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Chalice audio 'grail' SET monoblocks |
If you are going to consider Spectral, I would add the DMA 260 to your list. I know at least 2 people that bought the 260 over the 360 Series 2. Hard to believe a 10k amp competes with the upper tier you are exploring but apparently it does.
Good luck on your quest and congrats on the Q5's! |
From your list, it would be between Spectral and VAC for me.
You need to listen to all of the contenders with your Magico's at this level however. |
I `d love the opprotunity to hear this speaker driven by either the VAC 450 or the Chalice Audio Grail mono blocks.
I`ve heard Magico with the Soulution(granted under show conditions) I was`nt moved by the experince at all. |
Vac 450 for me. I'm not a Magico/Spectral fan from what I've heard at shows. |
What pre-amp?
Qs would certainly benefit from some sort of soul infusion..
Assuming amp/pre from same manufacturer, the VAC 450 and probably Vitus should you choose to go SS.
Would consider Soulution, Gryphon, Boulder only with good tubed pre fronting them. |
Greetings,
If you go with the Spectral DMA 360's you will need the Spectral pre-amp.
The Audio Dealer that I purchased my Spectral equipment from said the 360's can only be used with the Spectral pre-amp. The manual that came with the 360's says it must be used with the Spectral pre-amp.
Not sure about their other amps.
The VAC would sound great also. If you go with the VAC I would also suggest going with a tube pre-amp.
Joe Nies |
Congratulations on a great pair of speakers.
I don't think Magico recommends tubes or even class A Solid State with their speakers, but I would trust my own ears. I don't own the Q series, but do own the old Mini II. It's a difficult load, but I use Pass XA160.5 and think they sound great together. I know of a guy who owns the V2 and he uses the Pass XA100.5. I haven't heard his system, but he has a lot of exposure to Magico speakers and thinks they work well with Pass amps.
The Q5 is so transparent that you will hear the characteristics of the amp very clearly. Auditioning would be essential, IMO. |
V2, Are you going to post over on the WBF? |
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Hello Vav: You can try a Sanders Sound Systems Magtech amplifier at no cost to you. Check out their website for complete details. Do you have the Magico speakers? Regardless of what speakers you have you should at least listen to the Magtech with your own ears and not rely on the Hi Fi magazine Guru's. Trust your own ears. I am not saying this about you, but many "super audiophiles" wouldn't consider an amplifier that will deliver 500 WPC at 8 ohms and 900 WPC if it doesn,t cost at least $20.000 and weigh 150 lbs. Again if you are seriously considering an outstanding amp that will drive any speaker and has a lifetime warranty and is American made, you should at least consider this amp and hear it for yourself and not let someone else's ears make the decision for you. Good luck in whatever decision you make. Enjoy the music. |
Thanks all... Peterayer - Husk01 was referring to a posting on What's Best Forum as well.
Yes, I own the Q5's. No time for the pre/amp selection. Seems Alon Wolf has paired them with Soulution, Spectral, Boulder and VAC, so that's kind of how I'm trying to home in on the short list.
I've heard them at my friend Husk01's home with a Gryphone Collosseum/VAC MK2a and they sounded great, but I didn't have enough time to make a judgement.
I heard them with the ARC REF 250/VAC MK2a and didn't care for that at all. Then I heard them with the Soulution 710/VAC MK2a and that was much more to my liking, but I still felt something was missing - maybe they need more power...
Interestingly, the VAC pre was common in all auditions - I do think the Q5's benefit from some softening/warmth in the pre section. Other than the REF 250's, I haven't heard them with tube amps... I ended up steering away from tubes after that audition.
I've been told the Spectral offers a more "full" and "special" sound with a bit more extension in the low end than than the Soulution.
I'd be keenly interested in feedback if anyone has conducted an A/B comparison in the same room with the Q5's between the Soulution 710 and Spectral 360SII - or - between the Boulder and Spectral.
Thanks again all - good feedback. |
I drive the Q5 with Spectral 30ss and 360 mono.
Cd player Esoteric K01. Cables MIT Matrix.
I think is a very good combination with an incredible,
transparent and full sound. I heard the Magico Q3
with Boulder in a very bad show condition and it was not good. I made A/B comparison between Spectral 30ss
and 30ss serie2. That was interesting, the difference is
not night and day but you can clearly hear it. I will do
the upgrade when possible. The Q5 need a lot of good
power and current.
Greetings from Switzerland Sergio
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I use Spectral 30SS Series 2 and the DMA 260 with Magico V3 and it is pretty much as good as I have heard. I also have used the Devialet and would put this a very close second - and probably better if you add convenience and elegance as a criteria. |
FWIW, IME, the new ARC REF series amps sound better through their 8 Ohm taps--yielding a richer fuller more relaxed sound--better bass too. Whereas through 4, although sounding a tad more linear, it could at the same time sound a little thin and mechanical. This was consistent with the few speakers (Wilson, Kharma, Tidal) I tried them with regardless of their factory spec'd Ohm. Also, the couple hundred hours from new is essential for the teflon caps/tubes to fully stabilize. |
Thanks Seos - I auditioned the 30SS S2 and DMA 360 S2 on Wilson Max's today at a dealers - they did sound nice. So I'll audition them "in-home" with my Q5's. I also auditioned the Boulder 1060 and 1012 this evening, though the setting was sub-par - seemed like really nice gear - would be nice to audition them "in-home" as well. We'll see how things pan out with the in-home audition of the Spectral gear... |
The 360 do NOT have to be used with a (Spectral) Preamp. I have been playing with my dCS Elgar Plus (dac/pre) for many years. Works like a charm. |
magico+soulution= very good sound.heard the q3with soulution and it was very good. |
Hi Vav. Wich amplifier did you choose for
your Q5? |
I have Rowland 8T sounds wonderful on MAGICO MINI 2.A pair of used 9T would sound wonderful Soulutions are over priced Spectral sounds great as well.Good luck with Q5s. |
A couple of weeks ago I visited a customer who has Q5s driven by Spectral 360 monoblocks. He listens at low to medium volume only, yet he voluntarily said the amps were not the best match for the Q5s, so he is looking at other amplifiers. The Q5s are quite a bit less efficient than their other models and appear to need some serious power to drive them well. |
