kenwood reciever
carver tfm 15cb(2 of them bridged)
carver tfm 35x
aragon 4004
classe ca200
mccormack dna 1
krell ksa 200s
carver research reference(the original)
jeff rowland model 1(2 of them bridged)
mccormack dna2 LAE(current)
This isnt exactly in order and there was a few more that I forgot like levinson 23.5,conrad mf2300,and I am sure there are a few that I am forgetting. |
Receivers:Sony;Sansui 7070;Onkyo Integraded;Adcom 5500;McCormack 0.5 Deluxe;Mccormack dna 0.5 REV B;VAC 35/35 Triode AMP... |
Receivers:Sony;Sansui 7070;Onkyo Integraded;Adcom 5500;McCormack 0.5 Deluxe;Mccormack dna 0.5 REV B;VAC 35/35 Triode AMP... |
SAE, Bryston 2B, None (Meridian powered loudspeakers), Spectral, Radford STA15, Meridian, Cary SLA70, ARC Classic 30 (x2), Krell KSA100 (oops, wrong direction there!), ARC Classic 150s. I've recently had some rather simple mods performed on the 150s (20amp IEC connectors and Cardas Gold Ref cords, Cardas copper binding posts, and Hovland inter-stage coupling caps). I've auditioned a couple of the latest "hot" amps and on balance still prefer the ARCs. |
NAD 7155, NAD 2200, Threshold Stasis 3, Threshold T200/Genesis Bass Servo/B&K AVR305(HT) |
Pioneer sx 1280
Pse studio 4,s
Cary slm 70,s
Pass x350
Papworth Audio m200,s
The Cary,s had the best midrange, Oh so sweet.The Pass was not has good as the hype. What can I say, I,m a tube man
Steve |
Unlike many of you, I started very near the top! (please laugh, its' a joke)
1980 Laffayette receiver, thought it sounded awesome at the time.
1982 NAD 7060
1984 Harmon Kardon Citation 11 or 12 (can't remember)
1985 Carver M-400, big mistake, 201 Watts, what a joke!
1986 Carver M-400, added a second to run mono's at 500 Watts, one was not enough power, what a surprise. Minimal improvent. OK, I'm a slow learner.
1988 G.A.S Son of Ampzilla, 80 Watts, infinately more power than the 2 Carver's and WAY better sound.
1989 G.A.S Ampzilla, 250 Watts, used to run subs, left the Son on top. this setup worked well on the Snell A2i's
1991 Elektron Kinetics Eagle, 125 Watts to run Bevridge Sys 3's
1991 Adcom 555 to run the single sub w/ Bev's
2001 Odyssey Stratus, 150 Watts, nice improvement.
2002 Decware Zen Select, I've been bitten by the notorious "Tube Bug"! Ya owe it to yourself to hear one!
2002 Decware Integrated, loved the Zen but, needed a bit more power with my not too efficient speakers. |
Like many of the above posts, I started with midfi- Sansui 6 receiver. I evolved into hifi with the Hafler 220 and never looked back. I upgraded to a pair of OCM 100's(used as balanced differential monoblocks). It seems I have followed a trend in changing from solid state to tube amps--Berning 811 Ziegfried. Not to start another thread, but has anyone else noticed this trend? Just curious as to why or what made people change from SS to tubes. |
Fisher 500T receiver - 1967
QUAD 303 - 1973
QUAD 405 - 1978
ATI AT1502 - 1998
EDGE M-6 - 1999
Llano S200 - 2000
Belles 350A - 2002
I may try biamping with the Llano and the Belles.
Jan |
Yamaha receiver --> McIntosh MA6900 integrated amp |
JVC Receiver 50wrms/ch 1977 -- still own
Bryston 3B-ST then traded up to
Bryston 4B-ST then traded up to
Bryston 7B-ST (monos)-- still own
Sierra Denali (used as monos)-- current main system
Sunfire Theater Grand for Home Theater
Will tubes be next? Seems like Jayarr made a good observation. |
Let's see.....Hummmmm...this one is a bit more difficult then the speaker one, but let's go....
Sansusi 800
Sansusi 8 (Still working in my cousins system)
MacIntoch CS 32 (pre-amp)
Mac 2205 Power amp
Mac 5100 (in another system I had)
Phase Linier 400 (power)
GAS Ampzilla ll (amp)
Therdra (pre)
Levinson ML-1 (pre)
ARC SP 6/SP 6A/ SP 6B (all great pre amps)
Conrad Johnson MV 75 (2) (power)
Conrad Johnson PV-5 (pre)
ARC SP 8 (pre)
Bryston (power)
ARC D 115 (power)
ARC SP 9 (pre)
ARC LS 25 (line)
ARC PH 3 SE (phone)
ARC VT 100 ll (power)
and the fun continues..........(I love it!!!!) |
My profound disagreement with evo845. I moved from tubes to the Pass Labs X150 and couldn't be happier. Gone is the caramel gluon that valves bring. The sound is sweet, quick, and accurate. It has brought my Apogee Duetta Signatures to their full promise. It doesn't even resemble other solid states I have tried, including Acurus, Aragon, Bryston, B&K, Bel, and Krell. Before the Pass X, I was a stalwart tube soldier. I don't argue, though, with a less revealing speaker, valves triumph. |
Hey Trelja, how about another "classic" receiver? any chance of you offering some of those receivers for sale here on Audiogon? or are you just teasing us? |
Lafayette Receiver (1967-1970)
Scott integrated (1970-1976)
Pioneer sx-838 (1976-1985)
Yamaha R-9 (1985-1986)This is the point that I just wasn't satisfied. What a 2 dimensional sound this receiver had. The worst piece of the bunch.
Threshold S-200 (1986-1988)
Dynaco ST70 (1988-1990)
McIntosh MC-60's (1990-1997) still own
ARC D-115 Mk2 (1997-2001)
Transcendent T-8 LN (2001-Present)
Berning ZH-270 (2002-Present)
|
Went from Yamaha to Nakamichi to Rotel to B&K to Krell to Ayre and, finally, I have arrived with the David Berning ZH-270. |
Fisher Receiver(This was it!)
Luxman Receiver (This was it!)
Adcom 545II (This was it!)
McCormack DNA 1 (This was it!)
Classe 25 (This was it!)
Musical Fidelity Integrated A300 (This was it!)
Conrad Johnson 11a (This is it!) |
Adcom 555
Electon Kinetics ?
Hafler ?
Electrocompaniet 120
Classe 25
ARC 120 monos
Rowland 1 monos
Pass 0 monos
Bel Canto 200.2 monos |
Sears console stereo player
Fischer rack system
Technics rack system
Adcom 555
Marantz SR-18 (for about a week)
Spectron Musician II
ahhhhh... |
Its a nice stroll through memory lane with this stuff; well unless of course the amps sucked then it would be unpleasant:) Nice to see such diversity amongst us, keep 'em coming!! |
Oh I forgot this one and Tireguy, you are too young to remember so don't laugh, Mom and Dad's Zenith Console "The quality goes in before the name goes on" bought from our next door neighbor who was a distribution salesman for Zenith.
It was a good, more than good it was wonderful, to me. My sister still has the solid maple cabinet that housed this sonic wonder of its day. Purchased in 1960. |
Way back machine takes me to a pair of Phase Linear 400's driving 4 EPI mini-towers. Next stop was a pair of ESS transmission lines with RTR electrosatic tweeters bi-amped with ARC amps. Then onto Magnaplanar tympani 3a with the same ARC amps. Next was a combo with Arc D79 and SP10 pre. Then CJ power amps and pre,with 2 APT HOLMAN amps Dahlquist x-over driving custom subs with 3 10woofers in ea. Essence amp driving Essence 30 spkrs with same sub set up. Essence again driving Dunlavy SCIV's with Krell KSA150 on same sub set up. Harmonic Precision 75 watt driving Dunlavy scIV's and 2 Paradigm Servo 15's. And finally Harmonic Precision mono blocs are now my amps of choice...Tom |
Fisher S-100 (?)
Sherwood receiver (early SS aaaargh)
Crown d-150
Gas Son of Ampzilla
QUAD 405
Bryston 2B
Adcom 5400
Bedini 25
Llano s-100
Accuphase ?
Pass Aleph V
Wolcott 220M latest production
thus my first and last (hopefully) amp will be tubes |
I'm basically a conservative when it comes to this audiophile stuff - I don't like to spend much, change gear very often, consume a lot of power, or occupy a lot of space. I want to be able to play loudly, but not loud enough to cause audible sympathetic vibration in my listening enviroment. I do not aspire to ever own the "best there is". My concise (so far) amp evolution has been thus: NAD 2200, to Classe Seventy, to Conrad-Johnson MV-55, over a fifteen year period! (And I've kept the same Technics SL1200 turntable/arm over all that time!) Each move, FWIW, was up in price, down in power, and going from SS to tubes - not to mention better in sound. There will be another change soon, probably within the next year, as I am going to be moving to a bigger listening room. It will also be the result of my having slowly but steadily upgraded sources and cabling in the meantime. I am thinking about staying with tubes in the power amp, but with more watts, extension, and transparency, and maybe going back to SS in the pre, or at least in the phono pre. But who knows, the time might be right to give SS another try at the power postition. |
20 years ago: Toshiba Aurex separates (kids still use them), then receiver HK, then McIntosh 105...
Lately, AV as in subject... |
Technics receiver (YUCK!)
NAD 314
Jolida 302
CJ CAV 50
Innersound ESL...i thought i was tube guy, but the Innersound changed that! |
Just going back 2yrs: Aragon 4004 MK1, Anthem Amp1, Audible Illusions S120. I'm thinking about going back to those glowing bottles. Nice thread! |
Carver 1.0, Adcom 565, Classe 15, Plinius SA100 MK 3 and BAT VK75 |
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 |
hmmm... power amps:
Yamaha receiver (1981)
NAD 3140 (1982)
Sony something or other integrated (1989--yes, backwards)
B&K AV6000 (1998)
B&K ST3140 (2000) - now the center/surrounds in HT ss system
Classe CA200 (2000) - now the L/R in HT ss system
Counterpoint SA220 (2002) - L/R in 2-channel tube system |
Like any young audiophile, I started with an Adcom.
Adcom 555
Forte 1A
Quicksilver
Audio Research VT-100
Classe CA-400
Sonic Frontiers Power 3
McCormack DNA-2 Deluxe
Rowland 8TiHC
Pass Lab X-350
So I sold the Pass because it's not a good match to my SF Line 3SE, I am puzzled what power amp to get next. I am moving to a much smaller living space, so I can't afford to get SF Power 2 or 3 and be done with it. Still searching ... |
Sony Compact, Sony 3200f, Son of Ampzilla, Kenwood L07-Ms, Ampzilla, Marantz 8b, Altec 1581a, Threshold 400A, ARC D-76, Spectral DMA-50, Spectral DMA-100, BEAR Labs Symphony No. 1, CTC BBQ, Parasound JC-1s.... |
Seeing this thread pop up again recently prompts to update my prior post. I did go SS in the phono and the pre, but I stayed tube in the amp department, fulfilling my criteria above by acquiring a pair of VTL MB-185 Signature mono's. I did a complete retube and got some PowerSnakes Sidewinders for them, and am pondering having mods done, but am still evaluating my long-term prospects with these before deciding on that. They did solve my power needs in the new room though, at about 200w a side into 4 ohms. All in all, I used my old C-J for about 3 1/2 years before making the change. |
Yamaha integrated
Musical fidelity integrated A-100 (marvelous)
Bryston 4BST (the worst by far)
Classe CA 200
Threshold T-100 |
My first "official" amp would have to be the integrated amp in the Technics "rack system" that I purchased in the mid 1980's. I slowly picked that system apart replacing each piece.
I replaced the Technics with a Denon PMA 300V integrated. I enjoyed this little amp a lot! I later purchased a Heath amp and preamp; I got a great deal from a friend that worked for Zeinth. These were cleaner and more detailed, but I enjoyed the Denon far more.
I then purchased a Forte Model 6 in 1991 and owned it until 1997 when I purchased a Meridian 557. I used the 557 until 2000 when I went "back" to an integrated, a Mark Levinson No. 383; I enjoy this like I did with the little Denon.
I did sell the 383 a little over a year later and used a heavily modded Moscode 300 and a Hovland pre, but I soon after went back to a 383. |
All:
Don't know the model numbers but remember them this way:
1965 - Voice of Music Turntable w/Speakers
1969 - Standard (100wpc receiver)(company's long gone)
1971 - Sony (100wpc?) Receiver
1973 - Sony Integrated 75wpc
1979 - NAD 50wpc? amp and NAD preamp
1981 - Marantz 75wpc w/marantz preamp
1982 - Carver amp, preamp and tuner
1990 - Carver amp
2002 - shopping for new amp |
Started out with Olympic Receiver only about six months then I got the bug 1971
Dyna Sca 80Q integrated 1972 Marantz 250
SAE 4C/Crown Ic a little bright but great depth
Van Alstine Pre replaced Crown-smoother but I liked the Crown more. 1984 It never created magic like the Crown.
Owned second system in here Naim Pre Power and Flat cap.
1988 replace SAE and Van Alstine with Adcom GFA 555 and GFP565 pre. Sold off Naim in 1991 due to moving. 1998
Replaced GFA 555 with Marantz Ma700 smoother- much better than the price would suggest.
2000 Replaced Adcom 565 with Electrocompaniet 4R 2002 Replace Marantz with Odyssey Stratos Monoblocks.
All of this equipment is still working except Marantz 250. |
I started off with a one box JVC wonder, Theta Dreadnaught, to my current Pass Labs X350. In the future I will upgrade to the Pass X600's. |
Oh Wow! Let's see...Lafayete Integrated (my first, 1967), Kenwood Integrated (don't remember Model), Marantz 1070 Integrated, Dynaco ST410 w/major mods, Dynaco ST 70 (I think this is still around here somewhere), Hafler DH100, Dynaco Mk VI Tube Mono's, Dynaco ST410, Adcom 555II, Krell KSA100S (just sold), Next: Krell FPB300. |
Dynaco SCA 80 Q (built in HS elec. class), RAM 510 (anyone remember this one?), TVA 10, NYAL OTL 3 (had it paired w/Quad 63's for that magic midrange), Berning ZH 270 (this is the one that practically does it all with resolution, top end extension and transparency that probably rank up on the top) |
audio research vt100
aloia 13.01 inductive
tenor 75wi
goldmund memisis 29m..current and unbelievable. |
I had so much fun replying to personal speaker evolution
I thought i would torchure you guys some more.
1.) A really bad integrated amp that came with
an 8 track player that i also used to run my first
electric guitar thru. It was so bad i used to get
that Black sabbath grind (some serious amp clipping)
without a distortion box. What a pile of SH**T! I
actually knew it was a pile back then. And i didnt
know anything.
2.) A Technics reciever i believe was 35wpc and .003thd.
My parents gave it to me on my birthday about 25 years
ago and my cheapskate brother was still using it up until
about a year ago. At the time I thought it was awesome...
I really did.. Again what a pile of SH**T! I just
flogged the hell out of it.. for years!
3.) A Kenwood amp that came in a rack of separates that
i bought. I used it for years. I believe 125wpc .005thd.
I knew it wasnt that good(actually another pile of SH**T!) but didnt know much better and it worked!
4.) Yamaha receiver I think RX-595. From previous piles
it was a big improvement.
5.) Another Yamaha receiver RX-630 that im using for
a pre/pro (yes another pile!) im getting ready
to upgrade to something much better.
6.) A Bel Canto EVO6. The only thing i can say about
the BC is i wouldent trade it for anything. I dont care
what anybody says. Its staying. Im getting another for
6 channels of bridge diff mode. |
I am an amp freak.
1987 Harman Kardon Receiver(don't remember model)
1991 B+K ST140 (not much difference from above)
1997 Dynaco ST70(more engaging than ST140, light+lively)
1997 ARC D90B (more power, cleaner, Less dgangly, less engaging)
1998 Mark Levinson ML9 (wonderful amp, clean, warm ,involving)
1999 Mark levinson No23 (as above, phenomenal bass)
1999 Mark Levinson 332 (more detailed but slightly etched, could sound harsh)
2000 Gamut D200 (wonderful, light+lively, full of life like a tube amp but with lots of detail, no etch)
2002Gamut M250 (as above with more bass power+control, bigger soundstage) |
1973 - Marantz 1060 (a basic 30w integrated)
1977 - Harmon Kardon 730 receiver (dual power...)
1989 - Adcom 200w/channel (played loud)
1993 - Adcom mono 300w (played very loud)
1999 - Plinius SA-100 (what a step up)
2000 - 2 Plinius SA-100 MK3 (used as monos for Dunlavy V)
2002 - 2 Aloia 15.1 (very smooth and detailed, but not enough for my room)
2002 - 2 Goldmund 28M (so far the speed and full base are the best I;ve ever heard... a great match for Piega C-40 speakers) |
Fisher Receiver
Sansui Receiver
NAD3140 Integrated - alone
NAD2150 Bridged w/3140(still have both)
Adcom 5300
Acurus A250
Acurus A200
Aragon 4004MkII
Classe DR25
(I know there is better than the DR25 if I want to spend the money, but have been concentrating on front-end upgrades and cables, and DR25 has kept up) |
Adcom GFA 1 (sold)
PS Audio 2C (sold)
Adcom GFA 545 II (sold)
Bryston 2B (sold)
Levinson 27.5 (sold)
McIntosh MC 225 (sold; shoulda kept this one..tubes were difficult to find at the time..things change)
Parasound HCA 1206 (current HT amp)
Audio Note P2SE (current stereo amp, w/black gates, silver internal wire...upgraded to signature spec)
desired stereo amp: pair of audio note parallel 300b amps |
Hi,
Who can help me finding schematics for Carver M4.0t and HR722 Amp and receiver? |
Parasound HCA-600
Purchased new in '95 for $400.
Haven't bothered to upgrade since. |
Started back when I was in Jr. High:
DeWald integrated tube amp, about 30 WPC (fried) 1960-1978
Nikko integrated ss amp, 40 WPC (sold) 1978-1980
Hafler DH-200 ss amp, 100 WPC (still using) 1980-2003
Odyssey Stratos ss amp, 150 WPC (on order) 2003-???? |
2-ch
Golden Tube 300B monos (highly modded)
Altec 1570B monos (extreme mods)
future ideas: Wyetech Topaz 572 or Wavelength X1 300B monos
HT
Denon receiver
Citation 5.1's
Theta Dreadnaught
It would be great to see this thread again in about 15 years... |
