Yup. Patrick is awesome and a great source of information. He upgraded my DNA 0.5 RevA to their latest and greatest — the only remaining parts from my original amp are the chassis and the transformer. Other than that, it’s basically a totally new amp. I sadly haven’t gotten to listen to it yet, but it’s my forever amp and can’t imagine replacing it with anything else. I wish you the best of luck with your DNA-1, and at some point, if you like its sound, you might likewise consider doing some of SMcAudio’s upgrades to transform it into a SOTA amp. I will write a review here once I get some hours on the amp, but to me $2700 for a whole new amp is quite a bit of a bargain. Your Deluxe version already has some of the upgrades I’d think so you might save some $$$ if you go the upgrade route. The others I considered were the newer GaN amps from AGD and AtmaSphere, but they were quite a bit more expensive so I went with the SMcAudio upgrade. But, GaN amps are clearly on the rise and likely the future of SOTA amps. Just my $0.02 FWIW. Let us know how the DNA-1 works out. Great amp!!!
Ascend Acoustics Sierra 2 vs. Dynaudio Focus 140/160
I am putting together a new system which will consist of an Audio Research SP14, McCormack DNA-1 Deluxe, and a new set of smaller speakers, which I will look for on the used market. The McCormack is on its way and I’m currently looking for a good SP14 and speakers. The plan is to use these speakers in a smallish space while I take care of my elderly and ill Father. I will eventually relegate these ‘new’ smaller speakers to a bedroom system and get larger towers for the new system. I do have a set of Klipsch Heresy IIIs, and a much older set of Klipsch Cornwalls, which I may try out before opting for a new(er) set of towers.
I understand that the Ascend Acoustics Sierra 2 is a fantastic option and is an extremely detailed and musical speaker, and I’m confident I’d be very happy with them. Other than the RAAL tweeter, the Dynaudio Focus 140, or possibly a 160 is very similar in that regard. The Dynaudio has an impedance of 4Ω, while the Sierra 2 is 8Ω. The McCormack DNA-1 Deluxe does 330 at 4Ω, so I will need to be mindful not to crank the volume, but I am unlikely to do so. Luckily, the SP14 has an attenuation knob, which will certainly help in this regard.
I should mention that I have not listened to either speaker as I do not have an option to do so, but I have read numerous reviews and both seem to be stellar options. I also have never listened to a ribbon tweeter.
Budget is $1.2K, or thereabouts, but I certainly wouldn’t be adverse to saving some money since I’m spending ~ $3K on the SP14 and the McCormack DNA-1 Deluxe.
I have wanted both of these speakers for quite some time. I am leaning just a bit towards the Sierra 2. My quandary is that I have found what I believe to be a pretty danged good deal on the Dynaudio Focus 140. Sierra 2s are somewhat difficult to find and will likely cost around $4-500.00 more than this deal I found on the Focus 140s.
I also considered the Revel M22, but again, they are difficult to find, more expensive than the pair of Focus 140s I found and the reviews aren’t quite as good. Any other speakers I should be considering? Also, I am not in any particular hurry, but that deal on the Focus 140s won’t last for too long.
At any rate, I’d be happy to read your comments on these options as well as any other suggestions you may have. The one non-negotiable requirement is that I am not interested in any speakers manufactured in china.
Thank you.
Showing 5 responses by soix
Wow! That is great news and I’m SO happy for you!!! And I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you’ve got the revised input board, and if you do I’m sure you’ll get many more trouble-free years out of it. My 0.5 RevA served me well for 25 years of pretty heavy use before it bit the dust so that’s not too shabby, and during that time the only thing I had to do was change a fuse that Steve talked me though. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649963888-usher-audio-speakers-be-718-diamond-version/ |
Uh, no. As far as I know the Deluxe version used the same input board as the original and there’s no distinction. I hope ur right, but I highly doubt it. Contact SMcAudio if you will, but the news is not good especially for the DNA-1. Like I said, just leave the DNA-1 on 24/7 and ride it for as long as u can. Best of luck. |
Heh heh. Here, just buy these. I’ve heard them with my DNA 0.5 Rev A and it was a magical pairing and no need to mess with stands. This is a gift and I suggest you take it. By the way, your DNA-1 has a known input board problem that is fatal when it fails. This happened to my DNA 0.5 recently so I spent $2700 at SMcAudio for their full upgrade because I loved the amp and just wanted more of the goodness. According to Steve McCormack the DNA-1 is even more problematic than the 0.5 with this problem, just so you’re aware. Hopefully you got a good one and will last you a good while 🤞🤞🤞. Helpful tip — leave your DNA-1 on 24/7 rather than turning it on and off as it is less stressful on the amp. This is as per SMcAudio, and they believe in this so much that my upgraded 0.5 is always on when it’s plugged in, and the on/off switch is now just a dummy light so the wife knows the amp is on. Patrick at SMcAudio said I probably extended the life of my amp considerably because I always left it on. Anyway, hope this helps and best of luck. |