Most beautiful amp and or preamp

The Devialet Expert 1000 Pro

Devialet-Expert-1000-Pro-3.jpg
 
The Quad 34 pre-amplifier

e711-DSC_2690-0-1-900x600.JPG
 
Deltec DPA DP50 - a UK pre-amp from 30 years ago which I guess never got to the USA

1575909583596.jpeg
 
Pink Triangle were famous for high end UK turntables, usually equipped with SME5 tonearms and competing with Linn Sondek turntables and tonearms. They then produced a fantastic pre-amp, called PIP, with plans to produce a power-amp called POP. Unfortunately Pink Triangle went bust before the POP emerged. The PIP was battery powered with the battery cells in the lower unit and charged when the pre-amp was not in operation.

pink-triangle-pip2-1000-600x600-550x550.jpg
 
The Quad 66 must set the record for the combination of small pre-amp with rather large remote!

1575910447358.jpeg
 
View attachment 59717

Who remembers this beauty??!!

Yes I remember it well. There was a matching pre-amplifier and mono power amplifiers (class A) in housings of the same size. Musical Fidelity was owned by an accomplished electronics designer and a cellist too - Anthony Michaelson. He sold out (on his retirement I guess) to an Austrian outfit and, rather like Naim and Quad and Arcam and ... , the brand remains but I'm not sure if the design philosophies do.
 
Last edited:
View attachment 59717

Who remembers this beauty??!!
I owned the MA50 Monoblocks with I think the 3a pre which started me on hi end audio hooked up to Neat Petite speakers. A lovely little system but my word, did they got hot!
Thanks for the nostalgia trip.
 
  • Like
Reactions: howiebrou
I was fond of some of the snowflake/paisley acid etched top plates of the Supratek preamps (in silver/chrome) offered in the early 2000's, sadly I cannot find an image of one, but did find the below (similar?).

http://stevem1960.blogspot.com/2011/09/steve-m-s-audio-system.html
Supratek%2BGrange%2BPreamp%2BSteve%2527s.jpg


I am also very fond of the Industrial Design of my own Golden Tube Audio SE-100 EL34 powered tube amp(s) although there are more blingy and glamorous designs out there.

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/who-has-any-experience-with-gta-gear.96/
attachment.php


And I've always thought the Mystery One by Unison Research daring to be different to be admirable in a quirky way.



unison%20research%20mistery%20one.jpg


The most exotic, organic and fun tube design I've ever seen were from a couple of brothers out of Wisconsin or Minnesota back in the early 2000's. I cannot remember the name of the company off hand but it was some crazy stuff, they were backlogged with orders and could not keep up at the time. If I run across it I will be sure to post it, lots of polished copper and round shapes looking like curious animals from an alien planet.
 
I owned the MA50 Monoblocks with I think the 3a pre which started me on hi end audio hooked up to Neat Petite speakers. A lovely little system but my word, did they got hot!
Thanks for the nostalgia trip.
I was just getting into Audio in high school in the UK when these came out. I remember the B200 too. Then of course there was the infamous NAD 3020, some nice QED amps and others. I'm sure they will come flooding back overnight!
 
Yes I remember it well. There was a matching pre-amplifier and mono power amplifiers (class A) in housings of the same size. Musical Fidelity was owned by an accomplished electronics designer and a cellist too - Anthony Michaelson. He sold out (on his retirement I guess) to an Austrian outfit and, rather like Naim and Quad and Arcam and ... , the brand remains but I'm not sure if the design philosophies do.

What exactly was Michaelson's design philosophy?

Outside of limited edition small class A, no Nuvista, no huge class AB behemoths or any of his other short term design decisions to them move onto another topology.
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu