What amplifiers are you using? What are your favorites?

I'm curious about what components people have here...

Do you like solid state or tube amplifiers? are you a receiver fan?

Do you use special power cords or AC line filters?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

My last two stereo amps have been McIntosh, MC-402 & MC-202(former).

For my surround speakers and center channel, I use an Anthem MCA5 mkII 200W x 5, it is solid-state. I don't think tubes would quite let me get to the volume levels I sometimes try with my front B&W speakers.

I haven't used a receiver in about 4 years. I do have one (Yamaha) in my second system that works OK with with my NHT bookshelf speakers.

I have a Panamax 5300 A/C filter, but I do not plug my amps into it, strictly for source components. Both of my amps are plugged into dedicated 20amp circuits that have their own MOV surge arrestors at the circuit box. I think the term to describe them is TVSS. The whole house/every outlet is filtered from junk coming in.

 

1979 NAD 3020

 

Currently running a Classe Seventy SS. I do have my dreams though...

 

My favorite right now is a Fisher 400 tube receiver
I have an eclectic collection of tube and ss amps and pre amps I use and trade around, often bi amping the system.
I use a few ss dolby digital receivers around the house for home theatre.

 

Big fan of Denon recievers. Have the Denon 3300...issued in the late 90's.

 

Bryston 9BSST.

I've tried various power cables on it including Nordost, LAT and Kimber but it seems fairly immune to mains tweaks, so I just plug it in direct with the stock cord.

Will

 

Denon PMA-250SE Integrated. A budget wonder!, lovely open sound.

 

You can also get some of the info you want by checking profiles, some folks put their gear in there.

I us conrad-johnson Premier tube electronics. I have a P15 phono stage, a P16 line stage, and a pair of P12's mono power amps. cj felt the 12's sounded better with the standard power cord soldered directly to the power transformer so I use them as is but have the plugged in PS Audio's ultimated outlets. The line and phono stage amps have removable power cords so I am using the cheapest PS audio (micro labs) power cords there. I feel that the main advantage of after market power cords is shielding so I bought the cheapest well shielded power cords I could find. I have all of my front end (every thing but the power amps and except my TT) plugged into a PS Audio 300 power station. It actually regenerates the power from my standard AC outlets to a very clean source. I also use Audio Prism outlet filters through out the house because my house is 1973 vintage with no dedicated lines for the stereo. Most of the gear I use is no longer in production or has been upgraded since I bought it.

If I were to dream it would be to have the new cj ACT2 preamp and the new cj P140 power amp done as a mono block so I would have 280 watts of pure tube power per channel. Now that would light up a room, and heat it in the winter as well.

 

Haflers and Dynaco's. Still very much in love with the Dynaco ST70 sound.

 

Friends,

I have (2) of these:

TA-N55ES
Spontaneous twin drive power supply
Resin Cast Power Supply Capacitors
150 watts per channel, 4 ohms, 20 - 20,000 Hz, 0.006% THD
110 watts per channel, 8 ohms, 20 - 20,000 Hz, 0.004% THD
Dynamic Headroom of 2.8 dB at 4 ohms
High-current power transformer
Anti-resonant G-chassis construction
300 watts monophonic into 8 ohms, 20-20,000 Hz, 0.007% THD
Parallel push-pull complementary output stage

I run them in Mono - one for each channel. Certainly, I never have to worry about power. To my ears, they sound much better in Mono operation than in Stereo. They have provided very good service and in Mono, they stay nice and flat. Someday, I will upgrade...

Bob

 

They sure are pretty. I'd love hear vintage hits through them...

Bob

 

re mc30's

hey steve ,those sure are some nice looking mc30's.i also use a pr of mc30'a and run swetlana 6l6gc's in them.as an alternative pr of amps i also use a pr of fairchild 260's 50w monblocks.i like them both but can only run either the macs or fairchilds at one time.at the moment im using the fairchilds.i love the vintage tube hi fi gear of days gone by and cant seem to pass it up for something "newer"
chris

 

Adcom GFA-5500 in my "main" system. I've had that since August 1996.

I also have a neat Marantz 2238B receiver in my "little" system downstairs. I got it earlier this year. I wish I knew how to clean the pots without taking apart the whole thing though...

 

Wish you all could get a chance to listen to one especially the phono stage.
Here's a pic of a NAD 3020 (not mine).

 

Decware Zen Select Triode - heavily modified.

Mullard EL84's, GZ32, BugleBoy 6DJ8 current favorites.

ZuCable 'Birth' power cable.

 

Currently using one of my two Dynaco ST70s being driven by the front end of a Yamaha RX930 receiver (unfortunately my Dyna preamp doesn't have enough inputs for all the stuff in my system at the moment, and it gives me the luxury of the remote control )

No fancy interconnects, no BS.

-Aaron

 

Oh gee, thanks Steve. That's just what I needed to see. My vintage tube amp lust really needed that sort of good swift kick in the kiester (though my pocketbook doesn't).

 

I'm presently using a Marsh A400s full range, with a modded Hafler XL280 waiting to do service on the subs. (Oh.. and my old Dyna ST-416/C-100 is skulking in the corner.)

But tell me true, Dave... what is that beauty in the picture??

 

Currently, I am using a VAC Avatar Special Edition integrated tube amplifer, mated with Legacy Focus 20/20 speakers in my main system. My backup system consists of a vintage Scott 299-D integrated tube amplifier, mated with Polk Monitor 10 speakers from the early '80's.


Ed Hurdle
HeavyDistortion

 

I have an Adcom 3500 amp, my pre-amp is the Adcom GFP-555II.
I also have an Onkyo intergraded amp A 8019 that is still serving me well after 20 years.

 

I have an Adcom GFA-5400 that I like very much. Excellent amp for the money.

 

For Music I use an NAD C-370 (Pictured). I have been very happy with the sound quality and it has a generous amount of power to satisfy my ears. I would really like to have a Musical Fidelity Setup with Pre-Amp & Main Amp seperates or maybe some McIntosh gear but it is not in the budget currently. I run the NAD with Paradigm Studio 60's .

I also have an NAD T-752 for my HT setup and it actually sounds very good on music as far as receivers go anyway. Better than many Mass Market receivers I have listened too so far.