Another great review from Frank – Read UP

Great write up about this cool amp! Read NOW

When things need to be done on budget – this might be one of the best headphone amps out there. Simple design and enough drive to move evenstubbornheadphones.

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Review 1

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The H.H. Scott LK-150 is a truly captivating piece of high-fidelity engineering. Aesthetically and physically, the amplifier is a marvel; its output transformers are exceptionally large—surpassing even those of the McIntosh MC 275—and are arguably the most substantial ever utilized in a KT88-based design. Following a restoration that included replacing the original capacitors with Solen FastCaps, the performance was immediate and arresting. Despite the use of relatively budget-friendly components, the LK-150 manages to outperform the MC 275 in several key sonic categories.

Great article on McIntosh 275 and about tube amps in general.

“Most solid-state amps are like frozen food – ”the texture is destroyed. “

Stereophile McIntosh 275

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star (14 votes, average: 3.07 out of 5)

And now another headphone amp review. I got Bellari because it’s the only headphone amp out there that uses 12ax7 and thus 5751 tubes. So I was excited that I would be able to use my favorite Telefunken, Mazda or Sylvania GB with it. I got the amp really quickly from Amazon ($3 next day shipping with Prime rules!)

This review is going to be very short… I got the amp, yanked out the Shuguang tube – garbage. The first thing I’ve noticed that power supply was puny – 150ma I believe. I was wondering how that little thing could provide enough power to drive filament and the amp at the same time – but it did. I inserted Mazda 12ax7 with Silver Plates – plug my Sennhisers HD650 – lighted a cigar and turned on an album by Diana Panton. The first thing that I’ve noticed, the sound was quite flat and not much airiness to it. I tried both inputs, but with the same results. But what the hell, I had a good cigar. I continued listening for about 30 more minutes and when the cigar was done, I went to try a different tube – I thought that maybe the amp just doesn’t like Mazda. I plugged in Amperex and discovered that only one channel was working. I plugged back Mazda and then Shuguang, but the amp was dead. 🙁

So a very short review – broken amp (awesome return policy with Amazon) – and a sound that didn’t excite senses even with a fantastic tube.

The Audio Research VS115 is, by all accounts, a physical powerhouse. Occupying a footprint nearly double that of the iconic McIntosh MC275, this “beast” of a machine makes a bold visual statement. With its wide base and three massive, exposed transformers, the aesthetic is decidedly contemporary and menacing—though those seeking classic elegance may find it a bit industrial.

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star (12 votes, average: 3.17 out of 5)

And here comes another tube amplifier. I was very skeptical when I saw this thing on ebay at first. $86 shipped for a tube am, I thought. It must be a piece of sh**. But I wanted a tube amp for my office at work. It had to be something small. So I started to research about this tube amp and a couple of other amps on ebay. After a bunch of research and being guided by the following thread, I was very close to making my decision.

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