2. amps-preamps
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Trying to find an amp that matches my tastes (aka death metal)

So I think I am ready to change my set up/upgrade.

My current analog chain is VPI Prime (Orto 2m Bronze) > MX-VNYL > PrimaLuna Prologue Classic > Zu Omen DW mkII. Digital is Rega Apollo > PrimaLuna Prologue Classic > Zu Omen DW mkII

I feel like I am ready to move into separates and have my eyes on either the Schiit Freya + / Aegir monoblocks or a Rogue RP-1 / First Watt J2.

The issue I have is access to local dealers and also my musical tastes.

Not discounting people's likes, but so much of the audio world is geared towards Rock/Classical/Jazz and I have a very difficult time finding reviews that cite death metal/hardcore/trash metal. I also listen to a good deal of scores and jazz, but a large potion of my time is spent with bands that sound like the following:

Gorguts - Obscura

Death - Lack of Comprehension

Mare Cognitum - Weaving The Thread Of Transcendence
The issue I feel I am having is that I am not hearing much detail or clarity. Some of that might be down to the recordings, but I am wondering if there is a different set up? Would a move to tube/SS help? or all SS? Maybe a SS amp and a passive pre?

I don't feel I want to chase warmth, I'd rather feel like I am at a show or in the recording studio, if that makes sense.

Any help is appreciated!
kcdd

Showing 2 responses by gloriousunicorns

gloriousunicorns
16 posts
 
And don’t know if you know this band, but In This Moment is great. But the recordings suck. I often use their music (especially the first 3 albums) to gauge where my system is going in terms of harshness. On certain systems, the high frequencies are really really harsh and the dynamic compression is really fatiguing. If you listen to their music on your current system and it doesn’t bother you, than that’s fine. But if it does, you might have to move towards a more forgiving direction for your system. 
gloriousunicorns
16 posts
 
Hey KCDD, 
I am not familiar with the electronics you are have now with your Omens, but I am very familiar with where you’re coming from. I own many pairs of speakers and lot of Zu’s. And I listen to a lot of metal. My system changes frequently but about half the time, I find that most of my metal music is unlistenable. Most of it is just really poorly recorded and some gear just really showcases that. 

If I were you, my next step would be to try the Schiit gear with the Omens. The Aegir was compared to the First Watt SIT3 in a Stereophile review and he called the Aegir about 80% of the SIT3 (paraphrasing). I don’t think you need the mono blocks though cause the Omens can get insanely loud with little effort. I heard the Omen DW’s at the most recent CapFest and Zu played them so loud, the walls of the humongous conference room were shaking. And then I asked Sean, “about how many watts you think are going into the speakers now?” He said probably 30. My phone SPL meter said 120 dB and I was 15 feet away. And it was still really clean sounding. You don’t need a lot of power to get those going. 

I understand what a lot of the other responses you were getting, saying that the gear doesn’t care what genre you play. That’s true. But different genres vary in recording quality. And most metal is recorded piss poor unfortunately. So it does matter what you pair with your speakers. I say upgrade the gear but keep the speakers for now. I’ve gone through a lot of gear and it’s hard to beat the Omen DW’s for anywhere close to that money. 
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