Speakers & Electronics - Matching Components - Your Evolution

While its great to read about the list of speakers that Audiogon members have owned in the past, and it’s equally great to read about the amps Audiogon members have owned too, I was thinking - many people would really like to know what’s a good match for the speakers that I own or the amp / integrated amp / receiver that I own.

With that in mind, I thought listing both electronics & speakers would be very interesting and could be a more useful tool for those looking to change gear. Also, if any combo was extremely good and synergistic or the other way around, please denote it so others can learn from your audio journey.

I apologize in advance is this is too much of a chore to do. I pulled up my speaker ownership and electronics journey in separate tabs, then copied and pasted the amp ownership here and then filled it in with my speaker ownership, so it really wasn’t that difficult to reproduce.

Here’s the receiver / int amp / amp & preamp and speaker combinations I’ve owned from about 1977 to the present:

A. Harman Kardon 330c receiver / Sound Research Speakers
B. Mitsubishi DA-R8 receiver / The Smaller Advent Loudspeaker

1. Yamaha M50, crown straight line 1 preamp / The Smaller Advent Loudspeaker
2. Sansui AU717 / Jamo Compact 50’s & 70’s & Triad Subwoofer
3. NAD 2155, Luxman preamp & Acoustat TNP pre
4. B&K ST140, Acoustat TNP pre, Music reference RM5 mkII pre & dyna PAS 2 / Mirage 660’s
5. Dynaco ST70, Dyna PAS 3 / Mirage 660’s
6. McIntosh MC225, Music Reference pre / ProAc Studio 1
7. B&K EX442 Sonata - sounded almost exactly like the Paoli’s), Music Ref pre / Celestion C7
8. Paoli M60 monoblocks, Music Ref pre / Celestion C7
9. cj MV50, Music Ref pre / Celestion C7
10. Music Reference RM9, Music Ref pre / The Smaller Advent Loudspeaker
11. AMC CVT-3030 / Chateau Research 1.5
12. Mac 1900 Rec’r / ADS CM6
13. Mitsubishe DA-R7 rec’r / Celestion C3 / Infinity Qb
14. Creek 5050 int. / Vandersteen 1B
15. Acurus A80, Hegeman Hapi2 pre / Vandersteen 1B
16. Early Korneff 6bq5 SE int. / Klipsch KG3.5 (black)
17. John Ecklund PP6bg6 triode - moded Conn organ amp / Klipsch KG3.5 (black)
18. Custom KT66 SE int (from ebay) / Klipsch KG3.5 (black)
19. Onix OA-21s / Tannoy D90
20. ads A-2 / Tannoy D90
21. JVC AX-55, 80 watt Special class A int. / Tannoy D90
22. Musical Fidelity B1 / Tannoy D90
23. Kailin 6bq5 int / Tannoy D90
24. Rawsonte Brick gainclones, Superphon Rev. Basic Dual Mono preamp / Omega Grande 8 / Mission 70 mkII / Boston Acoustics A-200

25. Audio Space Mini-Galaxy II / Omega Grande 8 / Celestion DL-8 II’s / RogerSoundLab CG-6 / Wharfedale CRS-5 / Mission 700 LE / Wharfedale Delta 70

26. John Ecklund PP6bg6 triode - moded / Klipsch KG 3.5 (oiled oak) / Pinnacle AC800 / Linn Helix LS250 / Celestion C100s

27. Yamaha AX-550 int amp / Linn Helix LS250
28. Tandberg 3030 receiver / Linn Helix LS250
29. Fleawatt TPA3122 D2 Soft Maple amp / Omega Grande 8 (re-acquired)
30. Fleawatt cigar box amp TPA3122 / Omega Grande 8
31. Fleawatt TDA7297 Zebrawood / Canton Plus S
32. Optonica SM-1515B int. / Canton Plus S
33. Onix OA-20/2 / Paisley Reseach AE-500
34. Ditton Elan DI-260 / Paisley Reseach AE-500 / Mordaunt Short MS-20
35. Denon DRA-700 receiver / Canton Plus S
36. Antique Sound Lab MG-si15DT / Paisley Reseach AE-500
37. Tandberg TIA-3012 / Fostex P1000-BH 4" Full Range Back-loaded Horn

(#31, 32 & 35 were part of a separate bedroom system)

And the most memorable/best sounding: Mac MC225, Music Ref RM9, Korneff 6BQ5, PP6BG6 amp, the Onix’s, the B&K’s, Paolis, the Fleawatt’s, ASL, and the Tandberg 3012

And the worst sounding/bigest disappointment: cj (just didn’t mate up with the MR preamp & wish I had a PV5), Musical Fidelity B1, Kailin (fans just too darn loud), MAC1900 (great tuner but early SS harsh sounding amp)

For my notes on speaker ownership & my favorite speakers, please see:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/what-is-your-speaker-ownership-history-since-1995/post?postid...

Thanks for reading, look forward to hearing from other A’goners :)