Best amp for Magico S5's?

I think it is very difficult to characterize the sound of the power amplifier without referring to the preamplifier - in order to know how a REF250 really sounds you have to listen to it using a REF40 or REF10. IMHO this applies to most power amplifiers - I was not a big fan of the D'Agostino's power amplifiers, only after I listened to them with the D'Agostino Preamp I entered the supporter group!
 
microstrip said:
I think it is very difficult to characterize the sound of the power amplifier without referring to the preamplifier - in order to know how a REF250 really sounds you have to listen to it using a REF40 or REF10. IMHO this applies to most power amplifiers - I was not a big fan of the D'Agostino's power amplifiers, only after I listened to them with the D'Agostino Preamp I entered the supporter group!
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From personal experience, I can say that the D'Agostino preamp is one of those special pieces that makes EVERY amp sound amazing and better.
 
Both the Ref 250 and the H30 were driven by my Ref Anniversary. I was worried about a mismatch between the Anni and the Hegel which has an input impedance of 20k, right at the lower load limit of the Anni. Driving the Q3, the H30 mated beautifully with the Anni, better than the ref 250 for this particular purpose.
 
I know that we all know this, but I personally forget it all the time - Each time I change one component in the chain, then to get the best end result regarding the sonic presentation, I have to make sure that my cables are the right ones for this chain of components, sometimes speaker placement with the insertion of a different component, the matching between the amp and pre is optimized and a good match, even the Furutech wall outlet, (the rhodium and the gold sound totally different) must be in sync with this set of components.

Point being that if a different component is slapped into an existing system without optimizing that system for that component then it's an interesting exercise, but it does not illustrate what that components true potential is, it just show what that component sounds like in that particular system, nothing more, nothing less:audiophile:
 
Bob - in your opinion, what TYPE of amp sounds best with the Magico S5's? Tube? Class A? Class AB? Class D?
 
Mike said:
Bob - in your opinion, what TYPE of amp sounds best with the Magico S5's? Tube? Class A? Class AB? Class D?
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What a fun question that is......my answer is I don't know as I only have 150 hours on the S5's. At 500 hours I might think differently. But, at the 150 hour mark, in my room, with my system here is what I'm hearing-

SS- Goldmund 280 with Absolare pre - Clear, high resolution, plenty of power to light up the room, so AB SS sounds pretty good, especially with a tube pre.

Merrill Veritas with the Absolare pre - Ask Allen, he heard this, you would be surprised how good 700 watts, even class D watts sounds on the S5's. Big, powerful, full bodied, but dimensional and great midrange. Could easily live with this comibination.

Absolare pre/Absolare 52 Watt SET amps - I have my system optimized to get the most out of the SET's. The biggest issue for the SET's is the 700 sq. ft. room that is heavily dampened. Surprisingly enough they manage to play at around 95db and sound relaxed and they definitely do the SET magic, with articulation in a way that for me anyway, only an SET can do. Like the song said "Something in the way she moves". In a normally treated room that was a bit smaller than my space any SET lover would pick this combo every time.

Absolare pre driving Line Magnetic 100 Watt (KT 120's) push-pull amps. 3D gigantic holographic soundstage with high resolution, layering....quite intoxicating.

That's what I am hearing at the 150 hour mark. The truth is, personally I could actually live with each one of these combos, they all sound really great with no issues with any combination. In the last week I have had people listen to all of the above and I had one guy that loved the Merrill/Absolare, one guy loved the SET's.....as in three seconds he turned to me and said "Oh Wow". I just got the LM integrated yesterday, but someone heard it right out of the box with me and we were both sort of stunned at how well the S5's loved the 100 Watt push pull amps.

I honestly thing it's a preference thing....for me the answer is to have at least one tube option and then one SS option to switch back and forth every once in while. The great part about the S5's is that no matter what you connect, or at least anything that I have connected to them has been pure magic.

I know that if you drive the S5's with Vitus, D'Agostino, Constellation, VAC or really any top quality amp you are most likely going to get stunning results.
 
Dafos said:
Both the Ref 250 and the H30 were driven by my Ref Anniversary. I was worried about a mismatch between the Anni and the Hegel which has an input impedance of 20k, right at the lower load limit of the Anni. Driving the Q3, the H30 mated beautifully with the Anni, better than the ref 250 for this particular purpose.
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Similarly I drove VAC 450S and Hegel H30 with Ref 40 as well as VAC preamp and Hegel P30 I was demoing. The P30 beat the VAC. The Ref 40 beat the Hegel preamp. The H30 sounded better than VAC 450S with S5s no matter the preamp. Not that the VAC sounded bad. Great powerful tube amp that sounds almost SS.

So if I didn't have the constellation amp Hegel would be my SS choice. Tube wise I am surprised at how unbelievably good the air tight atm2 sounds with the Magicos. Even better than my memory of the Hegel.
 
+1000%

Absolare said:
I know that we all know this, but I personally forget it all the time - Each time I change one component in the chain, then to get the best end result regarding the sonic presentation, I have to make sure that my cables are the right ones for this chain of components, sometimes speaker placement with the insertion of a different component, the matching between the amp and pre is optimized and a good match, even the Furutech wall outlet, (the rhodium and the gold sound totally different) must be in sync with this set of components.

Point being that if a different component is slapped into an existing system without optimizing that system for that component then it's an interesting exercise, but it does not illustrate what that components true potential is, it just show what that component sounds like in that particular system, nothing more, nothing less:audiophile:
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Darrin,

What are your thoughts on the new Constellation integrated?
 
joeinid said:
Darrin,

What are your thoughts on the new Constellation integrated?
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Hey Joe I haven't heard it but if I was in a loft or apartment with the S1 or S3s I would buy the I integrated and save some space and power cords!
 
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Myles,

OMG!

Absolutely beautiful. I love my ART monos and GAT. Thanks for the photo. Any initial thoughts on the combo? I still have S3 on the brain.
 
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That must be a wonderful combination, Myles!:audiophile:

Joe, I think the S3s would work really well in your space.:exciting:
 
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