the SF at all, I love this amp but as this thread shows, we like to make changes...... |
Nikko NA-850 Integrated Amp, 1978-1986
Tandberg 3006A, 1986-2002 (Still use as sub amp for HT)
Rowland Model 10, 2002-present
At this rate, I'll have the Rowland until 2034 :) |
started with the sonic frontiers power 2
then went to a graaf gm-100(I HATE THIS AMP sounds like garbage) then i went to a BAT VK-75SE, Which i really liked but i decided that i still liked the power 2 the best so i sold the BAT and bought another power 2, i am thinking about having it upgraded to SE+ status by parts connexion. I have heard they upgrade is dumb-founding. Sidenote, one of the very few amps i have liked as much as the SF was a heavily modified set of NYAL OTL3s. In the future I may go the OTL route. Actually i will be moving to japan soon so i may end up getting bitten by the single ended bug. |
