2. amps-preamps
  3. 126624-10101

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!


jays_audio_lab

Showing 50 responses by mrdecibel

mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, it has been my experience, with my client base, that any of them wanting 2 channel music, to be at it's best, would find a way to have 2 separate systems, another, of course, for home theater. This was my point. As much as you have spent on the 2 channel gear, why would you not want to have a 100 %, perfectly designed 2 channel audio room, but are willing to make a few sacrifices. No one considers 9K power cords, willing to accept compromise, or to sacrifice details that the cords themselves brings out. I wish you the best, always. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Although I am a 2 channel guy, I must admit, an excellent home theater rig can easily eliminate going to the movies often. However, I am yet to hear a home theater system as good as several movie theaters I visit, so why bother. That can be said about live performances, vs. listening to those same performers on a hifi rig. How many times can I watch ( and listen ) to Terminator ? For me, it is not the same as listening to Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue, Herbie Hancock’s Headhunter, or the Allman Brothers Live at the Fillmore East, which I can listen to, many times over. Music draws me in. Movies draw me in. But once I see a movie, I am not as drawn in the 2nd or 3rd time I see it, unlike music. But, I do understand the desire to want, and to have, both. And, if wc gets to a level with this new room, where his 2 channel rig sounds " as good " as it does now, he will be doing good. Not hearing his current set up, and I do believe his current room is very cramped for a pair of Neos, wc might even get better 2 channel, even with the negative effects of combining the 2 formats together. Besides, the home theater will be for wc, and the family, so in a way, everyone will be happy. And let’s face it. We all want to be happy. So, only positivity from me, with the future build of wc’s room. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
You have posted, another picture of the 925s, when you had the Wilsons, just as a reminder. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, before I go to the pool on this glorious, Florida sunshiny day, I wanted to ask a question. You mentioned the equipment, stating the Lampi  and the pre are both in the system, but you then mention you are enjoying the Lampi feeding the amps. Which is it, please, for my clarity ? And, if you are enjoying the Lampi as a pre, into the 925s, why are you, in such a short amount of time, thinking of the Rowland pre ? Since I have been reading this thread of yours, you seem not to have patience in leaving things alone, and ime, not giving anything long enough time to break in. Not trying to be the devils advocate here, and as always, I enjoy reading your thread. Will return later. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
After reading all the available reviews so far on the Merrill amps, specifically by those reviewers hearing all of the 3 models, and of course, even from Merrill, the consensus has been, the 118s are,  without question, the best of the three. So, at the " reasonable cost " to wc, I cannot imagine why wc would not get the 118s, which is my guess.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
viber, why you think a system with excellent slam and soundstaging, cannot have detail and clarity, is beyond me. I believe wc is getting it all, but as YOU appreciate detail and clarity more than other attributes, HE is enjoying slam and soundstaging as his favorite attributes. You seem to be doing it all over again, stating how wc should listen more like you. Enough ! And, listening at 110 db when you were 25, I do not believe that for one minute. Not based on EVERYTHING you have ever stated about loud listening. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
rsf507. I am with you, unless some particular recordings have certain characteristics ( overly eq'd, poorly mic'd ) that make you want to " turn it down ". 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, " detail is there but not as obvious "...or..." I hear things that weren't as apparent " with the Constellation set up . which is it ? … viber, I have never known " slam " to be a characteristic of tubes, as you say tubes are known for that ( ime ). Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Hey Guido. I am not questioning " slam " in music. I just never experienced ( with maybe the one exception, of some Jadis 500s ), slam, from tube power amplifiers, in the same way I have heard with big solid state amplifiers, such as some Krells, Brystons, or a pair of Parasound JC1s, even through efficient horns. viber continues with " loose bass " as a description of tube amps. I am just reading some inconsistencies and contradictions. Keep in mind, " slam ", as a characteristic in audio system music reproduction, is a term " we ", the audiophile community, made up. My own interpretation of slam is likely different from others. All good. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, thank you for the explanation.....but I am believing, you are saying the Constellation is simply giving you more of everything. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
viber, it is obvious " slam " is a confusing word to you. I needed to " call you " on it. It's all good ! Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, " bass is still not as " muscular " as the Gryphons and Constellation ".  I must have missed a few pages. When did you have the Gryphons ?
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
So, the Gryphon Diablo 300 was the 2nd most muscular of all the amps wc had ( through the Neos ) ? I would like to hear that from WC, as I do not think that is the case. WC mentioned he almost purchased Gryphon separates, so I am assuming he heard a Gryphon amp / pre set up ( Mephisto and Pandora ). Viber, I need to disagree, that an amp that has more muscularity in the bass, would be " associated with some loss of upper midrange and HF clarity ". That has not been my experience, with many " brute force " amps I have owned, and have listened to. Having greater control, extension and speed, of woofers ( muscularity of bass ), is an " addition to ", the mids and highs, not instead of. Can you give me an example of an amp that does this ? I am not talking about amps that do not have muscularity, as there are many. YMMV. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, it has been my experience, that leaving equipment on, " without a signal playing through them ", is only halfway there, to hearing them open up. As always, enjoy the ride....
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
I believe when someone states " it is the best ", they are stating, it is their # 1 personal preference over something, or, everything else, that they have experienced. So, it is kind of the same thing. However, I would like to point out, again, and as most already know, that audio is, a very individualistic hobby, and what is best for one person, may not be for another. Example : Speakers. Planar, Electrostatic, Dynamic and Horn loaded ( if I left something out, sorry ). WC has selected his best, and I certainly have selected mine. So, happy listening to all. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
jafox, the link above is not working for me, but, it needs to be posted in the analog section. bigdesign3, as I have stated a bit above, and pokey acknowledged it, what is good for one is not always good for another. I will never use a preamp again, as, the extra gain, " for me ", would be ( and has been ) detrimental to system sq. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
viber 7. Excellent post, and this made for very interesting, sensible and intelligent reading. What is so interesting to me, however, is for a fraction of the price for so much of this gear ( and I owned some of it and heard much of it ), owning Klipsch Heritage for 50 years, nothing, ime, satisfies me the way PWK designs do. Granted, stock Klipsch, even the newest, have a few weaknesses. But, with a few modifications, tweaking, and updating, they are stellar, and do more right, than wrong. Perfect, likely not. My ears, at 65, although still excellent, are not perfect. My room, although excellent, is not perfect. And, the recordings ? Absolutely not. But do they deliver a fine performance, with ALL genres of music ? Absolutely. And, with the benefit of eliminating a gain stage, and another ability to use a smaller, simpler amplifier, which we all know sounds better in terms of detail and clarity than huge behemoth counterparts, for ME, it is a win win. Sorry for my little rant......Enjoy ! everyone. Always, MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, is it money, the wife, or space ? LOL
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
viber6, I will make you an offer you can't refuse...lol
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
As far as WC, and his new room. This is his 1st foray into having "  his own room ", and even if it is not perfect ( no room is, nor has been, ime ), wc will enjoy whatever he is listening to, to a greater extent than before, because of the freedoms he will now have, without the worries of disturbing others, 24 / 7. I cannot play music at 3 AM, at my desired levels, as my neighbors will likely hear it. I am assuming wc isolated his room in this way. However, ime, the pressurization of the room could be a problem, as I believe, this has been mentioned previously. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Hello WC, and all. A trick used in the audio video installation world when it came to in wall speakers, was connecting a 9 Volt battery to the wires at the amplifier end. This would not only check for the speakers working or not, but for polarity as well. Good at garage sales, too. I need to disagree about a mirror behind the listening seat. Not a good move. WC, I am wondering if you can remove the ML in wall fronts, close up the walls, and get surface mount speakers, or add back boxes, as to eliminate the issue of not disturbing the wife. This was, in fact, one of the reasons you did all of this; independence. I understand it is a hassle, an added expense, and an extra delay of time, but this room / situation, is, for a lonnnnng time. Just my 2 cents again. Congrats on the room. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
@briano, yes, I knew it was satire, and responding to the rear mirror thing was my way of adding to it. viber 6 has been posting this way forever, so I get it. I do admire viber 6’s passion, and, some of the things he says is intelligent, and makes sense. Some.... As far as WC and the front in wall speakers, he has to do something to remedy the situation. No doubt about it. Obviously an oversight, which I feel, briano, or I, would never have over looked, with our backgrounds and experience, in system setup, and, room isolation. I do however, feel, sheet metal is not as beneficial as a wood box, and this has been my experience. Room / listener isolation, was a huge factor for WC to do this project, so I cannot imagine him not fixing it. I hope he does.....Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
FYI....Pair of Neoliths here on the "Gon, like new store demos in California, at 1/2 price, with full 5 year manufacturers warranty. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, based on your statement, I am assuming, over the years, people have low balled you on some of your listed gear. 50% off retail is a very good price for someone who would be interested in a pair, which is why I posted the fyi. I would think the dealer might be breaking even at this price, but are priced aggressively to move them, as they do take up room on their showroom floor. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC... room is looking good ! Well done, my son.... Ron17, I got your sarcasm, and lmao !  Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
The Volti Audio Vittora, with the ELF ( the sub ). Not sure you ever had a chance to listen to it, but that would be the speaker I would buy at $30K. But, it is a horn speaker ( a full horn design, not a hybrid ), and I am biased in that direction, and have been for over 50 years ( that is longer than you have been on this earth WC, if I am not mistaken ), lol. And, you could use the smallest wpc output amp of any manufacturer ( Merrill 114 vs. pr. of 118 ), with headroom to spare. A completely different presentation to the Neolith, but, as always, ymmv. As always, WC, enjoy, and keep up your wonderful thread. Thanks for all the hard work. MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
gt, that might be possible, or, it just might be the " system " as a whole, for what it's worth, that made it least memorable. Merrill pre's and amps are designed to work together ( voltage, impedance, as most manufacturers ), so to single out the preamp, would be a guess, as cables, the electrical set up, or even the nature of the Class D of the 118s, could be as much of a factor, as the preamp. imo and ime, even though I have not heard the 3 systems you heard. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Jeff Rowland, since his beginnings, has always designed equipment, to be warm and smooth, which has been a trademark of his. In my earlier days, I remember he wanted to create amps and pre amps with " tube like " qualities, without the drawbacks of tubes ( he is not the only ss designer who does, and this in itself can be another thread, but not here ). All of these brands typically have a house sound. The way " I " see it ( hear it ), I buy equipment, based on the music I enjoy listening too. Much of my music has become digitized, and the newer music, no question about it, is digitized. I wish every recording I owned, sounded as realistic, and smooth, as the three recordings by Tony Minasian ( the man behind Tonian Labs ), or by Chesky, Reference Recordings, Sheffield Labs, Blue Note, ECM, and Verve, just to name a few. With every piece of gear we purchase, it should be understood that we are all at the mercy of the recording companies, who’s recordings we purchase, download, or stream. I remember a discussion I had with viber 6 ( I believe this was through a private email exchange we shared, which he is, of course, free to comment on, if he reads this post of mine). Or maybe, it was here on this thread, as I really do not remember. I suppose I am one of those " old people " WC just referred to. If I remember correctly, viber stated that, only a handful of recordings he owned, accurately portrayed the " sound " of the violin. If this was because of poor miking, equalization, compression ( or whatever ), the fact is, we are all at the hands of the record companies, and labels. So, what to do. What I do is, I listen for the " musicianship ", the " playing ", and the " artistry ", of the musicians and performers. Example...I would rather hear an excellent, live, " tight, on the money " performance, of a group, band, or orchestra, in an environment, where the acoustics were just so so, as opposed to these same musicians, where, much more practice was needed, or the performers stayed out all night drinking and doing other things, as it showed, in the performance, but the acoustical space, was wonderful. I come from two backgrounds, which are being an audiophile, and a performer. It IS the music that matters. I know so many people, in and out of the audio industry, that only play / listen to " state of the art recordings " ( we all own some, as I mentioned above ), but, I want to listen to all of my recordings. In other words, recordings that are so so, to good, to very good, and of course, excellent, but where the performances are top notch ( many are studio albums, with over dubs ). Labels such as Columbia, MCA, Warner Bros., A &M, CBS, Sony, RCA Victor, Atlantic, EMI, Epic, and, so many more. I would not expect many of these recordings on these labels, to be played, today, at shows, as any of us who have been to / involved in shows, can attest to ( of course, back in the day, songs such as " Money for Nothing ", or " In the Air Tonight ", have been. In fact, I used a track from a Roger Waters cd, when I was doing the demos for Jadis, at the "96 N.Y. Waldorf Stereophile show ( the Eurythmie designer wanted me to play it many more times than I had anticipated over the 3 days, and, at levels, that I even thought was a bit too much, as we were getting complaints from other exhibitors ). I should not have played it for him during Thursday’s set up. But, I digress. Pretty much every recording I listen to, allows me to " get into it ", stay involved, and invites me to continue listening, instead of me thinking, what can I do, or get, that can make all of this better. Being around the block several times, I know there is better. Always will be. It is my opinion, that many folks, are chasing the horses tale, and will continue to do so. I see it as unfortunate, but for some, such as WC, and some others I read here, it is a blessing, as he ( they ) are having fun, and the journey of equipment " differences ", seem to be as much fun, as the music, itself. Of course, we lower income, older folks, get to read all about it. Sorry this was very long......Did I just read that the Neoliths are leaving ? On one hand, I am very surprised, and on the other, I am thinking, what took so long.... WC, still, a great thread, and much comradery ( unless people might negatively respond the my post, so who knows ? )... Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, it is a " sixth "sense that you possess, just like the movie. At the beginning of your journey, I felt you did not give amplifiers enough time to settle, nor, did you use any after market power cords ( even some under $100 cords were beefier than the supplied, wimpy cords you were using ). I remember a Plinius amp you were listening to, and for your readers here, reviewing. I stated that, Plinius,  recommended a 20 amp circuit to supply that particular model with enough juice to run it properly. Your response to me was a bit arrogant, unfriendly, uninformed, and showed what little experience you had. You said something like, " no amplifier should be needing more watts than a standard outlet ", and " no way am I changing the electrical in my home, just for an amplifier ". I also commented, several times, that your listening room was too small, specifically during your ownership of the Neoliths. My point of all of this ? As someone with plenty of audio experiences, with recorded and live music ( beginning when I was 8 yrs old, in the early sixties ), my professional audio background, and, someone who also feels he possesses that sixth sense, which I developed, over many years, I want to say....YES, you have come a long way, and, in a big way. In such a short amount of time. But years ? How many years, actually, as it must seem like a lifetime. This post, WC, should be taken as a compliment, but I do feel, you have more to experience, and learn. This new, dedicated room, should give you most of the tools you will need, to begin your next chapter of your journey, as you know by my postings, that I feel, the room ( construction, size, acoustics, equipment / speaker set up, etc. ) is almost everything, when putting together any high end system, from moderate, to skies the limit, where you are at. I feel you should install the Neos in this new room, before they go, because, as I have said so many times, you have not heard them yet. Getting the room " out of the way ", is like taking a band aid off. I am so sorry, I do not know what has gotten into me, with so many ideas, and so much writing...Enjoy ! MrD. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
zprr... you are bringing tears to my eyes... really... thank you. With some hardships in my life ( as most of us experience some hardship ), I am feeling blessed, lately, as, I grew up with a loving dad, who loved listening to music; I worked in an industry, that was also my hobby, and completed, an every day pass time, to get in some music listening, even if it was a single album side. Someone said, " Music Soothes The Savage Beast ". It is actually a misquote, taken from an English poet, William Congreve, from the late 1600's, " music hath charms to soothe the savage breast ". I remember the first time I heard this ( the misquote ). It stuck, and I find it true. Again, TY zprr, Always, and Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
G. well said, as we discussed all of this in length on the phone. It is well known that characteristics in recordings, such as spatial positioning of the musicians, hall ambiance, holographic, and other " terms " created by the infamous Harry Pearson (and others ), are generally artificial ( particularly studio recorded ), and so many folks crave the enhancement of these characteristics, trying to make their systems disappear. My system can easily disappear. But, I need to be able to follow the tempo of a bass player, playing in sync, along with the other two or three musicians within a recording, or I easily lose interest, quickly. So many systems, with too much, or too little sub information ( bass ), or some systems using additional subs, can be so out of whack in this particular area, that I, again, lose interest. A prime reason " I " cannot use a tube amp ( so unfortunate, as I run Lasscalas ), because I am so critical of the damping characteristics ( what I consider woofer control ) between speakers and amp ( s ). I have a recording by Eddie Gomez, on the Denon Label, titled " Gomez " Eddie Gomez ( awesome music, extremely well produced, and a recording I use as a basis for system set up ), that truly portrays his playing of his stand up bass. Many so called excellent amplifiers, need to be " just right " in the control of his playing, and there are vast differences between many of them. Non are bad amplifiers. It is just that, an amp that works well with one speaker, can be, well, just not as good on another. This is all, part of system matching for me; not just tone, depth, height, etc. The uniformity of the musicianship, the playing, the tightness, the starting and stopping, of the pace, rhythm and tempo. Anyway, all of this is repetitive. G. Always great communicating with you, as I know wc has no problem, because it does center around his thread, which is no longer just an amp thread, but a " system matching " thread. I am so proud of wc, as I mentioned earlier. He has come so far, in, an amazingly, short amount of time. *** I wish Mr. Merrill would send me a 114 amplifier, to listen to, and evaluate. Are you reading this, Mr. Merrill ( I was a beta tester, for years, for many manufacturers ). I am ready ! ***   Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Backtracking to the Part Time Audiophile review of the 118s, mentioned by RIAA, I need to indicate a few things. The reviewer, Richard Mak, was also the reviewer of the Peak Consult Dragon Legends speakers, exclusively used during his Merrill review, for Mono Stereo, in early 2018, after living with these speakers, for 10 months, and ultimately buying. I really and truly, encourage everyone here, to read Mr. Mak’s speaker review ( a 10 - 15 minute read ). It is a fascinating, and very well written review. I read this speaker review when it became available, but after reading his review of the Merrill, I needed to go back and read the speaker review again. I would like to express my feelings of the Merrill review, and get other peoples opinion on the review, but only after the P.C.D L. speaker review is read. It is totally relevant to this thread, and the Merrill 118s. Thank you, and Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
I dare to say this, but I do not feel, WC, can settle for a speaker, as of yet. Too much available, and he will need to go through many, as he has, with amps. Again, just my opinion, and I hope, for his sake, I am wrong. Whatever he gets, he will be settling, with something. I am surprised he sold his Neo’s, based on all of the things he enjoyed about them. No speaker is perfect, and he has not figured that out yet. Has wc figured out yet, what his priorities are ?............WC, please, forgive me. Always, and Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Hey WC, did you purchase the Merrill combo , or is it still on loan ? ....icz2456....what you accomplished in a small space is very nice....
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, using tube amplifiers, you will miss the bass slam, and control....but, you will likely enjoy everything else...Do you still have the Merrill gear on loan ? I have to say, it is a long time, for a manufacturer / dealer, to loan gear out. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
WC, yes, you spend big bucks....yes, you connect it all....yes, you give, and take opinions ( very much appreciated with your journey, and the fun you are having ).......but not everybody ( me ) are students of yours, or feel " behind " you. Please do not take this the wrong way.....I am still a follower. Enjoy ! and stay safe.....always, MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
" Sultan’s of Swing " is a very processed recording, and anyone arguing how it should sound, is simply being ridiculous, imo ( no offense folks ). Another thing.......If only the amp stand was the " variable " during this comparison, I would pay attention to the implied results found by everyone....power cords, as we know, and particularly, at this level, play a big part of a product’s performance ( in this case power amps ), so a true comparison, is flawed, twice. When I evaluate a component, whatever it may be, I need to do it, with as few variables as possible ( generally, the singular component itself ), to make a fair and honest judgement, of my findings, and this , with many years of listening experience and education. Besides, we are all different, in our hearing, our wants, likes, and needs.....so Enjoy !
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Speaking of Tekton, if you read those threads, many folks, including professional reviewers, replaced 30K speakers with the DIs. Now, you have models above those, in which DI owners, have upgraded to. If WC does get the CW 4s, I feel he will be hearing a speaker, that can still use some work ( damping the horns ( mids and tweets ), cabinets, woofer frames, and a few other tweaks, that I know, will get them to another level ). I am guessing the Tekton Ulfs or Encores, as WC wants something that is changing the market, and Tekton, is that company ( yes, this comment, from a Klipsch Heritage guy ). Tekton has the 60 day return, so he will only be out the shipping cost back. This is my guess. Anyway, he is late on the reveal, so, let us get back to the man himself......WC......BTW, I am still, yet to hear the DIs, and up, and that is fine, as I am very happy with the musical performances I hear, with each moment I listen......
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
@riaa.......that size and weight, would not bother me........you might be the only person who has the bigger audio equipment addiction, over wc......he, at least, " opens and plays ", with the gear.....lol......
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
I apologize to anyone, and everyone, with my demeanor. The truth of the matter is, we will always be limited by the recordings, and their processes. The audio equipment purchase merry go round, will never satisfy many, because those folks are trying to achieve something that I believe, to be impossible, with recorded music ( in the great majority of cases ). I have been there, done that, and, I understand the limitations of, and accept, the recordings, as they are ( a reason I am strictly passive at the preamp stage ). I know so many " audiophiles ", who only listen to the " best recorded music ", which is, as far as I am concerned, unfortunate. I am sorry for any negativity I have shown. Music is, and should be, a fun and enjoyable experience. I find this to personally be the case. 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
I am not located at the microphone placement of a recording venue, when I attend a live performance. I am not in the studio, when my favorite musicians, and the accompanying producers, are doing their thing, making the music. Same, when the engineers and mixers are doing their thing. 50 years buying and listening to recorded music, as well as going through much gear over that time, I know I am listening to recordings, and not, the real thing. It does not matter how much one spends on equipment, as exhibited here. A poor recording, is exactly that, a poor recording. And a great recording, is again, just that, a great recording. What is never spoken about here, except for me, viber 6, and Guido ( unless I missed something, or someone ), is listening to the " emotional content " of the composers, and the players, which stands out, whether the recording is good, or bad. I can, and enjoy, listening to my recordings that are poor, because I listen past all of that other dribble spoken about. Yes, I own gear with superior sq, and more revealing of details, over a table top Bose all in one system. As long as I can hear the musicianship, which is why I listen to music to begin with, and I feel the performance is " accurate ", to me, I am fulfilled. I enjoy reviewers who talk about this, as not many, do. The simpler the system ( less gain stages, less room interaction, etc.), the more of this, is revealed. Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
ron, I disagree. There is a return policy, for a reason. WC would send them back, within the return period, if he did not like them. He does hold on to some stuff for more than 60 days ( the Wilson's, as an example ). He does borrow gear, on occasion. Only a handful of folks, based on all that I have read, have sent back Tekton speakers.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
You TEASE ! 
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Ron 17.....anyone who buys a product, with an in home trial, and a money back guarantee, is doing exactly that ( reviewing and analyzing ), except, they are doing it, for themselves. WC is a human being, and you are making him sound like he is not. Just my opinion, again.....no need to harp on it any more. Always, and Enjoy !
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Nothing I have heard on WC’s videos, compares to what I am hearing in my own listening room. I am sure, this is due, to the limitations of YouTube, and, my laptop system. The Wilson’s, no doubt, sound more open and spacious, than these do....so far.......
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Tekton is my guess, although, not hearing them, I can only base it, on how they are described, by those who have heard / own them.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Yes, grey, I am with you, as I cannot fault them, with transients and dynamics. But, as Kren says, they sound much smaller.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
viber, I prefer my star quad 14 gauge CL3 speaker cable, over many more expensive brands and model cables I have tried, although, never tried the level WC and some others have tried.....but I must agree with everyone above. 18 gauge zip cord, does not give me that " fullness ", that " meat on the bones " punch, that I enjoy so much, and feel, is necessary, for the reproduction of music, I am looking for. 18 gauge speaker wire feels squeezed of dynamics, and yes, very bright, which to you, is detail. But, not full range coherent, to me. However, so you feel better, I am using 16 gauge cable to feed my wall bracketed patio speakers.....btw, I know Pierre from Mapleshade, and I understand what he listens for, as I feel I know what you listen for....but remember, this hobby is all about how different we all are, as listeners, with different sets of priorities. All good......Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
Draw 1000 watts each just idling.......the power company will love you ! The heat in the room ? Higher ac use, too.....not for me, thx.....but, as always, wc....Enjoy ! MrD.
mrdecibel
3,137 posts
 
" It feels as if each performer articulates everything much better ". Finally, a description I can relate to..........
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