It's the A21aL, Ithink it's about 2005 Martin. The last of the sweetest sounding Suggies, imo. Glorious midband, yet still relatively fast and detailed.
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I'm Mike.
It's the A21aL, Ithink it's about 2005 Martin. The last of the sweetest sounding Suggies, imo. Glorious midband, yet still relatively fast and detailed.
He with least money has most to sell
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Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
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I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
It's the best sounding one, trust me!
Early 2000s, I think... What followed it was notably sonically superior, although of course that's not what Sugden said
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,512
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Ah, you beat me to it, lol! Yes, and you're right, Mike.Originally Posted by Idlewithnodrive
If you haven't done so already, and are curious, try and get to listen to a pair of Harbeth Compact 7-ES3s with your Suggie (on Something Solid stands). Trust me, it's a match made in heaven!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Senior Member
Location: South Beds, UK
Posts: 4,615
I'm Mike.
Harbeths have always sounded a bit pedestrian to me Marco.
I did try a pair of ProAc SC1's briefly but ultimately preferred my M1i's.
He with least money has most to sell
Drunken Administrator
Location: Staffordshire, England
Posts: 43,349
I'm Martin.
From the styling I'd gave guessed 1980s. I always wanted to get one but the price of them kept going up faster than my income did.
Current Lash Up:
TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > Troels Gravesen Faital 3WC-15.
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,512
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
In general, I agree. However, there was a really nice synergy between both when I heard it - very detailed, expansive and musical sound
Much like your Suggie's the best of those made by the company, I'd also argue that the Compact 7s come into a similar category with Harbeth.
Yeah, not surprised that the Prozacs put you to sleep!
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Senior Member
Location: South Beds, UK
Posts: 4,615
I'm Mike.
I hear what you're saying, but for good reason. They really do sound fabulous, Sugden still support them, at very reasonable cost and they've seen off amps costing 3 and 4 times as much, in my system.
Hi-fi ? Not really. Musically engaging ? Hell yeah ! In spades.
He with least money has most to sell
Senior Member
Location: South Beds, UK
Posts: 4,615
I'm Mike.
New, to me, cans
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Location: Essex
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I'm openingabottleofwine.
My first solid state amplifier was a copy of the original A21 (I knew someone who knew Jim Sugden, and was able to get me all the parts and boards 'at cost') fed by a Sugden C51 control unit (pre-amp). Later upgraded the A21 to that of the A51 (25w/channel) to drive the Quad 57 ESLs.
Barry
Senior Member
Location: South Beds, UK
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I'm Mike.
My TT
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