What equipment do you really like?


This thread was actually suggested by Trelja. What is out there in the Audiophile world that you really, really like. You don't have to own this equipment, it can be on your wish list. Let's keep this civil please. I will take action against those that can't behave. ENJOY!!!
retroguy
the preamp i lust after is the boulder 2010. its main chassis is comprised of three modules that are optically coupled point-to-point (no wire). it has a separate power supply and the most visually and ergonomically beautiful remote i've ever held or beheld. absolutely every frontend of i've ever heard through the 2010 sounds spectacular. at ces 2001, the boulder 2010 was in a system driving $1200 westlake audio monitors. it was among the top three sytems i heard. of course it's unlikely anyone would spend $36,000 on a pre and then use it with $1200 speakers but, hey, if i were bill gates, i'd buy a 2010 for each system i owned! -kelly
I like my big McCormack DNA-2DX, 300/600 wpc 8 and 4 Ohm, so much that I've arranged to have it up-graded to Rev. A Gold+ by SMC. Steve McCormack agreed to put $4K worth of his best parts and magic into it. Yeah, I've got my fingers crossed that I'll love it even more. Cheers. Craig.
Alon Speakers. Everything (quite nearly) they have made I have loved. But, they seem to be obscure to most...(?)
Hello everyone, I can't wait to get my hands on a pair of BAT VK150se tube amps. If I really was to go off on the deep end I would run 4 of them. I bet that would really make my Eidolons sing! Happy dreaming and the best to all!!! Tom
Mbl 101d speakers driven by Jeff Rowland model 12(bi-amp) and a Jeff Rowland Coherence preamp.Best I have heard so far.Another piece of equiment I could only dream of is the FM Acoustic FM268 preamp.
Well, I happen to own one piece of equipment that I like already. My tuner (a Magnum Dynalab FT-101..... I want and lust after an FT-101A...... but I got the FT-101 instead...... it's the next best thing to an FT-101A, and I saved $350.00 to $375.00 in the process..... and I may upgrade to the 101A later on..... who knows) is one such piece. Another piece is the Vandersteen 2Ci/2Ce speaker system (warm and honest sound, nice imaging, great bass response (which in my small apartment, that negates the need for a subwoofer) at a great price. Plus, it matches up well with a wide variety of equipment as well). I also like the power amplifiers that are made by McCormack (when you cannot get a Jeff Rowland, a Krell or a Mark Levinson...... then these are the amps to get..... I view these amps as either Krells or Levinsons for working people), as well as a Nakamichi CR-7A. Like I said, I have the tuner already. Let me have another one of these components, and I'll be a happy camper for quite a while. At least until I find something else I may like later on. --Charles--
All the Hales floorstanders. They are my faves irrespective of price. I'm sooo pissed that i'll never be able to buy a pair of trans eights. But I was lucky enough to grab the rev twos.
Eggleston Ivy's, adequate amplification (similar caliber electronics) and a fortress of a listening "space" in which to listen. - Just for the sheer excess of it! :-) Those speakers look like they could bring a house down - with weight or with sound.
I can't say much on the current electronics(no pun intended), but I really dig the Dunlavy line of speakers. I was lucky enough to hear the SC-1 proto types when the company was just forming and was floored. It is probably the best small speaker that I have ever heard, period. I still drool over the SC-VI, they will have aplace in my music room someday. They are very easy to drive, so I won't need a $100,000.00 in amps to run the $25,000.00 speakers. Does any one out there own a pair? Also check out the Dunlavy web site it's very enlightening. Todd
My Marble nOrh 7. I kinda laugh every time I read in an audio mag that someone used a knuckle "rap on the cabinet" test to test build quality etc. I am also really taken by the looks of the Densen equipment. Their B-100 and DM-10 are some of the coolest looking equipment on the planet.
I would really enjoy a pair of Avalon Eidelon speakers, but I can not quiet afford them(yet) so I live with there little brother Avalon Eclipse. Life is tough when given these types of choices.
I've never heard any avalon speaker sound anything less than spectacular; especially with roland electronics. If I had the money that's where I'd be. I do own, however, the great sounding pass labs new xono phono stage. I'm very pleased with the sound of my analog.
THE top of the line MARTIN LOGANS with KRELLS best on the bottom and CONRAD JOHNSONs best on top,The best CONRAD JOHNSON preamp with phono stage.There was this turntable that was in STEREOPHILE that weighed about 500 lbs and went for 70 g,s.As for CD I dont know yet but TUNER I would like the DAY SEQUERRA.Well I can dream can I.
Avantgarde Duos. I heard these a few weeks ago when I was in Colorado they were awsome. They were hooked up to Naim electronics it was amazing. I've never heard better sound. Diana Krall sounded so good(and I don't like Dianna Krall) They had the green finish, they looked like race cars. I wasn't able to listen to my setup for two days afterward I was so disgusted with my wimpy system. If you get a chance to hear these check them out. Maybe someday when I win the lottery.....
I lust for a pair of ProAc Future Two's. ProAc makes some of the best speakers in the world and I under
-stand the Futures may be the best speaker ProAc has ever made. Make no mistake, I listen to Totems
now and am very happy - but the Future Two's have the type of style and class that few loudspeaker systems
can match.
The most fun purchase I've recently made was a Linn Classik and a pair of Tukans for my office at work. It's 95% of the fun of my megabuck home high end system.
A big plus for equipment in my eyes is stuff that delivers excellent sound, for not a lot of money. There seems to be more of it around than we often realize. Audio Electronic Supply, AudioQuest(I have no experience with the new line), Axon, Bryston, Cambridge, Coincident, Creek, HomeGrown Audio, Jolida, Musical Fidelity, NAD, PSB, Quicksilver, Rogue, Silver Audio, Sunfire, Triangle, and Vandersteen. For stuff that isn't really in the budget class, the list includes Air Tight, Cary, Electrocompaniet, Granite, Jadis, Jeff Rowland Design Group, Kimber, VAC, and YBA. My apologies for those I have forgotten, and I am sure there are a fair amount.
Dunlavy VI's. Currently have V's, II's and I. Although V's do almost everything right, just knowing there is bigger and better(?) model out there make me lust after them.

On the amp/pre amp side there is this mystique about mark Levinson electronics....

May be with bigger dedicated room, everything will be better...
My present system: Sound Labs, Atma-Sphere amps, CTC Blowtorch and Vendetta preamp, Rockport turntable, G&D transport, Entec DAC, etc. It cost a bundle but I'd do it all over again because it sounds like live music.
My entire system consists of, 2 MC7150 amps, MR78 tuner, C42 pre-amp, MVP831 DVD/CD player, MC7008 CD changer all McIntosh, along with 2 MC ML2C speakers modified with tweeter towers, along with the MQ101 that was made for them, 2 Sonus Faber Grand Piano Home speakers and 2 Sonus Faber Concertino's and a Tice Power Block 3 conditioner. What I most like about my Mac units is there reliability! I hear to many people talk about extremely expensive units they own that are in for repairs more than in their listening rooms.I've heard some really fine sounding stuff over the years, but for my money and listening pleasure, it will always be McIntosh
I really have a lust for tenor audio 75wi's. Its like a dream woman crooning in your ear (similar to purring)
detlof: purely personal, i know, but i prefer the jurassic and cambrian periods. -cfb
Tsk,tsk, too much bass, CFB, and I daren't think of the sulphorous stench, the system emits, though admittedly, the dynamics are volcanic!....Happy New Year!! Detlof
I own all Mac gear. 2 7150 amps, MR78 tuner, C42 pre-amp, MVP831, MCD7008, MQ101. I love the build,sound,look and the ethnics of the company. I've owned Mac since 1984.
Amps: Lamm ML2 (my dream amps), VTL Wotan (soo many tubes!)
Preamps: CJ ART, Thor (could a preamp look cooler than thor?)
Speakers: Verity Lohengrin (scary looking monsters)
Cables: Nordost Vahlalla, FIM Gold
CD players: Linn Sondek (the best?), Audio Aero Capitole (the best within reason?)
Finally, the desert - Sennheiser Orpheus.
Symphonic Lines will be my first choice. I have been using their pre and amp for years and they sound very musical and
involving. Not many people knows Symphonic Line from germany. I have not listened to their speakers yet, they are quite expensive, but I will try one in the future.
What about:

Verity Lohengrin speakers (Parsifals would be ok)
Wadia 861 CD Player
Audio Research REF 2MKII Stereo Preamplifier
Audio Research REF 600 MKIII Mono Amplifiers
Siltech Compass lake ICs
Siltech Emperor speaker cables
Any 5$ power cable :-)

Maybe it's a bit overkill for a room 15X13 :-)
i'm happy with my rotel products, preamps and turntable.

i'm happy with my otl amp.

and i'm happy with my vmps ribbon speakers.

i really like these pieces of equipment.
Avalon diamonds, Cat jl-3 monos (mono version of the new jl-2) Aesthetix pre and phonestage, Rockport Sirius 3 or Transrotor Gravita, Clearaudio Insider ref. or Van den Hul Colibri. For digital I would keep the Audio Aero Capitol mk. II I am about to buy.
Cables: Argento VDM interconnector and speakercable.
Tenor 75wi -- arriving in my house this Friday. Yeah!

Rockport Serius System III Turntable -- not arriving in my house any time soon. 75,000 bling-bling is A LOT of cheese.

God, I'd love to have that table...
I'm really happy with my Cary 303/100 cdp, Rogue 99 Magnum pre, Innersound esl amp, and Magnepan 1.6's.