Linn Sara Speakers

[mohawkstone]

I just bought a pair of Linn Sara speakers in perfect condition but don't have an amp powerful enough for them. I have been looking on e-bay for possibilties but am very scared of dropping alot of money on something I can't hear or see working. I really like old Kenwood and Pioneer amps and don't think I can afford a NAIM. Any Advice?

[RGA]

How much can you afford? And better yet what would you rather spend?

SS is basically woirthless so you should be able to get used amps thatare about the same sounding as most new amps for dirt cheap prices. Linn amplifiers might be a good option for you. If your speakers were made by Linn himself not the group running the company now - then you may want to find Linn made amps that probably were designed for the speaker - and a Linn Turntable and cd player too.

[mohawkstone]

How much can you afford? And better yet what would you rather spend?

SS is basically woirthless so you should be able to get used amps thatare about the same sounding as most new amps for dirt cheap prices. Linn amplifiers might be a good option for you. If your speakers were made by Linn himself not the group running the company now - then you may want to find Linn made amps that probably were designed for the speaker - and a Linn Turntable and cd player too.

I have a local guy who switched to Surround sound and is selling his components.He has Phase Linear 400 @$100, an Epicure 1 @ $100 and and a Mcintosh C26 Preamp @ $175.
Good condition, 1 owner, no shipping. Sound fair? I am no audiophile I got the linns for $75 and want to put together some decent sound and volume for satellite radio and an occasional CD. Thanks for the reply RGA. Any other advise is appreciated.

[thepogue]

at those prices you can always get your cash back!!

Peace Pogue

I have a local guy who switched to Surround sound and is selling his components.He has Phase Linear 400 @$100, an Epicure 1 @ $100 and and a Mcintosh C26 Preamp @ $175.
Good condition, 1 owner, no shipping. Sound fair? I am no audiophile I got the linns for $75 and want to put together some decent sound and volume for satellite radio and an occasional CD. Thanks for the reply RGA. Any other advise is appreciated.

[RGA]

I'm unfamiliar with those pieces and the Linn Sara for that matter - I would post your question regarding those pieces on the audioasylum amp forum as there seems to be more experience folks. McIntosh has a big following and so does Phase Linear - and for the money probably good deals if it's allin good shape - how it will work with your speakers though no one will be able to say unless they hear it. But the names are good.

[Feanor]

I have a local guy who switched to Surround sound and is selling his components.He has Phase Linear 400 @$100, an Epicure 1 @ $100 and and a Mcintosh C26 Preamp @ $175.
Good condition, 1 owner, no shipping. Sound fair? I am no audiophile I got the linns for $75 and want to put together some decent sound and volume for satellite radio and an occasional CD. Thanks for the reply RGA. Any other advise is appreciated.

... will run rings around any old Kenwood or Pioneer receiver. You just can't go wrong at those asking prices, either. I still own a PL 400 I bought 25 years ago; it still works very well, although it's far from SOTA today.

RGA has surpassed even himself with the nonsense about solid state all being worthless. It ain't so! And most, reasonable minded tube lovers will agree that there is some pretty decent SS gear out there. It's also quite untrue that all SS sounds the same. I recently owned a NAD C270 and now use a Bel Canto eV02i "digital" amp in my main system; both sounded quite different from the Phase Linear 400 -- and better, especially the Bel.

[Geoffcin]

RGA has surpassed even himself with the nonsense about solid state all being worthless. It ain't so!

RGA's been rolling too many tubes lately it seems....

[divot]

It's been a long time since I've seen a set of Linn Sara's...I bought a pair in the mid-80's and powered them with a Linn amp and pre-amp combo...I even had the Linn Sonik turnable...if memory serves me correct, the Sara's were far from the most efficient speaker in the audio world and also required a connection that was exclusive to Linn...I don't think that you can go wrong at the price that you paid...good luck!

[theaudiohobby]

RGA has surpassed even himself with the nonsense about solid state all being worthless.

And then tries to clarify his comment with another worthless generalisation like

the Krell will drive everything on the planet - unfortunately it also always sounds like a Krell.

boy oh boy I assume he has heard all the Krells with an innumerable number of speakers at soundhounds.

[RGA]

There is no SS amp that can match a SET amp for linearity - thus whether Bryston Krell or Levinson and every other SS amp I've come across have an etched presentation. Some counter the effect as much as they can like YBA and some good all class A designs from Krell and Sugden are quite smooth - but it's still an attempt and even an add campaign to sound valve-like. If you want to sound valve like then make valve amps. McIntosh has a new flagship line and they have went back to tubes.

IMO dollar for dollar tubes usually sound better - and if the speaker NEEDs a SS amp to be driven ---well none of those speakers I like.

[Geoffcin]

I have a local guy who switched to Surround sound and is selling his components.He has Phase Linear 400 @$100, an Epicure 1 @ $100 and and a Mcintosh C26 Preamp @ $175.
Good condition, 1 owner, no shipping. Sound fair? I am no audiophile I got the linns for $75 and want to put together some decent sound and volume for satellite radio and an occasional CD. Thanks for the reply RGA. Any other advise is appreciated.

You do NOT have to post to another forum to get "experianced folks" to answer your questions, the're plenty of them here.

Both amps are classics, with the Epicure being a rare collectors peice. If you are looking for classic stuff then it might be your cup of tea, but a modern solid state amp would be far more reliable, and more cost effective if any of these break. There's no saying that's going to happen, and the Phase Linear is still in use with many audiophiles with prefer classic gear.

[46minaudio]

How much can you afford? And better yet what would you rather spend?

SS is basically woirthless

So when peter asks you to drink the koolaid ,and you will.I will miss these dumbass comments..

[mohawkstone]

So I settled on the Phase linear 400. I have a Kenwood preamp that I am going to use for now. My next question is, I don't think I am going to having any luck hooking up with original sara stands. Any recomendations on stands?

[thepogue]

I forgot a lot in the last six years...this was at the top of my "forgot list"...lmao

[GMichael]

Wow! I was just thinking to myself that this thread reads like the old days. Then I noticed the dates.

[Luvin Da Blues]

Wow! I was just thinking to myself that this thread reads like the old days. Then I noticed the dates.

You mean with proper spelling and punctuation?

[thepogue]

lmao....Luvin

[Poultrygeist]

And I almost chimed in with my support for single ended triodes.

[thepogue]

Hell...if you woulda 6 years ago no harm in doin it today!..lol

[webspider]

I just bought a pair of Linn Sara speakers in perfect condition but don't have an amp powerful enough for them. I have been looking on e-bay for possibilties but am very scared of dropping alot of money on something I can't hear or see working. I really like old Kenwood and Pioneer amps and don't think I can afford a NAIM. Any Advice?

I've had a pair of Sara 9's since the early 90's. Over the years I've used a number of amps. I fianlly broke down and bought a used Klout. Found it on ebay for 900.00 and it was well worth it. Another amp that drove them well was an old Meridian 103D.

Good luck