[ttsakai]

Hey Bob,

As usual you hosted a great GTG at your home! It was great to see the "crew" in addition to meeting several new music heads. It was enlightening to sit through the permutations of hardware combinations to hear the sound reproduction differences.

I'd also like to thank you for providing me with my first opportunity to hear a production version of the Soundscapes in a home listening setting.

We have to make sure that we don't wait such a long time to get the group together again!


Cheers!

[K Shep]

Thank you Bob and Nikki,

It was great to visit again.  It's intertesting how our GTG's have evolved into social gatherings, the first time I sat on your couch it was all about the gear and the music, now its more of us and how is life.  I really enjoy where your system is today, the mating of the Saunders amp with the SS10's is very appealing. 

Love the Tritip Bob, Boris thanks for the Charcuterie plate.   

[vintagebob]

Thanks everyone!  Nikkie and I had fun.  She commented afterwards about how great the people are and I had to agree with that.

It was fun swapping amps for Boris.  The Sanders is a VERY nice amp and the new AVA amp is a step up from my 550 Double.

The HT2-TLs still sound great in the system.  It will be sad parting with them but I know Boris will enjoy them.

Stew and Boris, thanks for participating in the Bordeaux tasting with me.  Yum!

Kirk, the Tri-tip WAS good!  ; )

Tracy, I can't wait to hear your system!

And thanks to our new friends Doug and Rick for participating!

[Big Red Machine]

w/o pics this didn't happen

[DMurphy]

w/o pics this didn't happen

I believe the Bordeaux happened.    Don't know about the rest. 

[kc8apf]

We couldn't figure out how to fit all of Bob's amps into a single shot 

[Nuance]

w/o pics this didn't happen

+1! 

[vintagebob]

The amps (Parasound 2250, McCormack DNA250, AVA 550 Double, AVA 400R, Sanders Magtech)

and some of the wine...








 

[Big Red Machine]

Simply awesome, and the amps look enticing as well!

Any general comments on what sounds the amps produced?  Not a shoot out for sure, but we know there is synergy and compatibility surprises sometimes.  Just like at AKFest, it was interesting to talk with Frank about his amps and how they sounded different with different Salk models, of course the preamp combo influenced that as well.

[Boris Boris]

I know, I know, its an audio circle.........

[vintagebob]

Any general comments on what sounds the amps produced? 

I didn't sit in the sweet spot at the GTG so take my comments with a "grain" of salt.  Some of my comments are based on my history with these amps.  The AVA 400R was the only one I had not heard in my system before.

The song used was the Ray Charles/Natalie Cole version of "Fever".  The speakers used were the HT2-TLs which are a little easier to drive than the SS10s.

I find the Parasound 2250 to have a little of that SS brittleness but to be fair this amp has never been broken in and is still basically brand new.

The AVA 550 Double smooths things out considerably and sounds pretty good.
The new AVA 400R brings additional clarity improvements over the 550.

The McCormack DNA250 had a smaller soundstage than the AVAs but I know from experience that it takes awhile for that big transformer in there to warm up.  All of the amps were plugged in cold and then played.  I think it would have placed somewhere between the two AVAs.

The Sanders kicks it up a notch, with great clarity and control from top to bottom displayed on a large soundstage.

[Nuance]

It sounds like the McCormack is going up for sale, eh?

That Sanders is sweet, but pricey at $5000.  The question that begs answering is: is it worth the cost?  The voltage regulator is intriguing.

[vintagebob]

That ends up being more of a personal question for most folks.  ; )

For me, especially with the SS10s, the Sanders Magtech was worth the cost.

He has a 30-day free trial and he pays shipping both ways, so it really is a no brainer to audition his amp if you are in the market for one at that price point.

YMMV

[K Shep]

It sounds like the McCormack is going up for sale, eh?

Brandon,
I can hear your wheels turning from all the way over here.
That is a SWEET amp!

[Nuance]

Brandon,
I can hear your wheels turning from all the way over here.
That is a SWEET amp!

You have good ears, because they're certainly turning.