2. amps-preamps
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Changing Amps?? Are you Sure??

All frustrated audiophiles out there,should heed this warning: stay with your amplifier if it sounds right to you.
I have wasted more money in the last 30 years, listening to the advice of the alternative press. You read "This amp is great, it does everything right". Then a year later, its not on the recommended component lists anymore. Listen people, if an amp is great, its great!! The fact is there are not that many good ones around. It has to be that many of the amps they recommended as great, really were not. They did not survive the test of time, not even a year.The Audio Research SP-11 preamp was just such a product.
Funny , when I sold my Audio Research D-150 amp(1976),to upgrade to the newer models, it was never quite right again. On and on went the upgrades into the hybrids, to the all fet input stages, only to finally return to my D-150 22 years later...mated to my quads. 22 years of wasted money. Anyone else go through this sort of thing? or am I from MARS
frap
avguygeorge
2,300 posts
 
Hi, guys good thread, good insight......Most people don't know, just how much you can change the sound of your speakers,by changing your amp/or upgrading the source. So, many have thrown out the baby, with the bath water.(sold the speakers/or amp) I can't speak for anyone but me;but the only way "I" can evaluate a product is to have it in my front room.I had cls s 14 years ago;sold them because my dealer didn't want to loose the sale by telling me my amp, and sourse were not nearly good enough. Well, I can't lug my stuff to the dealers/I don't want to pay retail,so I don't borrow from them anymore. So trial and error / Or is that trial by fire?-is the order of the day for me. I have to read what they say about this or that;sift thru the hype and hope I've gotten a little smarter.I think speakers and amps change the sound the most;the other things do affect your sound and improve or degrade it but not to the same degree.
shubertmaniac
350 posts
 
After following Audiogon for awhile, I got the bug to upgrade my current system(includes mid 80s ARC and Spectral). I visited my local high end dealer who carries
Maggie 3.6s, Martin Logan Prodigies along with Spectral
and Classe electronics. After three hours of intensive listening my wife(the golder ear of the family) and I
left. We went to dinner to discuss our findings. There were
some improvements but NOT enough to spend big$$$$. Since we
were not going to spend the money on hifi we ordered
a really nice 1990 Chateau Latour instead.
ramstl
342 posts
 
Best thread in a long while. I think that the point of "Best of the Decade" is great! As a matter of fact, Audiogon, if you are listening, you should develop a data base which list products over the last ten years that have stood the test of time and compare to the best of today. One variable would have to be that the unit has been discontued. It should list reliability, sound, flexabilty and ability to be serviced. This would help your sale of used equipment.

IMHO, anyone who has spent the money on "State of the Art", should get at least 10-15 years of enjoyment, with the exception of front end digital. However, I would only upgrade to ultra high rez when the software supports it.
leafs
414 posts
 
Look at upgrading your source before your amp.
jacks0395
70 posts
 
Audio magazines make money selling ads. At $5K per page, they need to make sure that the manufacturer can afford to pay their ad. The magazine folks help out by stating that the advertised product is the best, or a close second.

This is sadly done with the automobile press as well. Does anyone remember back in the early 1980's when Car and Driver named the Audi Quatro the Sports car of the year? Was the Audi a better sports car than the other makes made in Germany at that time? You can purchase the Audi for about the same money as a nice evening out with the wife. A similar year Porsche 911, now that's another story ...
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