Integrated Amp to match with Magico A3
Hegel H590 is coming out in a few months and it is Hegel's version of a super integrated. Take a look at the video located on the bottom of the following linked page. https://darko.audio/2018/05/statement-made-hegel-debut-h590-with-kef-blade/ Alon Wolf was also raving about the Hegel (old model) on the Soundstage.com interview. |
I was all set to buy the A3 and the ML 585 integrated after a good audition with several amps and DACs in the same room before I got to that combo. I approached it from both much more expensive gear (top end ML separates + Chord DAVE) to lower priced gear (Benchmark DAC3 + AHB2 amp) until I found the A3 + ML 585 sounding combo to be best for my cost comfort. The sound aspects that I liked about the ML 585 is that it has a lot of power, a great midrange, good layering and separation of instruments, a big soundstage, fatigue free, and it sounded coherent across all volume levels (the last 2 are very important for me). The built-in DAC in the 585 was also pretty good though not as good as the Chord DAVE. This system was going to go into my new office but it turned out that the home office I ended up with was too small for the A3 (known only after speaker audition). I am currently using the Audience 1+1 V3 in the office and it is perfect for the room but I do miss the lower range of sound. The A3 maybe in the plans for my living room in 2019 but one thing I am definitely getting is a ML integrated for my office. There are 2 newer cheaper and less powerful models than the 585, 5805 and 5802. I am currently using a Peachtree Nova 150 in the office which I borrowed from the bedroom. I am going to buy new from the dealer since they guided me to this piece however, if I did not go to a dealer, I would buy one of the 2 ML 585’s listed today on A’gon for under $6.5k. Highly recommended for the Magico A3. |
Just saw this online. The A3 and Luxman 509x are shown in the recent Toronto show. I was considering the 509x but people here were reporting that it needs some volume to sound right. https://positive-feedback.com/show-reports/toronto-audio-fest-2018-show-report/ |
@jsqt "
At lower volumes when I am listening at night, the L-509X loses a little bit of its sparkle and depth, and I’ve found I can replace this by using my vintage Luxman CL40 as a preamp, and using the L-509X’s "Separate" setting (basically HT Bypass)." I was following along some of your post to learn more about the 509x. I saw the statement above sometime back and it stuck as being a negative on the 509x at low volumes. You seem to contradict that statement with your post on this thread. Can you elaborate some more on the sound of the 509x at low volumes? Does the sound have most of the freq response to it or do you lose something when the volume is turned down. How about the imaging? I notice that in my bedroom integrated (Peachtree Nova 150 the imaging gets a little off at the lowest volumes.) The Mark Levinson 585 was one amp that I have heard that was able to keep the freq response even at low volumes. Another integrated I have not heard yet, the Lyngdorf 3400 is also supposed to be great at low volumes. |
