Last week we had a very enjoyable day up in the mountains trying different things on Ed (Edgar)Krammer’s (reviewer for 6 moons, Australian hifi and Audio Esoterica) system which consists of an AMR CD-777 flagship CDP a pair of Parasound JC1’s and a pair of Wilson Alexia’s.
Preamps we had on hand were Supratek Grange, Nuforce all discrete flagship Reference P20, and a passive preamp.
All were used via the rca inputs on the JC1’s as we were only using 2mt interconnects and also didn’t want the extra circuitry of balanced inculded the signal path, as the AMR is tube output and TDA1541 convertor and therefore really single ended anyway even though I think it has token balanced outputs.
The one that came out on top was the passive, by quite a margin, for top to bottom transparency, dynamics, drive, and top (delicacy) to bottom (tight) extension.
The JC1’s controlled those hard to drive Alexia’s like they were born for it, with the extended Class A switched to on they were delicate, sweet and extended when needed, holographic midrange with real body to it, and controlled slamming subterranean bass to the depths of the earth.
.Cheers George