Your top 10 favorite amps (inspired by LL21's post)

[Peter Breuninger]

In no particular order...

Vintage:
Jadis JA 500 (owned)
Conrad Johnson Premier 1 (own)

Modern:
D'Agostino mono (10 audio show auditions)
Audionet Max (under review)
Ypsilon SET 100 (6 audio show auditions, 1 distributor audition)
Audionote GakuON (2 audio shows, on its way for review)
Pass Labs Xs 300 (2 audio show auditions)
Dartzeel 458 (2 audio show auditions)

SET (include parallel SET)
Ayon Vulcan II (reviewed)
Lamm ML2.2 (reviewed but not TAS published)

 

[LL21]

My goodness! I actually have a thread with my name in it? Well, i guess i better contribute then!!!

My favorite amps which i own/owned/nearly owned:

OLDER
- Forte 4: Class A, 50 watt/channel amp
- Krell FPB600: Class A
- CJ MV60: EL34

CURRENT
- Gryphon Colosseum, Antileon
- Boulder 2060
- Zanden 9600 Monos

 

[LL21]

In no particular order...

Vintage:
Jadis JA 500 (owned)
Conrad Johnson Premier 1 (own)

Modern:
D'Agostino mono (10 audio show auditions)
Audionet Max (under review)
Ypsilon SET 100 (6 audio show auditions, 1 distributor audition)
Audionote GakuON (2 audio shows, on its way for review)
Pass Labs Xs 300 (2 audio show auditions)
Dartzeel 458 (2 audio show auditions)

SET (include parallel SET)
Ayon Vulcan II (reviewed)
Lamm ML2.2 (reviewed but not TAS published)

wow...you are reviewing the Gaku-on? I have heard it at a friends place...Scarlatti stack, Halcyonics systems, M1000 Kondo preamp, big Genesis 1.1s, Walker Proscenium Turntable, etc...

Also looking forward to your Lamm ML2.2...nearly bought that one a few years ago, but decided to go for Gryphon Antileon for long-term flexibility...

 

[esldude]

In no particular order other than chronological:

Dynaco Stereo 70's in triode.

McIntosh 752 (yes transistor pick even though I owned some original MC240 amps).

Conrad-Johnson MV50 (EL34's seemed nicer than 6550 or KT88's at the time)

VTL 75/75 also in triode.

Classe DR3.

Spectral DMA50.

Classe Twenty Five

Audio Research Classic 60

Tact digital amp (very nice with some speakers, not as good with others).

Wyred4Sound ST500

 

[rsorren1]

Happy holidays everyone. In chronological order to the best of my recollection (can't remember all of the speakers I heard with these):

Five from the past:
Mac 2105 - I remember hearing this new Pink Floyd album called Dark Side of the Moon on an all Mac system
Audio Research D79B - first tube amp I loved on an all ARC system
Bryston 4B - bass response floored me. Bought it
Krell KSA 150 - I remember hearing jazz, classical and rock recordings on Martin-Logan CLS with subs. Bought it.
Krell FPB 600 - Sounded more open than the KSA series and more powerful than everything I had heard

Five from Today:
Audio Research Reference Series - own 210s. Love 'em with KT120s
VTL Siegfried Series II - I get to hear four of them driving Rockport Arrakis at my good friend's house. Whoa.
Boulder 2100 Series - as transparent as I have ever heard. Awesome.
D'Agostino Momentum - mono amps and stereo amp are my current favorites
Absolare Passion Amps - heard these with Magico S5 and Absolare pre-amp and loved the SET amps

 

[FrantzM]

Hi
In no particular order:

Joule Electa OTL the 200 watts monos model (Rite of Spring?)
Jadis Defy 7
Jadis JA 200
BEL 1001 MKII in bridged pairs
Plinius SA 250 MK II or III
VTL 300
Krell Reference ( from the 80's)
Goldmund Mimesis 9
Burmester 911
Burmest 909
Spectral DMA 400 their latest baddest monoblocs the exact name escapes me
Antique Sound Labs Hurricane 200 watts monos...

I cheated so sue me!

happy Holidays!1

 

[FrantzM]

I would need to find a way to add the awesome Bryston 28 BB 1000 watts/ch monos... World beater at sane price

 

[esldude]

Hi
In no particular order:

Joule Electa OTL the 200 watts monos model (Rite of Spring?)
Jadis Defy 7
Jadis JA 200
BEL 1001 MKII in bridged pairs
Plinius SA 250 MK II or III
VTL 300
Krell Reference ( from the 80's)
Goldmund Mimesis 9
Burmester 911
Burmest 909
Spectral DMA 400 their latest baddest monoblocs the exact name escapes me
Antique Sound Labs Hurricane 200 watts monos...

I cheated so sue me!

happy Holidays!1

How in the world did I forget the BEL 1001 Mk II that I owned? I had one. My friend liked it so much he got one. They sounded different. His not so good. He sent it back, they made adjustments in the driver stage, and his sounded like mine or a touch better. We got together and bridged them at his house. We didn't do that anymore. We immediately wanted a bridged pair and did not want to spend the money.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi
In no particular order:

Joule Electa OTL the 200 watts monos model (Rite of Spring?)
Jadis Defy 7
Jadis JA 200
BEL 1001 MKII in bridged pairs
Plinius SA 250 MK II or III
VTL 300
Krell Reference ( from the 80's)
Goldmund Mimesis 9
Burmester 911
Burmest 909
Spectral DMA 400 their latest baddest monoblocs the exact name escapes me
Antique Sound Labs Hurricane 200 watts monos...

I cheated so sue me!

happy Holidays!1

Lusted after the JA 200, the Joule Electa and the Krell Reference

Still lust for a Burmester 909. Wouldn't mind the Spectral DMA 400 or the Bryston 28 B monos . Audition would determine which one I would keep.

 

[microstrip]

My favorite 10 shortlist:

Audio Research D70mk2 my first "serious" amplifier.
Futterman OTL's with Quad ESL63's surely
Krell KSA250 - after a long warmup with the Extremas
Audio Research VT150SE - I could have stopped here.
Conrad Johnson Premier 8
Conard Johnson Premier 350SA
DartZeel NH108B
Audio Research REF750 - should have one fifth of the number of tubes.
Hercules II / Monoblock Power Amplifier - with the matching premaplfier. It redefined (two times) what can be achieved in stereo.
Pathos Classic One - yes it is an integrated. But playing low level on my Soundlabs has shown a few thinks other power amplfiiers can only dream about.
Atma-sphere MA2 - used with the MP1, surely.

 

[Peter Breuninger]

My favorite 10 shortlist:

Audio Research D70mk2 my first "serious" amplifier.
Futterman OTL's with Quad ESL63's surely
Krell KSA250 - after a long warmup with the Extremas
Audio Research VT150SE - I could have stopped here.
Conrad Johnson Premier 8
Conard Johnson Premier 350SA
DartZeel NH108B
Audio Research REF750 - should have one fifth of the number of tubes.
Hercules II / Monoblock Power Amplifier - with the matching premaplfier. It redefined (two times) what can be achieved in stereo.
Pathos Classic One - yes it is an integrated. But playing low level on my Soundlabs has shown a few thinks other power amplfiiers can only dream about.

I like those old Krells too!

 

[JackD201]

I'll play

Vintage
Marantz Model 9
Fisher 500 C

Sort of Vintage
JA30
ML2

Almost Vintage
27.5
Aleph 0

Current but also currently out of reach sadly…
ML3 Signature
VAC 450 Statement IQ

Currently very happy with
M2.2 with NOS Amperex tubes

Want to try
Analog Domain Artemis

That makes 10 I believe.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

my favorite 10 that come to mind;

Mark Levinson No.33 mono blocks
Tenor Audio 75 Watt OTL mono blocks
deHaviland GM-70 SET mono blocks
Found Music DHT 2a3/45 tube mono blocks
Lamm ML3 SET mono blocks (only amp on this list I've not had in the system, I did once have the ML2.1's in home)
David Berning ZOTL 211/845 mono blocks
darTZeel LHC-208 'danalog' streaming dac with integrated stereo amp.
darTZeel NHB-108B stereo
darTZeel NHB-108B stereo w/SCNP upgrade
darTZeel NHB-458 mono blocks

 

[Rocco I.]

My favorite 10 shortlist:

- Burmester 911 Mk3 monos + Burmester 808 Mk5
- Burmester 909 Mk5 monos + Burmester 808 Mk5
- Balabo BP-1 MK-II Power Amplifier + BC-1 MK-II Control Amplifier
- Technical Brain TBP-Zero/EX monaural power amplifier + TBC-Zero/EX stereo control amplifier
- Spectral DMA-400 + Spectral DMC-30SS
- Spectral DMA-360 + Spectral DMC-30SS
- Viola Bravo II + Viola Spirito II
- Gryphon Mephisto Solo
- Mactone M-8000 + Mactone XX-330
- VAC 450 Statement

 

[Jim Smith]

Current, approx. sonic preference:

ASR Emitter II Exclusive Blue
The LARS Type II, 300B XLS version
Viva Aurora
Audiopax Model 88
Quicksilver Mid-Mono, KT-77s, all tubes Gold Lion

Blast from the past, approx. chronological order:

ARC D-76B
ARC D-150
MLAS ML-2
MLAS ML-3
Krell KSA-50
ARC D-70
Goldmund Mimesis 12

Sorry, I couldn't figure out which two to eliminate.

In fact, I hated to ignore a couple as it is.

These are all amps that I liked enough to purchase.

 

[LL21]

Current, approx. sonic preference:

ASR Emitter II Exclusive Blue
The LARS Type II, 300B XLS version
Viva Aurora
Audiopax Model 88
Quicksilver Mid-Mono, KT-77s, all tubes Gold Lion

Blast from the past, approx. chronological order:

ARC D-76B
ARC D-150
MLAS ML-2
MLAS ML-3
Krell KSA-50
ARC D-70
Goldmund Mimesis 12

Sorry, I couldn't figure out which two to eliminate.

In fact, I hated to ignore a couple as it is.

These are all amps that I liked enough to purchase.

Very interesting...Jeff Dorgay also listed the Mark Levinson ML2 from 1975 i think. I only just read about it in reading a review of the Gryphon Mephisto from a European reviewer who loved it...and referred to the ML2 as one of the most memorable and best amps in all these years...and that the Mephisto had carried its strengths forward to greater heights...nearly 40 years later.

I have heard an older Goldmund Mimesis a few years ago...was really remarkable how good, clear, extended that treble was...not the last word in bass (but the amp i had was a fairly low powered one compared to some of the big Goldmunds)...but that treble was remarkable and really taught me something about what to listen for and expect.

 

[Jhellow]

Current, approx. sonic preference:

ASR Emitter II Exclusive Blue
The LARS Type II, 300B XLS version
Viva Aurora
Audiopax Model 88
Quicksilver Mid-Mono, KT-77s, all tubes Gold Lion

Blast from the past, approx. chronological order:

ARC D-76B
ARC D-150
MLAS ML-2
MLAS ML-3
Krell KSA-50
ARC D-70
Goldmund Mimesis 12

Sorry, I couldn't figure out which two to eliminate.

In fact, I hated to ignore a couple as it is.

These are all amps that I liked enough to purchase.

The Goldmund Mim 12 is a DAC, not an amplifier.

 

[Jim Smith]

The Goldmund Mim 12 is a DAC, not an amplifier.

Thanks! I should have said Mimesis 9.

 

[still-one]

I don't have 10 favorites but here are some options.

If I owned TAD speakers I would go with TAD M600's.
If I owned MBL I would choose 9008's or 9011's.
If I owned Magico's I would go with Soulution or possibly Costellation

For most other speakers I would keep my Momentum's or go with Boulder.

 

[LL21]

I don't have 10 favorites but here are some options.

If I owned TAD speakers I would go with TAD M600's.
If I owned MBL I would choose 9008's or 9011's.
If I owned Magico's I would go with Soulution or possibly Costellation

For most other speakers I would keep my Momentum's or go with Boulder.

Interesting...have you heard the newer 2100 or 3000 series? I have only heard the 2060 stereo amp...really liked it. Just curious. How are the newer models different in sound to the 2060?