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 2 responses by pinwa

I have a Dennis Had Universal SET amp with a bunch of different tubes that I'm not using.  If you decide you want one you might PM me.  I've been too lazy to list in on US Audio Mart.

@jsbw  Actually, my Dennis Had Universal SET amp has got a new lease on life. I had never really paired it with a preamp with gain but recently I got an old Cary SLP-70 preamp that had been heavily modded and I liked it so much I decided to try it with the Had and it sounded pretty good. Then I saw a post somewhere about the Tung-Sol 7581A tubes sounding good with the Had and I bought a couple of those and it really brought the Had to life. Next I bought a pair of Tung-Sol EL34B’s and they really sounded good with the Had. So now I’m playing the Had all the time and I’m glad I never sold it. I’ve been having tons of fun rolling tubes. I think adding a good preamp with gain really changed how the Had sounded.  And the 7581A and EL34B tubes add a level of dynamics I hadn't heard before.

Which version did you just buy?