Most beautiful amp and or preamp

What exactly was Michaelson's design philosophy?

Outside of limited edition small class A, no Nuvista, no huge class AB behemoths or any of his other short term design decisions to them move onto another topology.

Well I guess his design philosophy was based around short-term opportunist stuff - I am not endorsing it - merely saying that what was a quite novel approach will probably not survive into the next phase of ownership.
 
d4a2ddb5cefe1201893caabca3b034d3.jpg


DD (D-Day)
 
Here you go George - Electronluv.
Wow, thanks, now the name rings an old bell in my head.

I'd post everything in that link in this thread if I had the time. :)

Kind of slightly disappointed in the turntable based on their other wild designs that is.

http://www.electronluv.com/
Since 2001, Josh also runs a fabrication shop in Salt Lake City with his brother Sol Adams and a team of skilled, creative individuals.

Not the mid-west, must have confused with another boutique manufacture of audio equipment. Not Teres Audio as they are in Broomfield, CO.

I'm just getting old.
 
Last edited:
Wow, thanks, now the name rings an old bell in my head.

I'd post everything in that link in this thread if I had the time. :)

Kind of slightly disappointed in the turntable based on their other wild designs that is.

http://www.electronluv.com/


Not the mid-west, must have confused with another boutique manufacture of audio equipment. Not Teres Audio as they are in Broomfield, CO.

I'm just getting old.

I'm from the ML Owners forum. You invited me to join here when WBF was set up. Didn't join til much later...
 
I'm from the ML Owners forum. You invited me to join here when WBF was set up. Didn't join til much later...
Yea I remember.

I've always had a soft spot for tower-like standing monoblocks be it solid state or tube, something architectural about them.

Random sample below.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/l...ce-audiophile-amp-stand-cabinets-racks-stands
SET100onFAS2.jpg


The below were in another thread recently, very handsome.

20 Of the Most Expensive Amplifiers In the World
https://www.aperionaudio.com/blogs/...of-the-most-expensive-amplifiers-in-the-world
12-Dynaudio-Arbiter-300x287.jpg


I believe it was this Mark Levinson's design that first alerted me to the basic format of a tower.

Mark Levinson No.53 Reference monoblock power amplifier
https://www.stereophile.com/content/mark-levinson-no53-reference-monoblock-power-amplifier
1212levin.promo_.jpg


I cannot find an image, but I think it was a tower-like tube mono-amp that had handles built into the top so that one could lug it around and move it. I just loved the practicality of it and sketched out a few concept of my own along those lines.

The awkwardness of moving my own heavy tube amp around made me see the beauty of such an approach.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: NorthStar
I tend to like things that look like they just crawled out of a laboratory. Form fits function, as they say. I tend NOT to like the current trend in some parts toward organic, swoopy, curvy objects that look like self-absorbed statements by art majors. Just sayin'...

I'm glad that someone posted the Audio Research D-150 amp earlier, the perfect example of laboratory chic. Audio Research equipment of yore was stylish in its serious, functional way. Not so in love with their recent Italian influence. Just me...

Here's another one that means business, the EMT JPA 66.

EMT JPA 66g.jpgEMT JPA 66 2.jpg
 
Very very beautiful with very good sound are my Albarry preamp,dual mono with external supply and mono amp 408,40 watt.
An England company of 40 years ago,now closed since many years
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9582.jpg
    IMG_9582.jpg
    62.3 KB · Views: 21
  • IMG_9583.jpg
    IMG_9583.jpg
    71.7 KB · Views: 21
  • IMG_9584.jpg
    IMG_9584.jpg
    40.3 KB · Views: 19
78939326_1356434984559435_6996107760718839808_o.jpg
 
Very very beautiful with very good sound are my Albarry preamp,dual mono with external supply and mono amp 408,40 watt.
An England company of 40 years ago,now closed since many years

This brings back old memories Gian, I totally forgot about Albarry as the Naim, Exposure alternative.

View attachment 59717

Who remembers this beauty??!!
I had the A1 and the M50 with matching preamp later, the A1 was special! I have several of it's more modern iterations but they don't have the magic.

david
 
  • Like
Reactions: howiebrou
This brings back old memories Gian, I totally forgot about Albarry as the Naim, Exposure alternative.


I had the A1 and the M50 with matching preamp later, the A1 was special! I have several of it's more modern iterations but they don't have the magic.

david

Lucky guy. I really wanted the A1 but couldn't afford it at the time!
 
This Resolution Audio Cantata C50 is IMHO an absolute Beauty:
C50_SLIDE1-1024x576.jpg
And it makes a very stylish little no fuzz system in conjunction with the very nice Resolution Audio Cantata MC (DAC/CD-Player) which also can be used as a preamp, so it is ok to show both pieces here :cool:

Cantata MC.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Loheswaran
I actually agree. I much prefer wood as a look. The Lyra Connoisseur was a beauty.
View attachment 59298
I personally think that the aluminium bodied ones look nicer still. Just enough fancy build to let you know its special - but not Liberace bling!

I personally like the Lamb and old Krell look - same with vintage gear like wooden cheek 70's Japanese amps and Redford STA 25's
 
blog-spectral dmc-20 a.jpg909moscode.a42879.jpg
 
I've always thought Spectral had the nicest knobs in the industry. Unfortunately, they don't use them anymore, preferring push buttons for everything, including volume. Push buttons detract from the experience without any benefit in sound. Rotary switches should be equivalent to push button switches, including stepped volume. Why not give the customer a visual and tactile treat in the process?
 
Not as aesthetically beautiful as some of the above but I'm proud of my RME UFX!
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2019-12-30 at 22.00.55.png
    Screenshot 2019-12-30 at 22.00.55.png
    476.6 KB · Views: 10
  • Like
Reactions: Mr Rickz

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing