2. amps-preamps
  3. 174341-163603

Upgraded McCormack DNA-1 or Dennis Had Inspire SEP?

It’s make or break time. I need to make a decision about which direction I need to take regarding my next amplifier. I’m coming from a Jolida Fusion 3502P that I’ve spent the last year searching for the best tube combinations.

Do I keep the McCormack DNA-1 I just bought and save up to have it upgraded, or do I sell it and buy a new Insipre amp from Mr. Had? 

I have a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls, Better Cables silver serpent interconnects, high quality copper speaker cables, and I’m feeding them with a Marantz preamp, through which I feed almost all my music via Amazon/Heos.

Discuss. 

Thanks in advance.

jsbw

Showing 4 responses by charles1dad

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@jsbw

 My new Dennis Had Inspire arrived today.Holy SH!T this was the absolute right choice

Congratulations and welcome to the wonderful sounding genre of low power tube amplifiers.

Charles

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@ddd1

 I vote Inspire.  Mine was wonderful. Should have kept it but changed to less sensitive speakers and sold it to get SS.  Mistake

Live and learn.😊

Charles 

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

Tube rolling shouldn't be much of an issue as there  would just be a single output  and driver tube per channel. Simplicity of design and signal path is a strength of SEP/SET amplifiers. 

Charles 

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 

@jsbw 

Thing is, I just don’t know what the amp will sound like. I just dropped $1200 on it, and it sounds good, but not "the performer is in the room with me" good (because 25 year old amplifier). I was approaching that with my tube amp.

It your main priority is to achieve "performer is in the room with me" presentation I’d choose the SEP from the very talented Dennis Had. This recommendation assumes you have factored in your room size and desired/listening levels.

No amplifier does "everything " ideally so you have to know what you really want with clear and realistic acceptance. Given your apparent strong desire for convincing tactile presence, SEP without hesitation. The transistor DNA-1 may do certain other things better but not the reach out and touch flesh and blood tactile experience. My humble opinion.

Charles

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