[SK138]

This thread is to appreciate those amps that are "old", still beautiful, and still run circles around many new amps.

Like most of us in this forum, I have owned and auditioned many headphone amps that came and went over past years, months, even weeks. I thought I was "done" with my system upgrades and side-grades until fate had it Berning MicroZOTL popup on the FS forum few weeks ago. I always wanted MicroZOTL or Singlepower's old "toaster" amp. I find these old designs to be timeless and unique. These old amps almost portray an attitude...an extension of designer's eccentricity. I especially wanted the MicroZOTL because David Berning lives few miles away from me. It's like getting part of local talent plus he has very good reputation (design wise). Sound wise ...it's the best amp I ever owned. I will just leave it at that. I will post more on the sound quality on Hirsch's old ZOTL thread.

This thread is not about ZOTL per se, but to honor all those "old" but still more than able amps that are out there.

Please post:
1. How old & make/model of your amp?
2. Is it solid state, hybrid, or all tube design?
3. Why are you still keeping it? Does it have any sentimental value?
4. Post some pictures....since old amps don't seem to get much "love" these days...show your best shots. I took plenty pictures of ZOTL since I could not find nice pictures of it anywhere.

I wonder...what is the oldest dedicated headphone amp...does anyone know?

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SK138 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Please post: 1. How old & make/model of your amp? 2. Is it solid state, hybrid, or all tube design? 3. Why are you still keeping it? Does it have any sentimental value? 4. Post some pictures....since old amps don't seem to get much "love" these days...show your best shots. I took plenty pictures of ZOTL since I could not find nice pictures of it anywhere. I wonder...what is the oldest dedicated headphone amp...does anyone know?

Oldest headamp .... I had an Audio Alchemy HPA V1.0 back around 1994-1995. But the Melos SHA-1 or the Grado HP-1 are the oldest dedicated dynamic headamps I remember. But Stax has made dedicated electrostatic headamps to drive their headphones since way back in the early 1970's; maybe earlier. I bought a Stax SR-5 in 1977.

Space Tech Lab SE-6AS7G, 2004, all tube .... I bought the amp because I wanted to try a transformer coupled amp design. I am mainly keeping the amp because the amp sounds different than my other amps, looks nice and has a small footprint. The sound isnt quite as good as my SP amps but it is still very good.

Singlepower Supra 2003, all tube. I am keeping these two amps because their sound quality still meets or exceeds anything out there. What is nice about these amps is that I first upgraded them by simply adding tube socket adapters for 5687's. Then later on when I had some spare cash I eventually upgraded both of them with higher powered output tubes. The amp on the left in the first pic is the Supra 392 which use high voltage 6bx7gt output tubes running @ 392 volts. The amp on the right in the fist pic is Supra-Extreme .... the forerunner of the latest SP model .... the Extreme. This amp operates at a lower voltage and uses the 6as7/5998/6080 series of output tubes. Both of these amps have sentimental value as Tom Hankins original Supra SDS was the amp that overwhelmed me and got me back in the tube game.

 

[SK138]

Earl....those are BEAUTIFUL amps! How many Singlepower "toaster" amps did you have? One day, I will own one of those. It's a beauty and I am sure it sounds good as it looks

Thanks for posting...

 

[krmathis]

My old, but very good headphone amplifier!

1. 19 years old (manufactured in January 1988)
2. Stax SRM-1 MKII, with Pro and Normal bias output.
3. Solid state, Class A.
4. I keep it because it holds up very good against todays alternatives (SRM-717 and 727).

Anyone with an older dedicated headphone amplifier?

 

[robm321]

Beautiful pic's everyone.

Old is beautiful!

 

[SK138]

I think there is a common theme with old amps. If it's solid state...it look like a shoe box and if it's tube amp...it look like toaster with plug misplaced; on top or on the side

Good stuff

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SK138 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Earl....those are BEAUTIFUL amps! How many Singlepower "toaster" amps did you have? One day, I will own one of those. It's a beauty and I am sure it sounds good as it looks Thanks for posting...

I was up to four. But I sold two of the MPX3's because I had the two Extreme's coming. Although I saw a post about a man that had 200 cassette decks. Maybe ....

 

[agile_one]

This one goes to the grave with me ...

It's the HPA-2 that I was dumb lucky enough to win at last year's National Meet raffle. Legend has it that old Uncle Joe used it to listen to his personal HP1000s. I believe it, as it is well used, but sounds like the day Uncle Joe built it. To me it is a treasure, and in spite of the less than mint state lettering and patina, it has a heart of pure audio gold, and is wonderful with HP-2s.

 

[rsaavedra]

Wow some gorgeous amps in this thread!

 

[Jahn]

I see your fancy new(er) black STAX SRM-1/MKII Professional, and see you an OLDER one, from 1984, whee!

 

[imported_farmer_rob]

scott fm amp / tuner- 1956!! will take pic tommorow

 

[d-cee]

i will join the SRM-1/MK2 owners club soon... very soon...

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I see your fancy new(er) black STAX SRM-1/MKII Professional, and see you an OLDER one, from 1984, whee!

I have been beaten! he he

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmer_rob /img/forum/go_quote.gif scott fm amp / tuner- 1956!! will take pic tommorow

Note that the forum title say 'Headphone Amps', not speaker amps.

 

[edisonwu]

Earmax (1994):

 

[edisonwu]

Wheatfield Audio HA-2