amplifiers Archives - Positive Feedback

Waters on the Hardware: The Merrill Audio ELEMENT 110 Monoblock Amplifiers

Dean Waters — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 18:59:44 +0000

Dean Waters with Cigar: a Portrait. (Photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson.) The Merrill Audio ELEMENT 110 Monoblock Amplifier (image by Dean Waters) As we continue our never-ending journey towards audio bliss, one of the things we look for is transparency. That is to say, music presented without colorization or modification by the... Read More »

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McIntosh MC830 Solid-State Monoblock Amplifiers

Douglas Seth Brown — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 15:44:10 +0000

McIntosh MC830 Solid-State Amplifier (courtesy of McIntosh) McIntosh amplifiers are the type of ultra high-end audio components that cause fist fights at estate hearings. When the opportunity to review a pair of McIntosh's MC830 solid-state amplifiers, ($8000 per pair) arose, I was quite excited to begin listening. Product Description Each MC830 single channel amplifier is... Read More »

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Waters on the Hardware: A Life-Changing Visit to GTT Audio

Dean Waters — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 23:06:45 +0000

Dean Waters with Cigar: a study. 2023 Pacific Audio Fest, Seatac, WA (photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) Throughout our lives we encounter special moments that are so transformative that we know that we will always remember exactly where we were and what we were doing the moment they occur. If you're old enough,... Read More »

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Waters on the Hardware: Alberto Guerra Designs (AGD) Solo Monoblock Amps

Dean Waters — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 20:34:37 +0000

Dean Waters with cigar at the Pacific Audio Fest 2023: a portrait. (Photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) I recently submitted an article reviewing the Alberto Guerra Designs (AGD) Duet monoblock amplifiers (HERE). They are in a word, wonderful. Since then, I've been reviewing the Duet's big brothers, the AGD Solo Limited Edition... Read More »

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Waters on the Hardware: The Alberto Guerra Design (AGD) Duet Monoblock Amplifier

Dean Waters — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 16:48:36 +0000

Dean Waters: portrait with a cigar. SeaTac, WA, Pacific Audio Fest, 2023 For the last few months, I've been listening to and delighting in a pair of AGD Duet monoblock amplifiers. These are the newest addition to the AGD product line, and are rated for a very solid 150W @ 8 Ohms (300W @ 4... Read More »

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SAE HP2-D Amplifier and MK One Preamplifier

Gary Lea — Thu, 02 May 2024 17:29:59 +0000

Fifty years ago SAE hit the market with its first amplifier, the venerable MK 1. A 60-watt per channel affair that stunned the audio world and received rave reviews by none other than J. Gordon Holt when he stated that under most conditions it was the best sounding solid-state gear he had ever heard. Big... Read More »

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Waters on the Hardware: Mola Mola's Perca Stereo Amplifier, with the Tambaqui DAC to come

Dean Waters — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:27:14 +0000

Dean Waters at Pacific Audio Fest 2023: A Portrait with a Cigar. (Photograph and image processing by David W. Robinson) About four months ago I received a Mola-Mola Tambaqui DAC and a Mola-Mola Perca stereo amplifier from Bill Parish at GTT Audio, and I've been using them as my daily-driver since then with much glee... Read More »

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Bella Sound Kahili Amplifier

Will Wright — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:34:51 +0000

Bella Sound is the brain child of Michael Vice. Educated at UC Berkeley and Stanford in Physics and Electrical Engineering, Mike has poured his decades of experience and over 40 patents into his unique designs. Bella Sound's products include amplifiers, a power conditioner, and power cords, all based on Mike's conceptually novel approach, and married... Read More »

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Audio by Van Alstine M750 Mono Amplifiers

Larry Cox — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:18:18 +0000

Audio by Van Alstine ("AVA") is a familiar name to long toothed audiophiles, but maybe not so much for newer audiophiles. Fifty plus years ago Frank Van Alstine founded AVA, building a reputation for good sounding, high value products. AVA started selling direct to consumers when that was called "mail order." I thought to describe... Read More »

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PS Audio BHK 600 Mono Amplifiers

Pete Davey — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 23:50:31 +0000

It's not often that I get the opportunity to review an amplifier that harkens back to the days of yore—big, heavy, power hungry. It's a fun exercise to cleanse ones palate, so to speak, of all of the Class D amps I've been using lately. There was a period of time where I didn't enjoy... Read More »

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Von Gaylord Audio – A Great Integrated System

Gary Lea — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:43:51 +0000

Some 20 plus years ago, as a fledgling cub reporter for a local HiFi group, I was attending CES and the high-end show at the Alexis Park. That's when I had my first encounter with the Von Gaylord Legend speaker. I wandered into their room and waited for the next demo session. I took my... Read More »

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Vera-Fi Audio Vera-Link Bluetooth Wireless Stereo Streaming Amplifiers

Tom Gibbs — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 18:57:58 +0000

Power to Drive Virtually Any Loudspeaker with Incredible Performance at a Ridiculously Low Price I have a fairly constant presence on social media, particularly Facebook, and I belong to a number of audio-related groups there. So when I saw a post in one of them announcing the new Vera-Fi Audio Vera-Link Bluetooth Wireless Stereo... Read More »

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KECES S300+ Stereo Amplifier

Dean Waters — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 20:40:35 +0000

Dean Waters on the hardware: First contact with the KECES S300+ Stereo Amplifier I've been given the wonderful opportunity to listen to and evaluate the KECES S300+ dual-channel Class A / Class AB hybrid amplifier. What a marvelous experience! First time I've had goosebumps listening to recorded music since I can't remember how long. This... Read More »

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The Analog Ethos Legendarium 2a3 Stereo Amplifier

Sam Rosen — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 17:49:53 +0000

Sometimes you listen to a piece of equipment, and its performance gives you pause. Sometimes that pause is a good thing because what you're listening to is performing better then you expect. Unfortunately, sometimes it's a bad thing, candidly most of the time it is a bad thing. However, this review is about one of... Read More »

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Parasound HALO JC 5 Amplifier

Mark Pearson — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 19:03:59 +0000

The Parasound JC 5 stereo amplifier has been in continuous production since 2018 and has been reviewed many times over the years including reviews in Positive Feedback. I want to be upfront that I purchased the JC 5 prior to writing this review. I made the leap of faith based on the reputation of the... Read More »

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The Mactone XX-440 Line Preamplifier and MH-120 Stereo Amplifier: Adventures in Max-tone!

Jeff Day — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:11:36 +0000

Founded in 1964, and for 59 years now, Mactone has continuously manufactured high-fidelity vacuum tube audio components, longer than any other company in Japan. Steve Mishoe (In Living Stereo) started importing Mactone audio components to North America in late 2018, after visiting the Matsumoto family—who owns and operates Mactone—in Japan. Steve recently contacted me and... Read More »

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E.A.R. 864 Integrated

Editors at Positive Feedback — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 17:14:26 +0000

This article by Ed Morawski originally ran in Issue 6, April/May 2003, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going to see some articles from our early days of going online. E.A.R. 864 Although I was very pleased with my Plinius CD-LAD preamp,... Read More »

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The AGD Productions Gran Vivace Monoblock Amplifier

Greg Weaver — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 19:29:59 +0000

Classy Operation A class-D amplifier, or switching amplifier, all too often mistakenly referred to as a "digital" amplifier, differs from the much more traditional and popular linear amplifier classes. In a switching amplifier, its transistors, usually MOSFETs (Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors), rather than directly providing gain to the sourced signal, operate as electronic switches. The audio... Read More »

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World Premier - Zesto Audio Eros 500 Select Class A Monoblocks

Robert H. Levi — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:07:13 +0000

A Breakthrough Amplifier Design A pair of the Zesto Audio Eros 500 Select Monoblock Amps (image courtesy of Zesto Audio) The more I immerse myself in this hobby since I retired from the entertainment industry in 2008, the more certain I have become that the amplifier is the most important and telling piece of equipment in... Read More »

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David Berning - The Zero-Hysteresis ZH270 Amplifier

Editors at Positive Feedback — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 17:38:36 +0000

This article by Gary Beard originally ran in Issue 5, February/March 2003, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going to see some articles from our early days of going online. A Lighthearted Look at the Lightweight ChAMP of the World: The Zero-Hysteresis... Read More »

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Manley Labs Impressions: The Snapper Monoblock Amp and Shrimp Preamp - Tasty Stuff!

Editors at Positive Feedback — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 20:50:59 +0000

This article by Dr. David Robinson originally ran in Issue 5, February/March 2003, so while we call this section "New Old Stock - Articles from Our Days in Print" you are also going to see some articles from our early days of going online. After All These Years... You know, it's strange. In PF's "Ghost of... Read More »

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ampsandsound Red October Amplifier

Sam Rosen — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 23:35:20 +0000

Black on Black Red October with Western Electric 300Bs and U52s ampsandsound continues to surprise and delight me. Last year it was with the Rockwell, which showed me what a DHT amplifier built around a less well known tube could do. ampsandsound also rolled out the new Agartha and converted their entire lineup (with the... Read More »

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The Bargain Class A Usher R-1.5 Stereo Amplifier - A High Performer at Any Price!

Juan C. Ayllon — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 19:21:47 +0000

The Usher R-1.5 stereo amplifier is built like a tank. Its utilitarian industrial design bears a striking resemblance to the Threshold 300 Stasis designed by audio guru Nelson Pass, which should come as no surprise. In 1972 Usher Audio's owner and head engineer Lien-Shui Tsai built the first Usher R-1.5 amplifier as a copy of... Read More »

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Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifiers

Editors at Positive Feedback — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 15:29:27 +0000

Prestigious power, glorious grace, and terrific transparency. Review By Dwayne Carter With this article, Positive Feedback continues its content-sharing relationship with Enjoy the Music where Dwayne Carter shares his thoughts on the Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier. Dr. David W. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief Pass Laboratories, Inc., is a name that most audiophiles utter, after describing a product that comes... Read More »

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ampsandsound Zion Amplifiers

Sam Rosen — Tue, 14 Jun 2022 16:23:59 +0000

Each Zion weighs nearly 75 pounds As I sat in my listening room with the lights dimmed, I began to take a journey. My journey started with the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Unlimited Love, and I then found myself listening to Mark Knopfler's Down the Road Wherever. After awhile I ventured onto St Vincent's MasSeduction, with a short... Read More »

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