Which components knocked you out on first listen?

my top 'knocked out on first listen' would have to be a few weeks back with the Rockport Sirius III turntable. i had driven 1800 miles over 36 hours to go pick it up from it's former owner. i purchased it without ever hearing it.....it took 4 hours to disassemble and load into my SUV (all 600 pounds worth) and then after driving back we disassembled my Sirius II and set-up the III. when i first dropped the needle i thought something was wrong....everything had slowed way down....then i realized that there was so much more information in every note that it created the illusion of much more of a look into the musical message. i was literally floored with what it did.

i had anticipated it being good but until i heard what it did i just was not prepared for it.

my top "unexpected" knocked out experience would have to be my first experience with the Tenor amps. i had arrived at a friends home late one evening to return a demo pair of amps i had decieded to buy.....i casually sat down to briefly listen before unloading my car....and whammo! the clarity, resolution and top to bottom coherence just grabbed me. i was very familiar with my friends system so the differences were profound. i was in love at first listen and have lived happily ever after with the Tenors.

Which components knocked me out on the first listen??? Well, in that regard, I can think of several.

And they are the following:

Speaker System:

(01). Vandersteen 2 (first connected to PS Audio Delta Power Amplifier back in 1990, then connected to a McCormack Power Drive DNA-0.5 in 1997 (being controlled by a McCormack TLC-1 Line Stage)) -- 1990, 1992, 1995 and 1997.

AND

(02). KEF Reference 102 (back in 1987..... being driven first by a Mission Integrated Amplifier..... then a Bryston 4B, and then a Nakamichi PA-7 with Stasis Technology..... and was impressed each time I listened to them. I was impressed so much, that I went ahead and bought a pair a year later. Still continue to be impressed by them 14 years later) -- 1986, 1987, and 1988 (eventually purchased).

Power Amplifier:

McCormack Power-Drive DNA-0.5 -- 1997.
Mark Levinson No.20 Class A Mono Power Amplifier -- 1989.
Nakamichi PA-7 (with Stasis Technology) -- 1986.

Preamplifier:

Adcom GFP-750 Active/Passive Line Stage with Remote Control -- 1998 (purchased in 1999).
McCormack TLC-1 Transparant Line Stage -- 1997.
Mark Levinson No.26 (fully configured) -- 1989.
Audio Research SP-10 MkII -- 1985.
Audio Research SP-11 MkII -- 1988.

Integrated Amplifier:

Classe CAP-151 -- 2000.

Compact Disc Player:

Meridian 506.24 -- 2000.

Super Audio Compact Disc Player:

(01). Sony SCD-1 -- 1999
(02). Sony SCD-777ES -- 1999.

When it comes to being floored on the VERY first listen, the components listed above come to mind. And to be fortunate enough to purchase two of them, and come close to purchasing yet another one says a whole lot about the list that is being listed above. I will be purchasing a DVD player that is capable of playing SACDs (which will either be a Sony DVP-S9000ES or a Sony DVP-NS999ES) shortly.

--Charles--

Over the years I've had many "knocks-me-out" up grades. I guess my first moving coil; Fidelity Research & their step-up device. I think I only slept 3 hrs in 48--from pulling out all my records. That was 1978. Lots of those sessions since-- but not quite at that level. Installing a King Cobra/ then an Audio Magic Stealth was quite an improvement.

Apogee Duettas. In the mid-80's I heard these at a Denver dealer, Listen Up, with the at the time requisite Krell KMA 100's and a CD source. The room was long with the speakers up on an elevated platform; subdued lighting with the speaklers gently spotlit and a hushed ambience implied that something special was going to happen. And it did. Lush, seamless sound issued forth which was powerfully extended on the bottom as well as being extraordinarily delicate and airy on top. And this was on chamber music from my nascent CD collection! The music floated; the huge speakers disappeared; I flipped out.

I scraped up the green to buy these about 18 months later. I used them with a Counterpoint SA-20. I subsequently had Levinson ML-2's and a Rowland 5 on them all of which I felt were inherently better sounding amps than the Krells. I could never duplicate the sound I heard that cold, rainy day in Denver. Setup is everything.

Jeez.. Mike.. you make it sound so appetizing and makes one go rush out and demos these items .. being 2 hrs from Montreal.. I have to go test these Tenors.. I have to also find a pair of those Kharmas !.. but I do not think there are Canadian dealers..

I have to admit.. my big knockout was when I put in my first Mark Levinson Amp .. I had swapped out an ATI amp.. what a revelation.. not that the ATI was a bad amp, on the contrary.. but the ML amp was soo good and detailed.. next was the AA Capitole MK II.. was my first high end CD player that I found was worthy of replacing my ML DAC and transport.

good thread !