Personal amp evolution


Seeing the over night success of the speaker evolution thread, it may be interesting to see what type of amp(s) we have all run. Same deal as the other thread-we will sort of create a puzzle of our systems you'll have to visit multiple threads to put everything together!!! ;)
For me I started:
Adcom GFA-565 monoblocks
Rotel RB-990bx
Jeff Rowland Design Group Model 5
Balanced Audio Technology(BAT) VK-60

either a CAT JL2, BAT VK-75se or Tenor 75Wp on the horizon.
tireguy
Started with a Yamaha CR-820 receiver in 1976. Excellent product.
Next was a pair of Bryston 2B-LP amps running in bridged mode for each channel. Terrific sound. Still about as good as I've heard.
Then have gone all over the map.
A McIntosh MC-300, then an MC-275 followed by a pair of VTL 200 monoblocs (all the tubes I would ever need) and then on to an MC-162 followed by an MC-500. The MC-500 is one of my favorite amps. Very big balls and microdynamics to die for. Had everything. Very sensitive to the correct preamp though (and McIntosh has never made a good one). Tried a Sony TAN77ES (very nice) and am now hooked on MOSFETs. Best of tubes and solid state. Downsized two years ago to move into a condo at the shore. Bought another Sony, though this time it was their largest MOSFET integrated amp, the TA-F808ES. Runs class A up to 25 wpc and then AB to 100. Wonderful sound. Am now thinking about bi-amping with an Aleph 30 for the top end. Any thoughts out there? BTW, I enjoy Stereophile. Has lots of info as long as you pay little or no attention to their BS. could do without Art Dudley, the putz supreme.
I got a suitcase style record player when I was 12
Bought a Pioneer SX-535
Sold the SX bought a Yamaha CR-820
Brought the CR-820 back (didn't sound right)got an Onkyo A-7
Sold the Onkyo and used my Dad's Radio Shack reciever 10wpc
Bought a Hafler kit combo built the preamp amp never came
so I took a Nakamichi 600 series amp in its place which I
didn't like so I traded that for a GAS Son of Ampzilla
Had a borrowed Arcam A60 in mt system for a while
Bought a used Ampzilla IIa from a competing store for $100!!
Bought two Citation 16as in 2001 and 2002
The Ampzilla has a blown output stack which I'd like to fix
The Son is working but currently not in a system
The Citations are used to drive my Vandersteens
Thinking of Bryston or Audio Research amps or maybe a second Ampzilla
I have resisted answering this thread for sometime now because I wasn't sure if I had really found my audiophile stride, but, now, I think that I have: I'm a tube guy. I think that I have always been but just didn't realize it.

So here goes:

--Sony integrated (not sure of the model or specs---maybe 25 watts/chn)

--Fisher integrated (when I was in college--back when all I thought I had to do to get high-end sound was go to the Good Guys and buy anything w/ 100 watts).

--Cambridge Audio A3i (bought new on Audio Advisor)

--Mistral Integrated (bought a demo from AA)

--Pass Labs Aleph 30 mated to a VTL 2.5 pre

--PS Audio HCA-2 with the VTL

--Rogue 88 w/ Electro Harmonics kt-88s with the vtl.

With that last set up, I have finally found what I'm looking for: Tubes. About the only thing I feel like I want to try is a VTL amp(s) of some stripe.

I don't think that I'm going to be spending much more money, though. Well, okay, I just thought of one more possibility: the SET mono 300b thing. But, still, I'm going to hold onto the Rogue until I know that whatever I buy next actually sounds *better* and not just different.

What's cool is that this whole thing, on balance, has been fun. I haven't really bought anything and felt that it was a "mistake." But fun is what it's all about, right???
This list gets long-starting in about 1977
Pioneer-SX636
Pioneer-SX450
Technics-SA616
Pioneer-VSX5000
Sansui-Q800
Adcom-535
Pioneer-SPEC2
VTL ST50
Dynaco ST70 3ea with active xover to tri amped home builts
NAD 2200 NAD 1700 front end
Dynaco ST410 2ea for subs
Grommes LJ-5 mono in the shop
Pioneer integrated
Sony
NAD
Sansui - I still like their clean DC sound
I use as 2 ch. Home Theatre with radio shack
lineum tweeter (pretty pleasant + transparent)
Do we need 6 speakers?
Marantz 2270 20 years old Receiver - nice warm sound
Quad 405II - nice liquid tube like mid
Old tube amps - getting into tubes