Location: London
Posts: 685
I'm James.
Nearly bought a pair of these out of curiosity a little while back. Slightly over budget
http://www.hifi-forsale.co.uk/mobile....php?pid=54065
Reviews are good, makers are good. Geoff can add some opinions as he has a similar pair I believe.
Here's the review :
http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/frank04.htm
Should also be noted that the MK2 had the buzzing transformer problem fixed along with the other picky issues mentioned in the review.
I am actually tempted myself. They do raise my curiosity!!
These were £1000 each side!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by Bigman80; 09-02-2018 at 00:12.
Browsing EBay at the $1000 mark, here in the states mind you, but I see many desirable amps.
Like a Technics SE-A5, and an Onkyo M-507 for $900, both with the BIG dials. Several nice Japanese tube amps and a Nakamichi PA-7! A Golden Tube Audio SE40! A Peachtree Audio 220, and a Perreaux 3150 with 300wpc! There’s a LOT you can do with a grand in the used market, I’d love to have any of these mentioned, and there’s more but I think that’s enough to make my point. Which will make a good match for your speakers? Room size? It’s hard to recommend without being there.
Russell
Under a grand, then I'd try to seek out an Exposure III / IV combo like the one I have upstairs & use the change for a service. Classic, easy to maintain, and IMHO my favourite Exposure gear to date.
Mana Acoustics Racks / Bright Star IsoNodes Decoupling >> Allo DigiOne Player >> Pedja Rogic's Audial Model S DAC + Pioneer PL-71 turntable / Vista Audio phono-1 mk II / Denon PCL-5 headshell / Reson Reca >> LFD DLS >> LFD PA2M (SE) >> Royd RR3s.
Location: gone
Posts: 11,519
I'm gone.
A Croft 4SA was my very first valve amp, over 30 years ago it must have been. Got me hooked on the glowing things (not that I don't enjoy solid state as well).
Those Monarchy amps are pure snoozeville, imo. But then I just don't get on with class A solid state.
____
An underlying premise on this thread seems to be that more expensive amps tend to sound better than less expensive amps.
Well, that's not my experience.
I've found that the best in any price band are as good and enjoyable as the best in any other price band, from £100 up to quite a few £k.
I think I might be in a minority of 1 on that, though.
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Location: Suffolk, UK
Posts: 55
I'm Steve.
Leak Stereo 20? Good ones, fully restored, can be had for just shy of £900 and, if it matters, they'll increase in value if past performance is anything to go by. I sold my fully restored beauty in 2010 for £400.
Steve
I have had this for many years its got worse as I get older , its tinnitus but higher up the audio nerves , anything that gets into the blood stream makes it worse , alcohol , caffeine , medication . Tiredness really makes it worse and its because as we get older we don't sleep well has compounded my problem . I can no longer take a quick nap in the day as this makes it even worse again for some reason .