D'Agostino Momentum Pre-Amp Mini Review

BobM said:
$32K for a preamp is definitely outside of my budget (for a whole system, in fact), but at least it looks like a statement piece. The attention to detail on the design is of major appeal and one of the things that leads to that drool factor in out of reach components. If you are going to spend that kind of money on anything it damn well better look and feel expensive and not just like another black box (aka Lamm gear).

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program, as I go out and buy another lottery ticket. Hey, ya never know.
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Yes, I concur. That was my thinking when I sold my ARC REF 10. If I was moving to something else, it had to sound and look better. It does! ;)
 
Mike said:
You raise an interesting point about the SOS. I hope Sony gets off their butts and releases new albums in DSD for direct download.
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Mike
I am waiting to see what does with their catalog for DSD releases. I am hoping that newer artists and releases are included.
 
It is hard to believe that it has been almost 18 months since I had one of Dan's first pre-amps to audition in my system. I decided to borrow one of Paragon's units and try it again. There have been a lot of changes to my set-up since the last time I heard it here.

I must say I was kidding myself thinking that I wasn't leaving something on the table with my Ayre unit. Dan's pre and mono blocks work so well together. I am sure upgrading the Ayre to the Twenty version would narrow or possibly eliminate the gap but for that money I would do with the Momentum pre.

Now if only someone would make an offer on my Ayre in the selling thread. :)
 
Jim - Thanks for the update. I hope you get an offer for the Ayre soon!
 
still-one said:
It is hard to believe that it has been almost 18 months since I had one of Dan's first pre-amps to audition in my system. I decided to borrow one of Paragon's units and try it again. There have been a lot of changes to my set-up since the last time I heard it here.

I must say I was kidding myself thinking that I wasn't leaving something on the table with my Ayre unit. Dan's pre and mono blocks work so well together. I am sure upgrading the Ayre to the Twenty version would narrow or possibly eliminate the gap but for that money I would do with the Momentum pre.

Now if only someone would make an offer on my Ayre in the selling thread. :)
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I bought Mike's D'Agostino gear, and it took me awhile to figure out that the amps need the D'Agostino preamp. I tried to run direct to the amps from the PS Audio DirectStream dac.....and couldn't find the magic. This direct method sure worked fantastic with the Vac Phi 200 amps. I was thinking I made a big mistake buying the D'Agostino gear. But I finally put the amps and preamp togather, and started trying several wire loom combinations. I could hear every little change I made to the system. I had never experienced this ease in system tuning before.
I finally ended up using Dave's Cables silver/gold top of the line XLR's, and Stealth Audio Dream version 10 speaker cables. WOW.....audio bliss. They are driving my MBL 101's like no other electronics before. This part of my system is set in stone. I will play the "musical dac game" for variety. But the D'Agostino gear is long term keepers.
Moral of the story........use the D'Ag pre with the monos. At least get one in house, and demo

Jerry-
 
Jim, you surprised me with the Ayre & as you had already purchased it I chose not to say a thing. Then again, it's a journey full of valleys & peaks, sometimes those valleys are full of gold.
 
sharkmouth said:
Jim, you surprised me with the Ayre & as you had already purchased it I chose not to say a thing. Then again, it's a journey full of valleys & peaks, sometimes those valleys are full of gold.
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The Ayre unit was an excellent piece and I could have lived with it for some time had I not tried the Momentum pre back in my set-up.
 
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