Trade: Audiophile News & Music Review
Location: Southern England
Posts: 2,990
I'm Howard.
CROWN Could the ultimate system (inc. ES 212) be all Crown?
Well, hello.
Senior Member
Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...
Posts: 14,535
I'm David.
Since I'm probably now only one of two posters here to ever hear a version of this system minus tape deck, I'd say *at the time* which for me was 1974, this system took a hell of a lot of beating...
Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me
Senior Member
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 196
I'm Chris.
absolutely right David although IIRC the front end tape machine in our day was a Revox B77 at 15IPS. The one "system" I heard that beat it was seeing Can live at what was Hatfield Polytechnic now the University of Hertfordshire...awesome!!!!
Banned
Location: NE England
Posts: 4,173
I'm Jez.
I've got 2 of those DC300A's... one I know works fine but I've never even looked at the other one since I got it... Bass is state of the art even now. I'd put it against a Krell or whatever any day. Mids, not bad. Top end is where it fails to please... not awful by any means but no better than a budget amp....
I well remember Tannoy using a pair in bridge mode to drive the Westminster Royals in a demo in a large hall at the Harrogate hi fi show...
Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)
Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco
I've always fancied a listen to one of these crowns with the tannoy HPDs. Most solid state I've tried simply doesn't cut it compared to valves with Tannoys I'd love to have that perception properly challenged.
Banned
Location: NE England
Posts: 4,173
I'm Jez.
Hmm... I would have thought them one of the less suitable SS amps in terms of delicacy etc. The demo I heard was in a large hall (a theatre) and I think they were trying to show off the dynamics and SPL capability of the Royals. They were using The Sheffield Drum Record direct cut! The first 6 or so rows of seats were roped off but my pal and I went straight to the front row anyway... The bloke from Tannoy came over and said "I wouldn't get that close if I were you"... we soon found out why! Luckily it was towards the end of the day so the resulting temporary tinnitus didn't spoil too much of the hi fi show for usOriginally Posted by montesquieu
Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)
Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco
Trade: LDR
Location: North Island New Zealand
Posts: 1,757
I'm Chris.
The short answer No
Moderator & Terminator!
Location: N E Kent
Posts: 51,625
I'm Geoff.
American amps from that era tend to have a certain 'sound' to them. Crown (Amcron) SAE and BGW for instance. Those I've heard seem to possess a grainyness towards the top. Pre-amps even more than the power amps.
It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!
Banned
Location: NE England
Posts: 4,173
I'm Jez.
Yep I'll go with that... they certainly could not be accused of lacking slam and grip though! Would make a great bass amp in a 3 way active speaker I reckon.
In terms of just bass tightness I reckon the DC300A is the best I've ever heard.. pity about the top end...
Arkless Electronics-Engineered to be better. Tel. 01670 530674 (after 1pm)
Modded Thorens TD150, Audio Technica AT-1005 MkII, Technics EPC-300MC, Arkless Hybrid MC phono stage, Arkless passive pre, Arkless 50WPC Class A SS power amp, (or) Arkless modded Leak Stereo 20, Modded Kef Reference 105/3's
ReVox PR99, Studer B62, Ferrograph Series 7, Tandberg TCD440, Hitachi FT-5500MkI, also FT-5500MkII
Digital: Yamaha CDR-HD1500 (Digital Swiss army knife-CD recorder, player, hard drive, DAC and ADC in one), PC files via 24/96 sound card and SPDIF, modded Philips CD850, modded Philips CD104, modded DPA Little Bit DAC. Sennheiser HD580 cans with Arkless Headphone amp.
Cables- free interconnects that come with CD players, mains leads from B&Q, dead kettles etc, extension leads from Tesco
Senior Member
Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...
Posts: 14,535
I'm David.
I was put off buying a DC300A twenty years ago 'Because it's harsh!' I was told. Like fegg is it - and I hear a mid era sample regularly! I don't like 'solid state' grey sparkle either
Do PLEASE continue to slag off this series of amps. It means that idiots won't put the used prices up so high
Last edited by DSJR; 06-09-2017 at 12:33.
Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me
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