Personal amp evolution

Your right we all start with an Adcom.

My main upgrade was pre-amps which led to experimenting with the amplifier changes. Now with my B&K pre-amp and seperate Sony ES Dolby Digital processor i'm very satisfied with the sound of the Fosgate amps. The reason I went to the fosgates was I was using a Fosgate processor and wanted the amps to match.This was all on trading on existing equipment. Happy listening.

Aiwa A/V Receiver, Audio Alchemy OM-150, Quicksilver Silver mono 90s. I imagine Wolcotts will be next.

Hafler DH200 driving ADS L980's
Roberton 4010 driving L980's (SS amp w/tubey sweet sound)
PS Audio 200C driving Apogee Duetta's (Ouch!!)
ARC D350 (Never figured this amp out)
ARC D110 (Made my Duetta II's sing!! My favorite combo)
Levinson ML-9 (No power, but super sweet on the Duetta's)
Levinson ML-3 (Found out what the Duetta's can really do)
B&K ST200 & Mirage M3si. (Bad Trip)
Levinson 23 & Mirage M3si's (We're getting there)

Sansui 771 (was that the number?) in college
Quad 405 for many years
Adcom 555 - there it is again, also for years
JRDG 9 Ti's for 2 years
Pass 600's for 6 months
Krell 750 MCX monos-Ahhhhh

Maybe the new high-power Tenor in the future

David- How about some of the super powerful amps you have demo'd recently??? You certainly like powerful amps for those power craving speakers!! I have heard the new Tenor's and they are amazing, not sure if they will have enough juice for you, but for everyone else they are great ;) How is your listening room coming along?? ~Tim

I guess I have to add my new amp to my personal amp evolution list from last year. David Berning custom built 45 SET ZOTL. Totally awesome!

I began the quest with classe cam 200, krell ksa 300, and krell ksa mono block.

Dynaco (120? so long ago I don't remember!); JVC; Yamaha; Classé DR-8; BEL MK III; Pass X250; Edge NL-10. The Edge ends my quest for what I feel will be a very long time. It has all the attributes I have looked for, and it's high power give me flexibility for future experimentation w/speakers (though I'm equally pleased w/my SF Electa Amator IIs).

I have to update my previous post! Now using ASL 1009 845-based 60 watt monos w mods by Israel Blume of Coincident- I am finding them a great match with his Total Victory speakers...

From sart to present:
1 Nikko alpha 220
2 Soundcraftmen 5002 (Not sure on model#)
3 Hafler 500
4 Krell 250 Krell Ksa300
5 Crown Macro Reference
6 counterpoint 220
7 parasound 2200 MkI and MkII
8 Clayton mono's M70
9 Conrad Johnson 11 12 8 5
10 Spectron Digital Amp (Very first generation)
11 Bat VK 60
12 Audio Research VT 100 VT200
13 Bryston 5B-ST
I've had other amps either as loaner's or i just forggotten.
My current amps:
Home theater Bryston's 6B-SST and 14B-SST
2 CH : Krell FPB 700CX
Thanks for Reading JOSE

Lets see if I can remember all the amps... here goes..

Stromberg and Carlson
Kenwood receiver
Carver
Krell (5 channel and KSA 250)
Llano
Thor Audio TPA-30 monos
Cary (2A3, 2A3 PP, Rocket 88)
Bel Canto (SET40 and EVO)

Currently own BAT VK-75SE (best one so far! I am going to hang onto this one!
Mike

Shortest list of the bunch ...

Sherwood 60wpc receiver, 1972-72
Stolen from my dorm room over Xmas break
Hope they're still listening to it, it would serve them right!

Sansui 80 wpc receiver, 1973-74
Bose 901's needed the extra power!

Phase Linear 400, 1974-89
901's didn't play real good, but they sure could play big!
Yup, the Phase really did last that long
Shorted out and took all 18 drivers with it, thank goodness
Wow, who would believe this thing could pass 50V DC?!

SAE A205, 89-present
Just about the last amp SAE made, after the DAK buyout
Still as good as it ever was, ie, decent
Can't knock the value, I think it was $400 brand new!

In the hunt now for something to better match the new N803 speakers. Anybody have a Plinius for $400?

For high power system
Proton D1200 ->Bryston 9BST->McIntosh MC240->Lafayette KT550
For low power system
Heathkit SA-2
Pilot 240
SET EL84 modified by Roger Modjeski from Music Reference

I have not find the "BEST VALUE" in high power amp that can compete with Lafayette KT550. I bought the unit from a ex-Lafayette engineer (over-paid compared to ebay but it's in like new condition with Vitamin-Qs inside.)
This is exact same HK Citation II except of the tube choices.
The NOS 7027A tubes are much cheaper than the NOS EL34, KT88 and 6550.
I have not find the "BEST VALUE" in low power amp than the Heathkit, Pilot 240 and SET EL84.
The NOS EL84 tubes are much cheaper than the NOS 300B and 2A3.
The average cost of EL84 amps in good condition is less than $200. You can also spend a little more for the Eico HF-86 and Pilot-232s but not much better in performance.

Eico integrated tube 20 watts 1963
Fisher 35 watt integrated amp 1965
Sony SS 60 Watt receiver 1968
Citation SS amp 1970
Phase Linear 400 1972
Naim 160 1974
Naim 150 monoblocks 1976
Belles SS 80 watts l982
Forte four Class A 1992
Pass Aleph 3 1997
Pass Aleph 5 1997
GamuT D 100 Mk. III 2003

1966 to 2003:
Lafayette Solid State Int.Amp,Olsen Tube Rec.,Pioneer SA-9100, Kenwood L07-Ms,GAS Son of Ampzilla,GAS Ampzilla II,Threshold 400A, Marantz 8b,ARC D-76,ARC D-150A,ARC D-79A, Futterman OTLs,Rappaport Amp-1,Quicksilver MS-190,Electron Kinetic Eagle 7A,MFA M-120,MFA M-150,MFA M-200,NRG A200S, Spectral DMA-80,Pass Aleph 3,Mesa Baron,Sonic Frontiers Power OneSE,Gamut D200 Mk.II,Spectron Musician II.

Realistic STA-14 - Fisher 400 - Pioneer SX-525 - Advent 300 w/ mods - McCormack DNA-0.5DLX - McCormack DNA-0.5DLX SMc Rev C (=DNA125). 1972-2003. Not a very exciting progression compared to most of yous...

Yamaha receiver
Hafler XL280
added another XL280 - went mono block
Electrocompaniet IC-2 (50 watt integrated)
Electrocompaniet AW120DMB
Air Tight ATM2 - AWESOME!!! (still have it boxed up)
Bryston 14B-SST (cause the ATM-2 can't drive my Thiel CS6s)

Onkyo Integra 504 RS
Symphonic Line RG1 mkIII
BAT VK 200
Perreaux 350P
Pass Aleph 30

Sansui receiver purchased at a PX in Viet Nam. (Used it for 14 years or so. It's still in my garage.)
Superphon G 4 or something. Still around but one channel is out.
Bryston 4B - I drove down to Boulder determined to get a Levinson but came home with this.
Classe CA-200 - used happily for several years
Musical Fidelity CR (way better than the Classe in every respect.)
I wanted to simplify my system so in the last year I have tried Plinius top of the line Mk II integrated amp but didn't stick with it very long. (It is not very transparent.) Then tried for a couple of weeks the Unico integrated but as with the Plinius was underwhelmed. I now have on order a pair of "extreme" version of Odyssey monoblocks to mate with a BV-Audio preamp. That preamp is now plugged into the Musical Fidelity and sounds glorious. I was using my old Croft valve preamp that sounded nice until the BV arrived. Neither the Croft nor the Conrad Johnson PR-1 (once class A stereophile) cannot compete with the BV. When the Odysseys arrive I hope I am done forever.

Well the only amps I have ever owned are the amp packs attached to my ATC active speakers.

And since I felt so left out of all of these conversations, I decided to buy a system for my office to play with, and give me ammunition to add to the entire amp/ preamp and speaker sections of audiogon.

It is so fun reading about everyone else's quandries, so I decided to give myself some!

I am so happy with my home system I had to go out and buy something that would not satisfy me so I could fit in with everyone else.

Yes, that was kind of a joke.

So now I have some little Antique Sound Lab monoblocks, and now I can start experimenting with different tubes, power cords, interconnects, speaker wire (a new one for me!) and other things.

Not only that, but I am buying a turntable so I can also start reading all of the analog discussions too!

Justin

The Audio note P2SE (upgraded) is with my Audio Note guy to shop it around with his customers.

I acquired a lovely Audio Note Conqueror with upgraded Sophia 300b tubes, Sylvania 6ns7GT drivers, and audio note oil film caps for a very reasonable price. A definite step up from the pentode P2SE although that is a lovely amp, too, and much more powerful with 17 watts. The 8 watts works just fine with my Audio Note K type speakers, though.

Many Dynakit integrateds, pre, stereo 70, mono blocks, then Proton D940, then Onkyo Integra A807, then an acurus pre with a rotel 980, and now finally a threshold stasis 3.

kenwood system
Sansui amp
Yamaha RX750 receiver
Acurus A80 amp
Bryston B60 integrated
Bryston 3BST

Would like to eventually get a Bryston 4B

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 used to wish I still had these until getting the 750's.
VTL 450 signature's
VTL 750 REFERENCE

CITATION 12 1974
KENWOOD LO7Ms 1979
CLASSE DR10 1991

Fisher 400 tube receiver, Amber Black Series 70 (early model), Adcom 545 (inadvertant downgrade - I read too many reviews!), Bryston 2B, Forte 4a, Conrad Johnson 11a, Conrad Johnson Premier 12 monoblocks..

Then, after reading so many great reviews of integrated amps I decided to see how far I could down-grade and be happy. Close - these are excellent amps but not quite my resting point - were Magnum 208, Mistral LFD SE, Plinius 8200 II (VERY CLOSE).... Now I seem to be quite content with my Cary SLI-80 running in triode, although Tuesday my friend is bringing over his BelCanto SET40i ... we shall see.

BTW, preamps include early Amber and PS Audio models, 3 generations of Audible Illusions (great stuff!), CJ 17LS (wonderful!), and then, ohhhh, and then, I tried the First Sound Deluxe (whatever that $4000 model is called). WOW.

If I do go back to separates it will be to use the First Sound to drive damn near anything.....

Art

Over the last 20 years:

Some nondescript Akai integrated
Naim Nait (the first one)
Musical Fidelity A1
Mission Cyrus II/PSX
SimAudio Celeste 4070
Sugden Au51P
KR 18 BSI
Coincident MP-300B

My preferences have now come into sharp focus. I'm a tube person, and I'm not likely to leave the land of the glowing botles any time soon.

It's been up and down for me over the decades (yes, decades)

Looking just at the amplification side:

Magnavox receiver (I was a kid)
SAE (can't remember the model number any more)
Golden Tube 80
Electrocompaneit
Now moving back to tubes with a Manley Stingray or a modified JoLida 302B

F7

Started with a Yamaha CR-820 receiver in 1976. Excellent product.
Next was a pair of Bryston 2B-LP amps running in bridged mode for each channel. Terrific sound. Still about as good as I've heard.
Then have gone all over the map.
A McIntosh MC-300, then an MC-275 followed by a pair of VTL 200 monoblocs (all the tubes I would ever need) and then on to an MC-162 followed by an MC-500. The MC-500 is one of my favorite amps. Very big balls and microdynamics to die for. Had everything. Very sensitive to the correct preamp though (and McIntosh has never made a good one). Tried a Sony TAN77ES (very nice) and am now hooked on MOSFETs. Best of tubes and solid state. Downsized two years ago to move into a condo at the shore. Bought another Sony, though this time it was their largest MOSFET integrated amp, the TA-F808ES. Runs class A up to 25 wpc and then AB to 100. Wonderful sound. Am now thinking about bi-amping with an Aleph 30 for the top end. Any thoughts out there? BTW, I enjoy Stereophile. Has lots of info as long as you pay little or no attention to their BS. could do without Art Dudley, the putz supreme.

I got a suitcase style record player when I was 12
Bought a Pioneer SX-535
Sold the SX bought a Yamaha CR-820
Brought the CR-820 back (didn't sound right)got an Onkyo A-7
Sold the Onkyo and used my Dad's Radio Shack reciever 10wpc
Bought a Hafler kit combo built the preamp amp never came
so I took a Nakamichi 600 series amp in its place which I
didn't like so I traded that for a GAS Son of Ampzilla
Had a borrowed Arcam A60 in mt system for a while
Bought a used Ampzilla IIa from a competing store for $100!!
Bought two Citation 16as in 2001 and 2002
The Ampzilla has a blown output stack which I'd like to fix
The Son is working but currently not in a system
The Citations are used to drive my Vandersteens
Thinking of Bryston or Audio Research amps or maybe a second Ampzilla

I have resisted answering this thread for sometime now because I wasn't sure if I had really found my audiophile stride, but, now, I think that I have: I'm a tube guy. I think that I have always been but just didn't realize it.

So here goes:

--Sony integrated (not sure of the model or specs---maybe 25 watts/chn)

--Fisher integrated (when I was in college--back when all I thought I had to do to get high-end sound was go to the Good Guys and buy anything w/ 100 watts).

--Cambridge Audio A3i (bought new on Audio Advisor)

--Mistral Integrated (bought a demo from AA)

--Pass Labs Aleph 30 mated to a VTL 2.5 pre

--PS Audio HCA-2 with the VTL

--Rogue 88 w/ Electro Harmonics kt-88s with the vtl.

With that last set up, I have finally found what I'm looking for: Tubes. About the only thing I feel like I want to try is a VTL amp(s) of some stripe.

I don't think that I'm going to be spending much more money, though. Well, okay, I just thought of one more possibility: the SET mono 300b thing. But, still, I'm going to hold onto the Rogue until I know that whatever I buy next actually sounds *better* and not just different.

What's cool is that this whole thing, on balance, has been fun. I haven't really bought anything and felt that it was a "mistake." But fun is what it's all about, right???

This list gets long-starting in about 1977
Pioneer-SX636
Pioneer-SX450
Technics-SA616
Pioneer-VSX5000
Sansui-Q800
Adcom-535
Pioneer-SPEC2
VTL ST50
Dynaco ST70 3ea with active xover to tri amped home builts
NAD 2200 NAD 1700 front end
Dynaco ST410 2ea for subs
Grommes LJ-5 mono in the shop

Pioneer integrated
Sony
NAD
Sansui - I still like their clean DC sound
I use as 2 ch. Home Theatre with radio shack
lineum tweeter (pretty pleasant + transparent)
Do we need 6 speakers?
Marantz 2270 20 years old Receiver - nice warm sound
Quad 405II - nice liquid tube like mid
Old tube amps - getting into tubes

1975 - Rotel RA712
1985 - Audiolab 8000A
1990 - Audiolab 8000P (bi-amped with 8000A)
2000 - TAG Mclaren 125M monoblocs (bi-amped with 8000P)
2002 - Lumley Reference M120 monoblocs

it took me 27 years to discover tubes. Better late than never.

1967...Dyna st-70 made from kit in grade 10 electronics class,still use today in kitchen.
1969...Dyna mk-3 monos from kit also.
1972...Quad 2 monos
1975...Phase Linear 700b,ampzilla,Kenwood lo7m's....Blew them all up trying to boogie with the Dayton Wright XG-10 electrostatics!
1976...Audio Reasearch d-76,Macintosh 275.
1982..Grant Lumley m-100's prototypes[still in family]
1985...Audio Research D-79b[ foolishly shipped to Japan
last year]Lumley gl-50[another beauty that got away] 1990...MFA 120b's
2000...Atma-sphere 2.2 mk2's,
2001...Antique Soundlab 1009 monos,Antique SoundLab 1006 monos.
Back in my college days I ran a disc jockey company and used mainly high powered solid scrape stuff from bryston,crown,and phase linear.

Here is an update on my amps! See below.......

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)

Replacing the Perreaux 2150B is the Perreaux 3150B AND replacing the ARC VT100 mkll is the ASL Hurricanes.

Hey RWD..."My morning smile"!!! I forgot to list the late great ARC D-115[ my all time favorite muscle amp in its day] as well as a pair of the original Mark Levinson ML-2 monos,to this day,still the sweetest solid scrape amps I have ever heard![ At 25 watts/channel no less]They could drive the Dayton Wright E-stats to higher SPL's than the 700 watt/channel Phase linear 700b! Sounded phenominal on the Quad 57's or anything else for that matter.I should start a new thread on preamps as I noticed you listed yours.IS there a thread already?

This is my evolution:

Carver “The Receiver 150”
Yamaha RX-V 590
Yamaha RX-V 990
B&K Ref 20 (pre)
ATI 1505
VTL ST 85
Adcom GFA 5500
McCormack Deluxe 1
McCormack DNA 225
Perreaux E160
EAD TheaterMaster Ovation (upgraded to Ovation 8){pre/pro}
Cinepro 3K6 Mark II
EAD PowerMaster 6300

Cambridge Audio receiver (circa 1973)
Pioneer 626 receiver
Onkyo int amp (25WPC)
Pioneer receiver (100WPC)
Parasound 1200 stereo amp
Parasound 750 stereo amp (2 run as monoblocks)
Bryston 4B ST stereo amp
Bryston 7B ST monoblocks
Krell 400cx stereo amp

1. Panasonic 4 wpc mini-receiver with ic amp section.
2. Pilot 25 wpc integrated solid-state amp
3. Yamaha CR640 40 wpc receiver
4. Nakamichi 630 100 wpc class B solid-state power amp
5. Mitsubishi DA10 100 wpc solid-state power amp
6. Hafler DH200 100 wpc solid-state power amp kits - bought, built, modified, sold several
7. Robertson 4010 60 wpc solid-state power amp
8. Audio Research D115 Mk. II 100 wpc tube power amp
9. Spectral DMA80 100 wpc solid state power amp
10. Music Reference RM-200 100 wpc tube/solid-state hybrid power amp

All served their purpose admirably. The last two were by far my favorites. The last one very much so.

Pioneer SA8100 integrated which I then used the preamp of to drive an used Marantz 1040 power amp. Now have Marantza MA500 power amps. Have also had Pioneer and Technics receivers at various times in the past.h

1. Southwest Technical Products home-built (loaned by a friend)
2. Marantz Stereo 140 (cool blue meters!)
3. Dynaco ST-416 home-built
4. Adcom GFA-555s, run as monoblocks
5. Classe CA-150
6. Bryston 9B-ST
7. Bryston 7B-ST monoblocks

Started in 1976:
Son of Ampzilla
Grandson of Ampzilla (2, bridged)
ARC D-120
Counterpoint SA-100
Electrocompianet A100 (?)
Levinson No. 27
ARC CL-120's
Ayre V3

Might go back to tubes as soon as I can afford one. Never looked into SE & will do so.

Can't believe I missed this thread...

NAD 3020 integrated
Bryston 3B
Krell KSA 50
VTL ST-80
Sunfire
Air Tight ATM-1
BAT VK-60
Spectral DMA-180 II
Cary Rocket 88
Evry time I leave tubes, I have to come back! Spencer

got my audio note conqueror stereo 300b single ended amplifier...finally...worth it

my evolution:

sony integrated amp
adcom 555II
music concept mod hafler XL280
Symphonic Line RG1 MKII
Symphonic Line Rg1 MKIII now

I am considering uprgrading to RG4 or kraft 250 in the future.

In order of use and rating based on max of 10:

Carver 705X (6/10)
H/K PA5800 (7.5/10)
H/K Signature 2.1 (7/10)
Citation 7.1 (4/10; note - gave me an earache)
Chiro C-500 (8/10)
H/K Signature 1.5 (8/10)
Bryston 4BST (9/10)
Marsh A200S (8/10)
Innersound ESL (10/10)

The Innersound ESL is as close to a perfect amp as I have found and anyone looking for the best in high power and transparency should definitely give it a listen, and especially if they use electrostatic speakers, but it is great with regular speakers as well.

From first to last and worst to greatest
1. Fisher
2. Denon
3. B&K 4420
4. Jolida 1000
5. Pass X150
6. Pass X600
7. eAR 2 MKII

1. Yamaha DSP-A1
2. Accuphase E407
3. Sim Audio Moon W5
4. ML 432