11-29-11: Kirkus
--->SAE was also founded by James Bongiorno who founded G.A.S. and also co-designed the Dynaco 400.
I thought Bongiorno was just one of several people who designed different SAE products (not one of the founders), but I may be wrong. I had forgotten his connection to the Stereo 400; thank you.
You're right. I knew he was involved; I thought he had founded it, but that was Morris Kessler, with whom I'm not familiar. It looks like Bongiorno was an early advocate for bigger power supplies and wider bandwidth for better behavior into reactive loads and better dynamics. Bascomb King was also a collaborator on Ampzilla, according to a conversation I had with his son. It may explain the rave review Bascomb gave Ampzilla in Audio Magazine at the time.
--->Currently my #1 power amp is just past the '70s--the 1981 Heathkit AA-1600. I got it used for $239 and it makes my jaw drop. Just two years into the '80s, it is so far beyond the amps of the '70s. It reminds me a lot of the 1990-ish Jeff Rowland Design Group amps.
I remember these from the Heathkit catalogs, and dug up a schematic . . . and from the way it looks on paper, I'm not surprised that you like the way it sounds. It's kinda like a simplified Dynaco 400, but with the biggest flaws fixed (esp. the intermediate stage with its current-mirror).
I'm stunned every time I listen through it as I am right now. There is none of the edginess or midrange/treble harshness that described the typical '70s big power amp.
