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Thread: Aura Integrated Amp |
    
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6613
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Tuesday, April 01, 2008 - 09:47 pm: |
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I believe (will know for sure tomorrow) I just made a deal to buy a 50 watt per channel Aura integrated for my office system. Other pieces in that system are the B&W 610i speakers and my modded Rotel RCD971.
Any of you know anything about the Aura...I believe it was a B&W product but can't seem to dredge anything up about it online. |
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Relevant Product Info
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Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6616
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 09:11 am: |
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A little more info, the amp is the Aura VA 50. |
Gold Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 9988
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 09:16 am: |
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I don't find anything, Art.
This seems an odd way for you to buy? |
Silver Member Username: Hawkbilly
Nova Scotia
Canada
Post Number: 204
Registered: Jul-07
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| Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 12:24 pm: |
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Pretty slim pickin's on the web Art. There's a guy over on Audio Review that liked a Musical Fidelity XA-1 better than it. That's all I got in a quick search. |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6617
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 09:02 pm: |
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"This seems an odd way for you to buy?"
I doubt that it's any odder than buying an expensive turntable for a cratridge...lol!
Kurt at Echo Audio has a very good reputation in the Portland audio community so I'll trust him that it's a good piece. Just seeing if anyone here had heard one.
http://www.echohifi.com/ |
Silver Member Username: Jazzman71
Phoenix,
AZ
USA
Post Number: 136
Registered: Dec-07
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| Posted on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 - 11:40 pm: |
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It's a heater. That's about all I could find. Don't let any mail stack up on it. |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6618
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 07:14 am: |
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Yeah I found that it runs very warm...that with the descriptions of it's sound make me belive that it spends a good amount of time in class A mode...hmmm. |
New member Username: Jvigne
Post Number: 3
Registered: Apr-08
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| Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 11:32 am: |
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I once heard a used one at this small independent audio store. I remember being impressed with the warmth of the sound. But I can't remember what speakers were running. |
Platinum Member Username: Frank_abela
Berkshire
UK
Post Number: 2822
Registered: Sep-04
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| Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 02:09 pm: |
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I remember when Aura was launched many years ago - early eighties? There was a strong link with B&W at the time, but it didn't last very long ISTR. I remember an Aura...hmmm...A80? Sounded real sweet, a bit warm and enjoyable. Had a lot of following as a cult amp for a while, but there were loads of amps doing this at the time such as MF's A1, Onix, Naim's Nait, Nytech and one or two others I can't remember. The £300 amp market was healthy and buoyant - then it died pretty quickly and Aura was one brand to go with it.
I recently saw an Aura advert in one of the mags. the Aura name was in the same typeface as the original brand as far as I could tell. Perhaps someone has bought the rights. basically they're selling a top loading 3-in-1 unit (CD/Tuner/Amp). Who knows? Perhaps it's a rebirth...
Regards,
Frank. |
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Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 9995
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 02:51 pm: |
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Which speakers are you running it with Art? |
Platinum Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6619
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 03:48 pm: |
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Nuck my brotha...read the first post.....B&W 610i's. |
Silver Member Username: Jazzman71
Phoenix,
AZ
USA
Post Number: 137
Registered: Dec-07
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| Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008 - 09:29 pm: |
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Art, I was able to find some customer reviews for the VA-100 model.
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/amplification/amplifiers/aura/PRD_115619_1583crx. aspx |
Platinum Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6630
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 12:56 am: |
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Went to Portland today...completed the deal with Kurt at Echo for the amp....unfortunately the amp isn't as advertised, Kurt and I will be doin' some talkin' tomorrow. He rated it a 9/10 and it's no more than a 7/10 on the A'gon scale. Also supposed to be serviced before you get it....I've poured a whole can of Deoxit in...hopefully that will do it...jury is still out. The upside is that Kurt offered to have it picked up at work and brought to him for service and then returned to my home...very good...my only question is, why wasn't it serviced to start with and why the out of reality rating. He did pretty good in the trade...
I am going to ask for a refund to match it's actual condition and then if granted take that money and have this fabulous sounding amp serviced by my tech.
Unless Kurt makes an a s s of himself, and I have absolutely no reason to think that he will I will do business with him again, very nice fella. I would however be aware that his ratings may not always match the A'gon ratings, which really are the industry standard.
The end result is that this amp sounds very, very good...a perfect match for the speakers and CD player. And the rumour of it being a room heater are completely inaccurate. No matter what volume I reach it barely gets to room temperature...wow. A very powerful 49 watts per channel! The source swithch makes some noic=se and causes cutouts and that's what I went over with the deoxit...I think that I got it however I would like my tech to give it the once over, it really is a fabulous little amp...very pleased...ofcourse I wish it were perfect but hey it's close. |
Silver Member Username: Kevincorr
Fairbanks,
Alaska
Usa
Post Number: 509
Registered: Jul-07
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| Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 08:00 am: |
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Congrats! Have fun with that!
Us fanatics need at least 2 or 3 hifi systems!
One of my sisters visited for the first time since I got the Rega/Quad system and the Rotel set and the vinyl room and turntable. People who have one cheap hifi are always amazed.... |
Platinum Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6638
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 11:22 am: |
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Pics as promised...
 |
Platinum Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6640
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 07:18 pm: |
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Kurt at Echo does business the old fashioned way...honest and with the customer being right...when I asked about having my tech and friend (for 25 years) Jim Ott look at the amp he thought it was a great idea and said just have him call me for a credit card...fabulous...great guy to deal with. BTW Jim and Kurt know each other which makes my life easier as well. |
Platinum Member Username: Stu_pitt
Irvington,
New York
USA
Post Number: 2602
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Saturday, April 05, 2008 - 09:03 pm: |
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Glad to hear everything is working out, Art. Reading what you said about Kurt, it seems like an honest mistake/misunderstanding. |
Gold Member Username: Frank_abela
Berkshire
UK
Post Number: 2838
Registered: Sep-04
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 11:51 am: |
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Man, that photo takes me back... I remember seeing the chrome version of the Aura VA-80 in Tottenham Ct Rd in London. OK I was drooling. I never imagined being able to afford anything like that let alone the stuff I do have!
Still pretty though...
Regards,
Frank. |
Gold Member Username: My_rantz
Australia
Post Number: 1890
Registered: Nov-05
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 05:58 pm: |
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Very nice little set up Art.
And your fluffy friends seem to approve as well. |
Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10
Post Number: 1330
Registered: Jun-07
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 07:09 pm: |
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Beautiful looking amp Art, and I am sure it sounds as good as it looks. |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 10016
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 07:12 pm: |
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From the pics, those are some seriously large standmount B&W's. |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6654
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 09:09 pm: |
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They are pretty big Nuck...
Thanks for the comments guys...I was working all day and just saw them  ! |
Gold Member Username: Stu_pitt
Irvington,
New York
USA
Post Number: 2606
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 09:44 pm: |
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From my angle, it looks like the penguin and beaver are enjoying them too.
Or is it a woodchuck? |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6656
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 10:23 pm: |
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The Penguin is my mascot for the Penguin Guide to classical music and the Beaver is for OSU, Oregon State University...2 time defending NCAA Baseball champs and the the only program I know of with a 2-0 record against Notre Dame in bowl games, also my Alma Mater. We used to have a great basketball program in the days of Lester Conner, Steve Johnson, AC Green and Gary Payton...(footnote, only white NBA slam dunk champion....OSU's very own Brent Barry...hall of famer Rick Barry's kid)...long drought since hired Barack Obama's brother-in-law from Brown U today... |
Gold Member Username: Stu_pitt
Irvington,
New York
USA
Post Number: 2613
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Monday, April 07, 2008 - 11:04 pm: |
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I figured that was the case with the Beaver. I was thrown off because I couldn't see teeth or a tail from that angle.
Being an NCAA basketball fan, Oregon State has a very good basketball tradition. I don't think they've ever come across my Niagara University Purple Eagles though. Most noted basketball alum - Calvin Murphy. |
Silver Member Username: Jazzman71
Phoenix,
AZ
USA
Post Number: 159
Registered: Dec-07
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| Posted on Saturday, April 12, 2008 - 03:31 am: |
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Sounds like it's working out without working up a sweat Art. Sweet.
Stu, I remember Murphy well. Something like 5'10" and could jump out of the arena. |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6713
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Saturday, April 19, 2008 - 10:35 pm: |
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Oh oh.....The Aura went bye bye, please welcome my new integrated for the office system...The Linn Intek. Story and pics to come later...this amp is a beast...weighs double that of the Aura and has a huge transformer. |
Gold Member Username: Stu_pitt
Irvington,
New York
USA
Post Number: 2657
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Saturday, April 19, 2008 - 11:04 pm: |
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Looking forward to that Art. |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 10077
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Sunday, April 20, 2008 - 05:28 am: |
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How did that happen for you Art? |
Gold Member Username: Artk
Albany,
Oregon
USA
Post Number: 6715
Registered: Feb-05
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| Posted on Sunday, April 20, 2008 - 10:47 am: |
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It's long story...
The Aura sounded great but I took it in for it's health check up with my tech had some bad news relative to it's build quality and potential longevity. Also he did not want to do much work on it himself as he didn't want to have to work on it again....poorly designed. So the plcae where where I traded for it had the Linn Intek for the same price. The Intek is a pretty controversial amp across the pond. Folks either loved it or hated it...with most hating it. I do see why...it has a pretty grey sound to it. Interesting it sounds much better with the internet radio than with the cd player...much the opposite of the Aura. I think it doesn't like either the Rotel or the interconnects. Phono section sounds excellent. I'll get it dialed in... |
