harrylavo
Responses from harrylavo
| Reasonably priced preamplifier Audio Research SP-6, SP-8, SP-10; Counterpoint SA5000, SA3000; Audible Illusions Modulus 3ii. All $700-2000 range, all superb tube preamps. All have excellent phono stages for MM cartridges. Counterpoints can also be configured for MC cartridg... | |
| Solid State Preamp to replace tube unit Actually, the early solid-state CJ preamps had mucu of the 3-D quality that CJ is famous for. In addition, from the old days, the Audionics BT-2 pramplifiers sound was modeled on the tube Audio Research SP-6 line of tube preamps and carries it of... | |
| Recommendation for tube preamp Agree with ghdprentice that audio research preamps from the 6 and 8 series in particular have magnetic phono preamps that are better than almost any other. The only other make I would consider perhaps as good is the M*******3A. Harry ps. excuse... | |
| A DAC for the Oppo 105 Look for a BelCanto 3.5. It takes any output from the 105. And sounds better and more musical. Also can match levels of other inputs to your preamp. And used price is not at all offputting. ps. This is my setup, has been for several years, an... | |
| Warm, yet detailed tube preamp Specific older Audio Research preamps (6B, 8) should please you. | |
| Anthony (Tony) Cordesman has passed away I was affiliated with TAS for its first several years. Tony was absolutely the best reviewer the mag ever had, IMHO. He had a better ear than HP, and did not allow price to bias preference and quality as did HP, unfortunately. After leaving TAS... | |
| Transport Recommendations Want to save $1900?? Try this: an used Pioneer DV-578A player used as a transport. In my case it feeds a bel canto e.One series DAC3 from its 24/96 digital output. Has the same bass solidarity as the transport in the much more expensive Pioneer... | |
| Tube preamp with Adcom amp Early Audio Research (SP6 series, SP8) are famous for their classic sound and their superb phono sections. Conrad Johnsons from this same period were more "tubey" sounding which comes through well on the solid state amps. But plan to buy in-line... | |
| "Messiah" recommendations? Back in the late sixties, Angle produced a 3-disk stereo LP version .... the first to be done on original instruments and from the original score. The English Chamber Orchestra led by Charles Mackerras. If that weren't enough, the soloists wer E... | |
| Any other Pipe And Slippers Audiophiles out there? I'm with fbgbill on the LLBean mocs. I wear out a pair every 2-3 years because they are always on my feet (indoors). And I do wear a bathrobe over my normal shirt and pants. And my hand does usually have a glass of bourbon on the rocks. So if ... | |
| Leave preamp on all day, off at night My experience has been that an hour warmup for a tube preamp gives you at least 99% of what you get from leaving it on 3-4 hours aforehand much less all day. So my suggestion .... turn it on at dinnertime or before getting the kids to bed, and be... | |
| stereo review magazine YOU DON'T HAVE TO REMEMBER, YOU CAN RE-VISIT!!! I meant to post this two years ago, but life intervened. If you go to the thread below it will take you to a month by month, year by year listing of Stereo Review (from beginning to end). But t... | |
| Budget preamp with quality volume control Give the Audionics BT a try. A great sounding preamp (voiced like an Audio Research SP-6 ) with a buttery smooth volume control. | |
| Fair price for used Vandersteen 3a Signatures The 3a was introduced in 1996, making it a 25y/o design. It cost $2795 at that time, which is $5008 in April, 2023 inflated price. According to the used equipment pricing model I have developed over the years (based on 100's of buy/sells of gear... | |
| Stupid Asking Prices- Why Don't Sellers Read Audiogon The Blue Book First? I can only answer .... "I do". If you have been buying and selling from the '80's or 90's you can almost instinctively know if a price is fair or not. |