Amplifiers:A Keeper for Life. Do you know of one ?


Just wondering, with this audio merry-go-round of buying and selling, if anyone has an amp that will be a keeper for life. I haven't yet but came verrrry close once...
sonicbeauty
rebuilt EICO HF-60s - with GEC CV4085s, good 6SN7s, Mullard 5AR4s, and vintage Mullard EL34s. Updated with new caps,they're the best I've heard so far - something about those Acrosound TO-330 transformers.
My new Symphonic Line Kraft 250 Class A monos. I dunno about for life, but for the next decade or maybe more I could see them staying seated in my system. Deep, powerful but refined bass without excess fat, purity in the mids, and detailed without any fatigue in the highs. Macro dynamics are of course great as they should be with this level of amp, but their micro dynamics are incredible.

They are extremely powerful high current amps that drive my large 86db sensitivity Revel Salon 2s to concert SPLs while maintaining dynamics, tonal balance and detail throughout the volume dial. Despite the manufacturer's listing a putative 250 watts into 8 ohms output, they play much louder than the 310 wpc Plinius SB-301 they replaced (a damn good amp in its own right). They are also very fast and play without any overhang but without sounding the least bit clinical.

In the end, while I'm describing gear attributes here, all this leads to a place where late at night I can close my eyes and hear musicians making music and not pay any attention to the stereo. I feel pretty lucky being able to do that.

Well I've been through a few from Adcom to Bryston to ARC VS115 to my latest - and last - ARC REF 150. Time to throw away the magazines, stop looking, and listen for life! I continue to be very impressed with ARC service. Good Luck.
I've been through some nice amps in my time, David Berning, Wolcotts, Classe CAM350s but after getting my most recents, the Quicksilver V-4s, I think my search is over. LOL

...But I must say my whole system has evolved over that time period as well, so one should consider it might be more of a case of synergy over a single piece of gear that makes a system great. But all of you know that! ;)