Personal amp evolution

Started with;
Sansui model 400 Receiver
Sansui AU222/Tu555
Sansui AU555a/Tu666 (still have)
Dynaco SCA80
Citation 11/Citation 12(still have amp)
Marantz model 15
Mac 5100
Quatre
Dynaco ST70 (still have)
Marantz Model 8B
Tube God ST70 mod (still have the kit unassembled)
Son Of Ampzilla
Kenwood L07
Counterpoint 100
Advent Receiver (still have)
Audio Research D75 (still have)
Fisher Stratakit integrated (still have)
Lux MB3045 (still have)
Golden Audio SI50 MKII (still have)
Audio Research CA50 (still have)

Started solid, ending in tubes I guess..

Sherwood integrated of some caliber
Harman Kardon Citation 16
McIntosh 240
Harman Kardon Citation II (McShaned)currently in use
Harman Kardon Citation V (To be McShaned)
EICO HF81 (in pieces now)

well this goes way back, first was a eltravoice receiver back in the 60s, next came a marantz model 30 integrated, then a model 250 using the 30 as a pre, then in the 80s a kenwood basic power amp, i got into surround sound and got a rotel 1075 which i lost to katrina, i started over again with a nuforce ref 9 and just had it upgraded to SE status, glad i got the nuforce gear they are super fine amps top to bottom,

Yamaha integrated years ago. Can't remember model number but I still have it. Stored it at home during my college days.

Small pocket cassette recorder during my college days (very poor at that time but constantly surrounded by live music!) No, I don't have that any longer.

Back to the Yamaha integrated for a number of years until I could pay off some of that college debt.

=== and then came a real job...and real money!!! ===

Rotel power amp for my start into higher end audio. Again, I can't recall the model number, but I still have it sitting around. I had this hooked up to a nice N.E.W. P3 tube preamp and it sounded fairly nice...for a while.

Proceed Amp 2 was the next venture into power amps. Sounded very nice connected to the P3 preamp. But I wanted more!

CJ SA250 Sonographe was next. Liked them alot and they were relatively inexpensive, so I bought 2 of them and biamped my system. Their "tube-like" sound wasn't cutting it for me, so I sold them...back to the Proceed for a while. Then...

I've always wanted an all tube setup, so I debated between the Cary Rocket 88s and the AES AE-25 Superamp that I'd been reading about for some time. I found a pair of Superamp Monoblocks and took the plunge.

Now I have the all tube system that I've wanted for a while. My phono preamp is also tubes and I'm liking it alot. I may have to go for a tube CD player at some time.

I'm still surrounded by some great live music (professional musician) and am cursed by wanting to have my system sound like live music. Is there a system out there that will do that? I'd like to know...but I'm sure I couldn't afford it if it exists.

I sold the big Ayre earlier this year & wound up with a BAT VK-200 after trying a handful of amps, including tube monoblocks (which were very nice!). I actually sold my entire system and it wasn't because I was unhappy with the sound. The VK-200 is paired with a BAT pre and I have to say this system is quite enjoyable. I've purchased/acquired more CD's so far this year than the previous two, so I've been trying to make more time to listen than before. One thing I've learned over the years is that a good amp design, be it SS or tubes, is a good amp design & will give you quality sound. A bad amp will do the opposite, period.