I know this piece has been discussed here before but I wanted to share my experience with it. Bought it last month ($5 at a thrift) knowing nothing about it, but it was intact and looked nice. I'm a novice with tubes but I do have a few newer pieces (AES AE-3, Tube Box phono). After a good cleaning and testing I tried it with an assortment of speakers with wide-ranging results.
Meadowlark Audio Shearwater HRs: Two-way floorstander with appx 90db efficency. This was an absolutely incredible match! The overall sound was so smooth and all of those other magazine adjectives that I didn't understand until now. This little receiver sounded every bit as good as my tube pre and Accuphase P-300 amp. If it came anywhere close to the sheer output in volume it would take it's place. I listen to music very loud at times and the 8wpc just can't replicate the BIG Accuphase.
Minimus 7s w/passive twin 6" sub: Not bad, but something was missing. The top end seemed a little restricted, like there was a blanket over the speaker. The higher frequencies came through, but it just wasn't crystal clear. Maybe the combined impedence of the 7s and the sub was not ideal. The 7s w/o the sub just don't provide enough lower freq. for my taste in music.
Citation 11. Medium size three-way. This is the combo that I've settled on for my bedroom use. Enough bottom end to make the subwoofer unneccessary and the mids/highs were clear and very pleasant. Deborah Harry's voice was fantasic on this combo.
Truthfully I could be happy with the Meadowlark/333 combo as a main system. The spl's were high enough, but having an Accuphase amp gather dust just seems wrong on every level! I have the little 333 in my bedroom with the Citation 11s, a cd player, and an iPod dock. I'm a very happy guy with two quality systems!
Meadowlark Audio Shearwater HRs: Two-way floorstander with appx 90db efficency. This was an absolutely incredible match! The overall sound was so smooth and all of those other magazine adjectives that I didn't understand until now. This little receiver sounded every bit as good as my tube pre and Accuphase P-300 amp. If it came anywhere close to the sheer output in volume it would take it's place. I listen to music very loud at times and the 8wpc just can't replicate the BIG Accuphase.
Minimus 7s w/passive twin 6" sub: Not bad, but something was missing. The top end seemed a little restricted, like there was a blanket over the speaker. The higher frequencies came through, but it just wasn't crystal clear. Maybe the combined impedence of the 7s and the sub was not ideal. The 7s w/o the sub just don't provide enough lower freq. for my taste in music.
Citation 11. Medium size three-way. This is the combo that I've settled on for my bedroom use. Enough bottom end to make the subwoofer unneccessary and the mids/highs were clear and very pleasant. Deborah Harry's voice was fantasic on this combo.
Truthfully I could be happy with the Meadowlark/333 combo as a main system. The spl's were high enough, but having an Accuphase amp gather dust just seems wrong on every level! I have the little 333 in my bedroom with the Citation 11s, a cd player, and an iPod dock. I'm a very happy guy with two quality systems!
