Amp for Dali Hellicon 400 mk2

Dave, I read a review of the Jeff Rowland amp which you tried with the Helicons, and based on the review, I am wondering if it really would be a great match with Helicons. Seems like a potential mismatch.
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=6640
Perhaps this was the issue with the Rowland/Dali combination you tried.
Your thoughts?

I am amazed again at the comments about the Helicon's base. As I have said elsewhere, I owned both the 400 and 800, with different amps, and have listened to them on many front end combinations. I would describe the deep base as tuneful, harmonic, and warm, even slightly rich. The 800 is of course better, but the 400 still provides excellent base. I must say I enjoy the Helicon range on solid state, and power certainly helps. Distance from the rear wall makes a difference to the quality of the base, so they need to be placed well.

base = bass, of course :-)

Hi Dcstep, I am currently using a Gamut DI150 with Helicon 800 mk2, but have heard the Helicon 400 bass sing deeply on other amps like Gryphon, Ayre, MF KW, and even NAD M3, amongst others. They didnt seem as fussy to me as other speakers (i know some ppl disagree), but obviously clean power helps a lot. I owned them for maybe 18 months and I enjoyed them best at around 350mm from the rear wall. Choose a cable that doesnt clip or mush the bass -- that seems to be important. The bass isnt razor tight/sharp like some speakers, but I still found it to be nicely defined and richly musical, which creates some real magic when combined with the ultra transparent mid and airy top. They must be run in properly. Rgds

Dave, I can comment on a few things: I would say Primare needs a completely different sort of speaker. I once tried it with Dynaudio and it was terribly flat and lifeless. I do know someone who couldnt make the Primare work well with Helicons, and is using Martin Logans. I do believe Primare make great amps, but perhaps they have a strong character that suits certain speakers. I also think Cardas is a complete mismatch with Helicons from personal experience. I tried their speaker wire when I owned the Helicon 400, and found it took the life away from the speaker, and also made the bass sound sluggish. Havent heard Rowland, Conrad Johnson, or Analysis Plus with Helicons. I am nurturing a theory that Helicons would sound a little better with solid state rather than tube vs the Euphonia for e.g. because of their warmth, but I might be completely wrong.

Dave, I am using Chord epic super twin speaker cables currently. You dont hear much about it in this forum, but I think its a great cable for the Helicon. It also needs a long burn in.
I have tried many cables with many speakers over the years and mostly just get more confused the more listening I do, but the Chord works very well for me so far. Cables remain a huge mystery to me, and I find myself unable to always clearly define what I am hearing with many of them, and it often changes when I listen again. Components are a breeze by comparison, to me.

Hi Dave,
In the end we will have to disagree about the Helicon 400. I have lots of experience listening to them with different amps, cables etc. I also owned them for some time with different amplifiers. I think they are outstanding speakers with very few flaws. Deep bass tonality would not be one of them from my experience. The amplifier review tends to indicate a lack of warmth or emotional substance from the amp, and I suppose my thoughts were that it may indicate some weakness in the deeper notes, as you have experienced with that amp/speaker combination. I made that connection because of the mismatch between your impressions of the speakers, and mine. Its one theory, and may well be wrong.
Your opinion was confirmed at the show, so clearly you are convinced, and you should consider different speakers for your system.
Regards.