[is2us]

As my wife saw my frustration from my humming Mg Head, she agreed that I sould buy something more substantial this time. I can spend $1000 without having to hide it from her!

Anyway I don't have much time listening to music. I have only one hour a day after I get back from work and my son goes to sleep. lately I spent this hour moving wires inside the Mg Head to try to stop the hum (and now I killed it by mistake from tiredness, but this is another story) instead of enjoying music.
I really liked the sound of the MG Head, but as I stated in other places, it lacked detail for me.
Now I need something that I can plug my HD580 and the ER4s (I'm planning to buy), when I get back from work, enjoy the music for an hour and go to sleep happy.
As I don't want to loose the tube sound completely, I have a chance to buy Melos SHA Gold refernce in a mint condition with all the mods for $1000.
Will it fullfil my hopes or should I just play safe, give up the tube sound and buy the Max Out Home ?

Or do you have some other suggestions for me ?

I am now ampless, need to make a decision before nerves breakdown.

 

[Jim R]

If you are looking for the classic tube sound, detail and better build quality than the MG Head and you have a $1k budget maybe you should consider an Earmax Pro with some top notch NOS tubes.

The one thing that would make me a little hesitant to buy a Melos would be the lack of good customer support if something went wrong with it.

 

[lextek]

I own a Melos SHA-1 and have had Headroom Max and MOH for 29 days. They are both great amps. I don't think you could go wrong with either. I might lean towards the Headroom amps.

 

[dvr]

I recently had to choose between a new ZOTL and a used Melos SHA-1. I chose the Melos because I figured I'd be able to sell it for basically the same price if I didn't like it. It that sense, the Melos was the low-risk buy (although I'm taking the risk of it breaking on me.)

 

[is2us]

Thank you for your comments.

I think I'm going to try the Melos. The MOH is always there and its hard to get a Melos in a good condition.
And dvr is right, It will be easy to sell it if I'll decide to go for the MOH in the future.
Besides that, the Headroom tour is coming in to Buffalo next week and If I'll have the Melos by then, I'll be able to do some comparison between them

.

 

[dngl]

Good choice! You'll keep at least a bit of the tube sound with the Melos.

 

[pigmode]

The Melos is a calculated risk--among the few Melos users here, at least two have had problems with the SHA.

 

[is2us]

The melos I am buying just returned from Melos Audio Restoration for the reference mod (on Feb), so I hope I have less chance for problems in the near future. Although you are right, I'm asking for trouble again.
Can someone tell me about some of his GOOD experience with Melos reliability ?

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

Originally posted by is2us The melos I am buying just returned from Melos Audio Restoration for the reference mod (on Feb), so I hope I have less chance for problems in the near future. Although you are right, I'm asking for trouble again.

That might tip the odds in your favor.


Quote:

Can someone tell me about some of his GOOD experience with Melos reliability ?

Sorry, you could get a thousand good reports of Melos reliability but that won't change a thing. I believe one of the units with problems reported here was a MAR upgraded SHA. I'm neither discouraging nor encouraging...

 

[tanfenton]

My SHA-1 was assembled in '92 and performed flawlessly for its previous two owners. It has continued its duty here in my home where I unwrapped it last October. (I found that all it needed was a good hand cleaning.)

I'll happily use mine until it dies.

NGF

 

[geom_tol]

The SHA amps without photentiometer or remote controls should be rock solid. They're pretty simple amps.

The photentiometer and remote added like 5x complexity to the amps.

 

[is2us]

The one I bought (It's on its way) is the newer models with the photentiometer and remote. I read in this forum before that the newer models are less reliable. But let's please stop talking about it.

I'll probably will never use the remote. My gear is on my desk right in front of me.
Now the big pursuit for tubes begins...

 

[lextek]

To me tubes didn't make a huge difference in the Melos. I would try some JJ's, to start.

 

[Nick Dangerous]

I had the same experience. The Melos doesn't change very much during tube rolling.

 

[is2us]

This is not the impression I got from the "Melos Tube rolling Thread".
If you are right you can save me a lot of money. Getting two good Amperex or siemens 6922/7038 is going to cost me a lot more then it was to get the Sylvania JHS 5751 for the MG Head.

Those any one else share lextek and Nick Dangerous's opinions.