Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!info-high-audio-request
From: jwd@cs.brown.edu (James W. Durkin)
Newsgroups: rec.audio.high-end
Subject: Re: Looking for Advice
Message-ID: <10158@uwm.edu>
Date: 13 Mar 91 13:42:32 GMT
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Approved: tjk@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
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In article <10125@uwm.edu>, ut-emx!chrisj@emx.utexas.edu (Chris Johnson) writes:
|> 
|> I've been looking for a good amplifier for some time as I slowly accumulated
|> the necessary money.  I've found two dealers in Austin that carry amplifiers
|> in the $5-$6K price range that I settled on a while back.
|> 
|> One dealer recommends the Mark Levinson No. 23, while the other one recommends
|> the Jeff Rowland model 5.  Neither dealer appears to carry anything else in
|> this price range, however.
|> 
|> So, what I'm wondering is this:  does anyone have any relevant experiences
|> with either of these amps. or their manufacturers?  Alternately, are there
|> any bits of indispensable advice I should be armed with in this situation,
|> or other products so wonderful that I absolutely, positively have to take
|> a look at them even I have to drive a couple hundred miles to do it?
|> 
|>      :         :         :          :          :          :
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If I was going to spend this amount of money on an amp I would definitely
audition more than just the Levinson and Jeff Rowland.  There are many good
amps in this price range.  I would really try to listen to the Krell KSA-250.
It is a whole lot of amp (about 140 lbs.) for the money ($5700).  I've heard
it driving a set of Wilson WATT/Puppies and the sound was excellent.  It
will drive any speaker you can think of (I don't know if the Maggies present
a difficult load).  You can get much the same sound for less money (~$3900)
with the KSA-150.  You might also want to look at a pair of Classe DR-8's
in bridged mode (about $5K list) or better yet a pair of DR-9's (more than $6K
list, but you could probably cut a good deal on two).  I suspect that there
is also a Threshold e-series in that price range worth checking out.

I believe Levinson has just introduced the No. 23.5, with a price increase
from $5300 to $5900 over the No. 23.  If you really like the No. 23, you
might want to grab one before you get stuck with a $600 price hike.

:.: James W. Durkin (jwd@cs.brown.edu)