Any chance you are a fan of Mannheim Steamroller? The Fresh Aire 7 album/CD is an excellent choice for dynamics and speed, synthetic bass. Listen to The 7 Metals of Alchemy and Conjuring the Number 7. Would love to hear your system playing one of these two tracks.
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!
20,890 responses
Yeah, I am spoiled and quite happy about it. Though I will never be able to afford $100k+ components but I always want to hear how top of the line or next level down models sound. I might be able to afford some used Wilson speakers and some used Gryphon/Soulution/D'Agostino/Boulder/Accuphase electronics at some point in time. I also now know even better than before that certain brands I am just not interested in. Yes, comparing, say, 10 presumably best integrated would make sense but it would be complicated because of potential match with speakers, you would need more than one pair of excellent speakers and probably not as big as Wilson Alexx and Magico M6. They are not really supposed to be driven by any integrated. |
In the past presentations I have not been familiar in any way with the equipment being presented very generously by Jay. I have listened to your latest youtube presentations and am left with the usual good impressions that you are regularly creating, left with the wish to hear the System in the Room. With the Soulution Amplifier now used within Jay's System, I can now say I am familiar with this 'Brand' as a Pre Amp' and Mono Block Power Amp' arrangement and have Auditioned them with both CD and Vinyl Sources through Maxonic TW1100 Mk II Speakers. I can't say how the Amp' Set Up I have very much enjoyed when heard, compares to Jay's own Set Up. One is heard via Youtube and the other in a Dedicated Listening Room I would like to think I have a impression in mind of what is on offer, due to my experience of being present when auditioning one of the Systems . I have heard the Soulution Amp's used to audition a variety of devices, some owned by myself, more so, I have heard them compared to a selection of Power Amplification from Commercial 211 Valves through to OTL Valve and Kit Built DIY Solid State. The Soulution Amp's are the Resident Amps in use at a HiFi Club Event I periodically visit, where members assemble from throughout the UK to present their projects they are working with. For me to attend this Event is a 400 Mile Round Trip, so it has to considered as to when a attendance can be arranged. It is a very good venue to meet and receive assessment from Professionals, i.e, HiFi Production Company Directors, Hi End HiFi Equipment Sales Representatives, Media Journalists through to very adept Enthusiast Builders. The Soulution Amp's I have heard are, as said, very impressive and can captivate a audience when the Source and Speakers in use is a match for their performance capabilities. I know Jay is only interested in off the shelf products, even though some are obscure and not easy to source. As a result the following might not appeal to his plans for presentations. A few years past I have heard a Neurochrome Monoblock Power Amplication used at the HiFi Club Event used as a Demonstration. The Neurochrome Demonstration was also a comparison to the Soulution Monoblock Power Amp's, as these were in use prior to the Amp exchange.. For the Short Duration of the presentation, the performance qualities between the Soulution / Neurochrome were almost indistinguishable, the two separate performances were extremely close. How this would be reported on as a extended comparison in a Home System might effect the outcome of the report. I know one thing, that is assured the cost of a Neurochrome and how it delivers is very attractive. The cost differences between the Neurochrome and other reputable Branded Power Amp's is broad. The Bang for Buck, VFM, element attached to the Neurochrome is a much wanted commodity. Since the Event referred to above, there has been a number of reports sent out by different individuals about the experience, with the result being, that a run on Neurochrome Builds has been taking place within the UK. I have been fortunate to have been able to hear a couple of different build versions ( prior to Covid ) in a few different systems. When compared to other Power Amplification that has been in use, each version auditioned leaves a positive impression and good memory. I would encourage a Neurochrome Audition, 'if possible to create' , as it might just prove a valuable offering as a option to your site visitors that can't extend their budgets to the limits of the usual equipment under review. |
For me the Magico M6 are a little too bright with a neutral amplifier so I found the Pass Labs to be a better match for the M6 vs Soulution. Could definitely see the Soulution/M6 combo becoming fatiguing after time based on the Liberty song - perhaps that why no long listening sessions with that combo. That’s why I had asked the question about the general house sound character of Soulution, not being familiar with the brand myself. I suspect with Wilson Alexx I’d have preferred Soulution over Pass Labs though, meaning I don’t think the Pass Labs is a better amp than the Soulution, only that it pairs better with brighter speakers,, especially based on how great Alexx sounded with Boulder/Gryphon, themselves neutral amps (hardly warm, to say the least). Anyway, probably those Be tweeters are great for older audiophiles with some high frequency hearing loss or for those who prefer a brighter sound, but for me they can be too piercing (same with Focal, Paradigm Persona). I like the soft domes better. Personal preference. Didn’t like the old Wilson metal Focal tweeters either, for reference. Probably with mixing and matching you can get to a similar sound either by using a warm amp with bright speakers or a neutral amp with neutral speakers. I prefer the latter, such as a Boulder/Wilson combo or Gryphon/Wilson (still think the Collosseum/Sasha DAW was damn good, right up there with anything). Of course one person’s bright is another’s neutral, that goes without saying but if I don’t say it someone will jump on me so there it is, disclaimer done, haha. |
Ever wonder what beasts such as Gryphon and Boulder would do to a revealing speaker like Magico? what about tube amps like ARC 160M? there is SO MUCH MORE we can try with this speaker. Nobody buys a speaker and nails it 100% of the time with with the electronics they already own. Part of buying a speaker is also "accommodating" it with the best electronics for it. |
My predictions have kinda sucked lately but I’ll go out on a limb and predict: 1) The amp that you already have that is leading to long listening sessions with the M6 is Audio Research Reference 160M’s. 2). The amp that is being built and will be ready in June or whenever is Gryphon Mephisto Solo monos. 3). Based on how awesome the ARC Reference 160M’s are, you will eventually get the ARC Reference 750 SELs, or more likely the 750 SE’s. There you go. Three random predictions based on gut instinct. Let's see if any of them are on target |
You can wrap the speaker in pink, purple or any color you wish. Just as an fyi, i hope to do a 3 way shoot out of 3 different preamps. One of them is the XP32 and we will throw it under fire against a linestage that retails for twice the price and then against another one that is almost 3 times the price of the XP32. How will the xp32 do? i guess we shall find out... |
but NOTHING is being said anymore about the cheaper offerings such as the DAW, Parasound JC1, etc. Is anyone else here not capturing this? I was criticized in the past for only bringing expensive components and right now i feel like people want me to bypass all that and get to the serious electronics... Isn't that funny? :) |
I still don't understand why Gryphon doesn't sell as much as it should. Gryphon and Boulder are easily my top 2 Amplifier brands. If i were looking to become a dealer, gryphon would be the first brand I'd pursue. I remember when I started getting curious about gryphon a few years back. Once i bought my first Gryphon product, there was no going back. Only boulder has been able to enter the ring with Gryphon for me. Everyone else has gotten smoked. |
If many of the potential buyers are like me, Gryphon does not engage, it kind of plays itself, the entire system becomes one big Gryphon. Some will like it and will get Gryphon, others will not. Boulder is completely different, in my impression. At this price level people expect near perfection, and rightly so. |
I listened to several posted clips of the recent gear with ZMF Verites and Bakoon headphone amp. Was able to hear differences pretty well. Thought the big Wilson’s sounded great but the Magicos sound considerably more open. Was not thrilled with the Boulders. Thought they had an electronic edge. Much preferred the Gryphon. Great grip and musical. Surprised by the Pass XA 60.8s. Not quite the grip of the Gryphon but very musical with a slight pleasing warmth. Definitely nicer than the Boulders at a fraction of the price. My 2 cents... |
It looks like we have someone who prefers Magico and Gryphon and wasn't too impressed by Boulder. It also looks like someone heard my M6 and is now about to pull the trigger on the M3 after he realized the baby 60.8s can be used to drive the M6 without an issue. Tomorrow's video will be quite interesting for many of you. You get to hear an opinion from someone who was in my room this past weekend. He will share what he heard and why he chose the amplifier he liked best. |
I would have to make further enquiries to be accurate on reporting if the 500 or 700 Soulution Model was used as the Main Amplification on the day. The Soulution Mono Block Amp's in use on this day were only one set of Monoblock Power Amp's, Soulution equipment was not being compared to each other, as this was a enthusiasts day out, at a venue that belongs to a Purveyor of HiFi Devices. The Resident System on the premises has very desirable Hi End Devices in use. Additionally I know the System in use has a multiple Thousand ££££'s IC Cable and Mains Power supporting the interfaces. Because of the Quantity of Devices brought along for the day. The Turnover of Devices undergoing a review on one of these days, usually has a play time / audition, limited to Three Tracks of the Device owners choice. This is enough time to understand if similarities are to be noticed or differences are perceived. It is not enough of a Time Allowance for a person with a keen interest to be Analytical in a assessment during the comparison. |
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Wow those new Wilson Alexx V’s are gorgeous https://wilsonaudio.com/products/alexx/alexx-v fly yellow, WC, get on it! |
I recommend two monoblocked Yamaha P2250’s. Have a local Yamaha dealer go through them check and update what needs to be addressed. You may possibly need to instal newer quieter fans. But these amps are relatively inexpensive and sound fantastic! I sold my BAT VK-200 and VK-500. Sold my Conrad Johnson Premier 350. I’m perfectly happy! They drive my Thiel CS6’s wonderfully. All the detail. Never harsh. Super solid bass. If you can find them, two should cost you no more than $600. Add another $100-200 per unit for servicing and you’ll be surprised. Give’em a try! :-) |
Shocking! The dealer preferred the brands he sells! Well I said I thought the Pass paired better as well, so not trying to say he’s wrong in this case. Just predictable. Although he would not admit that the M6 sounded bright with the Soulution, and instead blamed it on the amp. It’s to be expected, of course, I’m not naive, but just remember any dealer is VERY biased towards what they sell, so take it with a grain of salt. Now when they comment on two brands that they sell, that is where it can be interesting. Good video though. Interesting despite the inherent bias, which would go for any dealer generally speaking |
Oh, okay. I just looked at his website and didn’t see Soulution as a brand. If he names a brand that he doesn’t sell then I will eat crow, sure. I’m hoping it’s audio research so that my prediction yesterday will be correct. That would be an amazing prediction if indeed he brought you ARC stuff to test, because until this video today you had not mentioned that the amp came from him or given any hints as to what it was, other than that it was really good. And especially since 95% or more of the amps you get are solid state, not tubes. Maybe 99%. |
One of my favorite lines from Alon Wolf, which I completely agree is; Understanding a well-executed, low-distortion design will fundamentally change the way you listen to music!! People who think that beryllium tweeters that are properly implemented are bright sounding, are simply wrong in my opinion and most likely have issues elsewhere in the system. I've been listening to some BE Bliesma's for a while now and will never turn back to silk. My 2 cents, now back to your regular program, Cheers, Don |