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Which components knocked you out on first listen?

I've been listening to stereos since 1973 and I am still waiting to be truly knocked out by the sound of a component. I have sat in showrooms across the country and have been pleased by what I have heard but never truly blown away.
The closest I came was when I listened to a Meitner str-55 amp and VTL preamp a few years ago, sourced by a Linn Ikemi and Revel loudspeakers. However, I also have been moved by a
Apple computer cd drive, circa 1994 through a Creek 4040 and RA Lab speakers, estimated cost about $1,200; maybe more so than the Linn,Revel 10K system. How about you?
cody
glide3
402 posts
 
Audio Note AN/E-SEC speakers...they just shouldn't be able to do what they do.
gregm
3,021 posts
 
These items/combinations came to mind when I read the title of the thread -- i.e. before I read the posts:

2 pairs Quad 63 / 4x Jadis monos (can't remember which).
Genesis 201 speakers in a system that had a Goldmund Ref TT source.
Genesis 1.1 speakers driven by Cello electronics, S. Yorke TT source.
Purist Dominus cables used vs another brand in a Burmester system (digital source).
Symphonic Line Kraft classA/CAT Ultimate combo (using the line section)

Many more come to mind as I write -- but these represent my "spontaneous" reaction!
danner
202 posts
 
ART DI/O with Sennheiser headphones driven by a David Berning microZOTL.
elevick
2,439 posts
 
Mirage M1
garfish
1,840 posts
 
No in store demo system has ever done it for me-- I have to hear the component in my own system to be able to judge its character and worth. But in home, I've heard (and bought) some really good ones:

1. Vandersteen 5 speakers; great mid-range clarity and incredible bass-- bought them.

2. Levinson M360S DAC; very musical, and made average digital sound-- well, not digital-- bought it.

3. Sonic Frontiers SFL2 pre-amp. The best I've ever heard, but didn't buy it because of a hum problem, and instead went with the newer Line 2, which sounds very good, but not quite as good as that SFL2. I had it upgraded to SE level and found some excellent NOS tubes for it, and it now sounds as good as that SFL2 I liked so much. I like some tubes in my system.

4. McCormack DNA2 Dlx amp; quick, natural sounding, and with excellent bass control and PR&T-- bought it and later had it up-graded to Revision A which was a nice improvement.

5. Not a component exactly, but Synergistic Research Sig. #2 speaker cables "wowed" me. These thick high purity copper cables were the first wires that clearly demonstrated to me how important wires could be, and I still use a variation of them today.
Cheers. Craig
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