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Your thoughts on this amp, for $700?


fini

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I know it's one of Mark's favorites, and I haven't heard it yet, and I'm broke, but I could somehow possibly convince myself to become broke-er (eventually paying for it by selling other stuff, you know the process), if this is too unbelieveably good to pass up...

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Fini,

There is a Citation restoration/repair specialist down here in Socal. Howard Bardach is the second generation owner of www.audiospecialist.com. He is also a Citation collector. His shop is a great place just to visit and look at his collection. Howard checked over and did some minor repairs on 2 pairs of Dynaco A-25 speakers for me. Very reasonable prices and a great guy to talk with.

Chris

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Fini, you have to ask?!

Sheesh! Ok, here's the STANDARD PROCEDURE:

1) get the article in question

2) plug it in

3) turn it on

4) seek nirvana via appropriate source material

5) post review of the amount of nirvana achieved by article in question (numeric scales 1-10, etc. are an acceptable substitution)

There ya go!

DM2.gif

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Thanks for the comments! For those who have heard this amp, how would you describe the experience, compared to other amps? What sets the Citation II apart? Is it approprate for someone such as myself, still unfamiliar with amp tweeking (i.e. will it require frequent adjustments, etc.)?

This would be driving my 1980 Klipschorns.

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Fini:

I've been driving my K-horns with Cit IIs most of the time and remainder with Heathkit W5M's.

Why I like Cit IIs for Khorns ? - People talk about the world class output trannies on Cit IIs that make the amp special. I am not a tranny expert but there's something special going on with the Cit IIs compared to the W5Ms and more modern SET amps such as Bel Canto SET40 35w/ch single ended triod.

A word of caution though... with the highly sensitivy Khorns, there are high chances that you would hear low level hums from the Cit IIs. As you upgrade the componets with SDS power boards and McShane mod kits, it improves but Cit IIs are never dead quite. I have the hum from all three Cits IIs in my set up and one of my good friends in Portland has a Cit II with the latestest McShane mods and SDS boards but he hears the same low level hum through his Khorns as well. BTW, both SET40 and W5Ms are dead quite with Khorns even with my ear right next to the drivers.

However, even with the flaws, I still end up playing the Cit II for my two channel critical listening set up. It's the music with more real bass and there's more tube magic (the famous second order harmonic distortions - very pleasing to my ears). That's what's different about the Cit IIs compared to all the other amps I have tried both tubes and SS. One remedy for me was to use the long wall for my Khorns and seat very far away (~25') to minizise the hum I hear. I know it's there but have learned to live with it.

Ki

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Yes, I guess that could be a problem. The Khorns are (will be) 16 feet apart (wall to wall) on the short wall. I just got off the phone with Clipped & Shorn (remember him???), who echoed the same concerns. The seller is pretty sure this was kit-built. A call to Howard (thanks, ChrisK) confirms that most Citation IIs were kit-built (not that that is a bad thing, just interesting).

I am thinking I will pass on this one...

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Yeah... I could use another Cit II... even with the hums.

Fini, you should get the amp. Judging from its pictures, the amp is worth more than the asking price for certain (or should I say I paid a lot more for my Cit IIs that were not in as good of conditions as the one here). If it doesn't work out for you, you can alway unload it without any financial loss. Until you hear both good and bad characteristics of the Cit II and make up your own mind, you are short changing yourself! My 2 cents.

Ki

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