retiredaudioguy

Responses from retiredaudioguy

System advice
Wild amp thought.  Used CD Premier 11 https://www.ebay.com/itm/335765515669?itmmeta=01JJFEYBWRC4TW0DQGRE02C0TD If you don't like it you can probably get most of your money back. CJ amps of that era are just on the warm side of neutral to my ear... 
Retirement integrated amp for a “fiscal conservative”
I may be late to this party, and my thought is not an integrated but... You could get a benchmark LA4  Pre and Pass Labs XA 25 for less than $8,000.  The construction looks and feels bulletproof. I have these driving my Rockport Atria IIs, sourc... 
Pass....Accuphase....or......
I have the XA 25.  Digital source is the Esoteric K-01XS, pre is Benchmark LA4, speakers Rockport Atria II (which, thankfully, I bought before the 50% price increase!). Yes, it IS really good.  My room is a bit larger than yours, 25x45, and the X... 
Your journey with lower-watt tube amps -- Can a kit be good enough?
A major issue with tubes is the output transformer, especially in SE use.  In a single ended circuit the quiescent state plate current is going through the OPT, in a PP configuration the plate current is flowing in the opposite direction through e... 
Turntable Quandry
My two cents.  A used VPI Scout would be about $1,400 a Scoutmaster 50% more (and probably a 50% upgrade over the Scout). "Scoutmaster [2004]The Scoutmaster took the best concepts of the Scout and stepped them up. More mass, more low-end! It doub...