Ok I’ve loaded a few more pics of the room as of today!
Missing the stand and the seats and that’s it !
Missing the stand and the seats and that’s it !
My Long List of Amplifiers and My Personal Review of Each!
So I have been in a long journey looking to find the best amplifiers for my martin logan montis. As you know, the match between an amplifier and speakers has to be a good "marriage" and needs to be blend exquisitely. Right now, I think I might have found the best sounding amplifier for martin logan. I have gone through approximately 34-36 amplifiers in the past 12 months. Some of these are:
Bryston ST, SST, SST2 series
NAD M25
PARASOUND HALO
PARASOUND CLASSIC
KRELL TAS
KRELL KAV 500
KRELL CHORUS
ROTEL RMB 1095
CLASSE CT 5300
CLASSE CA 2200
CLASSE CA 5200
MCINTOSH MC 205
CARY AUDIO CINEMA 7
OUTLAW AUDIO 755
LEXICON RX7
PASS LABS XA 30.8
BUTLER AUDIO 5150
ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005
With all that said, the amplifiers I mentioned above are the ones that in my opinion are worth mentioning. To make a long story short, there is NO 5 CHANNEL POWER AMP that sounds as good as a 3ch and 2ch amplifier combination. i have done both experiments and the truth is that YOU DO lose details and more channel separation,etc when you select a 5 channel power amplifier of any manufacturer.
My recollection of what each amp sounded like is as follows:
ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005 (great power and amazing soundstage. Very low noise floor, BUT this amplifiers NEEDS TO BE cranked up in order to fully enjoy it. If you like listening at low volume levels or somewhat moderate, you are wasting your time here. This amp won’t sound any different than many other brands out there at this volume. The bass is great, good highs although they are a bit bright for my taste)
NAD M25 (very smooth, powerful, but somewhat thin sounding as far as bass goes)
Bryston sst2(detailed, good soundstage, good power, but can be a little forward with certain speakers which could make them ear fatiguing at loud volumes)
Krell (fast sounding, nice bass attack, nice highs, but some detail does get lost with certain speakers)
rotel (good amp for the money, but too bright in my opinion)
cary audio (good sound overall, very musical, but it didn’t have enough oomph)
parasound halo (good detail, great bass, but it still holds back some background detail that i can hear in others)
lexicon (very laid back and smooth. huge power, but if you like more detail or crisper highs, this amp will disappoint you)
McIntosh mc205 (probably the worst multichannel amp given its price point. it was too thin sounding, had detail but lacked bass.
butler audio (good amplifier. very warm and smooth sweet sounding. i think for the money, this is a better amp than the parasound a51)
pass labs (very VERY musical with excellent bass control. You can listen to this for hours and hours without getting ear fatigue. however, it DOES NOT do well in home theater applications if all you have is a 2 channel set up for movies. The midrange gets somewhat "muddy" or very weak sounding that you find yourself trying to turn it up.
classe audio (best amplifier for multi channel applications. i simply COULDNT FIND a better multi channel amplifier PERIOD. IT has amazing smoothness, amazing power and good bass control although i would say krell has much better bass control)
Update: The reviews above were done in January 2015. Below is my newest update as of October 2016:
PS AUDIO BHK 300 MONOBLOCKS: Amazing amps. Tons of detail and really amazing midrange. the bass is amazing too, but the one thing i will say is that those of you with speakers efficiency of 87db and below you will not have all the "loudness" that you may want from time to time. These amps go into protection mode when using a speaker such as the Salon, but only at very loud levels. Maybe 97db and above. If you don’t listen to extreme crazy levels, these amps will please you in every way.
Plinius Odeon 7 channel amp: This is THE BEST multichannel amp i have ever owned. Far , but FAR SUPERIOR to any other multichannel amp i have owned. In my opinion it destroyed all of the multichannel amps i mentioned above and below. The Odeon is an amp that is in a different tier group and it is in a league of its own. Amazing bass, treble and it made my center channel sound more articulate than ever before. The voices where never scrambled with the action scenes. It just separated everything very nicely.
Theta Dreadnaught D: Good detailed amp. Looks very elegant, has a pleasant sound, but i found it a tad too bright for my taste. I thought it was also somewhat "thin" sounding lacking body to the music. could be that it is because it is class d?
Krell Duo 300: Good amp. Nice and detailed with enough power to handle most speakers out there. I found that it does have a very nice "3d" sound through my electrostatics. Nothing to fault here on this amp.
Mark Levinson 532H: Great 2 channel amp. Lots of detail, amazing midrange which is what Mark Levinson is known for. It sounds very holographic and will please those of you looking for more detail and a better midrange. As far as bass, it is there, but it is not going to give you the slam of a pass labs 350.5 or JC1s for example. It is great for those that appreciate classical music, instrumental, etc, but not those of you who love tons of deep bass.
It is articulate sounding too
Krell 7200: Plenty of detail and enough power for most people. i found that my rear speakers contained more information after installed this amp. One thing that i hated is that you must use xlr cables with this amp or else you lose most of its sound performance when using RCA’s.
Krell 402e: Great amp. Very powerful and will handle any speaker you wish. Power is incredible and with great detail. That said, i didn’t get all the bass that most reviewers mentioned. I thought it was "ok" in regards to bass. It was there, but it didn’t slam me to my listening chair.
Bryston 4B3: Good amp with a complete sound. I think this amp is more laid back than the SST2 version. I think those of you who found the SST2 version of this amp a little too forward with your speakers will definitely benefit from this amp’s warmth. Bryston has gone towards the "warm" side in my opinion with their new SST3 series. As always, they are built like tanks. I wouldn’t call this amp tube-like, but rather closer to what the classe audio delta 2 series sound like which is on the warm side of things.
Parasound JC1s: Good powerful amps. Amazing low end punch (far superior bass than the 402e). This amp is the amp that i consider complete from top to bottom in regards to sound. Nothing is lacking other than perhaps a nicer chassis. Parasound needs to rework their external appearance when they introduce new amps. This amp would sell much more if it had a revised external appearance because the sound is a great bang for the money. It made my 800 Nautilus scream and slam. Again, amazing low end punch.
Simaudio W7: Good detailed amp. This amp reminds me a lot of the Mark Levinson 532h. Great detail and very articulate. I think this amp will go well with bookshelves that are ported in order to compensate for what it lacks when it comes to the bass. That doesn’t mean it has no bass, but when it is no Parasound JC1 either.
Pass labs 350.5: Wow, where do i begin? maybe my first time around with the xa30.8 wasn’t as special as it was with this monster 350.5. It is just SPECTACULAR sounding with my electrostatics. The bass was THE BEST BASS i have ever heard from ANY amp period. The only amp that comes close would be the jC1s. It made me check my settings to make sure the bass was not boosted and kept making my jaw drop each time i heard it. It totally destroyed the krell 402e in every regard. The krell sounded too "flat" when compared to this amp. This amp had amazing mirange with great detail up top. In my opinion, this amp is the best bang for the money. i loved this amp so much that i ended up buying the amp that follows below.
Pass labs 250.8: What can i say here. This is THE BEST STEREO AMP i have ever heard. This amp destroys all the amps i have listed above today to include the pass labs 350.5. It is a refined 350.5 amp. It has more 3d sound which is something the 350.5 lacked. It has a level of detail that i really have never experienced before and the bass was amazing as well. I really thought it was the most complete power amplifier i have ever heard HANDS DOWN. To me, this is a benchmark of an amplifier. This is the amp that others should be judged by. NOTHING is lacking and right now it is the #1 amplifier that i have ever owned.
My current amps are Mcintosh MC601s: i decided to give these 601s a try and they don’t disappoint. They have great detail, HUGE soundstage, MASSIVE power and great midrange/highs. The bass is great, but it is no pass labs 250.8 or 350.5. As far as looks, these are the best looking amps i have ever owned. No contest there. i gotta be honest with you all, i never bought mcintosh monos before because i wasn’t really "wowed" by the mc452, but it could have been also because at that time i was using a processor as a preamp which i no longer do. Today, i own the Mcintosh C1100 2 chassis tube preamp which sounds unbelievable. All the amps i just described above have been amps that i auditioned with the C1100 as a preamp. The MC601s sound great without a doubt, but i will say that if you are looking for THE BEST sound for the money, these would not be it. However, Mcintosh remains UNMATCHED when it comes to looks and also resale value. Every other amp above depreciates much faster than Mcintosh.
That said, my future purchase (when i can find a steal of a deal) will be the Pass labs 350.8. I am tempted to make a preliminary statement which is that i feel this amp could be THE BEST stereo amp under 30k dollars. Again, i will be able to say more and confirm once i own it. I hope this update can help you all in your buying decisions!
Bryston ST, SST, SST2 series
NAD M25
PARASOUND HALO
PARASOUND CLASSIC
KRELL TAS
KRELL KAV 500
KRELL CHORUS
ROTEL RMB 1095
CLASSE CT 5300
CLASSE CA 2200
CLASSE CA 5200
MCINTOSH MC 205
CARY AUDIO CINEMA 7
OUTLAW AUDIO 755
LEXICON RX7
PASS LABS XA 30.8
BUTLER AUDIO 5150
ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005
With all that said, the amplifiers I mentioned above are the ones that in my opinion are worth mentioning. To make a long story short, there is NO 5 CHANNEL POWER AMP that sounds as good as a 3ch and 2ch amplifier combination. i have done both experiments and the truth is that YOU DO lose details and more channel separation,etc when you select a 5 channel power amplifier of any manufacturer.
My recollection of what each amp sounded like is as follows:
ATI SIGNATURE SERIES 6005 (great power and amazing soundstage. Very low noise floor, BUT this amplifiers NEEDS TO BE cranked up in order to fully enjoy it. If you like listening at low volume levels or somewhat moderate, you are wasting your time here. This amp won’t sound any different than many other brands out there at this volume. The bass is great, good highs although they are a bit bright for my taste)
NAD M25 (very smooth, powerful, but somewhat thin sounding as far as bass goes)
Bryston sst2(detailed, good soundstage, good power, but can be a little forward with certain speakers which could make them ear fatiguing at loud volumes)
Krell (fast sounding, nice bass attack, nice highs, but some detail does get lost with certain speakers)
rotel (good amp for the money, but too bright in my opinion)
cary audio (good sound overall, very musical, but it didn’t have enough oomph)
parasound halo (good detail, great bass, but it still holds back some background detail that i can hear in others)
lexicon (very laid back and smooth. huge power, but if you like more detail or crisper highs, this amp will disappoint you)
McIntosh mc205 (probably the worst multichannel amp given its price point. it was too thin sounding, had detail but lacked bass.
butler audio (good amplifier. very warm and smooth sweet sounding. i think for the money, this is a better amp than the parasound a51)
pass labs (very VERY musical with excellent bass control. You can listen to this for hours and hours without getting ear fatigue. however, it DOES NOT do well in home theater applications if all you have is a 2 channel set up for movies. The midrange gets somewhat "muddy" or very weak sounding that you find yourself trying to turn it up.
classe audio (best amplifier for multi channel applications. i simply COULDNT FIND a better multi channel amplifier PERIOD. IT has amazing smoothness, amazing power and good bass control although i would say krell has much better bass control)
Update: The reviews above were done in January 2015. Below is my newest update as of October 2016:
PS AUDIO BHK 300 MONOBLOCKS: Amazing amps. Tons of detail and really amazing midrange. the bass is amazing too, but the one thing i will say is that those of you with speakers efficiency of 87db and below you will not have all the "loudness" that you may want from time to time. These amps go into protection mode when using a speaker such as the Salon, but only at very loud levels. Maybe 97db and above. If you don’t listen to extreme crazy levels, these amps will please you in every way.
Plinius Odeon 7 channel amp: This is THE BEST multichannel amp i have ever owned. Far , but FAR SUPERIOR to any other multichannel amp i have owned. In my opinion it destroyed all of the multichannel amps i mentioned above and below. The Odeon is an amp that is in a different tier group and it is in a league of its own. Amazing bass, treble and it made my center channel sound more articulate than ever before. The voices where never scrambled with the action scenes. It just separated everything very nicely.
Theta Dreadnaught D: Good detailed amp. Looks very elegant, has a pleasant sound, but i found it a tad too bright for my taste. I thought it was also somewhat "thin" sounding lacking body to the music. could be that it is because it is class d?
Krell Duo 300: Good amp. Nice and detailed with enough power to handle most speakers out there. I found that it does have a very nice "3d" sound through my electrostatics. Nothing to fault here on this amp.
Mark Levinson 532H: Great 2 channel amp. Lots of detail, amazing midrange which is what Mark Levinson is known for. It sounds very holographic and will please those of you looking for more detail and a better midrange. As far as bass, it is there, but it is not going to give you the slam of a pass labs 350.5 or JC1s for example. It is great for those that appreciate classical music, instrumental, etc, but not those of you who love tons of deep bass.
It is articulate sounding too
Krell 7200: Plenty of detail and enough power for most people. i found that my rear speakers contained more information after installed this amp. One thing that i hated is that you must use xlr cables with this amp or else you lose most of its sound performance when using RCA’s.
Krell 402e: Great amp. Very powerful and will handle any speaker you wish. Power is incredible and with great detail. That said, i didn’t get all the bass that most reviewers mentioned. I thought it was "ok" in regards to bass. It was there, but it didn’t slam me to my listening chair.
Bryston 4B3: Good amp with a complete sound. I think this amp is more laid back than the SST2 version. I think those of you who found the SST2 version of this amp a little too forward with your speakers will definitely benefit from this amp’s warmth. Bryston has gone towards the "warm" side in my opinion with their new SST3 series. As always, they are built like tanks. I wouldn’t call this amp tube-like, but rather closer to what the classe audio delta 2 series sound like which is on the warm side of things.
Parasound JC1s: Good powerful amps. Amazing low end punch (far superior bass than the 402e). This amp is the amp that i consider complete from top to bottom in regards to sound. Nothing is lacking other than perhaps a nicer chassis. Parasound needs to rework their external appearance when they introduce new amps. This amp would sell much more if it had a revised external appearance because the sound is a great bang for the money. It made my 800 Nautilus scream and slam. Again, amazing low end punch.
Simaudio W7: Good detailed amp. This amp reminds me a lot of the Mark Levinson 532h. Great detail and very articulate. I think this amp will go well with bookshelves that are ported in order to compensate for what it lacks when it comes to the bass. That doesn’t mean it has no bass, but when it is no Parasound JC1 either.
Pass labs 350.5: Wow, where do i begin? maybe my first time around with the xa30.8 wasn’t as special as it was with this monster 350.5. It is just SPECTACULAR sounding with my electrostatics. The bass was THE BEST BASS i have ever heard from ANY amp period. The only amp that comes close would be the jC1s. It made me check my settings to make sure the bass was not boosted and kept making my jaw drop each time i heard it. It totally destroyed the krell 402e in every regard. The krell sounded too "flat" when compared to this amp. This amp had amazing mirange with great detail up top. In my opinion, this amp is the best bang for the money. i loved this amp so much that i ended up buying the amp that follows below.
Pass labs 250.8: What can i say here. This is THE BEST STEREO AMP i have ever heard. This amp destroys all the amps i have listed above today to include the pass labs 350.5. It is a refined 350.5 amp. It has more 3d sound which is something the 350.5 lacked. It has a level of detail that i really have never experienced before and the bass was amazing as well. I really thought it was the most complete power amplifier i have ever heard HANDS DOWN. To me, this is a benchmark of an amplifier. This is the amp that others should be judged by. NOTHING is lacking and right now it is the #1 amplifier that i have ever owned.
My current amps are Mcintosh MC601s: i decided to give these 601s a try and they don’t disappoint. They have great detail, HUGE soundstage, MASSIVE power and great midrange/highs. The bass is great, but it is no pass labs 250.8 or 350.5. As far as looks, these are the best looking amps i have ever owned. No contest there. i gotta be honest with you all, i never bought mcintosh monos before because i wasn’t really "wowed" by the mc452, but it could have been also because at that time i was using a processor as a preamp which i no longer do. Today, i own the Mcintosh C1100 2 chassis tube preamp which sounds unbelievable. All the amps i just described above have been amps that i auditioned with the C1100 as a preamp. The MC601s sound great without a doubt, but i will say that if you are looking for THE BEST sound for the money, these would not be it. However, Mcintosh remains UNMATCHED when it comes to looks and also resale value. Every other amp above depreciates much faster than Mcintosh.
That said, my future purchase (when i can find a steal of a deal) will be the Pass labs 350.8. I am tempted to make a preliminary statement which is that i feel this amp could be THE BEST stereo amp under 30k dollars. Again, i will be able to say more and confirm once i own it. I hope this update can help you all in your buying decisions!
Showing 50 responses by jays_audio_lab
Here you go: New speaker Pass labs 60.8 Dcs Rossini as preamp Synergistic Research Galileo SX https://youtu.be/y4ysn0sqsk8 |
I tried creating a box in the wall made out of foam plus insulation and even used dynamat all over the back of the speaker in order to create a box using dynamat and there was almost no difference in sound from the rest of the speakers. I tried as hard as I could to encapsulate one speaker and compared to the others and the sound still travels. I suspect the only way would be to buy speakers with a built in box. Speaking of that, does anyone have any advice on what to use to allow sound to not escape through the door when it’s closed? Is there anything that I can stick on the door on the inside of the room to allow sound to not escape? I thought of the acoustic foam that amazon sells but if anyone has anything that successfully traps the sound not allowing it to escape through a closed door then please feel free to let me know. I am all about trying amps but I don’t want to go through 30 different things to absorb sound. One last thing: the Merrill element 118s are in DA HOUSE ! |
I just got done listening to the merril Monos and they have awesome bass control. That said, it’s a difficult task for me to really review new gear in a brand new room. I don’t really know my new room at all in terms of sound. I haven’t allowed my ears to listen extensively with different amps, etc so whatever I play right now will sound totally different and unknown to me. I also never played the dynaudios c4 in my living room to compare them in the dedicated room. I guess this is me answering my own question which is “should I bring the Neoliths in the room? Yes! Having them in the new room would allow me to better gauge the sound of the new space. |
Rowland 925s vs Merrill audio element 118s are now in the same room, going through the motions and being fed by the oppo 205. This is only a small review with both amps being dead cold: - Rowland 925s: more relaxed presentation with good musicality and good bass - Merrill 118s: thunderous bass with good detail. Presentation is more forward than Rowland. Big bold mids |
Yes I do have one row of 3 recliners for now. I also just ordered eight “244 basstraps” from GIK acoustics. They recommended I start with that based on the pictures I sent them. Little by little I’ll keep adding more. Now I need to decide what to do with the inside of the doors... I’m thinking of buying that acoustic foam they have on amazon to stick on the entire food but I need to entertain other options First. I don’t want to do the room treatment 3 different times. With that said, I’ve just posted a few pics of the element 118s and the Jeff Rowland 925s! |
Sorry viber. I’m not going to change the entire carpet I just got done getting installed. The room is what it is for now and it will get where it needs to get with no less effort than the 300 plus amplifiers i have been through. Just like some used to say my living room was too narrow or too small for the Neoliths, etc and I made it work. I’ll make this dedicated space work. I’ve made a lot of gear work in the most awkward places. You all need to remember that the room is larger and emptier than the living room was. There’s Also special drywall in the entire room that is double layered unlike standard drywall. Im not fully moved into the room either and last but not least, im using a speaker I’ve not heard in ages. |
I am working with GIK acoustics throughout the process. They told me they know how to make a room sound larger and more alive. Yes putting cheaper carpet is the easiest but aesthetically speaking, I did not like thin carpet options I was shown because they all looked like sandpaper and you couldn’t sit your ass on the floor for more than 3 minutes before your legs fell asleep. I also just ordered a calibration mic to take room measurements with REW which will help me see the issues and address those. |
Today i positioned my c4 dynaudios closer to the wall and with less space in between them and things began to sound MUCH MUCH better. i have been listening to the rowland 925s and the Merrill 118s through the matching Merrill Chirstine preamp. Here are my impressions: 1. Rowland 925s are indeed sweeter with more of a relaxed presentation while still presenting a coherent sound signature. 2. Rowland 925s have less pronounced bass and oomph, but they still carry their own just with less "meat" 3. Merrill 118s have a HUGE soundstage that could potentially sound just as big as the Constellation Centaur 2? 3. Merrill 118s sound EXTREMELY clear sounding as if someone has a window open and you are sticking your head right throw it. 4. Merrill 118s are NOT forgiving. They sounded very bright through my Wireworld Eclipse 7 XLR and some songs did not sound as enjoyable as the rowland 925s. 5. Merrill 118s is a much faster sounding amp than the rowland 925s. The speed is almost as if are playing songs with a slight "fast forward" feel to it. More impressions to come soon. One thing to keep in mind is that these Merrill 118s are serious and don’t play any games. I am HIGHLY IMPRESSED to say the least. Now if could get the Neoliths in the room so i can really tax the hell out of both amps and see who is victorious... |
Sure. This is easy: pass labs= slow, sweet with lethargic bass. Runs very hot. merrill 118s: the fastest sounding amplifier I’ve ever heard. Tremendous bass control with a presentation that gives you “just the facts”. Big sound rowland 925s: sweet, romantic, ok bass control (I used to think it was awesome until I heard the Merrill 118s) with good soundstage width and depth block audio: sledge hammer bass control. Big bold, muscular sound that reminds me of the gryphon sound. Extremely heavy |
Alfa: everything on my thread is about evolution. When I first heard the pass amps, yes those were my impressions but as soon as I keep moving up the ladder, my opinion has changed. They sound slow and lethargic in comparison to the latest offerings I’ve had the pleasure to review. I have owned over 300 amplifiers and I believe that I have a pretty good ear and can pin point WHAT each amp does or doesn’t do. I think the best pass amps are the xs series or the xa200.5 Monos. Do you want to kill the pass 350.8? Get a luxman 900u. That amp makes the pass 350.8 sound broken. |
Ok here is my immediate impression of the c4 platinums with Rowland and Merrill: 1. Dead center mids. They are literally in between the speakers. 2. Smooth highs with zero edginess 3. Bass is there although not at the level of the Neolith which is expected but it doesn’t lack oomph 4. Very tricky to place. They tend to be finicky about placement but if you take the time to move them around I think you will be rewarded big time. 5. What’s it missing? I’d say it might lack depth and the sense of space that some other speakers have. However, it’s a good speaker given the used market value. |
The mcintosh c1100 and 601s is a great light show for the 4th of July. Not to mention, there is a 6 month waiting period to get anything fixed at Mcintosh. i remember ordering just the front glass for a preamp and they told me to make a line and wait about 6 months... Yep... As far as the entire class d vs class a vs class ab: Look, at this price point, it is all about how "ripe" you want your music to be. Some people like their steak to be rare, medium, medium-well, etc and that is essentially what this is about. To say that class d has not closed the gap is just stupid. Class D has made a HUGE improvement that i am actually the owner of Rowland 925s for a reason. That said, the better performing class d amps are NOT cheap because those few manufacturers that know HOW TO BUILD a class d amp are right now making their money for the time invested into building a better design. It is no different than when Viagra first came out: Pfizer made a killing from it because they needed to pay for everything that went into research and development and make money of course, but now you can get generic viagra for less. My point is that eventually more manufacturers will begin to make cheaper class d that will sound outstanding and this will indeed end up making other manufacturers jump into the class d world. The Merrill 118s are AMAZING, but one could argue that maybe the 116s are just as good and cost you 14k less? Granted, i am one of the few people that would need the 118s because of my massive Neoliths. i am telling everyone that i am in deep thinking mode and over the next couple of weeks i could end up with Merrill amp? The one thing i can disclose to ALL OF YOU is that Merrill is obscene bang for the buck and it has made me wonder HOW MUCH are we being ripped by other manufacturers charging far more money for something that does not even outperform it. I had 2 people come over this weekend and i had them listen to the rowland 925s and the Merrill and both said that they cant justify paying 60k for the 925s after hearing the Merrill. I would totally agree. I know Jeff is currently cooking up a new top end up which should be out by the time Axpona 2020 comes around. oops...you did not hear this from me... :) What amps do i miss right now? the block audios and the Constellation Centaur 2s. However, this Merrill actually makes me VERY NERVOUS and do you want to know why? because i am afraid of it beating other amps that i have personally owned and knowing that that is Merrill costs FAR LESS money. Unfortunately, there will always be those critics that do not believe in class d which is totally fine. There is also the potential issue of poor resale value with a class d amp, but i suspect the Merrill Element amps won’t suffer from this simply because it could very well be the very best class d right now. I have also spoken to Merrill and gave him my .02 cts and criticism (which i won’t disclose) and he totally agreed with me. One criticism was that they should have included aftermarket powercords which he said he thought about, but that it could have made the price go up by $10,000 because each power cord retails for $5k. I hope to keep trying these amps while in my possession and use several powercords and xlrs and finally strap them to my Neoliths to see what the outcome is. |
My best amps to date in no particular order: Jeff Rowland 925s Block Audio SE constellation centaur 2 luxman 900u pass labs xs150 before I am questioned why pass labs when I’ve been saying they don’t compare to some of the best amps out there, the pass labs xs series is really the only amp from pass that just stood out for me but it runs hotter than an oven and your legs would be sweating if you are anywhere near the amp. There are indeed other amps I’ve not tried so I can’t comment on them such as the Dag m400s, gryphon amps, etc. I also have decided to stay away from tube amps for now although i would love to try something with big power such as the arc 750se on my Neoliths but that’s not anytime soon. Also, some of you want me to circle back to cheaper amps So what I wanted to say is that partially this is the reason why I have the Dynaudio c4 platinums so that I can try amps that are cheaper and that are able to drive this speaker. When it comes to the Neoliths, guys I don’t mean to sound harsh but this speaker can’t be pushed with 87 octane fuel. It just won’t run and will ride like crap if you try it. It needs serious race gas or methanol if possible in order to really get going. Will I keep the Neoliths? Somedays I say “let’s try a new speaker” and so I begin to figure out which speaker I’d like to try and then some other days I feel like I might forever regret if I sell my Neoliths so I am in a tuff spot. I will also be honest and say that I really thought prior to purchasing my Dynaudio c4s that maybe this speaker would surprise me enough that I could part ways with the Neoliths and free up some funds for new audio gear but guess what? It’s just not the case. It is IMPOSSIBLE to replace the huge sound those panels make and the full bottom end provided by those big woofers. I was always warned by several dealers that are close to me that It’s not an easy adjustment to go from a Neolith and to a smaller speaker such as Wilson Sasha, focal Sopra, magico s5, etc etc. And I think they had a very valid point. I cant think of another speaker that costs less than the Neolith and that allows me to put money back in my pocket while remaining relatively content. As a matter of fact, find me a speaker that costs less than $30k on the USED MARKET that YOU KNOW would give the Neolith a run for the money while putting money back In my pocket ? Trust me I’ve looked and it doesn’t exist. I’ve thought of the Wilson Alexia 2 but why would I pay 40k pair ? It’s a stupid move financially speaking. Anyhow that’s where my mind is at this time. |
I have been using the Merrill Christine preamp. I need to use the Rowland corus with the Rowland PSU unit to see if the outcome is any different. Wow guys, you all aren’t giving the Dynaudio c4 platinum any props huh? Yes the Neolith might end up making an entrance in the room very soon. It takes 3 people to get them out of the living room. 350 lbs per speaker and they need to be lifted off the ground and brought out in a complete horizontal position. It’s a production to get them out which is why I’ve waited to do it. |
Hot off the Press from Dr. David Robinson, and his final impressions on the ELEMENT 118. Along with a good sampling of his albums and pictures. https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/impressions-final-thoughts-on-the-merrill-audio-element-118/ |
Update: The full Rowland set up vs Merrill audio element 118s and Christine preamp is very exciting. These 2 set ups couldn’t be more different. The Merrill up is EXTREMELY clear and with perhaps one the best bottom end end I’ve heard. The Rowland follows the traditional “sweet” sound that others also do such as luxman and constellation which I dearly love as you all know. That said, the Merrill exposes kinks in the armor of the Rowland. One of them being how the bass lacks oomph and tightness in comparison. The Rowland is a huge yacht in the ocean cruising at 25mph where you can relax and sip on your drink. The Merrill is a raptor fighter-jet that takes you at over 1,000 mph where you are experiencing speed, gravity pulls and a big adrenaline rush. |
The question some of you need to answer is WHICH do you enjoy more? a ride on a yatch or a ride on a fighter-jet? Are you the type that would most likely get sea sick? if so, then get the Merrill. Are you the type that has blood pressure and heart issues? then DO NOT get the Merrill. The Merrill WILL tell you what you are putting in your system and some of you might not like that. One a side note, i had my wife listen to both yesterday and she said " this one sounds clearer and more detail on the voices" .. she was referring to the Merrill 118s with the matching preamp. |
Hi, the Merrill are fully broken in. So far, the Merrill has certainly delivered the goods. I can’t say anything right this second other than it is going to put ALOT of manufacturers offering far more expensive gear into a world of hurt. I actually want to have dealers come to my home to hear them and to do a shootout versus their top amps? Any takers? |
You’re right ricred1. The issue is that we all come here to read so we are influenced to a certain extent by what we read. However, I am probably one of the very few people that buys blind folded. I am sitting here listening to the Merrill 118s and thinking to myself what’s it missing? Ahhh. Nothing Really. I am quite happy here with what I hear. I miss the Neoliths but it appears that those will soon pack up and leave my home in the next few weeks. The show must go on so I am currently analyzing what my next move will be. Wilson, B&w, focal, sonus faber ? Who knows :) |
I always say one thing: reviews are great and all but how many reviews have you read that made you buy a component and then you took it home and you weren’t impressed? My current experience is that they are indeed clear and crazy clean sounding but they don’t create a magic act by turning poop into diamonds. Yes if your music is diarrhea, you’ll hear diarrhea and the toilet flushing too. I personality like what they do for the most part. They aren’t perfect by any means And I don’t know of any amp that is perfect. |
Riaa, I’m like you in terms of gambling with a lot of equipment that I haven’t heard. See, the thing is most people don’t want to do what we do. They rather buy a component once and live with it. I know ricred1 loves Rowland and he’s had Rowland for quite sometime and that’s awesome. We go a different route and want to try everything new can afford and have access to. I have achieved a magic thing by playing with many amplifiers and my Neolith. I feel like I can talk at length about the best amps for them but this was simply because I love to try stuff out. If I had bought any speaker and just used one single amp, I might have been unhappy because I know there’s always something out there that I might prefer but that’s what keeps me going. i also feel like it is people like us (those who go through gear and post their comments) who really help a ton of other individuals that can’t buy many things at once. We tend to be the new platform for many because we aren’t getting paid anything. This allows me to share an intimate fact with you all: some magazines (big names) actually want you to buy many pages of advertising so you can be considered for a review. Each page is expensive to say the least (I was told about $10,000 per page) and that is a minimum. So this goes to show you how twisted things are out there that most of us don’t know about. This allows for reviews to be not 100% truthful because the magazine doesn’t want to lose return customers either. A lot of shadiness is going on between magazines and manufacturers. I firmly believe that pretty soon magazines will be just a history book that nobody wants to open up and read. Nobody wants to read those long, drawn out reviews that talk about the weirdest music, and have an anecdote within the review that nobody gives a crap about. I think the “old” audiophile is beginning to die off and the new generation is starting to shape where this industry heads. Guys, I see it with my own parents who have a hard time using the phone gps or calling an Uber. That’s the reality of what’s happening to the old generation and audio is no different. I cut cable tv a long time ago. Why? I hate commercials and I don’t want to watch shows when live tv wants me to. I want to watch my own content when it’s good for me and my lifestyle. I don’t have the damn time to read a 3 page review with a bunch of confusing vocabulary. Get to the point, say it’s strengths, weaknesses, gear used, who should buy it, who shouldn’t, and what other amps or components did it beat that you previously reviewed. How hard is that? And mind you, these dudes are getting PAID to do this. Give people the meat and potatoes. |
Greyhound, I’ve been through a long journey. I’ve come a very long way so by now I am extremely careful with what I hand pick. I don’t pick out amps that give me a bad gut feeling. Noticed how my last few amps have been pretty much world class amps? I don’t do the blind fold experience without doing my own homework. Also, at the level where I’m playing there’s hardly any bad amps. They are just different and present things totally different. Im not going to buy amps that I don’t have a good feeling about and for the most part my instinct tends to be right. That said, this six sense comes from years of experience with amplifiers. It’s not something you develop by reading magazines. One word of advice to all of you looking for your next amp: STOP JUDGING AN AMP WITHIN THE FIRST 5 MINUTES OF LISTENING. This is the best advice I can give you. Close your door, sit down and play song after song for hours at a time. 2-3 hours of playtime at a minimum and then switch to your other amp and your ears will immediately answer your questions. The ear, in my humble opinion has to “tune in or dial in” to the new sound and then it allows you to really hear what’s there or what’s missing. Remember my words that anything that sounds “omg amazing” might not be the same after hours of listening. |
As many of you know, I started this journey with multichannel amps because my initial passion was home theater. Anyhow, I just did a comparison of the marantz 8805 vs the McIntosh mx160. Yes, I was doing home theater tonight and I can’t deny what I hear. At over 3 times the price of the marantz 8805, the McIntosh mx160 just totally killed the marantz. I mean, the speakers behind my screen sound HUGE with the mx160, bigger soundstage and just far better separation. Even the imaging is on a whole different level. I was going crazy here trying to get my epson 6050 to look sharper and not “washed out”. I spent a lot of time trying to dial things and I couldn’t get things to look right. It was frustrating to say the least. Well, that’s all over once I connected the mx160. The marantz doesn’t pass a pristine video signal.... anyhow, yes it sounds 3x times better than the 8805. What an awesome machine. As a matter of fact, I am sitting here at 138am watching YouTube videos and I can’t get off the recliner. This never happened with the 8805. Anyhow, that is just a short summary on 2 pieces that are for home theater but I know there are some of you who love home theater processors. |
Guido: Cardas is known to be warmish and slow sounding. I was told using cardas could potentially slow down the speed these amps are known for. I am now going to hold off from buying cardas since i dont want to compromise one of the best attributes of this amp. Yes, the 118s are faster sounding than the 925s. No question about that. |
I’m trying room perfect for my home theater. I’m not going to be using a processor for my 2 channel. Remember, my 2 channel is totally independent of the home theater. I’m not doing any sort of theater pass through, etc. My 2 channel is my 2 channel and doesn’t need to be turned on while I watch a movie or viceversa. That’s how I ended up building this. I also forgot to mention that I ended up buying 4 audioquest nrg 20a outlets which I haven’t Installed. |
Hi Dave I’m not sure yet and unfortunately I can’t put the gryphon on it because it can fall over. I will need to evaluate future amps to see how they behave. One thing I want to publicly admit to is that I need swallow my words and thoughts when it comes to stands: THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE and even more at this level. Does this mean your denon receiver will sound better on it ? Probably but I think this only makes sense when the rest of your equipment justifies it. Don’t go buying a stand of this caliber instead of buying quality cables first. In my opinion, the stand and isolation devices need to be done towards the end. I am learning and I am here admitting that my entire perspective has changed. I noticed that some people here are somewhat hard-headed and refuse to accept change or see possibilities. The point here is also to learn and change your thought process when it comes to audio just like I am changing mine. Don’t think for a second that I haven’t bitten my tongue a few times because I have but I am fully capable of admitting to it and move forward while keeping an open mind. Sweet/smooth amps - AWESOME Dynamic/ neutral amps - AWESOME Let’s stop saying that if an amp is sweet that it sucks because it sugar coats things or if an amp is neutral that it sucks too because it sounds too sterile and cold. Those are simply personal opinions -nothing else. |
For those of you who need a long review of the 860a v2 read this: https://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/moon-860a-v2-power-amplifier If you are about getting to the point without having to read 3,000 words, watch my videos or read this thread :) |
@hedwigs. I don’t think anyone is remotely concerned about those amps for 2 reasons: 1. They are over 100k so I doubt anyone who follows my thread owns them 2. Often times manufacturers send prototypes to be reviewed so once something like what you pointed out is on a review, I highly doubt the manufacturer won’t do anything about it to correct it since it can impact their sales. I have to assume they fix the issue before they mass produce but I am sure that isn’t always the the case. Simaudio has been solid gear for me so I wouldn't be too concerned. Now, other brands like soulution, hegel , etc...I've heard that isn't the case. |