IC/FS: Melos SHA-Gold Reference
mulveling
Posts: 505
Looking for SOLD!$880 shipped, USA onlySOLD!
Probably won't be able to ship until later this week; just throwing this out early to see if anyone's interested. This is a legendary preamp & headphone amp in one. The SHA-Gold Reference is a step above the plain SHA-Gold, which itself is a big step above the legendary SHA-1. This unit was originally an SHA-Gold, and was upgraded to the Reference level by MAR (Melos Audio Restoration). Unfortunately MAR is now defunct (the owner died not too long ago), so this upgrade is no longer available. Basically, the upgrade involves a lot of the expensive and wonderfully musical Solen caps.
This SHA-Gold is the version with the lighted balance control. The original Pho-tentiometer still works great! Excellent cosmetic condition; none of the front panel discoloration some units were prone to. Remote not included, but it not necessary for basic operation (power, volume, input switching).
I've used this as a preamp in my system; it's fantastic! I've also used it extensively as a headphone amp and it's definitely in the top-tier. I vastly preferred the Melos to a $1600 2003 Headroom Max (Stereophile Class A). The non-reference SHA-Gold was rated a Stereophile class A headphone amp and a class B preamp. Think of how this Reference unit would rate!
Plenty of RCA inputs, active RCA and XLR pre-outs, passive RCA pre-out, and 1/4" headphone jack. These don't come up very often!
Better pics to be posted later. For now you can get a glimpse in the pic below - it's the 2nd black component from the top, with the gold knobs and accents and the funky headphones (Grado RS1) on top:
Probably won't be able to ship until later this week; just throwing this out early to see if anyone's interested. This is a legendary preamp & headphone amp in one. The SHA-Gold Reference is a step above the plain SHA-Gold, which itself is a big step above the legendary SHA-1. This unit was originally an SHA-Gold, and was upgraded to the Reference level by MAR (Melos Audio Restoration). Unfortunately MAR is now defunct (the owner died not too long ago), so this upgrade is no longer available. Basically, the upgrade involves a lot of the expensive and wonderfully musical Solen caps.
This SHA-Gold is the version with the lighted balance control. The original Pho-tentiometer still works great! Excellent cosmetic condition; none of the front panel discoloration some units were prone to. Remote not included, but it not necessary for basic operation (power, volume, input switching).
I've used this as a preamp in my system; it's fantastic! I've also used it extensively as a headphone amp and it's definitely in the top-tier. I vastly preferred the Melos to a $1600 2003 Headroom Max (Stereophile Class A). The non-reference SHA-Gold was rated a Stereophile class A headphone amp and a class B preamp. Think of how this Reference unit would rate!
Plenty of RCA inputs, active RCA and XLR pre-outs, passive RCA pre-out, and 1/4" headphone jack. These don't come up very often!
Better pics to be posted later. For now you can get a glimpse in the pic below - it's the 2nd black component from the top, with the gold knobs and accents and the funky headphones (Grado RS1) on top:
Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010
Post edited by mulveling on
Comments
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I read your title and thought, "hmm, I could try some IC's" then saw the price and shat a brick...
Not interested (read- broke), just thought it was kinda funny.There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin -
Sorry, that should read as "Interest Check / For Sale".
Hey, IC's - was thinking of selling some RCA 0.5m Cardas Neutral Refs soon Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010 -
mulveling wrote:Sorry, that should read as "Interest Check / For Sale".
Hey, IC's - was thinking of selling some RCA 0.5m Cardas Neutral Refs soon
I'm interested in the IC's when you get around to selling them.
CarlCarl -
The Melos is almost certainly spoken for. Four guys over at head-fi have expressed interest in it. I'll try to remeber to PM you on the Neutral Refs within a week, schwarcw.Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010
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mulveling wrote:I'll try to remeber to PM you on the Neutral Refs within a week, schwarcw.
Please do pm me, I am very interested in those Cardas IC's.
CarlCarl -
Just checking up on the Melos.
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Still a damn shame on busting up a nice rig like that.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Sorry all, the Melos is long gone, along with the Meridian. I've updated the OP.tonyb wrote:Still a damn shame on busting up a nice rig like that.
Well, an update on that too - Sunfire & BAT are sold but at long last I've decided to keep the Legacy Sig III's. I've finally figured out how to start getting them "locked in" in my problematic room - and once they get locked in they're truly a force to be reckoned with. Isolation platforms (Auralex Gramma), acoustic treatments, and good synergy with different (& cheaper) electronics. I'm currently driving them with the PS Audio HCA2 and Sugden Headmaster - both pictured on the 2nd shelf below the Melos. I also added a Denon DVD-3910 (in Silver!) as my main source. I'll take pics soon. You better believe, the system is sounding MUCH sweeter now and I've got some spare cash for music too. Sweet!
Edit: Damn, I can't believe I sold that Melos for so cheap
Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010 -
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Hey George, when you gonna come by to hear the Legacys and pick up the BAT? I could ship it to you if you'd like, but you might as well hear the speaks Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010
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Noticed you don't have the spikes on the Legacy's......
Might tighten up the bass a bit,have you tried them?
Useing the Poineer Elite 59 avi as my main source and am very happy.
Funny we both have Legacy's and Universals as source.Added the Butler to
get some of that tube magic in the highs.What kind of cables are you useing?
Glad your a happy camper and enjoying the music.:)
Might try an ex. DAC for giggles to see if it's worth it.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
mulveling wrote:Hey George, when you gonna come by to hear the Legacys and pick up the BAT? I could ship it to you if you'd like, but you might as well hear the speaks
Very soon ,,I hope,,,been spending time with,,, my grandaughter,, Alexis,,JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut) -
Thanks Tony!tonyb wrote:Noticed you don't have the spikes on the Legacy's......
Might tighten up the bass a bit,have you tried them?
Useing the Poineer Elite 59 avi as my main source and am very happy.
Funny we both have Legacy's and Universals as source.Added the Butler to
get some of that tube magic in the highs.What kind of cables are you useing?
Glad your a happy camper and enjoying the music.:)
Might try an ex. DAC for giggles to see if it's worth it.
That's an old pic - I put spikes on there, but it didn't help the sound that much. Yesterday I took off the spikes and put the speaks up on some Auralex Gramma isolators - THAT was a huge difference. Funny, since the speaks are really wobbly now (the Gramma has a foam base), but that's insignificant compared to the positive effect of removing vibration transfer to the floor. I have a flimsy suspended wood floor (flimsy walls too), so I think the vibrations were causing floor & walls to act like giant transducers, wreaking havok on acoustics. Now when music's playing I feel hardly any floor vibrations at all; the energy is all in the air where it should be!
Yep, I'm loving the 3910. The only DAC I've tried is the BelCanto DAC2; the Denon 2910's analog outputs are its equal and the 3910 is better. My theory is that standalone players have the ability to better control jitter.
The Melos was wonderful for injecting tube warmth/magic. I've got a 6sn7 tube headamp with a similar sound (actually a bit better) that I can use as a temporary preamp if I need more warmth. The HCA2 is so smooth and liquid, though, that I haven't felt the need yet. The Sunfire amp was definitely too SS for my tastes.
Speaker cables are LAT International SS-1000 MkII Biwire (Their silverfuse is a hybrid copper/silver wire). Interconnects are solid silver throughout; Homegrown Audio Silver Lace and Bogdan Silver Princess.
Next money I spend will be on more acoustic treatments! As spare funds accumulate in the future, I'd like to experiment with amps again - The new PS Audio amps are intrigiuing. Also would like to try biamping with a pure class A amp (Pass Labs or Sugden 24 - 60 Watts/ch) for mids/highs and PS Audio for the bass.Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010 -
George - beautiful!george daniel wrote:Very soon ,,I hope,,,been spending time with,,, my grandaughter,, Alexis,,
As cool as the BAT is, you're making much better use of your time Tannoy Dimension TD10, SOTA Star Sapphire, Heathkit W4A's, McIntosh MC2100, Eddie-Current Zana Deux, Singlepower SDS, Sennheiser HD650, Audio-Technica L3000, Sony Qualia 010
