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Best Amp of the '80s?
- Thread starter chiffre
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SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
The best Eighties amp is near impossible to answer. The best Eighties receiver is either the Luxman R-117 or the Sony STR-GX10ES. NAD's entry was the 7600 which was a combo of the 2600A amp and 1600 preamp/tuner. Not bad sounding but not in the class of the Lux or Sony. Carver made a few high power receivers but they were poorly built and the Magnetic Field Amplifier design resulted in dull sound.
+2
I have a Kyocera A-910 with a channel out and can't wait for its return from the shop.
bowtie427ss
Lunatic Member
For me, for that time period, it'd be a toss up between Levinson ML-3 and Krell KSA-50. The full class A Krell might have the edge by a whisker. The ML-3 isn't class A but is a damn fine sounding amplifier.
Doesn't really mean a lot to hear my opinion, but I'll play!
Amp: Mark Levinson ML-20 monoblocks. Fully-regulated Class A! They're still in demand at over $5000. Or what about the Stax DMA-X1 monoblocks -- 300W Class A and incredible build quality. Never seen a pair show up, but would probably be over $10000. A bit exotic, so maybe a pic is in order:
Amp: Mark Levinson ML-20 monoblocks. Fully-regulated Class A! They're still in demand at over $5000. Or what about the Stax DMA-X1 monoblocks -- 300W Class A and incredible build quality. Never seen a pair show up, but would probably be over $10000. A bit exotic, so maybe a pic is in order:
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bowtie427ss
Lunatic Member
I was out of the hifi loop and immersed in pro audio by the mid 80's, so some of the other greats, and successors of the ones i mentioned slip right past me.
I'm sure Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, and probably a dozen others were also building peers in that time frame.
jammasterj13
Active Member
I wonder if any of Sony ES offerings would be up there with the best?
you misunderstood, i wasn't talking about you! i re-wrote my comment above to make that more clear.
SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
I mentioned the STR-GX10ES in post #3.
jammasterj13
Active Member
Should have said amplifiers as well as receivers..
SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
cratz2
Addicted Member
Hrmm... there were some VERY high end pieces in the extravagant 80s.
I'd probably vote from something by Audio Research but Goldmund was my first exposure to the high end scene. I was so blown away by the overall size and impact of the gear it would be next to impossible to say how much was due to the amps.
I'd probably vote from something by Audio Research but Goldmund was my first exposure to the high end scene. I was so blown away by the overall size and impact of the gear it would be next to impossible to say how much was due to the amps.
bowtie427ss
Lunatic Member
That's OK, i don't always get my point across the first time around. That's a time span where a LOT of good stuff came to the upper end of the hifi market, and my familiarity with it is limited to the first 4 years or so, and it just occurred to me in the middle of that post that if we had it all right there in front of us, picking a "best" might be near impossible. That's all.:yes:
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Amps can be significantly better than receivers because there are esoteric companies making amps but they don't make receivers. Seems there are two distinct categories in this question, receivers and SoCal has answered that. That leaves amps and there were a few different companies making some really nice gear. The ML-2 is too low powered for most but it would be a great sound. Remember, many lower powered units sound better than the big boys.
Are you looking for the pinnacle or sound quality in an amp...rare and expensive or more the pinnacle of sound in a receiver...much more common, probably easily obtained and equaled at times in the integrated amps.
So you have mid range products with the receivers and the sky the limit products with the amps. Good examples of both have been mentioned.
ghamilton
Super Member
I agree!:yes:
