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) |
1. Kenwood Reciever
2. Sonographe SA250 Used
3. Mark Levinson No 27 Used |
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! |
Arcam Alpha 10 integrated
Classe CAP-100 integrated
Audio Research D130
Sonic Frontiers Line 1 driving Plinius SA-100MkIII - Done for now |
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. |
This covers about 16 years ....
Classe 15
Classe 25
Jeff Rowland Model 10
Jeff Rowland Model 12
Butler Audio TBD 5150 |
(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 |
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 |
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! |
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 |
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. |
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. |
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 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). |
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. |
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) |
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. |
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). |
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 |
NAD>>>ADCOM>>>B&K
I know stuck in mid-fi but it sounds pretty to me through my 801s and its alot less work... |
onkyo receiver to arcam receiver to roksan caspian power amp |
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 |
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. |
ONIX A-120 MkII Integrated
McCormack DNA-1 Deluxe
Bedini BA-802
McCormack DNA-125
Plinius 8200 MkII
ONIX A-120 MkII Integrated
Aragon 8008BB
If anyone is looking for a SUPERB value for a great integrated on a budget you absolutely MUST audition the ONIX. MSRP is $695, and what you get for that is unbelievable. That said I'm in the process of evaluating the 8008BB, I had a bit of a headache from work before I even started listening so I wasn't in the right frame of mind, however I was impressed initially. If I end up not keeping it I'll likely move to try a pair of those new 1000W eAR 1001 ICEpower monoblocks.
-Nathan |
01. Optonica integrated (1987 @ 14 years of age)
02. McIntosh MC2100/MX113
03. Carver integrated (above McIntosh blew up)
04. Sony receiver (WAF-influenced purchase)
05. Audio Innovations ai500 EL34 (my first tube integrated!)
06. Rega Brio (WAF-influenced purchase)
07. SimAudio Moon (boy oh boy was this one awesome!)
08. Antique Sound Labs Orchid 2A3 (simply lovely)
09. Lexicon proc./Adcom 5 ch./Rotel 2 ch. (WAF-influenced delving into home theater - it's still around in the living room)
10. Audio Innovations ai500 (I got one again and ahhhh, in my very own listening room...finally in 2004 @ 31 years of age)
Combine #10 (with Pearl cryo'd SED 6L6GCs/Sovtek 6922s/Sovtek 12AX7LPSs) with a pair of Louis Chochos' Omega Loudspeakers' TS3 Standards, sourcing from a Thorens TD160 Super/Benz ACE/Mission tonearm combo, all running over DH Labs Silver Sonic cabling and you've got an extremely precise and yet warm/lush sound.
Cheers!
~M~ |
Proton (can't think of the model)
Krell 300i
PrimaLuna Prologue One |
1)ODL Stratos stereo
2)Conrad Johnson M55 stereo
3)McIntosh MC2102 stereo
4)Marc Levinson 332 stereo
5)David Berning ZH270 stereo
6)Cary 300B SE monoblocks
7)Cary 805 Aniversary Edition
8)Silver Eagle Audio 211 monoblocks |
1. Pioneer Integrated (@1975)
2. Hafler (kit)
3. Adcom 555
4. Classe 175
5. Custom made 2a3 (pp tube,Chicago transformer) (obviously I bought high-efficiency speakers)
6. Custom made 45 (pp,Acrosound TO-330 transformer)(still own this amp)
7. Audionote Kageki (parallel SET 2a3 amp) |
Funny,it made me remember....:Denon,Yamaha,Nikko,Parasound,Odyssey,Audio Research & Threshold |
No evolution here. I started with a pioneer receiver- tried a yamaha receiver, and ended up with denon integrated. I like the Denon best, though I am not at all sure this has much to do with any kind of upgrade. More it seems the Denon is easier to deal with. the improvements have really come along- at least to my ears, as I have found compatible components to form a system with. At this point I have come to question whether the pioneer might not have made a better impression on me had I given some thought about how it worked and what might have worked well with it. Perhaps I had it all right in thinking it was hopeless- and certainly my negligence assured it would be), but now I can think of ways I might have emphasized or played down different aspects of it very characterful sound. Sort of a wasted opportunity, I suppose, but I am nonetheless pleased with the direction the Denon took me and I havent any dire complaints. |
Denon POA-2800 + Denon PRA-1500
Denon POA-2800 + home-made passive preamplifier
Pathos Acoustics Classic One (integrated hybrid 50W)
Pass Aleph 0s + NAD S100
Pass Aleph 3 + Pass Aleph P
Pass Aleph 0s + Pass Aleph 3 + Pass Aleph P
(Aleph 0s on woofers, Aleph 3 on treble)
My quest is over. This last bi-amplification solution combines transparent and hollographic sound with dynamic and controled bass. All my atention is now focused on the recordings (hearing and buying). |
Harman Kardon A-300 integrated, ca. 1962
Pioneer 6500 approx 1976
NAD 3125 integrated 1985
NAD 2700 and preamp (power amp died) 1996
NAD 3125 resurrected 2003
Looking for replacement |
This may be your answer
My evolution is short. Already stated here, I am commenting this last time, because the evolution has come to an end.
Fisher rack system
Denon
B&K
Jolida 1000
Pass X-150
Pass X-600
And now, the serious stuff:
ICE powered eAR2 MK11
and the last... ever:
ICE powered H2O Signature monos
|
Telefunken solid-state receiver
Bryston 2B
SimAudio PW-5000 integrated
SimAudio I-5 integrated
C-J Sonographe SA-250
C-J MV55 |
rotel 1060
classe 151
audio research vs110
bryston 4bsst
jeff rowland 201
pass x150.5 |
Sony Boombox (stolen)
NAD (integrated) 7250 cr. 1983 w/ Spectrum Speakers/RCA VHS
Midiland 5.1 Decoder/MA 500 Monoblocks/JVC DVD
Marantz MA 500 monoblocks/Rotel 975 Preamp/RSP-976 decoder/JVC DVD
Audio Experience Symphonies/Marantz DP870/MA 500 Monoblocks/JVC
Audio Experience/Cary Rocket 88
Cary SLP-98P/Rocket 88/Nottingham Horizon SE/Arcam DV29 |
Sansui AU-someting or another integrated
Sansui 9090DB receiver
Onkyo something or another reciever
Yamaha M-40 amp
Yamaha M-80 amp
Mark Levinson No. 23
Currently using the last three in some way, shape, or form. |
from 1988 to present
Adcom GFA 535 / GTP 400 / Audio Alchemy VITB
Copland CTA 504 / Audio Research LS1 / Lehmann Black Cube
Pass Aleph 3 / ARC LS1 / Rotel (cant remember the phono stage model number)
Pass Aleph 5 / ARC LS1 / ARC PH1
Pass Aleph 5 / Sonic Frontiers Line 2 / ARC PH1
Pass Aleph 5 / S.F. Line 2 / Sonic Frontiers Phono 1
Vac Avatar SE
One regret I have is I was never able to mate my Aleph 5 with an Aleph P. |
Pioneer receiver; NAD 3020A; NAD Separates, Dyna Stereo 70, PS Audio 100C; Future tube mono's |
Amber 70
Crown D-150
Quicksilver monos
McIntosh 75 monos
Mark Levinson 27
Jeff Rowland 5
Parasound JC-1 monos(tough to replace these with better SS)
Jim |
1996 Sony Prologic Receiver (sears!) & sony speakers
2000 Harman Kardon AV500 & Wharfedales, KEF sub
2004 Denon 884 -> Rotel 1056 -> separates (fosgatefap, audiorefinement pre2dsp, citation 5, proceed avp)
2004 Parasound Halo A52 - smooth, but no low end punch on this model for low efficiency NHT speakers
Tried Sherbourn to compare with old Bryston 4B, chose brystons
2005 Bryston 4Bst + Bryston 5bst (multi purpose system)
Switching to better efficiency and sounding Von Schweikert VR4jr's.
Will try Bryston 5bst (sold 4bst to invest in VR4jrs)
But considering Musical Fidelity a308, Pass Labs x150, Bel Canto. |
This list will look silly as often the quality of my amp went down as I needed to pull money from my system to support another hobby. Here goes:
Harman/Kardon 330c
Harman/Kardon 730
Yamaha CA-610
Yamaha CA-810
Yamaha CA-1010
Tandberg TR-2080
Nikko NA-890
Hafler 200
Hafler 500
McIntosh MC-2155
NAD 3020
Forte 5
Meitner MTR-50
ARC D-240
Krell KSA-100
Parasound HCA2200II
B&K ST-140
BAT VK200
Parasound HCA2200II
Dean. |
To the best of my recollection:
1970's in high school now vintage fisher tube amp
and also a harman kardan tube amp.
1980's Threshold Stasis s-100 I think it was. 100 watts per side. I sold it cheap to my dad who's really enjoyed it.
Late 1980's Audio Research D-125.
Currently Quicksilver V4 mono's. |
I started with a Harmon Kardon receiver, 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, just wait till I get him back for that!)
7) Krell FPB 700cx
8) I just bought a Classe Omicron here on AudiogoN. SHould be in my listening room by Wednesday. I'll be glad to have music again. |
Marantz 4300
Creek 4330R
Jolida 1701A
Antique Sound Labs AQMG15DT
Mistral LFD
Antique Sound Labs AQ1001DT
Audiomat Arpege
Channel Islands VMB1 monoblocks
Granite Audio 861 monoblocks
Bel Canto EVO2I gen2
Plinius 9200
Jungson JA88C
PrimaLuna Prologue 1
Audio Zone AMP-1 (on the way)
I think this covers it for the last 5 yrs or so. Still have the ASL1001, Granite Audio, Plinius, Jungson and Primaluna. Mostly tubes, or slightly tube SS. |
In this order, going back some 25 years:
Akai Receiver
Nakamichi Stasis Receiver
Van Alstine Omega III 440HC
Electrocompaniet ECI-4 SE Integrated Amp
Spectron Musician II
Parasound Halo JC-1
ASL Hurricane 200DT
Berning ZH270
Joule Electra VZN-100 (still have)
Plinius SA-102 (awaiting)
Ayre V-5X (awaiting) |
aiwa mini system (13 years old, still have)
sony LAM-Z10 minidisc/cd mini system (2 years old, still have)
denon 3803 receiver (owned for a year)
jadis JA30 (5 months old, will always have)
i love all of them. |
Small Sansui Receiver ca. 1975
Sony TC630 (?) integrated amp section from tape.
Big heavy Sansui Receiver ca. 1973
Rotel 970 integrated
Proton receiver ca. 1986
B&K ST202+ Rebiased and fan cooled (amazing sound at 50W class A) cat knocked fan down, amp melted.
PSE Studio IV Euphonic little 120 WPC amp. Great imaging and easy euphonic sound. Detail level amazing with good PC.
Bryston 4B NRB - Great bass and decent imaging. Distinctly "pro" sound from midrange center through brittle treble. Improves a little with good PC. Clips at 95-98db SPL on Magnepan Tympani depending on bass content.
Biamp with the above two. Great match for Tympani. Bryston still clips on the bass at 100-105 db SPL. (lower with passive crossover, higher with active crossover).
Triamping with active crossover
Bass: Crown 5002VZ 2500 WPC at 4 ohms WOW bass. Not good for anything else unless you have the most laid back of speakers - due to thin "pro sound" high frequency heat. Grand imaging though.
Mid: 300hz to 5khz Classe DR-9 Great imaging, wonderfully full and nearly lush upper midrange (with good PC) lacks some dynamics. Images more specific and stable than with the PSE or Bryston 4B NRB)
Bryston 4B NRB imaging not quite as good. More dynamic than DR-9.
Treble: Classe DR-9 smooth and extended, but a little thin clearly outclasses PSE, Bryston).
Bryston is smooth (with PC - stock cord is a joke) but heats the treble as output increases. |
I started listening to my fathers MC30, and Heath WM-4, then I had:
Pioneer reciever ca '73
Lux 3035 Reciever
Mitsubishi DA7C
H.H.Scott 299B
Dynaco MKIV (pr monoblocks)
Music Reference RM-9
Future:? I have had the RM-9 as my reference amp for quite some time, I just re-tubed it and it still works fine.....
Would love to look at Airtight or Hoveland. |
Solid state to tubes, back to solid state. Been rough matching speakers with all these guys.
"Best Buy" Sony Receiver
Harmon Kardon Receiver
Norh SE-9
Decware Zen Select
Sophia Electric Baby
Cayin TA-30
Arcam Diva A65 Plus
Onix A-120
Also have a Sansui 9090 (~1972) really sounds amazing. |
