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Sad to say I need a new amp…

My twenty year old Mesa Tigris went up in smoke last week. It’s so thoroughly overbuilt I thought she would last forever. Lots of smoke and strong pungent odor, actually has to air the house out. I’ll call Mesa but think it’s time for a change…

The Mesa was hooked up to some Totem mites and a small REL subwoofer in my bedroom/office. So far, I’ve done some reading and have come up with some possible replacement. After my smoke out, I’m thinking solid state in the bedroom… I use a little audioengine Bluetooth receiver for my source in my office..

Exposure 2510, VanAlstine SET 120, Belles Aria and Rega Brio all sound like they would work well. Appreciate any input on these or others. Hoping to keep the cost under 2500.  I listen mostly to jazz, classical music..



 

 

wb27
hartf36's avatar
hartf36
206 posts
 

FWIW, I'm still running my B&K EX-442 Sonata into Maggies and consider it anything BUT a "beater", and it's older than the ST3030.  350 wpc/4 ohm and high current (75 amp p-p), it's a beautiful-sounding amp and I feel zero need to replace or "upgrade" it. 

tweak1
3,662 posts
 

Give the LSA voyager GaN 350 a hard look. It has a tube like magical midrange, and could find its way into your main rig at some point: MSRP $3000, but they do run specials for ~ $2400

bkeske's avatar
bkeske
5,597 posts
 

@hartf36

FWIW, I’m still running my B&K EX-442 Sonata into Maggies and consider it anything BUT a "beater", and it’s older than the ST3030. 350 wpc/4 ohm and high current (75 amp p-p), it’s a beautiful-sounding amp and I feel zero need to replace or "upgrade" it.

🙂 Yes, I used ‘beater’ as a term as a stop-gap before deciding on something else, not meant to be demeaning. The ST3030 is extremely good for the money, as I said, had an ST125.2 prior, and looking back, should have kept it as a back-up. I’m a big B&K fan regardless of the controversy surrounding their original 140. With the mosfet design, very musical and ‘tube-like’.

That said, listening much yesterday, yea, my old Belles did some things better, which I miss, and the B&K does some things better, probably due to newer circuitry and caps, etc. (more authority and control especially with the bass and mid-bass). So, I can live with the ST3030 quite easily, but know I will be seeking some of the magic the old Belles 400A is capable of. Whether another used or new Belles, or something else. And ‘anything else’ may be moving towards a tube amp. Possibly.

wb27 OP
39 posts
 

Definitely staying with tubes in my bigger system. Talking to Mesa tomorrow so I’ll get some clarity about servicing it soon.  Long Long waiting lines for lots of new gear…there’s a minty B&k st1200 60w amp on audiogon now, for 200.00. The Mesa was 28w but really sounded more powerful.. I’m guessing my little totem mites would be fine with 60w in my office. Seems to be well reviewed…

pesky_wabbit's avatar
pesky_wabbit
1,183 posts
 

pray it was the mains transformer and not the outputs - far easier to replace..

lovely amp

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