Top three vintage power amps, submit your votes
- Thread starter mcgarick
- Start date
herbd2
Well-Known Member
Sorry, dumb question, but what the hell is that avatar?
Klipschornman
Yamaha V-Fets
Having been into audio for over half a century and having
so many, Here goes:
1. Yamaha B-1. If you pair it with NS-1000's for purity and Klipschorns
for purity and efficiency.
Mcintosh MC2205-For Stellar design, beauty and the birth of power guard
which lets you listen to a continuously louder level without
lunging for the volume control on killer dynamic passages.
Yamaha B-2 Within reach of almost everyone with the sound to drawn you
in. Not quite as smooth as the B-1.
As someone said before, my top three are about a thousand different brands.
Music makes me love it all. My buddy says his "Souped up Sound Design is the
best." Happiness to all.
K-man
so many, Here goes:
1. Yamaha B-1. If you pair it with NS-1000's for purity and Klipschorns
for purity and efficiency.
Mcintosh MC2205-For Stellar design, beauty and the birth of power guard
which lets you listen to a continuously louder level without
lunging for the volume control on killer dynamic passages.
Yamaha B-2 Within reach of almost everyone with the sound to drawn you
in. Not quite as smooth as the B-1.
As someone said before, my top three are about a thousand different brands.
Music makes me love it all. My buddy says his "Souped up Sound Design is the
best." Happiness to all.
K-man
marantzfan
...
Welcmoe to AK...We'd love to hear more about all the amps you have heard. Please stick around and add to the collective knowledge base we have here....
Did that sound borg-like?:scratch2:
Hi everyone, my top 3 were determined based on sound/build quality, the design and value for money that I have listened to.
I thought it was only fair to seperate integrated amplifiers from power/pre combinations - would be keen to hear anyones opinions/facts if integrated amplifiers 'sound better' than a power/pre combination
Power/Pre Combinations:
Sansui BA-2000 with a CA-3000 preamp
Marantz 140 with a 3200 pre
Integrated
Marantz 1180dc
Accuphase e-302
Sansui AU-7900
Enjoy the music!
I thought it was only fair to seperate integrated amplifiers from power/pre combinations - would be keen to hear anyones opinions/facts if integrated amplifiers 'sound better' than a power/pre combination
Power/Pre Combinations:
Sansui BA-2000 with a CA-3000 preamp
Marantz 140 with a 3200 pre
Integrated
Marantz 1180dc
Accuphase e-302
Sansui AU-7900
Enjoy the music!
OK, I'll bite... I have to be careful because I am sort of a quasi professional at this now. It seems I have a second career rebuilding people's tube gear - mostly Citation stuff. No, I am not trolling for work! Anyway, I had a long list of SS gear over the years. Heard/drooled over Mark Levinson stuff, big Krells, etc..
Owned:
Hafler DH220 I built.
custom op amp preamp (LF456BN op amps if I recall)
Rotel something - mid priced power amp
Again, heard a bunch of really nice SS gear and then system culminated with Krell 300i integrated. Not bad. Then got the tube bug so bought a big Jolida integrated tube amp (100 wpc I think the 1000 was the model). Blew the Krell away for musicality. Then got a killer custom built preamp from Albert at SpaceTech Labs in Vancouver - all octals with a tube power supply that I still use and one of his EL34 based power amps. This combo was way better than anything I ever heard. Then I started reading about tube amps and found a H-K Citation V to rebuild with all the McShane kits. Whoa.... a whole new level. Then I finally found a Citation II to rebuild. I have yet to hear a better amp at any price so far, but that is just my opinion. I have now rebuilt 8 of them for people. I have also rebuilt a number of Citation I preamps for 5 people and I own one that I use with the V in a basement system. The Citation I is wonderful when re-capped, re-resistored, and the power supply updated, and the phono section is first rate. There.....I bit. Oh, also have done 2 Sansui 1000a receivers. When re-done, they are way better than any receiver has a right to sound. In fact most of the 7591 based receivers of that late tube era are very good when running up to spec.
cheers,
Don
Owned:
Hafler DH220 I built.
custom op amp preamp (LF456BN op amps if I recall)
Rotel something - mid priced power amp
Again, heard a bunch of really nice SS gear and then system culminated with Krell 300i integrated. Not bad. Then got the tube bug so bought a big Jolida integrated tube amp (100 wpc I think the 1000 was the model). Blew the Krell away for musicality. Then got a killer custom built preamp from Albert at SpaceTech Labs in Vancouver - all octals with a tube power supply that I still use and one of his EL34 based power amps. This combo was way better than anything I ever heard. Then I started reading about tube amps and found a H-K Citation V to rebuild with all the McShane kits. Whoa.... a whole new level. Then I finally found a Citation II to rebuild. I have yet to hear a better amp at any price so far, but that is just my opinion. I have now rebuilt 8 of them for people. I have also rebuilt a number of Citation I preamps for 5 people and I own one that I use with the V in a basement system. The Citation I is wonderful when re-capped, re-resistored, and the power supply updated, and the phono section is first rate. There.....I bit. Oh, also have done 2 Sansui 1000a receivers. When re-done, they are way better than any receiver has a right to sound. In fact most of the 7591 based receivers of that late tube era are very good when running up to spec.
cheers,
Don
ara:
