Matching Gear matter to you?

Quicksilver is high value to $$$ ratio in my opinion.   I love my Mid Monos.   They kick ass!!!   DEAD silent into 99dB sens speakers...  i am talking complete dead silence. Super reliable and sound fantastic with any output tube you choose.  I would buy another QS product without hesitation.

@wolf_garcia Shag carpeting in harvest gold? Lol

I'm going to cover all of my gear with Astro Turf to see if I prefer "matched" components...I'll be reporting back.

 I have a tubed preamp and solid state monoboc amps (Concert Fidelity) and different brand DAC (Metrum Pavane), server (Aurender), phono amp (Audio Research). They sound great together. In my opinion part of the fun of the hobby is to find products that synergize with your other products and make you feel good.

I would suggest that the preamplifier and amplifier(s) come from the same manufacturer. In my opinion the other pieces can picked based on your preferred sound and features. Rarely will one company make all types of products that you will prefer.

I am going to take the plunge on the Quicksilver. My first piece of tube gear and only the 2nd major piece to the system (its been 2 years since the last piece).

It runs 12AT7 tubes, not sure what comes with it but it'll be down the rabbit hole on tubes soon.

Can't disagree that the uniform look is nicest, it is just that I won't sacrifice performance for that look.

I do have one system that is a sort of heritage system which I first assembled in the early 1990s. All of the gear is by Classe (DR7 two chassis preamp - the separate power supply is the size of most power amps, a pair of bridged DR3 VHC power amps, and a DAC-1 D/A converter and the look is pleasing.  But my current main system, which uses mostly Conrad Johnson Premier components, has a different make of phono stage, as it is the best such I have ever heard. I do own the matching CJ Premier phono stage, but it lives in my second system upstairs.

@wspohn  Its really about synergy. Buying gear from someone who makes all the pieces and shows them all performing together. But yes aesthetically I like a stack of gear from the same manufacturer, sure.

Surprised that this attracts much comment.  Clearly, one can be governed by appearance, in which case you buy matching gear, or sonics, in which case you seek out the best sounding gear.  Only rarely will the best sounding gear happen to be from one manufacturer.

If you want a bit of both, you can selectively buy the best sounding gear but make sure to seek out the same colour faceplates - Audio Research, for instance, often offered both black and silver versions, and matching makes for better aesthetics (unless you are into a zebra pattern).

I USUALLY BELIEVE that matching the amp and preamp is a good idea.
But sources should be a more personalized decision. As for the introduction of tubes in any system, you need to understand quite a bit more about the technology to get the most benefit. Add some patience in dealing with any problems that arise. But it can happen to anyone- you buy an expensive pair of amps or perhaps just a great stereo amp and 2 years later it either gets noisy or just shuts down 2 seconds after you power it up. So it goes to an authorized repair service, and 8 weeks later they announce they still haven't located the problem.
You start to lose patience, and IF management is responsible, they will replace the unit altogether. You finally get to play music again, but you get the funny feeling that paying tens times more than what you once did (with an equalizer, lighted power meters, and extra inputs) made you almost as happy, especially when listening to newer recordings. Of course "now" you can hear more textural details and begin to understand the musicians' and the composer's message more completely. But of course a "true audiophile" has to connect all the pieces together with painfully-expensive copper cables. Strict attention must be paid to the room acoustics as well. You might never escape from the need for prestige. Then you pick up a stereo magazine and they're reviewing 
the Mark-3 version of your speakers- a "complete re-work of the circuit design". Makes your system obsolete. You can never win, and you must never go back- only forward towards musical nirvana. The game is rigged!! 

I reread this thread and realized I never mentioned which preamp I was contemplating. Duh

It’s the Quicksilver Line Stage Preamp

I fee like I win either way. I’m told both are very good and I’m coming from a very humble starting spot. Once I get confirmation on a single detail I’ll pull the trigger. It would be my first component bought this calendar year (other than a Topping D30). 
3 years in and I’d have 2 components bought. But this is why I decided on separates, to build as I go and replace the old with the new. That’s maybe one of the few life decisions I actually got right haha.

Like many who have mentioned above I had really tried to use components of the same brand. Not just for aesthetics but for system synergy. You would think they would be tested together by the manufacture.

Alas, many times the other equipment in the manufacturers line are just not as good so I sought out the best I could afford.

Today I have no two pieces of equipment from the same manufacturer. But, I do have all silver for my audio (except amps) and all black for my video / home theater equipment.

ozzy

I have had two occasions where the amp and preamp were from the same manufacturer and in each case they sounded better when i made a change .

First time i had a Mc Intosh C15 and 7100.  I took the C15 out and replaced it with a McCormack RLD 1     That combo was pretty good,  but I wanted to have a matched amp/pre so I bought a McCormack DNA 125 and it was even better.   As good as it was ,  I thought the preamp was the bottleneck, so I demo'd a Conrad Johnson Classic 2SE ....   the c-j / mccormack combo was really a great combo, in fact selling that DNA 125 was one of my big audio regrets.   

I still have the Classic and am driving some 40w Quicksilvers and I think Im at the point of diminishing returns .   That said if I were spending big $$$ to upgrade I would probably audition matched gear and would even consider a high end integrated, elimiinating preamp / amp matching altogether.

I like my (Silver) Schiit Freya preamp...I like it a lot...does Schiit make a single ended all tube hand wired point to point power amp? Since they don't, my little (black with gold front panel) tube amp will suffice, and it suffices the hell outta my music collection, as do the DAC with bespoke DC killing power supply (black), the phono pre (ditto power supply, black), the CD transport/player (black), and the headphone amp and Schiit Loki EQ, both silver and adorable...

then it comes down to what defines "better."  Synergies between products are very real.  Few other things to think of:

Does the off brand product have the right level of gain to match with your amp?  Preamps can have wildly different levels of gain and the appropriate amount is dictated by the amp.  Most companies preams will compliment the amps in the same line. 

What is the tube compliment?  Sometimes one product is better with stock tubes but when you roll in different tubes, another can excel.  In some cases, you have virtually no choice in what tubes you get. 

What sound profile are your trying to achieve?  There are a few companies that I can think of that produce tube preamps that sound solid state.  Does the off brand component serve as a substitute in terms of sound profile?  

One persons "better" is not another persons.  Are you sure that this other preamp is better?  Is there a technical reason why?  

Incidentally, doesn't matter if you answer these questions here.  Just want to provoke thinking to make sure that you are making the right choice.  Years ago, I bought a power amp not really knowing how finicky it was with preamp pairing.  I demo'd four preamps (amp in tow) to get one that sounded great.  Saved myself $1000 vs just going with the preamp from that brand and have no regrets about it.  

Surely the important thing here is output and input impedances, and this is going to come into play most acutely between the preamp and amp.  Although a great many do, not *all* preamps and amps work well together, causing premature rolloff (p.r., an acoustic affliction) and other nasties.

As long as the piece of equipment being considered can handle (load, impedance matching, etc.) the other equipment, there shouldn't be an issue.

Then, it comes down to how it sounds in your system.  First, most companies don't make everything anyway.  Music servers, streamers, DACs, turntables, Speakers, cables, etc. so, there will be a slight mix anyway.

Also, just because a company makes say, amps, preamps and DACs, doesn't mean that they will be the best for the money you plan on spending.

so, it comes down to auditioning in your home and in your system.  If a dealer thinks you are a serious potential buyer (maybe spend quality time with dealers helps),  they will take your credit card information and loan you a piece (typically demonstration unit) for a few days.  

That has been my experience.  Also, there might not be many dealers in your area that have variety.  Sometimes they are stuck with only a few  manufacturers in house.  This limits your direct listening ability and comparison opportunities.

Sort of the Bose experience.  Bose makes it so you really can't compare directly their stuff with anyone else's in stores.

enjoy

@verdantaudio its all single ended.

you have no idea what will sound better to you, the only way is to try and pick the best combination no short cuts.  overall you won't go wrong either way but the same brand's set could sound better and than you lose nothing except some money. my preamp looks like something portable and it's silver and made 30 years after the power amp which is black and much larger like most home components, so what? the modded look gets more respect and it's good for the ego to match components not from the same brand so you can brag on audio forums about your matching skills !

Interesting. The preamp is your most important component in many ways. If it is tube based, you have some flexibility in the sound profile and it is a little cheaper to roll tubes than in a power amp.

the one other question I have is all the equipment balanced or unbalanced?  In general I would say my current preamp is better than my prior preamp but it is single ended and my old system was balanced. When I swapped it straight into the balanced system it was not better.  

Fully balanced equipment always works best in a system that is fully balanced. And by fully balanced I mean end-to-end, not just a single ended unit with XLR connections added in.

NO! Though I suppose I could get a Quad preamp to go with the four Quad amps (303,405, 50 mono pair) that I have on hand for my 57's!

I have an integrated amp and a CD transport/DAC/CDP from the same manufacturer. They are from the same series and are a cosmetic match. They share one remote, which is great. They also happen to have great synergy, so I've got that going for me. These electronic components are from a manufacturer who also makes turntables and speakers. I could go with a single manufacturer for my entire system, amplification, control, digital, analog TT and cartridge and speakers. However, haven't gone that far yet. But it has crossed my mind......

Matching gear matters to me as long as it is the color black. The new gear blends in with the old gear. No need to explain the new piece of audio equipment to the powers that be. 

If you have OCD tendencies, my advice would be to chill out:  you are going to end up buying different gear in a year, anyway.  Not trying to offend you, it just seems to be how it works a lot of the time.

It’s a hobby. Supposed to be fun. We can have different priorities within a hobby. We spend good money on these toys. No reason it should not be visually pleasing. If looking at same-branded components is going to give you pleasure—and not irritate your ocd, then that may be worth a few hundred dollars to you. My system is all patchwork, but all my components are black which helps visually unify the pieces. 

I am frugal by nature, so getting the best value and sq per dollar is important to me. Though right now I do have my eye on a second hand set of orange floor standers! 50% off, but still 8k. Gulp. 

And for what it’s worth this will be my first tube component (regardless of which way I decided to go). This will replace a Schiit SYS in the signal chain so I’m even more scared/excited about making a mistake.

@ihasaguy that what I was aiming for. What’s swaying me to this other manufacturer is that my friend said it has excellent synergy with our amp (we have the same amp).

i won’t be able to audition so it’s a leap of faith. 

I have a SS amp and tube Pre Amp from the same mfg.   The synergy is the unmistakable.    Like to say XYZ is always compatible with itself.

I’m sure I’m in the minority here, but when I see matching gear, I feel the person is uncreative and basically uninteresting. To me that is the opposite of what this hobby is about. Which is experimentation. But of course that’s just me and all you uninteresting people out there may disagree.😂

This is a tough one. 

First, use your own ears. 

Next, I have gotten into simplification. I have gone from separates with monoblocks to an integrated + DAC.

I come from a pro movie background so my usual instinct is to pretend I have an 8' rack I will fit everything into. Goddess I wish I could have 3 stereo amps with meter....

I am down to two fabulous components.  

I think that if I could afford the d’agostino setup 
I would stick with all his new gear. Just because the stuff is so damn beautiful. Steam punk audio gear at its best. Btw, my stuff is all over the place but it sounds good and is in my budget. 

@lalitk  thanks. This particular piece is a tube preamp so I’m extra cautious as I’m aware of the role it plays in the overall tonality of the system. 

Most audiophiles are OCD about their system...LOL. I have gone through few iterations of having multiple components from ‘same’ manufacturer. There are advantages to do so...you get the tonality and synergy right from get go, since they are all cut from the same sonic fabric. Not to mention the uniformity, I have seen Naim stack and they look pretty dope.

IMO, above approach is safe and easy way to build your audio system. But it also limits you to one manufacturer’s vision of sound. I have gone through four systems from same manufacturer and I can say unequivocally, nothing is more fun and satisfying when you take time to put together a system from different manufacturers. You’re bound to endure few headaches going this route but you could end up with a system that’s just as gratifying and SOTA. 
Good luck!

One brand systems outperform, unless they don't. 

My integrated tube amplifier, tube CD player, and tube phono stage are all from the same manufacturer. I've never had any regrets about any of it, but I did do some rather diligent research before I got any of it. One of the things that stood out to me was that there is no plastic on any of these units; even the remotes for the amp and cd player are metal with little ball bearings for the buttons. You can't hear the "no plastic" feature but to me it indicated a serious effort and I doubt they put more effort into the remotes than they did in the design of the equipment.

Yeah it seems like most systems are a mush mash of components chosen for sound. Which totally makes sense.

i think my dysfunction is that I feel like I’m not being patient and going for a less expensive device vs staying the course and following through on my vision. Even though it’s not the case it’s evidently better than what I had planned. I’m dysfunctional. It shows.

My main system is a Frankenstein combination of different components, almost all are second hand. So no, I don't care, but I'll be the first to admit that my system is less than aesthetically pleasing.

It's up to you to decide if you're willing to sacrifice some money and from the sound of it, some sound quality, for the sake of looks. There's nothing wrong with that if that's your preference. 

It might be helpful if you stated the components you're considering. You might get some opinions that differ from your friend's.

@verdantaudio  the person who brought this to my attention said the one I was originally looking at IS very good but that the other brand was just better. 
So had I never heard that I would most likely have been very happy with the original. But it seems to me that one that does have synergy with my amp AND has the same basic sound signature but improved on it AND is a few hundred less would be a no brainer.
Not sure what craziness I’m fighting internally right now.

@stringreen  that was exactly my thinking from the start. The person who tipped me off to this component has the same amp and says there’s excellent synergy (we both agreed synergy is very important).

@verdantaudio  the person who brought this to my attention said the one I was originally looking at IS very good but that the other brand was just better. 
So had I never heard that I would most likely have been very happy with the original. But it seems to me that one that does have synergy with my amp AND has the same basic sound signature but improved on it AND is a few hundred less would be a no brainer.
Not sure what craziness I’m fighting internally right now.

@stringreen  that was exactly my thinking from the start. The person who tipped me off to this component has the same amp and says there’s excellent synergy (we both agreed synergy is very important).

I too have all my components from one manufacturer....the only way to absolutely be sure all the boxes work well together.

I purchased a phono stage from a company where I had their DAC and preamp.  It was the most disappointing piece of equipment I ever purchased and was happy the day I sold it.

not sure what brand you are talking about and what the difference is between products.  Is this an obvious scenario where the pricier product is inferior?  Is it a divided opinion?  

The phono stage I bought was more than 3x as expensive as the one I had and I heard no improvement.  Part of it was that the unit I had was an absolute bargain and the unit I bought was a bad value even on clearance.  But hey....my one remote turned all three units on.