Starting to feel really overwhelmed...

B

bluegrassphile

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...by the choices of amps out there to go with my Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary speakers. The top of my budget for an amp is about $12,500. A lower priced amp is fine as long as it satisfies my needs. I'd prefer something integrated with at least 100 watts x 2 into 8 ohms. One hundred and seventy plus watts would be even better. And 250 watts x 2 at 8 ohms would be better yet. But a 100 watts x 2 at 8 ohms would do the trick if "the tone" is there.

There are just sooooooooo many choices and all the ones I'm considering are great amps. And there are more new models coming almost daily. As I've said before, the choices are dizzying. Just when I think I've integrated (no pun intended) all the facts and specs and focused and concentrated my ultimate choice, along comes something else to consider.

Anyone else going through this right now? I was pretty much stuck on the Luxman 509x and thought that was my permanent first choice. It still could be. But there are others that have recently captured my attention. At this moment I'm taking a serious look at the Pass Labs int 250. I've also researched NAIM, Moon, Accuphase, Audio Research, Hegel, Gryphon, and VAC, just to name a few. But, man, the choices... Nice problem to have for us audiophiles. But my head's a spinning!!
 
Trust your dealer. [emoji3590][emoji846]


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Let’s get you down for a visit and listen.


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I would LOVE to do that. But my wife would definitely want to go and she won't be able to take enough of a break from work to do it before April. We are still tentatively planning a visit but we'd have to plan it to coincide with her work schedule. It would be pretty disappointing to her if I went to Sarasota (this fall) without her. We are planning to drive down and maybe stop in Nashville on the way down. Don't think I want to wait until April to get my system up and running. Kinda between a rock and a hard place.

I started this journey to "audiophile-land" last March. It'll be all I can do to wait until January to complete my system, let alone waiting until April. Unfortunately, April is the soonest we could go to Sarasota. It would be ideal if we could go this fall but it's just not in the cards right now. I really hate doing this "bass ackwords". I really need to audition the amps first then make my final decision, I get that. It sort of sucks, not being able to come down first. Not sure what else to do at this point.
 
bluegrassphile.......With your budget you should not have a problem with round trip airfare to Tampa for an overnight stay. Fly in, spend the afternoon and evening with Mike, then fly home the next day. The wife probably won't even miss you for that short period of time. Problem solved.
 
bluegrassphile said:
...There are just sooooooooo many choices and all the ones I'm considering are great amps. And there are more new models coming almost daily. As I've said before, the choices are dizzying. Just when I think I've integrated (no pun intended) all the facts and specs and focused and concentrated my ultimate choice, along comes something else to consider.

Anyone else going through this right now?
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not me, that's for sure... the choices for point-to-point, hand-wired amps without circuit boards of any type are pretty rare and getting rarer over time. at this point, there are only a handful of companies making this type equipment that i could name.

not looking the get a new amp... but, i am very concerned about what i would get should i have to replace mine for any reason. fortunately, this type amp can be repaired forever... well, as long as there are technicians with the knowledge and skill around to do it.

for me, there is nothing like the sound of these amps - especially SETs
 
jdandy said:
bluegrassphile.......With your budget you should not have a problem with round trip airfare to Tampa for an overnight stay. Fly in, spend the afternoon and evening with Mike, then fly home the next day. The wife probably won't even miss you for that short period of time. Problem solved.
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Bingo, that Dan thinks of everything !

FWIW my son has the PASS Int you're thinking about, great choice.
 
jdandy said:
bluegrassphile.......With your budget you should not have a problem with round trip airfare to Tampa for an overnight stay. Fly in, spend the afternoon and evening with Mike, then fly home the next day. The wife probably won't even miss you for that short period of time. Problem solved.
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I agree. My positioning would be that when you come down together, you want to ENJOY Nashville, then Florida/Sarasota. Maybe pop in to see Mike again. In the meantime, you will come down first and knock the hifi thing out in two nights. Otherwise, she will need to sit with you all day listening to different amps....
 
Hello, May I suggest considering a Roger's High Fidelity EHF-200 MKII. It is a fantastic Class A tube integrated. Over 100 watts per channel, hand made in the USA, with a lifetime warranty. I've owned one. The second best, and one of the least expensive setups I've owned or heard. It is worth the effort to look and listen before you buy. Best of luck.
 
jdandy said:
bluegrassphile.......With your budget you should not have a problem with round trip airfare to Tampa for an overnight stay. Fly in, spend the afternoon and evening with Mike, then fly home the next day. The wife probably won't even miss you for that short period of time. Problem solved.
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I like this. Stand by...
 
Yeeeesssssssss!!!!! The wife says Sarasota is a go!!! It will be a quick two day trip...down one day and back the next. If we can set it up for a weekend my wife can go along which I prefer as she's much better negotiating airports and such. If I have to go solo I'll just go through the week, probably a Tuesday and Wednesday.

Man, I'm pumped! Now I can listen to the amps I'm considering and make a final decision. Won't be able to purchase it until January but that's OK...my birthday is in January.

Anyway, hopefully the NAIM Supernait 3 will be out by then. And Mike carries a whole bunch of other good stuff. Did I say I'm pumped? This is the way I wanted to do it in the first place. Now I won't have to make a blind purchase. It all started with jdandy's suggestion of just doing an over nighter. Thank you jdandy!! It just simply made sense. I don't know why I didn't think of just doing a one nighter. We were (still are) tentatively planning a one week vacation to Sarasota and I guess I was just in that mode of thinking (staying multiple nights). We're looking at October sometime for our "mini-trip", before the potential for winter weather in Iowa. Gonna be fun.
 
bluegrassphile, when I went down to Mike's, I brought my wife also. She totally enjoyed herself. Mike is a most grasious host.
 
PMCH said:
bluegrassphile, when I went down to Mike's, I brought my wife also. She totally enjoyed herself. Mike is a most grasious host.
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Your wife is awesome! She’s the real audiophile! You guys both rock and supported the show to boot. [emoji3590] you for that.


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bluegrassphile said:
Yeeeesssssssss!!!!! The wife says Sarasota is a go!!! It will be a quick two day trip...down one day and back the next. If we can set it up for a weekend my wife can go along which I prefer as she's much better negotiating airports and such. If I have to go solo I'll just go through the week, probably a Tuesday and Wednesday.

Man, I'm pumped! Now I can listen to the amps I'm considering and make a final decision. Won't be able to purchase it until January but that's OK...my birthday is in January.

Anyway, hopefully the NAIM Supernait 3 will be out by then. And Mike carries a whole bunch of other good stuff. Did I say I'm pumped? This is the way I wanted to do it in the first place. Now I won't have to make a blind purchase. It all started with jdandy's suggestion of just doing an over nighter. It just simply made sense. I don't know why I didn't think of just doing a one nighter. We were (still are) tentatively planning a one week vacation to Sarasota and I guess I was just in that mode of thinking (staying multiple nights). We're looking at October sometime for our "mini-trip", before the potential for winter weather in Iowa. Gonna be fun.
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Does your wife like Opera? Sarasota has fantastic Opera venue.
 
LOL, our musical tastes lean a bit the other direction with bluegrass. We also really like small combo jazz and traditional blues. But, this will literally be an over nighter. Maybe an afternoon and the next morning for awhile at the store. So we won't have time for any vacationing. A few hours in the store and back to the airport. But that's all right. I can't wait to see and hear all the wonderful toys at Mike's.
 
bluegrassphile said:
LOL, our musical tastes lean a bit the other direction with bluegrass. We also really like small combo jazz and traditional blues. But, this will literally be an over nighter. Maybe an afternoon and the next morning for awhile at the store. So we won't have time for any vacationing. A few hours in the store and back to the airport. But that's all right. I can't wait to see and hear all the wonderful toys at Mike's.
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Great your heading down, I tried hooking up with Mike but it was too tight a schedule - you may want to consider two days so your not so pressed, and go back a second day to confirm your likings. Your spending dollars and not pennies!

I was on business making things tight, sounds like your on leisure, so take advantage of it.


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UltraFast69 said:
Great your heading down, I tried hooking up with Mike but it was too tight a schedule - you may want to consider two days so your not so pressed, and go back a second day to confirm your likings. Your spending dollars and not pennies!

I was on business making things tight, sounds like your on leisure, so take advantage of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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We'll be coming down on a Friday night and leaving Sunday afternoon. Should leave enough time. I'll have all day Saturday. Maybe even Saturday night if necessary and if Mike is available. It'd be nice to have a little more time but I should have adequate time to listen and compare amps. I'm just glad to have the opportunity to make some decisions.


Tom
 
Thanks, Joe. Will do. Can't wait to make the trip. The wife is also excited. Although she is an avid reader and might stay in her room and read.

One of the main things that excites me are all the top line stuff he has in his store. It's a veritable who's who of top shelf home audio components. And it's all right there for your listening pleasure. Pass Labs, Luxman, Moon/Simaudio, NAIM, Audio Research, Hegel, Ayre, Bryston, Constellation, Gryphon, Kronos, MBL, PS Audio, T+A, AvantGarde and VAC just to name a few. And those are just the amps! Dang!! It'll be audio heaven.


Tom
 
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