Counterpoint SA-20


Long time member even though I haven't been here in awhile.  I'm writing to share, gush and get some feedback from the best audio community on the net.  Firstly, I stopped by Goodwill on the way home yesterday and found a Counterpoint SA-20 hybrid amplifier for sale.  $150 and 2 hours later I'm sitting home in absolute bliss.  Yes, I know these amps are known to be unreliable and difficult/expensive to repair if/when something should fail but oh... my... lord... does this thing sound fabulous!  I have it paired with an old Forte Model Forty Four pre and original Monitor Audio Studio 20 speakers.  I have no idea if the amp has been upgraded.

Bottom line, I'm looking to hear from other Counterpoint fans and owners.  At the moment everything sounds amaze balls! Hope I can squeeze a few year out of this gem.  
ericaudio
I owned a SA-20 in the late 80's and loved it.  Counterpoint sent an  invitation to have my SA-20 upgraded to a SA-220, so the went for it.  Big mistake!  The amp came back sounding very different and I was pissed off at myself for having it done so I sold it but missed it's power and presentation for many years.  The SA-20 is a sweet amp.  Enjoy it, good score!

That was a fantastic sounding amp. Way back in my early audiophile days, I used this amp with a pair of AE2’s I had, and with that amp, and a GNS modified SP-14, that was the best those speakers ever sounded. OK, unfortunately, one evening as I was in a blissful state of listening, all of a sudden, I saw flames leaping out of the amp. Just glad I was there or we could easily have lost the house. Very alarming!! to say the least. Great sounding amp though. Honest truth.