2. amps-preamps
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Threshold, Levinson, Bryston, Krell, ?others? used amps


Hi All.  I'm looking for a bang for the buck, diamond in the rough, 200-ish WPC power amp that will hang really tough with what's out there today in the vintage or recently new realm.  Trying to keep $$$ under 2K.  I currently own a Nakamichi PA-7 (Nelson Pass Stasis design).  Looking for an amp that is great at doing the disappearing act, smooth sounding, but not colored, and with lots of authority.  I realize that there are as many opinions on this as stars in the night sky but thought I would ask anyway.  Been considering a Threshold S/500, Levinson 23.5, Bryston 4B family.  Any standouts that I should try to find?  Let's hear from you.
mjt_tx
masi61
97 posts
 
Bryston 4B squared or 3B squared would represent a great value. I would think that one of these could be had for 2 grand or less. These have now been replaced by the "cubed" series of amps so there are some exceptionally clean "cubed" series ones on the market available still being covered by the balance of their 20 year warranty. I love my 4B2 but will most likely upgrading to the 4B3 at the end of the summer.
mjt_tx OP
3 posts
 
most likely upgrading to the 4B3 at the end of the summer

I'm wondering having not done the homework yet, what the major benefits in the new cubed series are.  What are your big draws here?
masi61
97 posts
 

I have only auditioned the 2.5B3 amp along with the BP-17cubed preamp. I compared these to my 4B2 amp/BP-26 preamp/MPS2 external power supply that I currently have.

My current components are powerful and musical but lack some detail which obscures my ability to really follow the song more naturally. The interplay of the different instruments, vocalists and background vocalists has more clarity and depth to it which really gets you enjoying some of your recordings that you thought were "bad" recordings. Often times these aren't "bad" recordings, they are more often layered, complex recordings that are more difficult for the gear to render the meanings the right way.

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