Your amp history...
- Thread starter Michael L
- Start date
Herr Mustermann
pfm Member
Arcam Alpha 5
Nait 3 (still have in my 2nd system)
NAC72/HiCAP/NAP250
Avondaled NAC62/HiCAP/NAP250
EAR 869.
Peter
Nait 3 (still have in my 2nd system)
NAC72/HiCAP/NAP250
Avondaled NAC62/HiCAP/NAP250
EAR 869.
Peter
robert_cyrus
ID should now be "robert_naim"
1988 Kenwood cant remember the model
1994 then the Cyrus starts ......
Cyrus 3
Cyrus 3 + psxr
Cyrus 3 + psxr + power
Cyrus 3 + psrx + power + psxr
Cyrus 3 + power + psxr + power + psxr
Cyrus AV5 + power + psxr + power + psxr
Cyrus AV5 + aPA7's
Cyrus Pre X + psxr + aPA7's
Current: Cyrus Pre X + psxr + Mono X's
I still own the Cyrus 3, and have a Cyrus 1 late model that requires a service
1994 then the Cyrus starts ......
Cyrus 3
Cyrus 3 + psxr
Cyrus 3 + psxr + power
Cyrus 3 + psrx + power + psxr
Cyrus 3 + power + psxr + power + psxr
Cyrus AV5 + power + psxr + power + psxr
Cyrus AV5 + aPA7's
Cyrus Pre X + psxr + aPA7's
Current: Cyrus Pre X + psxr + Mono X's
I still own the Cyrus 3, and have a Cyrus 1 late model that requires a service
hifienthusiast
Vintage by heart
Rotel RA820BX II
Mission Cyrus One
Creek 4040
Linn Majik, LK100
Naim 72, 82, 32, 32.5, 42.5, Snaps, 140, 180, 250, Nait 5, 112/150/FC2, Nait 3
Rogers E20a 6L6 valve amp
Many vintage valve amps: Leak TL12.1, TL10, Stereo 20, Stereo 60, TL12+, TL50+, TL25+, Pye HF25, Pye Mozart, Rogers Junior, Radford STA15, Rogers Cadet II, Quad II
Last 7 years, I have tried many transistor and valve amps: Quad 34, 44, 405-2, 606, Arcam Delta 290, A85, P85, A32, P32, Sugden A21, A48B, A25, A21a, C51/P51, Stemfoort SF60, Sonneteer Alabaster, Myst TMA3, Bryston 4BST, Musical Fidelity A308, Tact SDAi2175, Croft Vitale, EAR 834L, Onix OA21, OA21s, Myst TMA3, Meridian 557, Primare A10, Unico P, Exposure VI, VII, VIII, X, CR Development Carmenta, Arcam A60, Cyrus 7, Quicksilver pre .........
Currently using Sugden A21a and a Creek OBH-22 passive preamp for my vintage valve amps.
Mission Cyrus One
Creek 4040
Linn Majik, LK100
Naim 72, 82, 32, 32.5, 42.5, Snaps, 140, 180, 250, Nait 5, 112/150/FC2, Nait 3
Rogers E20a 6L6 valve amp
Many vintage valve amps: Leak TL12.1, TL10, Stereo 20, Stereo 60, TL12+, TL50+, TL25+, Pye HF25, Pye Mozart, Rogers Junior, Radford STA15, Rogers Cadet II, Quad II
Last 7 years, I have tried many transistor and valve amps: Quad 34, 44, 405-2, 606, Arcam Delta 290, A85, P85, A32, P32, Sugden A21, A48B, A25, A21a, C51/P51, Stemfoort SF60, Sonneteer Alabaster, Myst TMA3, Bryston 4BST, Musical Fidelity A308, Tact SDAi2175, Croft Vitale, EAR 834L, Onix OA21, OA21s, Myst TMA3, Meridian 557, Primare A10, Unico P, Exposure VI, VII, VIII, X, CR Development Carmenta, Arcam A60, Cyrus 7, Quicksilver pre .........
Currently using Sugden A21a and a Creek OBH-22 passive preamp for my vintage valve amps.
OK, this is going to be long, but an enjoyable trip down memory lane.
NAD 3-something (not 3020)- yeaaahhh
Adcom GFA-535 - ok
Moscode 300 – warm and misty, a lot of power
Conrad-Johnson MV-50 – good, and still good to this day
VTL deluxe 90/90 – the rapier valve amp
Cary CAD300 sei – the SET valve amp to settle with if you like a minimum of fuss and have great horns like JBL Hartsfields or Klipschorns; great headphone amp to boot; now a classic – I never should have sold mine.
H.H. Scott LK-72 – runs 7591’s and did a stellar job as my video amp for a number of years.
H.H. Scott 222 – EL84s – drove my Quad 57’s good.
Fisher 400 receiver – comfortable FM radio sound but the heat!
Golden Tube Audio SE-40 – good, ok, but a Chernobyl waiting to happen.
Dynaco ST-70 – drove the 57’s good, too.
Dynaco Mk. III mono’s – preferred the ST-70
Creek 4040 - loved this simple amp. In my mind, it's midway between a Nait1 and a Sugden A21. Mine's in a box somewhere in the garage awaiting repair.
Moth Audio s45 and s2A3– used 45 and/or 2A3 triodes; great education on the value of tone in an amp, but I didn’t have horns at the time.
Futterman OTL- very impressive, at first. Very “transparent”, but, ah, too…”transparent”.
45 Labs Gaincard – very impressive, at first, and was still good the day I stopped using it. But overall, I like the Nait1 or Nait2 better
Audio Note 300B mono’s – good, but not too much better or maybe even a bit worse than what I had before them.
Naim Nait1 – The Beat…but low in power, and it shows at the oddest of times. Loved it, though.
Naim NAP110 – I loved this amp, then it went bust, and NANA didn’t want to fix it.
Naim Nait2 – at first I loved the Nait1 better, but this sounded smoother in the long run. It remains my back-up amp.
Naim NAP180 – assertive. Very.
Naim NAP250 – VG but I didn’t need that much power.
Quicksilver 8417 monoblocks – great amp; I’d still buy them today.
Pass Aleph 3 – a wet noodle.
Densen DM-10 – reminded me of Kraftwerk. But some people like Kraftwerk.
Rega Mira – gutsy, a bit recessed-sounding, but never harsh. I still use the preamp section which I still believe is unbelieveably, serendipitously great.
Naim Nait5 – smooth, but not in a Nait2 way. Maybe too smooth, too round. I could’t connect with it, but not a bad amp. Better than the…
Naim Nait3R – the experience is over, but my eardrums still toss and turn at night. I know kuma loves hers, but maybe I needed an LP-12.
Cary Rocket88 – tremendous amp but gain is too low.
Quad II’s – sweet but lacking in bass and grunt.
Wright-Sound WPA3.5 monoblocks – used 2A3 valves. Sounded pure, but too…pure
Bedini 25/25 – perfect realization of solid state to me but appearance is..eehhh. If the appearance didn’t bother me, I would have kept it forever, or maybe because I discovered the…
Sugden A21 – almost the same as the Bedini, but low power, more “colored”-sounding. Not the Naim drive, but something mesmerizing about its sound, and I like that the phono section is great and I could use my Grado’s with it. It’s still here, and will be until it breaks.
Berning EA-230 – uses TV sweep valves in triode. Powerful sound but lacking in refinement.
Quicksilver Mini-Mites – a summation of everything I like in an amp (or amps), and the NOS valves are not exorbitantly priced. Nothing exotic in the parts used, nothing exotic in the circuit. I don’t know how Mike Sanders (the designer) does it, but he’s a real amp genius. (Hate the overuse of the word, for lack of a better way to describe it..). I’ve never heard a bad Quicksilver amp (and this maybe the best if you only need 25 watts). Can’t say the same about any of the big boys.
Thanks for the time. Now back to work…
-Ray
NAD 3-something (not 3020)- yeaaahhh
Adcom GFA-535 - ok
Moscode 300 – warm and misty, a lot of power
Conrad-Johnson MV-50 – good, and still good to this day
VTL deluxe 90/90 – the rapier valve amp
Cary CAD300 sei – the SET valve amp to settle with if you like a minimum of fuss and have great horns like JBL Hartsfields or Klipschorns; great headphone amp to boot; now a classic – I never should have sold mine.
H.H. Scott LK-72 – runs 7591’s and did a stellar job as my video amp for a number of years.
H.H. Scott 222 – EL84s – drove my Quad 57’s good.
Fisher 400 receiver – comfortable FM radio sound but the heat!
Golden Tube Audio SE-40 – good, ok, but a Chernobyl waiting to happen.
Dynaco ST-70 – drove the 57’s good, too.
Dynaco Mk. III mono’s – preferred the ST-70
Creek 4040 - loved this simple amp. In my mind, it's midway between a Nait1 and a Sugden A21. Mine's in a box somewhere in the garage awaiting repair.
Moth Audio s45 and s2A3– used 45 and/or 2A3 triodes; great education on the value of tone in an amp, but I didn’t have horns at the time.
Futterman OTL- very impressive, at first. Very “transparent”, but, ah, too…”transparent”.
45 Labs Gaincard – very impressive, at first, and was still good the day I stopped using it. But overall, I like the Nait1 or Nait2 better
Audio Note 300B mono’s – good, but not too much better or maybe even a bit worse than what I had before them.
Naim Nait1 – The Beat…but low in power, and it shows at the oddest of times. Loved it, though.
Naim NAP110 – I loved this amp, then it went bust, and NANA didn’t want to fix it.
Naim Nait2 – at first I loved the Nait1 better, but this sounded smoother in the long run. It remains my back-up amp.
Naim NAP180 – assertive. Very.
Naim NAP250 – VG but I didn’t need that much power.
Quicksilver 8417 monoblocks – great amp; I’d still buy them today.
Pass Aleph 3 – a wet noodle.
Densen DM-10 – reminded me of Kraftwerk. But some people like Kraftwerk.
Rega Mira – gutsy, a bit recessed-sounding, but never harsh. I still use the preamp section which I still believe is unbelieveably, serendipitously great.
Naim Nait5 – smooth, but not in a Nait2 way. Maybe too smooth, too round. I could’t connect with it, but not a bad amp. Better than the…
Naim Nait3R – the experience is over, but my eardrums still toss and turn at night. I know kuma loves hers, but maybe I needed an LP-12.
Cary Rocket88 – tremendous amp but gain is too low.
Quad II’s – sweet but lacking in bass and grunt.
Wright-Sound WPA3.5 monoblocks – used 2A3 valves. Sounded pure, but too…pure
Bedini 25/25 – perfect realization of solid state to me but appearance is..eehhh. If the appearance didn’t bother me, I would have kept it forever, or maybe because I discovered the…
Sugden A21 – almost the same as the Bedini, but low power, more “colored”-sounding. Not the Naim drive, but something mesmerizing about its sound, and I like that the phono section is great and I could use my Grado’s with it. It’s still here, and will be until it breaks.
Berning EA-230 – uses TV sweep valves in triode. Powerful sound but lacking in refinement.
Quicksilver Mini-Mites – a summation of everything I like in an amp (or amps), and the NOS valves are not exorbitantly priced. Nothing exotic in the parts used, nothing exotic in the circuit. I don’t know how Mike Sanders (the designer) does it, but he’s a real amp genius. (Hate the overuse of the word, for lack of a better way to describe it..). I’ve never heard a bad Quicksilver amp (and this maybe the best if you only need 25 watts). Can’t say the same about any of the big boys.
Thanks for the time. Now back to work…
-Ray
tomek
pfm Member
1976 Thomson ??
1982 Pioneer SA 710a
1988 Pioneer A656
1993 Rotel RC980+RB980
1996 Dynacord tube pre + Dynacord tube power amp LS8 built 1959, both recapped
1997,8,9 tried Electrocompaniet eci-2, ACM, Cyrus, Creek, Linn Intek and some others
1999 Nac 92 + Nap90/3
1999 Nac72/Hicap/Nap140
2000 Exposure 15 Super
2001 Exposure RC21 + 18 Super, tried Linn Pretek and Kolektor
2002 Exposure RC21 + Musical Fidelity class A monoblocks MA50
2003 Musical Fidelity A1 David
2003 Naim Nait 2 a la acoustica, thanks to Martin Clark for all those informations !
2006 Tweaked chinese tube pre clone of Marantz 7 circuit+Crimson 620, gainclone, sometimes Nait 2
2008 Tweaked chinese tube pre clone of Marantz 7 circuit+Dynacord 2x8w tube power amp, sometimes Nait 2
Also tried some others, but don't remember exactly when&what
1982 Pioneer SA 710a
1988 Pioneer A656
1993 Rotel RC980+RB980
1996 Dynacord tube pre + Dynacord tube power amp LS8 built 1959, both recapped
1997,8,9 tried Electrocompaniet eci-2, ACM, Cyrus, Creek, Linn Intek and some others
1999 Nac 92 + Nap90/3
1999 Nac72/Hicap/Nap140
2000 Exposure 15 Super
2001 Exposure RC21 + 18 Super, tried Linn Pretek and Kolektor
2002 Exposure RC21 + Musical Fidelity class A monoblocks MA50
2003 Musical Fidelity A1 David
2003 Naim Nait 2 a la acoustica, thanks to Martin Clark for all those informations !
2006 Tweaked chinese tube pre clone of Marantz 7 circuit+Crimson 620, gainclone, sometimes Nait 2
2008 Tweaked chinese tube pre clone of Marantz 7 circuit+Dynacord 2x8w tube power amp, sometimes Nait 2
Also tried some others, but don't remember exactly when&what
simonbrown
The Dogfather
Quantum pre/power*2
Cheap Marantz integrated
102/150
82/150
82/hi/150
82/hi/zap250
Cheap Marantz integrated
102/150
82/150
82/hi/150
82/hi/zap250
Robert
Tapehead
Roughly in date order:
Trio KA1200 (1976 & still have it
)
Toshiba SA1210 Receiver
Technics SUV6
Sansui AU317
A&R A60
Quad 44/405
Rotel RA840B
Onix OA21/SOAP
Naim 62/Hi/140
Naim 72/Hi/250
Cyrus 2/PSX
Cyrus Pre/PSXR/4xPowers/4xPSXR/ - 10 boxes!
Back to Naim with 102/Hi/180
Expsure X
Exposure XV
Audiolab 8000A (x2)
MF A1
MF P172/P140x2
Pioneer SA9800
Technics SUV9x
Trio KA1000
Linn Wakonda/LK280x2
Rega Elex
Naim Nait 2
Croft S5/SMA
Some Chinese Yaqin thing that caught fire.....
WAD KAT6550/PreII
Naim 72/SRCAP/135s
Cambridge 840A
+ lots of cheap Japanese grunge amps that have come and gone.
Trio KA1200 (1976 & still have it
)Toshiba SA1210 Receiver
Technics SUV6
Sansui AU317
A&R A60
Quad 44/405
Rotel RA840B
Onix OA21/SOAP
Naim 62/Hi/140
Naim 72/Hi/250
Cyrus 2/PSX
Cyrus Pre/PSXR/4xPowers/4xPSXR/ - 10 boxes!
Back to Naim with 102/Hi/180
Expsure X
Exposure XV
Audiolab 8000A (x2)
MF A1
MF P172/P140x2
Pioneer SA9800
Technics SUV9x
Trio KA1000
Linn Wakonda/LK280x2
Rega Elex
Naim Nait 2
Croft S5/SMA
Some Chinese Yaqin thing that caught fire.....
WAD KAT6550/PreII
Naim 72/SRCAP/135s
Cambridge 840A
+ lots of cheap Japanese grunge amps that have come and gone.
mikedefacto
Active Member
I should get out more, a thin collection compared with some.
quad 44+303, did fine for 20years in child rearing,non listening period
EcAudio Finestra+quad 606
Graff pre + Pass labs aleph 3
Conrad Johnson premier17 + Passlabs Aleph 3
Viva Solista +lavardin IT for hot weather duties
Viva Solista + Karan K I 180 " " "
Some great amps in there, the Solista being one of the best I have ever heard. I am in the process of selling the Karan, another great amp I can't justify holding onto, for the few times I use it
quad 44+303, did fine for 20years in child rearing,non listening period
EcAudio Finestra+quad 606
Graff pre + Pass labs aleph 3
Conrad Johnson premier17 + Passlabs Aleph 3
Viva Solista +lavardin IT for hot weather duties
Viva Solista + Karan K I 180 " " "
Some great amps in there, the Solista being one of the best I have ever heard. I am in the process of selling the Karan, another great amp I can't justify holding onto, for the few times I use it
Mullardman
Moderately extreme...
60's 4w 2 valve thing in a Dansette
70's-80's. Bush Arena 40 music centre. (Ohh the shame!!) Still it had a decent TT in it.
90's ION Obelisk 1
Later 90's ION Obelisk 3x/X-Pak
Even later 90's ION Obelisk 3x/X-Pak x2
Even more laterer 90's, to date. Papworth M100 valve monoblocks.
70's-80's. Bush Arena 40 music centre. (Ohh the shame!!) Still it had a decent TT in it.
90's ION Obelisk 1
Later 90's ION Obelisk 3x/X-Pak
Even later 90's ION Obelisk 3x/X-Pak x2
Even more laterer 90's, to date. Papworth M100 valve monoblocks.