Posted by gumby1 [ 192.156.63.34 ] on August 17, 2004 at 23:33:23:
In Reply to: ping gumby1 posted by pokey1 on August 13, 2004 at 15:40:32:
I have two systems in two different rooms at my house. My vacuum tube system consists of a Dynaco ST-70 amp with the Audio by Van Alstine modification and I have a nicely upgraded Bottlehead Foreplay preamp. I use Two Pi Tower speakers with this system. I consider this system to be an outstanding value in vacuum tube music systems. The performance to dollar ratio is excellent. It sounds better than the recent new Onkyo receiver I purchased. I expect to sell my vacuum tube system within the next couple of months because I decided to build some solid state equipment.
Service with Bottlehead is O.K., but slow. Van Alstine has some of the best customer service I have ever experienced. I purchased the Carver equipment from a retailer so I never dealt directly with Carver.
My current solid state system consists of a Carver TFM-35X amp with Carver CT-3 preamp. I use Boston Acoustics T-1000 speakers with my solid state system. I also have a Carver "The Receiver" in storage. I'll probably be selling it soon as well since I've gone the "seperates" route these days.
My Carver equipment has always been great. The tuner in "The Receiver" pulls stations better than any tuner I have ever experienced.
As far as Welborne Labs is concerned, I used to visit their web site regularly and considered purchasing one of their battery powered preamps, but I didn't care for the way Ron Welborne treated one of his customers so I no longer consider his products. I have nothing against his products, but choose not to do business with him.