To have one amplifier or several

[RoA]

Nothing is perfect, not at any price. My amplifiers are relatively cheap (very cheap to some), the most expensive one being the Hegel, the cheapest one the Audiolab. In the middle there is a Cyrus and an Arcam.

I like them all, so much so that I could not really decide which one to let go. They all take their turns in two systems. I usually play each one for 3 to weeks and out it goes.

It makes and keeps me appreciating each one for what they are good at and makes me look forward to try another one again. They are of course not genre specific but all have their strengths and weaknesses.

I could just have one better one, selling the above but I know even that would not be perfect of course.

Having a choice and knowing that there is one item that will either fit something very nicely or is just available to swap out for a different taste keeps me interested.

I take the same approach with Headphones and use a number to keep things exciting.

I have been tempted lately to add another amplifier, different topology to expand on the above.

I do this with amplifiers as different speakers would just be impractical space wise.

How do you feel about this? One amplifier or several?

 

[Darren L]

One for me, well actually three parts, a pre and two monos, though it would be handy to have a spare perhaps.

Quiet frequently I've read on here of members with various amps or speakers and often wondered why, but then for some folks playing with hifi and swapping stuff around is part of their interest.

 

[awkwardbydesign]

I don't think this approach would work with the amps I have. Lightest is 28kg, heaviest is 39kg.

 

[Eyebroughty]

Like most things often it is better to a have a few options available.

I have four amps at the moment, should be getting a fifth soon, an integrated, have three sets of speakers and about to get a forth pair.

Great fun having options.

 

[guydarryl]

I have several, but use most of them in different rooms - Onix oa20 in study, Nait 3 in kitchen/dining room and Art Audio Quintet (with NVA pre and phono) in lounge where my LP’s are
In cupboard Denon pma250, and Quad II’s (still in bits )

Would I sell? Tricky; the Onix will never go - felt really upset/lost without it when it was away for service for about a year.
Nait 3’s seem to be commanding higher prices on auction sites, great amp’ - I could be tempted to sell and use Denon in its place ( only used for radio while I’m cooking)

You ask a very interesting question, I have wondered about selling all bar the Quintet and Onix to raise funds towards an Art Audio Vinyl 1 phono. Could/would it be justified, I just don’t know

 

[AnilS]

I don't think this approach would work with the amps I have.

Or my wife

 

[gustav_errata]

I don't have space to even consider multiple boxes for swapping out.

 

[Tony L]

I have three systems setup in different rooms (main, nearfield, TV) so need a minimum of three amps. I’ve got around seven amps depending on how one counts non-restored stuff. That’s obviously more than I need, but I’m in no rush to sell anything.

The stuff currently in use is 2x Quad 303 and a pair of Leak TL12 Plus. That leaves 2x Stereo 20 (one not restored), an Amptastic Mini-1, and a Sony TA-1140 (not restored) on the bench. One could argue that is three in use and two working spares, which doesn’t sound that unreasonable. It was worse a couple of weeks ago when I had a Pass Aleph 3 sitting on a shelf doing nothing!

 

[Colin L]

Multiple amps.... I suppose it depends on whether you view Hifi as a means to and end, or an end in itself.
Personally I don't get the "collector" thing.

 

[Spraggons Den]

I alternate between a Hegel 590 and a Nait 3 - great fun.

 

[per-Sony-fied]

Some people obviously have plenty of money to play with.
I in affect have just 1 integrated amp. It's a Krell kAV 300 bought s/h about 20 years ago.
This replaced my Nait 1 which I do still have but rarely ever gets use. I Guess I have kept it because I modified it & dont consider it a safe thing to sell.

 

[Gervais Cote]

My Naim NAP 110 with Phoenix boards is the one that will stay in my main system.
I will keep my Avondaled 110 as a spare and my NAP 160 BD will be for sale in a near future.
I think I found my sweet spot and other than a backup, really don’t need more than one good amplifier to enjoy my music.

 

[Alex S]

I’d like one amp but have 12.

 

[RoA]

I've posted this in the HP section some time ago and it certainly rung with me. This is not Headphone specific.

 

[kernow]

I'd just have one good one

 

[linnfomaniac83]

I have many… I’m past swapping them around though. I either have them deployed in a system long term, I haven’t gotten round to listing them for sale, or they have a sentimental value (like the Linn Majik I bought for my uncle and later inherited back from him).

I do like having more than one system though, both to be able to listen in a different space and to get a different presentation.

 

[ryder]

How do you feel about this? One amplifier or several?

It's entirely down to priorities or preference. Several amps would be useful if there is space to store the amps, and the amps are occasionally or frequently swapped just for the fun of it. I used to have several but am now down to 3. I only keep amps which I feel are 'special'. In my case, only one amp is frequently used while the other two amps have not been used for more than a year now.

Personally I wouldn't bother with cheap budget amps as they all sound almost the same to me with reduced clarity and detail. It's just sound but not music. The keeper amps usually cost a bit more and they sound more poised, refined and detailed.

Just a note that having several amps will be useful if you own several speakers as certain amps will only match certain speakers. I have 2 pairs of speaker and some amps fit one pair better than the other pair.

 

[Lavantha]

Many....

Had a single amplifier, Nait 1 for decades, but things went sideways last couple years.

The Nait is gone but currently switch between a number of integrateds; a Jadis, Audial, Sparkler and an Almarro. If push came to shove and had to keep just one it would likley be the Sparkler...or maybe the Jadis...or possibly the ....

My goal is to get down to two this year.

 

[sideshowbob]

I've got a few. 2 conrad-johnson preamps, 1 c-j power amp, 1 Belles power amp, 3 Quad preamps, 1 Quad power amp, 1 Yamamoto Sound Craft preamp, 1 Elekit power amp built from a kit, 1 kit chip amp, 1 self built passive preamp, 1 Amptastic Mini, 1 Naim NAC 32.5, 1 NAP 140, 1 NAP 90. I swap them in and out every few weeks in the office system, the living room system stays the same as the whole family use it.

8 preamps might be excessive. But I like preamps.

 

[per-Sony-fied]

Some people obviously have plenty of money to play with.
I in affect have just 1 integrated amp. It's a Krell kAV 300 bought s/h about 20 years ago.
This replaced my Nait 1 which I do still have but rarely ever gets use. I Guess I have kept it because I modified it & dont consider it a safe thing to sell.

Yes.... It has just come to mind as I travel back to work that I do have another amp (its now sounding like I can afford all these things but were all bought at different times) which is a Lyngdorf 2175? power amp that stopped working one day, just would not power on, some relay thing I think? Anyhow I only bought this to see if I could improve on performance of my Krell power stage since I've had a few integrated amps on dem through my system that suggested improvements were possible but alas bit of a waste couldn't really hear any difference. Unfortunately another amp I can't sell as its stopped working (scratches head....).