To appease the "snooty" folks here, my collection of amps does not include any of the above mentioned names except for B & K. Even if i did have the some of the other products that were mentioned and i was happy with them, i would have NO need to feel embarrassed by any means. Everyone has different tastes and goals. Since there is NO way to reproduce a live event in your listening room, brand names become trivial except for those more worried about prestige instead of performance.
As for the specific model of B & K amps that i own, they are modified M-200 monoblocks. In case someone was not familiar with them, they are capable of 150 amps of current per channel from the factory. This puts MOST big dollar amps to shame, regardless of name or price. The big Krell's are an exception to this comment.
In terms of overall performance, ANY amp is limited by the power supply, circuit design and mass produced parts quality used within. Very few components use custom designed output devices, capacitors, etc... As such, they are limited to off the shelf parts in most cases. Given that fact, you can take a basic component with a sturdy foundation and make it BETTER than anything that you can buy at four+ times the price with a little effort and soldering.
The other option that someone has if one has more money than time, knowledge or skills is that you can pay your way to the top. The only problem with this is that it takes TALL cash to buy your way to the top. Even with the means to do this, you might end up with a lot of hype, fancy names or gutless wonders in a fancy package. There is a LOT of overhead, profit margin and extra expenses built into most "hi-end" products as you are all aware. On top of that, i am more worried about performance than i am having a faceplate that is contoured and 2" thick. Put the money where it counts.
There is also another reason why i have so many components. I, like many others here, have several different types of systems set-up throughout the house. In my specific situation, each has its' own "flavour" and has different strong points. As such, i am not limited by one "sound" or "take" on what something "should" sound like. On top of that, i like to have a few "spares". Anyone that has ever built a few systems knows that it takes quite a bit of "swapping" and "trial & error" to find what works best together in terms of system synergy. Having multiple pieces to choose from at any point in time has GREATLY aided me in setting things up AND taught me a whole bunch along the way.
Sorry for the "ranting", but i felt the need to respond. There are those people with "cash" and "elegance". These people don't feel the need to belittle anyone, in fact they go out of their way to help others. I think that we all know who these folks are. While i hate to single him out or use anyone as an example, i think that Albert would not mind me paying him a compliment in this manner. On the other side of the coin, there are those that have "flash" and "ignorance". These folks feel the need to flaunt their possessions and brand names while offering little more than a condescending attitude. I think that i need not name any names on this one. The evidence has been presented abundantly in the past.
Me ? I'm just a workin' stiff. 50 - 55 hours a week and bills to pay. As such, i guess i'm doomed to listen to "lo-fi" for the rest of my life. Oh well, at least i'm in good company : ) Sean
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