2. amps-preamps
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Would you go all 1 brand for electronics?

When I was younger I used to dream of stacks. Especially Tandberg. The sexy black and chrome gear was amazingly sexy, and sleek. Ahead of it’s time really in that respect. Kyocera, Studer, Sumo, Amber, Hitachi, Yamaha, Technics, were all making gear that stacked beautifully together. Of course, so was McIntosh.

Then I got to hear a demo of Conrad Johnson gear driving a Martin Logan single panel speaker. It was good, but as soon as the CJ amp got switched out for a solid state amp, it was absolutely magical. That broke the spell for me. When I got older I found myself mixing and matching more and more, as well as often wishing there wasn’t a single damn cable in the system and it all just worked. :)

I tried going all 1 brand with Parasound, but then I discovered great sounding digital amps and instead of going with many Parasounds I went with little monoblocks, and the whole stack idea was broken. They don’t make sources anyway.

So my question for all of you, especially those of you who do not have all 1 brand stacks of gear. If you had to choose, from source to amp, a single brand, what would it be? Of course your paying for it, so keep the cost in mind. :)

I think we should reasonably exclude record players, though some like McIntosh DO make them.


Best,


Erik


erik_squires

Showing 15 responses by erik_squires

erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
So the money isn't a factor?

Best,

Erik
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
Well, I'm not saying going only 1 brand is right.  :)  Just wondering IF people had to, what they'd do.

I like Bryston's looks a lot, and Classe, but not a lot of time hearing either.

What about Primare, or... the ladybug like speaker company.... Forgot the name.
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
I have really not heard Jeff Rowland gear in a very long time. An early digital amp I heard was very sibilant, and I never had the chance to listen to more.

There's not a lot of love here for the Brits here either, like Rega, Lynn or Cyrus. What's up with that?

Erik
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
@wolf_garcia oh i must say i love me some big round shop vacs for the shop and car!! Tweaked with a goretex hepa filter they are fabulous
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
I've heard Spectral at Goodwyn's High End in Waltham, MA ages ago. I missed the magic, but it has a very strong following, what did I miss that others like about it?

I wonder if the original KSA amps would still stand up to the challenge today in terms of smoothness and soundstaging. I heard the original B&W Nautilus driven by a stack of ... six of them? (long ago) and was also kind of "meh" about it. They were the de-facto amp for Apogee though. :)

Best,

Erik
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
Other brands, now on memory lane.... Threhold (some of whose talent is now at Coda) and a french company that starts with a P..... or a P like letter....
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
Speaking of old standards, what about Halcro? It made a big splash just like Krell did, then went Poof! They certainly had a unique look to them.

Best,


Erik
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
My bad, I was thinking of Perreaux, which it turns out is from New Zealand, not France!
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
Its just a thought experiment.  if you had to commit to a single electronics brand you could afford, who would that be?
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
I think besides MBL we're missing the big guns too, no one has really stood up for modern Krell, Mark Levinson (did I miss it?) Boulder or Ayre.

I'm really surprised, since I usually like what I hear from Ayre. Never heard Boulder or ML.  Can you believe it? :)

Best,


Erik
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
Can be, and ARE as good is not the same thing. Devil is always in the implementation. I mean, I am open to the idea of a preamp with a great built-in phono stage, like I am open to the idea of an integrated with a great built-in DAC, but I'd be constantly worried about missing out.

Slightly off topic is the idea of the universal integrated amp. Not just one brand, but one piece of gear! :)

If some one said "Erik, get rid of all this crap, and get down to 1 piece of electronics" I might go with the Parasound Integrated. Their Zdac was quite good for the price, I would hope the Integrated kept that tradition alive.

PrimaLuna, AR , Cary, and Bryston also make very nice integrateds, mostly sans-DAC.

erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
The Parasound Int is a pretty sweet combo! I also really really like the ARC Integrated I heard a while ago.

OK, I think I answered my own question. I think if I had a single brand, of which I cannot afford ANY, it would be Ayre. :)

Not sure I'd trade my Mytek Brooklyn for an Ayre DAC anymore, but I could see myself getting some enormous bonus and shopping for a stack.  Its the same dream where Mindy Kaling AND Milla Jovovich ask me out at the same time, and are totally OK with me dating both of them at the same time, trading off cat sitting duties so I can go out with the other one. In other words, never going to happen. :)

Best,


Erik 
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
SAE is back baby! :) Althought it's now another ATI label.

Yes, I do remember them, at least in pictures. Sumo started to go the same way too. Aesthetically Sumo is a brand I wish was back.

Best,

Erik
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
If I ever get this place cleaned up I may buy a Tandberg reel to reel just to have on display. :)

Best,


Erik
erik_squires OP
16,678 posts
 
@nutty I mentioned Naim and Cygnus I think earlier. Not that I know anything about them. :)

No one has talked about Linn either.

@inna the guy who started YBA?
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