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Would you go all 1 brand for electronics?

When I was younger I used to dream of stacks. Especially Tandberg. The sexy black and chrome gear was amazingly sexy, and sleek. Ahead of it’s time really in that respect. Kyocera, Studer, Sumo, Amber, Hitachi, Yamaha, Technics, were all making gear that stacked beautifully together. Of course, so was McIntosh.

Then I got to hear a demo of Conrad Johnson gear driving a Martin Logan single panel speaker. It was good, but as soon as the CJ amp got switched out for a solid state amp, it was absolutely magical. That broke the spell for me. When I got older I found myself mixing and matching more and more, as well as often wishing there wasn’t a single damn cable in the system and it all just worked. :)

I tried going all 1 brand with Parasound, but then I discovered great sounding digital amps and instead of going with many Parasounds I went with little monoblocks, and the whole stack idea was broken. They don’t make sources anyway.

So my question for all of you, especially those of you who do not have all 1 brand stacks of gear. If you had to choose, from source to amp, a single brand, what would it be? Of course your paying for it, so keep the cost in mind. :)

I think we should reasonably exclude record players, though some like McIntosh DO make them.


Best,


Erik


erik_squires
erik_squires OP
16,478 posts
 
So the money isn't a factor?

Best,

Erik
inna
7,728 posts
 
Well, I didn't necessarily mean top of the line and new. Studer deck is about $4k plus a few more to make it perfect. Lamm preamp is about $5k and up and hybrid monoblocks $6.5k and up. A few thousands for cables. All this is unreachable for me right now, except perhaps Studer, but there will be another day.
On a more modest level I would most likely go with older Rowlands, and Nottingham turntable and Nakamichi deck sources that I already happen to have. Still Purist Audio cables, midlevel. I also have CEC belt drive player that I try to use as little as possible. It could also possibly be older Gryphons, but they are difficult to find.
If money were almost not a factor, I would audition Ypsilon and Absolare as was recommended in another thread, and perhaps a few more brands, both hybrid and all tube.
In any case, beyond certain level it would not be fully solid state.


inna
7,728 posts
 
But whatever it would be, it should do rhythm and dynamics very well. I believe it is the foundation of music. I guess, I don't need Kondo and the likes. 
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
5,199 posts
 
If cost no object...MBL.
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Well your post is a bit confusing, as it asks a couple of different questions:

Would you go all 1 brand of electronics?
No.

Though I am currently running a VAC integrated amp, I am using a Allnic phono stage because it is better than the internal VAC phono stage.

So my question for all of you, especially those of you who do not have all 1 brand stacks of gear. If you had to choose, from source to amp, a single brand, what would it be?
If I had to go with all one line, I guess I would stick with VAC, though there is no way I could afford their Statement Phono stage. I would hope that maybe their Signature Mk IIa preamp had a better internal phono stage than my 160iSE integrated amp.

VAC used to make DACS (Phi Alpha DAC), though they don’t anymore.
I’ve never heard the Phi Alpha DAC, but I’m sure that I could probably be very happy with one, as I enjoy most of Kevin’s work.
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