High End Separates.....

TubeHiFiNut

Super Member
In keeping with the decision to not open a High End specific forum, I figured I'd start a thread on High End Separates to see how it goes in here.

Vintage and new.....Tubes, Transistors and Hybrids welcome!

I am taking better pics of mine and will post ASAP.

Prliminary definition of High End Audio from the What is your definition of 'High End' audio? thread:

High end components are designed with the goal of reproducing the sound of live, unamplified music in the home. Recreation of the soundstage and dynamics of the original performance across a wide frequency range are a priority with midrange fidelity having the highest priority. High end components can be vintage or current and price is not a consideration, only fidelity to the music.
 
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My main system and a 300B SET I finished recently, more tube builds to follow. :D
 

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Before I went back to an integrated amp in my main listening system I was on a separates kick.

One piece I ended up really liking was my Audible Illusions L3 pre amp. I paired it with a few different amps, both tube and SS, and it seemed to always bring out the best in them. Believe it or not one of the best pairings with it was a Yamaha P5000s and my DQ20's. That setup was just made beautiful music.
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Before I went back to an integrated amp in my main listening system I was on a separates kick.

One piece I ended up really liking was my Audible Illusions L3 pre amp. I paired it with a few different amps, both tube and SS, and it seemed to always bring out the best in them. Believe it or not one of the best pairings with it was a Yamaha P5000s and my DQ20's. That setup was just made beautiful music.

If the L3 sounds as good as the M3 (and, if anything, it should sound better), That must have been a very nice High End system.

I have a Yamaha B2. It is one of the few solid state amps I own. I've always thought that it did a lot right and very little wrong.
 
I'm still using the CODA Stage amp and a SS IRD Purist preeamp. It delivers. I haven't ran tubes through the Coda, but have in the past with other amps.
 
My main system and a 300B SET I finished recently, more tube builds to follow. :D

GORGEOUS Marantz equipment.

Quick story. I had a job in a stereo store in the early 1970s. For my first real hi-fi I bought a Pair of Altec Barcelonas, a Marantz 3600 and a Marantz 250. The 3600 was backordered so I picked up a Marantz 7C tube preamp to go with my 250 and was ruined for life.

That was my introduction to this merry-go-round we call a hobby. ;)

How does your 300B SET amp sound? Which speakers have you tried?
 
Audio Research LS16 MKII Tube Pre-Amp
Audio Research D400 MKII SS Power Amp

16399271305_8947e1f132_z.jpg


With regards to the definition, I'm not sure how applicable the criteria is with all genres of music. With live recordings classical music, it may easy, but how do you do this with studio recordings? How does one know what studio recording originally sounded like?
 
GORGEOUS Marantz equipment.

Quick story. I had a job in a stereo store in the early 1970s. For my first real hi-fi I bought a Pair of Altec Barcelonas, a Marantz 3600 and a Marantz 250. The 3600 was backordered so I picked up a Marantz 7C tube preamp to go with my 250 and was ruined for life.

That was my introduction to this merry-go-round we call a hobby. ;)

How does your 300B SET amp sound? Which speakers have you tried?

I had a 3600, didn't care for it much and gave it to a fellow AK'r. Wish I had a 7C! So far the only speakers I've used on the 300B are my Imperial 6's. It sound really nice though! The 300B is part of a whole system I'm building. I've rounded up parts for a line stage and am ready to build it. Then a phono stage. Then I'll be building a set of FR rear loaded horns. I also just found a Maggie 9303 that will get a real make over to be used bi-amped with the 300B. 300B for 200htz and up and the Maggie for the low end.
 
Audio Research LS16 MKII Tube Pre-Amp
Audio Research D400 MKII SS Power Amp

16399271305_8947e1f132_z.jpg


With regards to the definition, I'm not sure how applicable the criteria is with all genres of music. With live recordings classical music, it may easy, but how do you do this with studio recordings? How does one know what studio recording originally sounded like?

Emphasis added.

Beautiful ARC components. :yes:

Live unamplified music has a better chance of presenting the space, separation and soundstage than multi-track, multi-mic'd electronic music.

Live unamplified jazz, folk, etc. will also work.

I listen to more than my share of Pink Floyd, Yes, etc. but use less processed music to evaluate components.

YMMV.....
 
I had a 3600, didn't care for it much and gave it to a fellow AK'r. Wish I had a 7C! So far the only speakers I've used on the 300B are my Imperial 6's. It sound really nice though! The 300B is part of a whole system I'm building. I've rounded up parts for a line stage and am ready to build it. Then a phono stage. Then I'll be building a set of FR rear loaded horns. I also just found a Maggie 9303 that will get a real make over to be used bi-amped with the 300B. 300B for 200htz and up and the Maggie for the low end.

The 3600 always sounded 'hard' to my ears.

Very nice plans for the 300B amp.

I sold my 10B, 7C and 8B as part of the down payment on my first house.

Never thought I'd be able to replace them but just did. Absolutely made my hi-fi year.
 
I run a ARC LS16MkII in my main Rig as well! Great Line stage preamp which I run balanced to my crossovers.
Regards,
Jim
 
The 3600 always sounded 'hard' to my ears.

Very nice plans for the 300B amp.

I sold my 10B, 7C and 8B as part of the down payment on my first house.

Never thought I'd be able to replace them but just did. Absolutely made my hi-fi year.

I agree on both the Marantz 3300 and 3600 preamps - dry and sterile. I replaced them with a H/K Citation 17S which drove my pair of MC2100's well.
Regards,
Jim
 
The 3600 always sounded 'hard' to my ears.

Very nice plans for the 300B amp.

I sold my 10B, 7C and 8B as part of the down payment on my first house.

Never thought I'd be able to replace them but just did. Absolutely made my hi-fi year.

I saw that thread! Great luck in finding them again. :thmbsp:
 
I agree on both the Marantz 3300 and 3600 preamps - dry and sterile. I replaced them with a H/K Citation 17S which drove my pair of MC2100's well.
Regards,
Jim

Agreed. Once I heard the difference between the 3600 and the 7C, I sold the 3600.

Maybe it's just me yearning for my youth but one of the most kick-ass, just plain fun systems I ever had was the Altec Barcelonas, Marantz 7C, DIY electronic crossover, ESS Eclipse on the woofers, Mac 275 on the horns, Empire 598, Denon 103, Denon AU320. :music: :music:

Had a house one block from the university. That house went 24x7. :music:
 
I run Quicksilver M60's on my modified Magnapan MGIIIa's and Quicksilver Mini Monos on the ribbon tweeters. I employ 2 Acurus A200 amps to power the bass panels and Subwoofers. I consider the Quicksilver's high end, and the Acurus A200's (best of the Acurus amps to me) close as well in that use.
Regards,
Jim
 
Agreed. Once I heard the difference between the 3600 and the 7C, I sold the 3600.

Maybe it's just me yearning for my youth but one of the most kick-ass, just plain fun systems I ever had was the Altec Barcelonas, Marantz 7C, DIY electronic crossover, ESS Eclipse on the woofers, Mac 275 on the horns, Empire 598, Denon 103, Denon AU320. :music: :music:

Had a house one block from the university. That house went 24x7. :music:

That is a list many consider Vintage Separate Holy Grail, and for good reason!
Regards,
Jim
 
I run Quicksilver M60's on my modified Magnapan MGIIIa's and Quicksilver Mini Monos on the ribbon tweeters. I employ 2 Acurus A200 amps to power the bass panels and Subwoofers. I consider the Quicksilver's high end, and the Acurus A200's (best of the Acurus amps to me) close as well in that use.

Regards,

Jim



I consider Mike's equipment to be High End, too. From a pure sonic standpoint, The dual Line Stage Preamps and 300B SET amps driving my Lowthers is my first tier system.
 
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