2. amps-preamps
  3. 1115858133

Subtlety ? do any American amps do it?

Not heard that many but it strikes me that everything from the colonies sounds a bit stark and bleached. Spent a year trying to come to terms with a Pass Labs which is vastly overated ( and I mean vastly), listened a lot
to Mark Levinson and thought Thank God I did not spend a fortune on that - clean, clear, hifi and so bereft of soul that it was like a visit to the Dentist !
I'm not that biased, it's taken Naim years to make something resembling music - PRAT ? until recently bunch of narrow minded PRATS.I know lots of Naim fans and their mindset belongs to the third reich !
UK companies like Meridian and Musical Fidelity have managed to do the bizz for at least 30 years that I've known/used and they still manage to make a noise that at least resembles real music. MF get tarred with a do it cheap brush but anyone who has heard their gear and says it's crap is probably a dealer who wants to sell you something at 3/4x the price.
The Brazilians do it a treat - Heard Audiopax 88s at the last Edinburgh show and if anyone there had ears, they should have packed up and went home - different league does not describe it.
Realise this is antagonistic but want some input.
Even the UK press seems blinkered to the crap - Pass, Krell
- whoah, nice hifi, shame there's nothing remotely musical involved, apart from the laughter as they take our hard earned money !

I have a Quicksilver phonostage - lovely and a great customer focused company, had a Lancelot Camelot, super and amazingly friendly & helpful people but go to the Big boys and it's just a money grabbing frenzy ?
I dreamed of a Pass Labs for years and ? my next amp will be coming from somewhere in Europe !

Si
simon74

Showing 1 response by audiofankj

audiofankj
373 posts
 
Have owned both the Quicksilver Linestage and their V4 monoblocks. While both are good, the preamp is easily bested by the First Sound Presence Deluxe Mk II, American as well. The V4 amps are bested by the H2o Signature Monoblocks by Henry Ho - also American. If you are looking for preamp or amp, that gets out of the way and allows the music to flow, not impede or put it's own character on it, I urge you to look into either the First Sound preamp, and/or even more emphatically the H2o Signature monoblocks.

Good luck on your search. I can agree with you on Pass, Krell, and disagree with you on Musical Fidelity- as with every audition I walk away unimpressed, just as with in home trials in the past. Everyone has their sonic "flavor"...
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