Personal amp evolution

1. Panasonic (2 years)
2. Pioneer (4 months)
3. Yamaha (3 years)
4. Parasound (8 years)
5. Audio Valve (9 years)
6. Bryston (one month)
7. Krell (2 months)
8. McCormack DNA (6 months)
9. McIntosh 501 monos (1 month)
10. Llano (1 month)
11. Jadis JA-500 (2 years)
12. Lamm M2.1 (1 year)
13. Krell (still)
14. Musical Fidelity KW Monons(2 years)
15. VTL 750 (6 months)
16. Tube Research Labs GT-400 (still)
17. Tube Research Labs GT-800 (keeping it until I die)

Heathkit AD27 (I still have it) 1969
Dynaco Stereo 80 (I have a NOS ST80 in a box)
Dynaco Stereo 70
Dynaco Stereo 120 (Replaced my popcorn poper)
Pioneer SA-9100
SAE 31b MKII
Technics SE 9060
Phillips AH 578 (lots of slam, HOT,you could fry eggs on it)
Dynaco 400
Kenwood LO-7M
Dynaco Mark III (modified by VanAlsitne) 1980
Audio Research D79 (to many problems but sounded great)
Hafler 500
Threshold 400A
Audionics CC2 (I still have)
Dynaco ST70 (modified by VanAlstine)1984
The birth of my first child 1985
VanAlstine Omega III 440HC 1996
4-Dynaco MKIII (Modified w/Triode Elec. boards, SDS power supply,w/4pr NOS Genalex KT88's)(I still have)
VanAlstine Omegastar EX 440HC (I still have)
VanAlstine Ultimate 70 (this is a great little amp)(I still have)
Audio Research D400 MKII (I still have)
Audio Research VT200 (the best so far)

Hafler DH200 driving ADS L980's
Roberton 4010 driving L980's (SS amp w/tubey sweet sound)
PS Audio 200C driving Apogee Duetta's (Ouch!!)
ARC D350 (Never figured this amp out)
ARC D110 (Made my Duetta II's sing!! My favorite combo)
Levinson ML-9 (No power, but super sweet on the Duetta's)
Levinson ML-3 (Found out what the Duetta's can really do)
B&K ST200 & Mirage M3si. (Bad Trip)
Levinson 23 & Mirage M3si's (We're getting there)
--For My First Update since 2003---
ARC D400 Pair (Biamped Duetta II's then Diva's)
Krell FPB 300 (Impressive Bass on Diva's)
Krell FPB 600C (Not even close to the FPB 300)
Levinson 335 Pair (Biamped Diva's & Mirage M3si)

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!