Good and not so good speaker/amplifier pairings
- Thread starter Dizzie
- Start date
Avantgarde’s need tubes. If I ever find a SS amp that works, I’ll let you know. Even the XA25 wasn’t a match IMHO.
Magico: In no particular order, Constellation, D’Agostino, Gryphon, Soulution, Pass, Luxman, Spectral, SimAudio. They like power. But they’re really amp friendly, they just like current/power.
Wilson: Constellation, Ayre, ARC.
Harbeth: Luxman, Audio Research.
Sonus Faber: ARC.
Focal: Ayre
Verity: VAC, Luxman, Gryphon
Tannoy: Shindo
That’s a start.
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Magico: In no particular order, Constellation, D’Agostino, Gryphon, Soulution, Pass, Luxman, Spectral, SimAudio. They like power. But they’re really amp friendly, they just like current/power.
Wilson: Constellation, Ayre, ARC.
Harbeth: Luxman, Audio Research.
Sonus Faber: ARC.
Focal: Ayre
Verity: VAC, Luxman, Gryphon
Tannoy: Shindo
That’s a start.
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UltraFast69
New member
Good;
Wilson Audio / D’Agostino
Snell Acoustics / D’Agostino
Vandersteen / Audio Research
Focal / McIntosh
Not so Good;
Wilson Audio / McIntosh
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Wilson Audio / D’Agostino
Snell Acoustics / D’Agostino
Vandersteen / Audio Research
Focal / McIntosh
Not so Good;
Wilson Audio / McIntosh
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AJ Soundfield
Well-known member
Forgive me, but from a rational, reality. etc. viewpoint, there are no such generalizations by brand.
You could say that specific Amp brand/model X paired well will specific Speaker brand/model Y, but not entire brands and all models. Some brands having been in existence for 80+ years, having lots and lots of models.
Speaker impedance magnitude/phase angles matter, as does amp output impedance, low impedance drive capability, etc.
Then there is taste and what individuals think is a "good match", which can be anecdotal personal opinion and mere preference.
My 2c
cheers,
AJ
Randy Myers
Well-known member
I have to agree with AJ on this one, however in the year or so that I have had my KEF's...
Good:
T+A AMP 8
ARC VT-50
Goldmund Job
Not So Good:
PS Audio M700
Quicksilver Silver 88
Good:
T+A AMP 8
ARC VT-50
Goldmund Job
Not So Good:
PS Audio M700
Quicksilver Silver 88
Phishphan
Active member
I played around with an old Anthem amp, McIntosh, also borrowed a Mark Levinson for a couple of days with my Kefs. Bryston sounds the best so far. I wouldn’t mind trying a dan d'agostino or soulution, but the cost is just out of my budget.
We’re redoing part of our house, so my stereo is taken apart and in a guest bedroom. I’ve been thinking about maybe selling some of it and putting a new and improved set up together.
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We’re redoing part of our house, so my stereo is taken apart and in a guest bedroom. I’ve been thinking about maybe selling some of it and putting a new and improved set up together.
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CPP
Active member
See Randy, with my Kefs, the 201/2 and the older pair of 104/2 when I had my Quicksilver mid-monos' the KEF's sounded great, of course we are not pushing ultra loud playing. .
Dth31
New member
I agree with Mike about the Magico M3 needing power. A stereo VAC 200iQ just didn’t sound “right”. The sound was just OK and very slightly hard and bright, and definitely lacked bass. I was totally shocked at the transformation of the sound when I added a 2nd 200iQ and ran them as monoblocks. Warm, rich, detailed, huge soundstage and highly musical. 2 VAC 200iQs are a great match but 1 not so much. The M3s needed the power.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
Yea Chris, the Quicksilver sounded good, some days; but were very finicky.... some days they were just weird. I have never owned amps that were more finicky. I would have thought something was wrong with them but I had sent them to Mike Sanders.... so????
I never push ultra loud playing
I was actually considering another First Watt... but just not quite enough power for an only amp. The T+A is not big power, but more than enough... and very sweet sounding!Penthouse-D
New member
Hi Mike, I'm curious about the T+A gear with the larger Magicos. Thank you.
Audiophilehi
Member
+1 on this AJ. It wouldn’t be wise to either dismiss or accept a manufacturers entire product line on the basis of matching amps to speakers.
Look at the specs on both amp and speakers but most importantly listen listen listen.
CPP
Active member
So true, so very true.
Superb. The T+A is smooth on top (despite some guy posting on another forum the other day it was “bright”). Quite the contrary. Probably one of the smoothest on top I’ve ever heard. Very Ayre/Luxman like in that regard.
T+A has good meat on the bones and a balanced sound with good bass control. So yes, a great fit with Magico.
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Kingrex
Active member
I had Sonus Faber Liuto floor standing paired with CJ Premier 140 and my First sound pre. That kicked some butt. Good power and energy.
The Altec Lansing on the Sonus Faber were defiantly more accurate, but lost the energy.
The Altec Lansing with the Pure Audio is very nice.
The Altec Lansing on the Sonus Faber were defiantly more accurate, but lost the energy.
The Altec Lansing with the Pure Audio is very nice.
pdub
New member
- Joined
- May 31, 2013
- Messages
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What preamp was used with the XA25?
Audio 1
Active member
A few months ago I was at Mike’s and we tested the XA25 using an ARC Ref.6, VAC Renaissance pre and also a Lampizator GA as a pre-amp.
It is not that the XA25 sounded bad because it sounded pretty good, but any tube amp in comparison sounded much better and the difference was immediately apparent.
Everthing becomes more relaxed with a greater ease and the midrange is much more like the actual voice or instruments vs. a reproduction of the recording.
pdub
New member
- Joined
- May 31, 2013
- Messages
- 234
Thanks. Kind of a stupid question. Knowing Mike, of course tubes were in there somewhere. But good to know y'all were thorough and tried 3 different ways.
Parker