General consensus on best sounding Fisher models (POLL)

Best sounding Fisher stereo amp / receiver

  • X-1000

    Votes: 1 1.3%
  • X-202-B

    Votes: 6 7.6%
  • X-202

    Votes: 12 15.2%
  • X-100

    Votes: 4 5.1%
  • X-101B

    Votes: 5 6.3%
  • KX-200

    Votes: 9 11.4%
  • 800-C / 500-C / 1800

    Votes: 18 22.8%
  • TA-600

    Votes: 5 6.3%
  • 800-B / 500-B

    Votes: 11 13.9%
  • 400

    Votes: 8 10.1%

  • Total voters
    79
Being honest, I've only heard a few Fishers so I'm biased. My TA 800, a 500b and c, and two Fisher 400's. Not counting the transistor Fishers of the 70's. Yuk!

I feel like they all sound amazing and similar but have different "personalities" that come through the music.
 
I have most of the listed units, but many are in various states of disrepair, so I'm not confident voting definitively. In addition, I have owned and used multiples of most of the receivers, and they are all a bit different, though largely similar.

I haven't spent enough time with my restored X1000 to comment - it sounds very good in passing - lots of power as you can imagine, but I haven't sat down with it and played a variety of records. My 5 year old has stereo privileges, so I haven't rotated it into his grubby handed realm.

I'm very impressed by the X100 3 I recently finished, but it has TA600 OPTs, so is not perfectly representative. It's now my 5 year olds bedroom system with some EPI M50's and a Pioneer PL115D. Great sounding little system - at least with his three favorite records by Porter Wagoner, Freddie and the Dreamers and Kraftwerk.

Both my restored 500C's (one super early 13###, one super late 81###) sound similarly great, but then they both have done time with the same Michell turntable and Frazier Concerto speakers. I have had 400's, 500B's, 800C's, etc in same system and they all perform similarly as expected. I am suspicious that just about anything I plug in to the Fraziers will sound really good.

I did a bunch of work to an 800B in terrible condition that I gave away after using for a while. Maybe my favorite I have listened to so far -very present and musical with a great sound-stage. It got extensive work done and had a really nice set of tubes. I have thought about trying to get it back.

My X202B is very confident sounding, it's in a similar situation to the X1000 - I like it better than my KX200 but the KX was pretty rough when I got it, and probably needs additional work and final adjustment.

I have yet to attend to either of my TA800's, TA600 or 500S. I have some tuners to work through before I get on to these.

I like my KX100, but it is mostly original and as such is a little sloppy.

Re; Solidstate units

I spent some time with a 500T, I had low expectations based on the usual Fisher SS bashing that goes on, but I found it to be really good. Very present and powerful, strangely not unlike the X202B. I don't remember if I was using the same Paradigm bookshelf speakers, may have been.

I have spent a lot of time with a TX100 and it's decent despite needing some work (very slight hum, noisy volume pot) - it is used exclusively with a turntable at my house in the mountains and has been paired with some AR4x's and Heresys, both of which it drove without issue. I just got a Technics Quad receiver that will replace it so I can use 4 speakers in the very big main room.
 
I voted X-101B because the101-C wasn't listed. In stock form I vote X-101-C.

For euphonics I'll votes TA-600

Restored to the hilt:
The X-1000 for power,grace, authority, speed and honesty
The 500-B/800-B voluptuousness
The X-101-C for understated good looks and behavior
 
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I voted X-101B because the101-C wasn't listed. In stock form I vote X-101-C.

Restored to the hilt:
The X-1000 for power,grace, authority, speed and honesty
The 500-B/800-B voluptuousness
The X-101-C for understated good looks and behavior
Hi Don, thanks for chiming in!
Too bad I couldn't post more models in the poll, I would of included more.
 
I have most of the listed units, but many are in various states of disrepair, so I'm not confident voting definitively. In addition, I have owned and used multiples of most of the receivers, and they are all a bit different, though largely similar.

I haven't spent enough time with my restored X1000 to comment - it sounds very good in passing - lots of power as you can imagine, but I haven't sat down with it and played a variety of records. My 5 year old has stereo privileges, so I haven't rotated it into his grubby handed realm.

I'm very impressed by the X100 3 I recently finished, but it has TA600 OPTs, so is not perfectly representative. It's now my 5 year olds bedroom system with some EPI M50's and a Pioneer PL115D. Great sounding little system - at least with his three favorite records by Porter Wagoner, Freddie and the Dreamers and Kraftwerk.

Both my restored 500C's (one super early 13###, one super late 81###) sound similarly great, but then they both have done time with the same Michell turntable and Frazier Concerto speakers. I have had 400's, 500B's, 800C's, etc in same system and they all perform similarly as expected. I am suspicious that just about anything I plug in to the Fraziers will sound really good.

I did a bunch of work to an 800B in terrible condition that I gave away after using for a while. Maybe my favorite I have listened to so far -very present and musical with a great sound-stage. It got extensive work done and had a really nice set of tubes. I have thought about trying to get it back.

My X202B is very confident sounding, it's in a similar situation to the X1000 - I like it better than my KX200 but the KX was pretty rough when I got it, and probably needs additional work and final adjustment.

I have yet to attend to either of my TA800's, TA600 or 500S. I have some tuners to work through before I get on to these.

I like my KX100, but it is mostly original and as such is a little sloppy.

Re; Solidstate units

I spent some time with a 500T, I had low expectations based on the usual Fisher SS bashing that goes on, but I found it to be really good. Very present and powerful, strangely not unlike the X202B. I don't remember if I was using the same Paradigm bookshelf speakers, may have been.

I have spent a lot of time with a TX100 and it's decent despite needing some work (very slight hum, noisy volume pot) - it is used exclusively with a turntable at my house in the mountains and has been paired with some AR4x's and Heresys, both of which it drove without issue. I just got a Technics Quad receiver that will replace it so I can use 4 speakers in the very big main room.

In my opinion, my 1800's, 800-C, 500-C, X-202B, KX-200's, sound pretty similar, my 400's, 800-B, and 500-B sound a bit better overall with my all original unmolested 400 sounding best. The KX-100 ranks with the best sounding 400, and the X-1000 is pretty special but sounds a bit rolled off on the top.The TA-600, TA-800, and X-202 are winners for overall sound, with the top spot going to the X-202. I have spent a bunch of time listening to all of them, speakers choices have been Klipsch Heresy's, Cornwall's, and Belle's. All I can say is, if anyone hasn't gotten a chance to hear a X-202, jump at the opportunity. I was warned by Dave Gillespie that since I liked the TA-600 sound so much, I better be prepared to be blown away by the X-202. He was correct!
 
Haven't heard most of these, but of the ones I have spent time with (500C, 500B, 800B and X101-ST) I greatly preferred the X101. Like the 600, 800 and original 202 it's an earlier brass faced 7189/el84 amp - outstanding clarity and a punch that defied its small 12wpc rating!
 
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Hi Steve.
My vote was also for the X202. I always liked the KX-200 best, but that was until I bought a X-202.
It's only second to my 400CX-2 and SA100 combo without the cost :)
 
I have (2) KX-200's, and they sound more similar to my X-202B. My X-202's are just better, it even seems like the stereo separation is more pronounced along with better detail and more solid bass. They seem specifically made to pair with Cornwalls, I absolutely love this combo, and can't believe how powerful they are for using only 7189's (EL-84's).
I have two X-202B's, both restored, and have owned two more and I preferred the KX-200 over all of them sound wise. I know they all have the same output transformers so I must have found a really good KX-200 :biggrin:
 
Keith, are you advocating I pull the transformers from my super crappy X202B and putting them in my outputtransformerless KX200?
 
Sure can Matt as they are the exact same. I have some original spare transformers if you wanna do some swapping ;)
 
Of the Tube receivers the 800c eakes out the 400 by a smidgen. Both are really good sounding receivers but the 800c has a bit more ooomph.
I've only got one integrated an X-101-B. I haven't shaken all the bugs out yet but it's showing promise. Even tho it's a 7591 based unit, the cathode bias really does a disservice to Fisher. If it was Fixed bias, it would be a contender against the 800c but it's not to be. But it has a lot of promise.
 
Of the Tube receivers the 800c eakes out the 400 by a smidgen. Both are really good sounding receivers but the 800c has a bit more ooomph.
I've only got one integrated an X-101-B. I haven't shaken all the bugs out yet but it's showing promise. Even tho it's a 7591 based unit, the cathode bias really does a disservice to Fisher. If it was Fixed bias, it would be a contender against the 800c but it's not to be. But it has a lot of promise.

You better catch up and grab some more amps then. ;)
 
I haven't. Although there are a couple I worked on and tested enough to send home.But that wasn't critical listening.
 
I have not owned or heard the x101B X202 or 1800, but have all the rest at one time or another and still have many.
The problem with these polls for me is like saying what is the best omelet, there are too many internal components that
can either add or detract from the enjoyment of both based on individual taste.
I like original systems with upgraded components and NOS tubes and I'm sure others may disagree.
I swore off receivers a few years ago for mostly integrated amps but just put some MusiCaps in as coupling caps in a 500C
because of the extra room underneath and I have to say the 500C sounds the best to me right now...is it the caps?
not sure, but has me curious enough to think about putting them in a X202B or X1000 to hear if that is why i like that sound.
That might even the field a little afterwards to make a decision,
 
I have not owned or heard the x101B X202 or 1800, but have all the rest at one time or another and still have many.
The problem with these polls for me is like saying what is the best omelet, there are too many internal components that
can either add or detract from the enjoyment of both based on individual taste.
I like original systems with upgraded components and NOS tubes and I'm sure others may disagree.
I swore off receivers a few years ago for mostly integrated amps but just put some MusiCaps in as coupling caps in a 500C
because of the extra room underneath and I have to say the 500C sounds the best to me right now...is it the caps?
not sure, but has me curious enough to think about putting them in a X202B or X1000 to hear if that is why i like that sound.
That might even the field a little afterwards to make a decision,
There will never be a perfect way to go about something like this, but we'll do it anyway.
 
I can't vote as I only own an X-100-2 and two Fisher tuners. If someone is willing to give me (free) an example of each one, I could help you...:p
 
I can't vote as I only own an X-100-2 and two Fisher tuners. If someone is willing to give me (free) an example of each one, I could help you...:p
I think we should consider a Fisher owners gathering, but we might want to have it here in Florida since I own most every model. :D We can line them up and really get the best results, now if we can just get Larry to buy everyone's plane ticket. :idea:
 
I can't vote as I only own an X-100-2 and two Fisher tuners. If someone is willing to give me (free) an example of each one, I could help you...:p
Likewise I have a 500B as sole Fisher so I won't vote either. It's "restored to the hilt" as Don states and I agree with his "voluptuousness" characterization.
 
I think we should consider a Fisher owners gathering, but we might want to have it here in Florida since I own most every model. :D We can line them up and really get the best results, now if we can just get Larry to buy everyone's plane ticket. :idea:
Get someone else to pony up the dough for Delta or Southwest I'm on fixed income, andi refuse to strip for some gov't Moron with TSA on his/her overweight shoulder. As for me, I'll drive the 18 hours or so one way! And on the way back I can mooch a bed from my sister in Tallahassee or my Brother in Pensacola. :) I'll even bring a FISHER console to auction. So bring some $$$ fellas. Daddy needs a new shed aka/mancave.:D
 
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