Those of you who have already purchased Studios, what are you using for amps? I'm about to start auditions and thought I'd get a head start from the knowledge/experiences here.
I am using Harmonic Precision. Mark Levinson is the standard. I knew people with Harmonic and it is a unique product I love, but Levinson 436s are probably as good as anything.
I heard them at a McIntosh/Levinson dealer. The McIntosh 602 was more musical than the Lev 336 they had without giving up any detail, depth and impact. The front end and cabling was impeccable and the source material was mine so I was familiar with the selections. I was told the McIntosh tube amps also do a good job but heard them only on other speakers.
I started out using mine with two Levinson 332s in a biamped configutation.(I was using Revel F30s before upgrading to the Studios.) When I got the Studios paid for, I bit the bullet, sold the 332s, and bought the Levinson 33H monoblock demos from my local high end store. Wonderful synergy between the two. Couldn't be happier. Don't see anything else in my future.
The 33h is great with the studios. I also used the HPA2 with them at one time before switching that amp to my embrace surrounds. The HPA was very similar to the ML436. It all depends on your budget and taste. The speakers are fantastic. I used to be and still am a Thiel fan. I loved the clarity of Thiels. The Revel seem to have some the same features, but are more musical. Many different amps will go well with these speakers.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.