Amp for Focal Scala Utopia

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for your replies!

Jimateo - I have not got my speakers yet so not tried the Mc with them as yet- they might be great, although I do worry about the 3.1ohm dip causing a little difficulty for the mc275.

Jaxwired - the Bryston sound is a little too clinical for me - I used to be a Bryston owner and left the brand for more musicality, which I found with the mac. I did miss the extreme resolution of the Bryston tho.

Pdreher - I am running gold lion kt88s and 12ax7s as I found these to be the best tube sound for my taste. I thought the c2300 was meant to be pretty darn good? I mean many of the guys on audio afficionado are running the c2300 as their pre with 601s for example.

Lapierre - I am using Nordost Vishnu power cords. What does the fuse do and what brand?

Dev - appreciate the warning. The devialet is off the agenda now as my dealer is offering such pathetic exchange prices!

I have considered the 2 mc275 route also bud wife not too keen about floor space. Lol.

Thanks and please keep your suggestions coming!

Hi Missioncoonery - yep the mc452 is on the audition list for sure.

This might sound mad, but a dealer suggested the bel canto ref1000m mk2 also. Any thoughts from you guys on this? Would the c2300 and bel canto monos work I wonder?

Hi HR1 - I wish cost was no option. Unfortunately the Burmester gear is out of my budget! It does sound lovely though - heard it a couple of times.

Hi Dev,

I suppose the flavour I am after is as follows: really clean sounding with masses of resolution, deep soundstage yet smooth and musical. Not analytical.

Anything else I should audition?

Hi stringreen - I like the ayre sound but the mxr and kxr are expensive over here in uk - they charge the same amount you guys pay in dollars in uk sterling, which is a rip off really.

Audio research kit I have never really heard at length other than the new class d stuff that I did not care for.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your help. My speakers arrive this Monday! Yippee.

I am going to run them with the Mc stuff 1st to see how I get on. I have a dealer bringing me over the Devialet for a home dem for a week, which will be great.

I am looking into Vitus - heard great reports from their gear.

I will also try VTL, but again the mark up in UK is a lot. The MB450 monos look a good match but are again $ for £, which is crazy.

It might sound mad to some of you living in the U.S but the monstrous integrated - ASR Emitter II (top specced one) is very affordable over here so that might be an option although the wife might not like the sheer room space taken up!

Cheers

Hi all,

Okay - my speakers arrived and I am extremely pleased. I have settled with the Devialet for my amp - what a wonderful sound. I am like the cat that got the cream here at the moment. I have resolution beyond anything I have heard before, speed, dynamic swings which have blown me away mentally and physically, whilst remaining extremely musical. One of the true revelations for me in this system is being able to really hear the room - I know people write about this and I thought my old system did it a bit, but this is a whole new ball game. You might ask - so what? Hearing that resolution just brings you ever nearer the live event and that is what it is all about for me. The clarity in human voices is wonderful - I have been listening to a lot of opera arias where this is apparent.

Anyway, I'll probably go on and onand bore you but suffice it to say that I am one satisfied listener.

Doh!