Equipment loyalty, rational or not

Chris D · September-27th-2005, 05:18 PM

Now, I'm sure many of us have attachments to audio equipment and manufacturers based on positive sonic experiences.

When I was in college, I happened across a Harman/Kardon A401 integrated amp that sounded really warm and sweet with my full-bodied KLH speakers (NOT the crap that goes under the KLH label today) and Micro-Seiki turntable.

As a result, in this eBay age, I've become a sort of semi-fanatical Harman/Kardon collector. My A401 is in the basement after blowing a few fuses, but I hold out hope I'll get it up and running one day. I have an HK 670 receiver that's built like a tank, and I got that for $15. It too needs some work, so it's in the basement.

In the spring, I picked up the A401's big brother, a vintage A402, on eBay for $45. Man, is it ever sweet, about as warm a sound as you can imagine from a solid state component. Plus it's got neat little meters on the front, green dots that go into yellow and peak in red. I use it in my main music system, with a Music Hall MMF5 turntable, Infinity SM10 monitors, an older, tanklike NAD CD player I got for free from a guy obsessed with the new, and a Tascam CD recorder.

Then I went trolling for Harman/Kardon stuff and recently struck gold with an HK720 belt-drive turntable, with a low-mass Microrace arm. It's not in the top echlon of their stuff, but it's a nice, quiet second 'table that I outfitted with a Grado Blue cartridge. I'm running it through a Yamaha integrated connected to older Mission 700 speakers in the record room.

So now I figure why not run that 'table through some more HK? I just won an auction for a vintage 430, twin-powered receiver from '77.

Anyone else with similar afflictions? 'Fess up!

Doc Martin · September-28th-2005, 11:21 AM

Creek Audio for amps

B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) for speakers

Rega for CD transports and turntables

Although, I’m getting bad case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) for a nice Naim system.

RedJazz · September-29th-2005, 06:42 PM

I feel about 99% loyal to female equipment in general

jazzfiend · September-30th-2005, 03:18 PM

Revel for speakers
Conrad Johnson for tubed preamps

walto · September-30th-2005, 03:38 PM

I've always liked Yamaha keyboards and Peavey amps.

groover · September-30th-2005, 03:49 PM

I have an old Nakamichi cassette deck that I attempted to have repaired several times, at great cost, yet never got it to play through a tape without sticking. Of course, I abandoned the cassette format years ago, except for archival material, so I don't really care about it anymore.

LeMo · September-30th-2005, 10:01 PM

A Thorens 150 from 1964 for LP with a 12 inch SME 3012 arm who have been partially rebuilt, using an Ortofon SPU Classic cartridge.

A completely rebuilt Philips 922 CD Transport.
A tuned Harman-Kardon HD 750 CD transport (use to read HDCD).
A "precision" DB pre-amp from 1972 with a great phono entry (is that the right term?). It's american, it's great but it doesn't exist anymore.
Two old Filson mono amp from 1958 (french built, using both a pair of EL 84 as power tubes. Marvellous sound. Try to change it few time for more recent andexpensive High End stuff with a bit more power but I've always return to these two ugly looking things that nothing equal since a decade now.)

And a pair of Magnepan 1.6, that I like to upgrade for a pair of Magnepan 3.6, as speakers. But would be oblige to chang the amp, if so. So, I don't know.

I plan also to buy a SACD transport one of this day (maybe there's contradiction in the terms here) because lot of classical/ modern classical are on SACD now.

Pete C · October-15th-2005, 11:09 PM

Kevin Bresnahan · October-17th-2005, 03:22 PM

I was an Onkyo fan for many years. I must've owned at least 5 of their amps and until the last (purchased in about 1988), I raved about their sound and build quality. Then what did they do? They decided to go for the big bucks, screw build quality. I haven't bought another piece of gear since.

Dennis_M · October-17th-2005, 07:27 PM

Speakers: 33 year old Klipsch Cornwalls, with 20 year old Klipsch Heresys for a center channel.

You've got to have a big room, but they rock.

Mark of Cenla · October-22nd-2005, 07:50 PM

I really like Boston Acoustic speakers and have liked them since the mid-80s. I am lastening to a pair right now (CR 75s). Peace.

Kevin Bresnahan · October-22nd-2005, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark of Cenla

I really like Boston Acoustic speakers and have liked them since the mid-80s. I am lastening to a pair right now (CR 75s). Peace.

I have a pair of Boston Acoustics A-100's that I was using just today to listen to "Hyde Park After Dark" (a nice Bee Hive LP with Von Freeman & Clifford Jordan on tenor).

Just this week, I had the woofer surrounds re-done. The foam rotted away but I didn't notice until I heard a rattle a month ago... boy what an improvement in bass with the new surrounds! I had forgotten that these speakers had nice bass. I always just assumed that the recent lack of bass was because I remembered them differently. Check your surrounds! Re-do them and enjoy.

Kevin

letchhausen · October-23rd-2005, 12:28 AM

I have a fondness for Sonic Frontiers tube equipment. Unfortunately the company went belly up a few years ago but their last run was pretty great. I own a Sonic Frontiers Power 2 Amp and an SFP-1 Signature phono stage. I'm thinking of getting one of their preamps since they go pretty cheap on audiogon these days. Which if you're looking for audio equipment is the place to buy, definitely better than bidding on ebay. They often have a lot of vintage stuff for those addicted to the sweet memories of gear from the past.....someone has even sold some old Edison Talking machines with rolls and some Gramaphones with steel needle for those old 78's.......

I pretty much stick to the newer stuff though, since my early years were a series of cheap-ass equipment and boom boxes that served me well but aren't a sound I want to revisit.......