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Biggest impact on you?



Curious: I’ve gone through a lot of gear over the years. In reflecting upon this, a Conrad Johnson MV-45A1 power amplifier I bought back in 1983 had the biggest impact on me. This includes consideration of the many preamps, speakers, cables, CD players, and so on that I’ve owned through the years.

Has that piece been the best I’ve ever had or heard? Absolutely not. But, it was the first high end piece I’ve owned and it wowed me big time. Ran it with Vandersteens, CJ’s PV4 preamp, and a Sonograph TT – loved it!

So, what component (power, pre, speaker, TT, CD, etc.) has had the biggest impact on you?
rbschauman
c1ferrari
464 posts
 

Hi Rbschauman,

If I may...chronologically:

Mid-late 70's: Hill Plasmatronics loudspeakers

Hiatus - LOL

2000's: BAT VK-75SE amp...Forsell Air Reference CD Transport with Audio Note 4.1X Balanced DAC...dedicated 20 amp circuits...AudioQuest Sky IC's...Studer A820 reel-to-reel recorder...Tape Project analog media...Dali MegaLine III loudspeakers.

Guess I kinda made up for that hiatus, hehe.

Regards,
Sam
ebm
9,311 posts
 
MAGICO MINI 2 love them they look and sound wonderful.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
drubin
3,274 posts
 
EPI 150
a 1975 Sony receiver, the component that really got me on the audiophile bus, believe it or not
Quad ESL 57
Linn LP-12
ARC Classic 30
onemug
784 posts
 
Several impacts over the years but the biggest....

Amp: First time I heard an SET.
Preamp: Conrad Johnson ART 2.
Speaker: Apogee Duetta Sig.
Source: Long ago, when fm was FM, tie between the SAE Mark VI tuner then a Marantz 10b. I could hear the DJ turn the pages. Both had scopes that were mesmerizing.
mjcmt's avatar
mjcmt
710 posts
 
I remember three separate times having a piece of gear added to each of three different system have a major sonic impression on me.

The first time was adding Cary's CD-308 player to a AES tube preamp w/ Pass labs power amp. The next time was adding the Classe' CA-100 power amp to power my DIY SEAS Froy III speakers. The last time was adding Altec Lansing Model 15 horn loudspeakers to my AES tube power amp.

There is also a forth experience, and that was removing a piece of gear, and this is the most profound. Removing the preamp and running a source direct to a power amp using its variable output or with use of a Luminous Audio passive preamp.

Each time this one piece or kit transformed my system.
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