Here is my questions:
Any of you have never try a solid state amplifier with pre-amp LS26 from Audio Research. My system is as follow: Sonus Faber Grand Piano, LS26 and VT100MKIII from AR, Ayre's CD and Siltech's cables. I was thinking buy a solid state amplifier for new sound just for change occasionelly and when I don't have time to warm up my tubes. So what would be a good choice ? I was thinking of Mcintosh mc252 or mc402. I'am opened to your suggestion ! Merci for your time !

I like the idea of using a hard drive (s) as a music server. I've been Googling all sorts of things about the best way to do this.

So has anyone here done that? And connected it through your stereo? And downloaded all your CDs to said drives? And did/does it work well?

Thanks!...

I told you so!!!! Nah Nah Nah Nah. Now let's go back to bring it to a repair center....never, do the routine first, it's simple. Repair center woulda' got $500 out of ya, of course they woulda' put McIntosh tagged tubes and of curse, THOSE are better! Yeah, riiiight. You did exactly the right thing, fixed it yourself. J.V, when a lamp burns out do you call an electrical contractor and rewire teh service panel, just to make sure, teh breakers are OK, before you change teh lamp? Must be a govt' worker? Make it complicated, increase teh costs, pay too much.

Gee, I'm RIGHT aGAIN!! I said, keep it simple. Tubes are the weakest component in a tube amp. Seen it, done it, been there. On live events, tube amps crap out, guess what, ya don't say oh well, let's get it to a shop, try the tubes FIRST, it's 99.99% the tubes! Now what else? Reality based troubleshooting, what a concept! Been doing it for 30+ years, experince beats nonsense all the time.

I am looking at a Nad 720 BEE on e-bay and was wondering what the general feelings on this system are.
I have an older Nad 7100 receiver that I have had for around 17 years and have been very happy with it, and am now looking for a garage patio system. I am not an audiophile elite obviously but I do/can enjoy "quality" sound and was wondering how this would fair.
My current system is
-Nad 7100 receiver
-Nad 5240 CD player
-i-pod
-Paradigm Esprit Monitors
-Paradigm Titans
-Polk audio Atrium 45's

Is the 720bee a better receiver than my old 7100?

Why doesn't Stereophile devote more articles to room accoustics and a laymen's approach to improving them. After finishing the purchase of good equipment it seems to me that this would lead to the most noticeable aural improvements.

How about:
Everything you always wanted to know about room accoustics*

*But were afraid to ask