The Coincident Frankenstein MK2 SET amplifier, the longer I`ve had them the more I appreciate their wonderful ability to present music with out any sense of mechanical/electronic artifact.
Klipsch K-Horn. Yes, singular. Heard with Mac tubes, Marantz pre. Life was never the same after that. Could not afford them at the time I heard them, but twenty five years later I built the room and equipment. When Klipsch heritage stuff is heard in the right room with tubes (think SET), nirvana appears. Thank you Paul.
The day I received my DeVore Gibbon 8 speakers and Raysonic cd-168 tube cd player. I think all this will be superceeded when I take delivery of my Odyssey Stratos stereo Extreme+++amp in about 6-8 weeks
I think I agree with Tvad, if I remember correctly. It has been a while since I started and I can't remember some things from yesterday never mind 30 to 40 years ago.
My first stereo system. Purchased with my earned savings when I was in 8th grade. Yea, my equipment got better and better over the years but my first stereo components blew me away (sans any drugs).
It got a work out with albums the likes of Jeff Beck-Truth, Stills, Kooper, Bloomfield - Super Session, James Gang - Rides Again, Traffic I, Genesis, Hendrix - Are You Experienced, Jethro Tull - Benefit, Pink Floyd - Meddle, King Crimson - Court of the Crimson King, Led Zeppelin I & II, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Yardbirds, and on and on.
Hyperion HPS-938 speakers. Open, vivid but natural and relaxed/musical sound (with class D amp) - just opposite to Hi-Fiish sounding speakers. Incredible midrange. Uses speakers without suspension (spiderweb). Midrange 6 1/2" is damped with ferrofluid. Very tuneful bass with very low distortion and natural sounding string attack and decay. First class imaging. Crossover integrates speakers so well that it is difficult to hear transition between them. I can hear extended and natural highs but cannot pinpoint tweeter alone. The only thing is that the are ugly - I mean UGLYYYYY... (but slowly growing on me).
Odyssey Audio Stratos Extreme+++ power amp and Odyssey Audio Kismet Reference speakers. I have been in this hobby for more than 40 years and I keep asking myself "how come I didn't hear about Odyssey Audio much sooner?"
This power amp and speakers has brought my system to new heights and I am so amazed at the price to performance ratio. I would have bought these items at 5 times the price, they are that good.
....buying a used pair of Dunlavy SC3's and upgrading from an integrated amp to seperate amp/pre-amp. I can't tell you how good those speakers sound: the clarity, depth, and articulation never cease to amaze me. I bought those speakers 12 years ago and someone will have to tear them from me. Unless, of course, I run across a used pair of SC4a's. (just kidding)
Maestro ac outlets! Made my entry level system sound damn GOOD! I did the review on these outlets too soon because these outlets are still improving every day... more open and more spacious sound as they settle-in more! Look at my review
After 30 years in this hobby, I have found one piece that I think qualifies in answer to your question: the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC. When I found this, I was about to despair over Redbook CD reproduction. Now I think I may be close to the end of my search for a truly musical sounding system.
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