Personal amp evolution

DBX BX-3 My first introduction to audio so I did not have much experience but I could tell this amp could not cut it. Any cheap Japanese amp could best it anytime.

Sony TA-N77ES Powerful, detailed but a little rough on the edges

Adcom GFA 5800 Worst amp ever encountered. No detail at all. Like listening behind a thick curtain.

Onkyo M508 Nice. Detailed. Kind of sweet sounding. I still have this amp

Parasound HCA-220II Another awful amp. No detail, flabby bass. Never want to see it again

McCormach DNA-2 Powerful, warm sounding. Kind of like tube. This is my present amp.

I am thinking of going tube next but it will need to supply lots of juice because of my demanding speaker.

Since 1968....

1) Acoutic Research (AR) Receiver
(early SS sound)

2) Crown D150
(early ss sound- not much better but pretty!)

3) Phase Linear 400
(Hey this is good. Killed the Crown)

4) Phase Linear 700B
(noticeable step down from 400)

5) Phase 400 modded
(2 power supplies, output stage 250,000 uF, all metal films, upgraded caps, no protection circuit - oops....) Fantastic, very good even by today's standards).

6) B&K ST-140
(over-hyped. Whimpy power supply)

7) Hafler DH-200 Kit
(nice & great value but not Sota)

8) Hafler DH- 200
Pooged (much better per Audio Amateur caps,various circuit changes)

9) Counterpoint Sa-20
(very nice - too warm lots of stages & coupling caps)

10) Pass Lab Aleph 2s monos
(a classic)

11) Threshold S/550e
(Another classic but I really hate moving this beast)

12) Counterpoint NP220
(SA20 fully modded) Sweet!

Carver “The Receiver 150”
Yamaha RX-V 590
Yamaha RX-V 990
B&K Ref 20 (pre)
ATI 1505
VTL ST 85
Adcom GFA 5500
McCormack Deluxe 1
McCormack DNA 225
Perreaux E160
EAD TheaterMaster Ovation (upgraded to Ovation 8){pre/pro}
Cinepro 3K6 Mark II
EAD PowerMaster 6300
Accuphase E-308 intergrated (2nd system)
ADA PMA60 (running bridged)
McIntosh MC 2007 (for rears)
Bryston 4B ST (running bridged for CC)
and two MC 352's (gone)
Current main amps McIntosh MC1.2KW mono blocks 1200 watts each (sick huh?)

1984 Technics SA-290 (I think..)
1992 Yamaha (not sure on model)
2004 Yamaha RX-V1600 (still have it as a surr processor)
2005 Adcom GFA-555
2007 Hafler DH500
2008 Hafler 9500
2009 McIntosh MC7200

DYNACO 416 with outboard capacitors
then 20 year hiatus of not owning any stereo equipment at all.
Got back in about 2004 with a modest Krell KAV250 then
400cx
then a disastrous two weeks with Edge NL-10
and now krell EVO 402