Agree or Disagree, These Articles Always Generate Thought and Discussion

[MylesBAstor]

[cpp]

Yes ,

[Joe Pittman]

These lists are always fun, but more relevant to some of us who experienced them at the time. In the early days of the high end, many of these designs were radical, game changers which influenced all designs which followed. I think it is hard for those new to the high end to appreciate the pioneers of the art. It's like living in the days of the slide rule gives you a real appreciation of computers today.

[Rob]

Agree or disagree, these types of posts provoke fodder and generate traffic to websites

Its a trip down memory lane and every endeavor I've been involved with does it. If anything, it goes to show no matter how far back in time we go so many things remain the same. Think of all the ink spilled back then debating whether a Threshold or Phase linear was Better than a CJ or ARC amp, tubes vs SS, etc

[cpp]

Bravo

Crikey - I remember the CJ vs ARC debates, gold vs silver - who will win possession of your audiophile soul.

[Joe Pittman]

Those were the good old days. These are the good old days.

[kcin]

I think it is difficult to generate "all time" categories. I think that you have to segregate into epochs. Based on the participant lists. I think HP and Olsher are most correct.

Gader and Greene ... some of their entries are laughable .. the Magtech... really...?

You can't argue McIntosh 275, Marantz 8 or 9, ARC D76 or D150, Futterman..etc., these were seminal products along with say the ML ML2

YMMV

[mkuller]

Looking over the lists, mine pretty much agrees with HP's. Here's mine:

Phase Linear 400
Dynaco ST70
Harmon Kardon Citation 12
Marantz 8B
Mac MC275
ARC D70/D150
Threshold 400A
GAS Ampzila
Levinson ML-2
CJ Premiere One

[Dr.Ears]

My list would have to include a Western Electric and an Audio Note to be complete.

[mep]

The D-76 was my first high end tube amp and I loved it during the time I owned it. I still have a pair of Phase Linear 400 amps sitting on a shelf which sound better than most people realize even today. I also have a pair of Dynaco MK-3 amps that I bought new SS chassis for and need to build them when I get a chance.

[Alrainbow]

I had a few on that list. Dynaco , halfler , krell. I wonder if we had some of them how they would compete with what we each are presently using. Pink Floyd says it best comfortable numb lol. I keep
bitching about my Aragon's and before these are sold I very much would like to hear them with a modern hi end amp. But in hearing many hi end setups its synergy that I feel rules the roost not just the stuff in the chain.

[MylesBAstor]

I think it is difficult to generate "all time" categories. I think that you have to segregate into epochs. Based on the participant lists. I think HP and Olsher are most correct.

Gader and Greene ... some of their entries are laughable .. the Magtech... really...?

You can't argue McIntosh 275, Marantz 8 or 9, ARC D76 or D150, Futterman..etc., these were seminal products along with say the ML ML2

YMMV

I agree with you on the Magtech, Carver SS, NAD, Plinius, Rotel, etc. on many counts. (But TACT Millenium? Gimme a break!) No Hafler or NAD belongs on the list. The amp that belongs on this list that was one of the best low powered amps of the day but the company didn't last was the Amber 70. Kicked at around $500 (IIRC) all the lower priced ss amps of the day. Absolutely embarrassed the Haflers, Adcoms, etc of the day. The Haflers were abysmal; the 500 perhaps being the worst. It was the lamest and most flaccid 500 watts I ever heard. No balls at all. The little Amber 70 kicked it in the ass driving the Maggie 3As.

I think it's interesting to debate which was the most seminal of the early ARC amplifiers. I kinda have a warm spot in my heart for the D250 Mk. II servo as well as the M100 monoblocks. The M100s sounded incredible in the day driving the top end of Infinity RS1bs.

Same goes for cj. Yes, I'd put the Premier One on the list. It put cj on the map (yes I realize their preamp was the first product) being a big, RELIABLE and powerful sounding tube amplifier. But I always thought it was soft in the upper octaves. On the whole, the Premier 5 was the better amplifier. The Premier 4 was good but could run out of power; the 5 never ran out of power and sounded far more refined than its predecessor Premier 1.

Interestingly no one mentioned the lack of Classe or perhaps the early Electrocompaniet amplifiers (designed by Matti Otala and embodying his early theories about TIM distortion in SS amplifiers). The latter amps drive practically any speaker and didn't sound solid-state.

It might also be interesting to know what people thought was the most over rated or disappointing amplifier they ever bought or heard.

Two come to mind for me. The aforementioned Haflers and the Adcom GFA1A amplifier. The Adcom couldn't drive the DQ10s and overheated constantly. Turned out it was a bridged amplifier with a lousy power supply that couldn't drive a 4 ohm load. Gave it to a friend who owned 8 ohm Pioneer speakers. He was in heaven.

The tendency I'm observing is for early amps (ST 70, etc.) I'd opt more for representative of the significant best from a significant company. Therefore I'll nominate the CJ Premier 12 instead of their Premier 1.

[Alrainbow]

Myles I still have two of the three halfhearted Amps in my storage on my property. I did a test to hear them in my setup . They are nice but not in the level of my aragons And they are not ground breaking either. Nice Amps at the time but truly lack speed and tonal balance . I built them so I cannot find the heRt to sell them lol.

[MylesBAstor]

At least the early Aragon amp designs were done by Dan D'Agostino.

[Alrainbow]

That's what I read too.

[Dave Clark]

Opinions.

[Alrainbow]

Agreed as I'm am sure they are all good amps but opinions help us pick them.

[MylesBAstor]

Opinions.

True but fine to share opinions and even learn.

What is interesting how many amplifiers the reviewer's list have in common.

I was just curious to see if others had additions or subtractions because it's hard to have heard everything ever made. I consider myself lucky in being able to have heard so many amplifiers in my audiophile journey.