Personal amp evolution

It's been up and down for me over the decades (yes, decades)

Looking just at the amplification side:

Magnavox receiver (I was a kid)
SAE (can't remember the model number any more)
Golden Tube 80
Electrocompaneit
Now moving back to tubes with a Manley Stingray or a modified JoLida 302B

F7

Started with a Yamaha CR-820 receiver in 1976. Excellent product.
Next was a pair of Bryston 2B-LP amps running in bridged mode for each channel. Terrific sound. Still about as good as I've heard.
Then have gone all over the map.
A McIntosh MC-300, then an MC-275 followed by a pair of VTL 200 monoblocs (all the tubes I would ever need) and then on to an MC-162 followed by an MC-500. The MC-500 is one of my favorite amps. Very big balls and microdynamics to die for. Had everything. Very sensitive to the correct preamp though (and McIntosh has never made a good one). Tried a Sony TAN77ES (very nice) and am now hooked on MOSFETs. Best of tubes and solid state. Downsized two years ago to move into a condo at the shore. Bought another Sony, though this time it was their largest MOSFET integrated amp, the TA-F808ES. Runs class A up to 25 wpc and then AB to 100. Wonderful sound. Am now thinking about bi-amping with an Aleph 30 for the top end. Any thoughts out there? BTW, I enjoy Stereophile. Has lots of info as long as you pay little or no attention to their BS. could do without Art Dudley, the putz supreme.

I got a suitcase style record player when I was 12
Bought a Pioneer SX-535
Sold the SX bought a Yamaha CR-820
Brought the CR-820 back (didn't sound right)got an Onkyo A-7
Sold the Onkyo and used my Dad's Radio Shack reciever 10wpc
Bought a Hafler kit combo built the preamp amp never came
so I took a Nakamichi 600 series amp in its place which I
didn't like so I traded that for a GAS Son of Ampzilla
Had a borrowed Arcam A60 in mt system for a while
Bought a used Ampzilla IIa from a competing store for $100!!
Bought two Citation 16as in 2001 and 2002
The Ampzilla has a blown output stack which I'd like to fix
The Son is working but currently not in a system
The Citations are used to drive my Vandersteens
Thinking of Bryston or Audio Research amps or maybe a second Ampzilla

I have resisted answering this thread for sometime now because I wasn't sure if I had really found my audiophile stride, but, now, I think that I have: I'm a tube guy. I think that I have always been but just didn't realize it.

So here goes:

--Sony integrated (not sure of the model or specs---maybe 25 watts/chn)

--Fisher integrated (when I was in college--back when all I thought I had to do to get high-end sound was go to the Good Guys and buy anything w/ 100 watts).

--Cambridge Audio A3i (bought new on Audio Advisor)

--Mistral Integrated (bought a demo from AA)

--Pass Labs Aleph 30 mated to a VTL 2.5 pre

--PS Audio HCA-2 with the VTL

--Rogue 88 w/ Electro Harmonics kt-88s with the vtl.

With that last set up, I have finally found what I'm looking for: Tubes. About the only thing I feel like I want to try is a VTL amp(s) of some stripe.

I don't think that I'm going to be spending much more money, though. Well, okay, I just thought of one more possibility: the SET mono 300b thing. But, still, I'm going to hold onto the Rogue until I know that whatever I buy next actually sounds *better* and not just different.

What's cool is that this whole thing, on balance, has been fun. I haven't really bought anything and felt that it was a "mistake." But fun is what it's all about, right???

This list gets long-starting in about 1977
Pioneer-SX636
Pioneer-SX450
Technics-SA616
Pioneer-VSX5000
Sansui-Q800
Adcom-535
Pioneer-SPEC2
VTL ST50
Dynaco ST70 3ea with active xover to tri amped home builts
NAD 2200 NAD 1700 front end
Dynaco ST410 2ea for subs
Grommes LJ-5 mono in the shop