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Luxman M900u match with Modwright LS 300, one or two 900s needed?

I have been contemplating upgrading my JC1+ monos that drive my Sasha 2s with one or two Luxman M900u's. Has anyone out there heard the newer JC1+ AND the M900u in a shootout besides Jays Audio Lab? All the reviewers seem to like the JC1+ amps, but they get dogged by almost everyone else I come in contact with. This has made me curious. I love my Modwright LS 300 preamp, and plan to stay with it. The Modwright has an output impedance of 110 ohms. The JC1+ input impedance is "100k balanced, 50 per leg", and this match works very well in my system. The Luxman input impedance is "balanced line 34k ohms". I know enough to ask others who understand these things if the Modwright to Luxman is compatable. I run a dCS Vivaldi stack exclusivly so I can change the output level of my DAC very easily if that is a factor.  Also, I tried to feed the Sasha 2s with a Niam DR 300NAP and it wasn't enough juice. They realIy came alive with the JC1+s. Is one Luxman enough or do I need to buy two and run them Mono. Is the sound still good running Mono versus stereo with the M900u? Thanks for the help!
128x128wokeuptobose

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wokeuptobose OP
118 posts
 
It's really not that I disliked the REF 10. I don't have anything bad to say about it.  It's also one of the coolest looking pieces I have ever had in my rack. It struck me as such a neutral implementation of tubes that I could have have been listening to a SS preamp. I wanted a tube sound to help with my digital source. I don't think I fully understood the ARC design goals. It had the best volume control I have had to date, and sounded great at low volume. The fact that I couldn't roll tubes turned out to be a problem for me. The problem I keep having is that with all the reading you can do with a piece equipment, you don't really understand it until its in your system and playing in your room.  
wokeuptobose's avatar
wokeuptobose OP
118 posts
 
Thank you for responding. Yes, the LS 300 is a total winner. I love it! In this past year I have owned an ARC REF 10, Rogue RP7, and a very high end passive, and went direct to amps with both a dCS Bartok and Vivaldi, so I have some framework to judge.  I didn't pursue the KWA 150 as I don't have access to listening to one without buying it, so I based my purchase on research. I did buy a NIB m900u and hooked it up on Friday. So far I can tell it has greater resolution, more depth, but less bass impact than the Parasound JC1+s. The problem I am having (confirmed by my wife) that it's overly bright on female voices, strings and piano. I like certain aspects of the 900 a lot, but my wife won't stay in the room with it, and I don't really enjoy it. At this point I am even more impressed with the JC1+s. We find them very musical, powerful, with great foundational bass. It must be me as it seems that the m900u is a favorite of the popular media reviewers, Jays Audio Lab, and lots of forum contributors. I will be patient and let it burn in paying music for 200 hours before I pull the plug and put back the JC1+s. It could also be my Vivaldi being bright, my Sasha 2s being bright, my room, or a lack of system synergy. It there was synergy with the JC1+s, but all the dogging of the JC1+ did make me curious. In fact I now have heard in my system that there are amps with greater resolution, I just may have to look somewhere else to find a powerful, resolving, SS amp that sounds musical in my system. Two guys I respect mentioned Ampzilla 2000 V2s. I said WHAAAT? 
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