Your Amp

[bobspets]

What Receiver or Integrated Amplifier have you found to be most pleasing with the most turntables?

 

[MisterDK]

I presently use neither a receiver nor an integrated amp. When I last used a receiver though, it was a Yamaha CR-820. Sounded pretty good to me.

My amp currently in use on my main system is a beastly old Krell KSA-100. I’m using that with separate phono and a “passive” preamp.

 

[Grbluen]

Don't have a lot of experience with different receivers, but 2nd on the Yamaha!

 

[bobspets]

Hmmm not the direction I thought it was going to go, but that's why you get advice from others with more experience.

 

[MCM_Fan]

In terms of vintage integrated amps, I ran with a Yamaha A-1000 for years. It was Yamaha's TOTL integrated amp from 1983 - 85. It has two phono inputs one that can be switched between MM and MC. I used it with all sorts of vintage tables and it sounded good with all of them.

I am currently running separates: Adcom GFA-535 power amp, Nikko Beta III preamp and Parasound JC3 Jr. phono stage. This combo sounds better with than the Yamaha. The biggest difference was the JC3 Jr. phono stage. It makes all my cartridges and all my records sound better.

 

[Audiofreak71]

I have a Musical Fidelity NuVista M3 integrated and it has a very good MM/MC phono pre , however I no longer use it as I am running Graham Slee Acession and Elevator Exp phono stage/step up which is miles ahead better, but the MF does the job.


Audiofreak71

 

[bobspets]

OK I'm looking into your Yamaha and I'm liking what I'm seeing. Perhaps we should keep this Yamaha thing under our hat.

 

[OMGCat!]

I'll put another one in the hat for Yamaha.
I'm running a restored A-1000 (actually a Japanese market A-950 but basically the same thing) and really like the phono stage. I bounce between a Grado Gold 1 with a newer 8MZ and a few vintage AT carts with new production AT stylus.
It seems to play nice with whatever I've tried so far. I don't have any MC carts but it does have a few loadings for those as well.
I've got/had quite a few Yamaha pieces over the years and have always been impressed with their phono stages. From reading here over the years, they seem to get good reviews all around.

 

[Grenadeslio]

 

[MisterDK]

OK I'm looking into your Yamaha and I'm liking what I'm seeing. Perhaps we should keep this Yamaha thing under our hat.

No worries; plenty were made and sold. Yamahas were quite popular in the mid-late 1970’s. They cost a little more than what I could afford back then so in ‘76 or ‘77 I bought what I could afford - a Marantz that was on sale at The Federated Group near me. I seem to remember that Marantz, a 2215 from memory, cost me about $125 brand new. It was OK for a 16 year old kid, but not as nice as the Yamaha receivers (or the better models from Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood, etc..). The Marantz looked cool though..

 

[Decibel_116]

Many years ago, I used a Pioneer SX980 with a Technics SL-7 and Shure V15LT cartridge driving Advent NLAs. I loved that system. In fact, I still have it, but the SX-980 needs some maintenance. More recently a Pioneer SX-D7000 with two Technics SL-QX200 turntables with a bunch of various p-mount cartridges driving those same Advent NLAs. Also, I picked up a Pioneer SX-8 and restored a PL-800 linear tracking turntable with Denon DL-110 cartridge driving a pair of Thiel CS2s. These are secondary systems. I have not run receivers in my main system for several years. I mainly use separates for critical listening. However, I love my receiver systems just as much and they sound great! I have several other receivers in the collection, but they have not been auditioned with turntables yet.

 

[Grenadeslio]

I really use separates most of the time, even the above Kenny was pulling just preamp duty. Although I do use an integrated in the bedroom system to keep things as minimalistic as possible with just one source.



This schveet little 34watt Kenwood KA-4006 has a nice synergy with the Klipsch Heresy.

 

[Grenadeslio]

But again, I really prefer separates, 100watts of sweet goodness.

 

[bobspets]

I'm using a dual with a sonos gold cart and I really enjoy that combination. I've used sonos on several turntables with several amps I stick with integradeds and liked the sound of it in all the combinations. I have a sony that I was quite excited about and put a grado I don't remember it was either blue or black on it. I thought this is going to be fantastic. Not only did I not think it was fantastic, but I thought it was unpleasant. Was so disenchanted I just put the sony away. I know there is a cart that will please, but just haven't come back to it.

I have also had a bearded dragon.

 

[Metalownz]

My Optonica SM-4646. Like that Kenwood above its a dual mono design.

 

[sqlsavior]

Luxman L-505u.

 

[432HzBob]

Restored Luxman R-1120 receiver 90% of the time.
Yamaha P-2200 when I want it louder.
Both fed by Yamaha C-50 preamp..
Not glamorous, but it's MC and MM inputs both sound great on the MC and MM carts I use.
One turntable? No way could I go back to just one table in the setup

 

[Tedrick]

Plinius SA-100 Mk III. 100 wpc of pure Class A goodness.

 

[T68]

A JVC VR-5535l with phono signal in to aux over a Little Bear T10 tube phono stage.

Have not much experience to compare with other setups but I am really pleased with how this sounds .

 

[adnick]

Use a combo of equipment mix depending...

Amps:
Threshold TA 50 (modified by Pass Labs)
Fisher SA 100
Dynaco MK IIIs (dual octal boards)
Dynaco ST 70 ( VTA mods)

Preamps:
Fisher 400a ( all of the Dave G. Mods)
Denon PRA 1200
Dynaco PAS 3 (slightly modified original boards)
Dynaco PAS 3 ( highly modified Aikido line & modified original Phono w/ dual power transformers)



With good amps, speakers and turntable, the biggest improvement was definitely the preamp(s)

In fact introducing a great preamp(s) is one of the most notable changes I’ve ever made.

Regards,
Andy