Top three vintage power amps, submit your votes

[automojo]

Whatever SOUNDS good to YOU!

:yes:

 

[Bazzar]

Bazzar nz

What are your top choices for vintage power amps?
Thanks in advance!

Have you ever heard any PERREAUX gear its real good.....
Gets my vote every time....

 

[ampheat]

Quad 303

 

[TheMaxx111]

ADCOM, Dynaco

 

[Carver Geek]

Hmmm.
I wonder if anyone would believe that it is:
1) Carver
2) Carver
3) Carver

 

[PeterFCassidy]

Nikko!Nikko!Nikko!

Of course!

 

[mikkelbreile]

Quad II
Technics SE-9600
Yamaha M-70

-Mikkel

 

[TOM1040]

Onkyo M-588F Totally Balanced.

 

[Edriz]

These informal polls should require that anything (same unit or same company) currently in the system can NOT be voted on. Since there is a request for three then there is room to put in three amps you think are great vintage and leave out what you personally own. This takes a bit of bias out of these polls. Have fun.

Luxman, Krell, Maark Levinson, oh but I own some luxman, so put McIntosh in there. I sold it recently.

On the other hand, if you didn't think what you own was some of the best...Why would you own it??

When I owned an amp, way back when (Carver) it was because I believed it to be one of the best, along with Crown and Soundcraftsman, in that order.

I now own a receiver, which I honestly believe is the absolute best Pioneer SX-1980, and then Sansui followed by Marantz. Now, JMHO, no need to get all defensive.

 

[2chanman]

Grodinsky (RGR) model five, Ampzilla, Leach.

 

[tyten]

Without doubt: Sony TAN-8550. I have heard many of above but none beats the VFET sound.

 

[Zarathustra]

Mark Levinson ML-2
Threshold SA/1
Jeff Rowland Model 7

 

[twiiii]

Crown, Mcintosh, Sansui.

 

[Ds2000]

Onkyo M-510, still highly desirable.
Stax DMA-X2, amazing, amazing sound q.
Mark Levinson 20.5/6. American beauties.

 

[Blue Shadow]

On the other hand, if you didn't think what you own was some of the best...Why would you own it??

When I owned an amp, way back when (Carver) it was because I believed it to be one of the best, along with Crown and Soundcraftsman, in that order.

I now own a receiver, which I honestly believe is the absolute best Pioneer SX-1980, and then Sansui followed by Marantz. Now, JMHO, no need to get all defensive.

Because one might not be able to afford that jewel in the soundroom at the local audio emporium and the lust continues while you plod along with a more mundane, but totally adequate chunk of electronics. I know I have a few of those.

 

[rdka]

early Mark Levinson
Krell ksa series
Audio Research big D class tube amps.

 

[rcspkramp]

SAE Mark IIICM
Dunlap Clarke Dreadnought 1000
Threshold 400A

 

[guiller]

The best among the ones I owned is Bryston 4B. In second place, Nikko Alpha 2.

 

[Djcoolray]

Yamaha.....MX-1000

I'm severely biased !

 

[Jim Marantz]

I'm partial to the Dynaco sound. But I like many. My 3 would be
Dynaco ST-400 / 410 / 416
Marantz 500 ( a little dark sounding to my ears but very nice)
anything NAD

Growing up, my father was always an audio head. I got to hear a lot of great stuff, and not so great stuff all through the 70's up to the mid 90's.
My least favorites where his Adcoms and Carvers. All fine gear, just not my taste.