2. amps-preamps
  3. 1115858133

Subtlety ? do any American amps do it?

Not heard that many but it strikes me that everything from the colonies sounds a bit stark and bleached. Spent a year trying to come to terms with a Pass Labs which is vastly overated ( and I mean vastly), listened a lot
to Mark Levinson and thought Thank God I did not spend a fortune on that - clean, clear, hifi and so bereft of soul that it was like a visit to the Dentist !
I'm not that biased, it's taken Naim years to make something resembling music - PRAT ? until recently bunch of narrow minded PRATS.I know lots of Naim fans and their mindset belongs to the third reich !
UK companies like Meridian and Musical Fidelity have managed to do the bizz for at least 30 years that I've known/used and they still manage to make a noise that at least resembles real music. MF get tarred with a do it cheap brush but anyone who has heard their gear and says it's crap is probably a dealer who wants to sell you something at 3/4x the price.
The Brazilians do it a treat - Heard Audiopax 88s at the last Edinburgh show and if anyone there had ears, they should have packed up and went home - different league does not describe it.
Realise this is antagonistic but want some input.
Even the UK press seems blinkered to the crap - Pass, Krell
- whoah, nice hifi, shame there's nothing remotely musical involved, apart from the laughter as they take our hard earned money !

I have a Quicksilver phonostage - lovely and a great customer focused company, had a Lancelot Camelot, super and amazingly friendly & helpful people but go to the Big boys and it's just a money grabbing frenzy ?
I dreamed of a Pass Labs for years and ? my next amp will be coming from somewhere in Europe !

Si
simon74
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Some rather silly responses here to a rather antagonistic thread.
No country has a monopoly on good audio gear. I have US speakers, Danish amp, Japanese CD player, american DAC, british turntable and subwoofer.

In the past I've owned british speakers and amps.

I think some of the American hifi market is absurdly overpriced and overpowered, but I think great gear comes from all over the world. The trick is finding it.
elgordo
530 posts
 
Simon, you remind me of your namesake on "American Idol". Is there something about the name that makes you inherently rude? After owning a few British motorcycles, an MGB, two E type Jags and a Linn, I wouldn't own anything from the UK. It always seems to have a puddle of oil under it. Even your WWII machine gun was known to yank soldiers as the "Stench gun". Oh well, back to the world's shortest book: "British Haute Cuisine".
newbee
4,767 posts
 
Elgordo, "After owning a few British motorcycles....."

Wow, are you a slow learner! :-) Sorry, I couldn't resist.
catman2963
42 posts
 
Hello, Having owned a stupid number of amps, I have recently become an Ayre fan. Picked up the V3 used on agon and am astonished at how good it sounds. Somebody else mentioned Clayton. That is also a very sweet brand if fronted with the right preamp. They are hard to find used though.
simon74 OP
216 posts
 
El G,
I suppose you'll have another rattle to chuck out of the pram?
The joy of having things with a 'puddle' under them, is if you are in any way handy, it becomes a labour of love to make it not have a puddle under it, then driving it to McDonalds ????????
I have UK gear, US gear, Japanese gear, Japanese cameras, German cameras, and guitars from all sorts of places.
I've no doubt ten years from now EVERYTHING will be sourced from China ! Lighten up.
Si
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