Mike's system

might want to wait for Statements to arrive and break in so new amp can play with strads and Spatials. any consideration for Naim statements. I believe I remember an amp shootout and I thought Naim shocked everyone how good it sounded compared to some serious competition.

Nick
 
asindc said:
Have you considered the Ayre 20 combo or D'Ag combo?
Click to expand...

Ayre 20 has me intrigued. The Dag combo I owned and loved....but not sure of a fit for Strads. Maybe.

Everyone thinks the Strads are full and lush and warm, they really aren't. They are way more neutral to be honest.

They sound best with Class A or tubes IMO.

Franco Serblin liked an OTL tube amp on them.


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Mike said:
So here's what I'm thinking......now that I have my Sonus Faber Stradivaris (Strads) back in place (should NEVER have sold them in the first place), I have been trying different amp combinations. The Hegel H30 is terrific and the stereo version is a keeper, the Cary 805AE's are the unanimous choice by visitors. With all the upgrades done by Cary combined with the 1940 GE 211's, WE300b's and MELZ 1578's, this 50 watt SET is a world beater. But I can't leave it on and forget it during the day for occasional listening. The Pass XA60.5's are wonderful - I think I want more of that! :) But the heat from the big boys! The Mc275's and VAC phi200's are good, but are going to be sold.

The good news is that no matter what amp I put on the Strads, they offer varying degrees of good. NOTHING sounds "bad". I LOVE these speakers! Did I mention that? No bass issues!! :woot:

Given this, I want to find a world class amp/preamp combo now that will work well with the Strads. I'm looking at Pass XS150/XS Preamp, Allnic A-6000/L-5000, Accuphase A-200/3800 or back to the tried and true Mc2301/ARC REF10 combo.

Concerns:

Pass - the HEAT!
Allnic - the TUBES!
Accuphase - $20,000 in Japan, $70,000 in America. Really?
Mc2301/REF10 - owned them before. The 2301's can be sluggish. Will some 6550 tubes change that?

I've ruled out Soulution (despite it being a great SS amp, just don't see it as a good match), Constellation (just not a fan), Spectral (don't want to have to buy MIT cables, don't see it as a fit), Boulder (pricing has reached new levels of insanity), Audio Note UK (just not seeing a good fit), etc.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
CH?

Now that the M1s are out, maybe the A1s are going cheap on the used market?
 
veindoc said:
might want to wait for Statements to arrive and break in so new amp can play with strads and Spatials. any consideration for Naim statements. I believe I remember an amp shootout and I thought Naim shocked everyone how good it sounded compared to some serious competition.

Nick
Click to expand...

I may die waiting. "Two more weeks".

Have you seen this Nick? 6moons audio industry features: Delays...
 
That is why I say USED. LoL

The fully adjustable local and global feedback ability of the CH amps make them special IMO. This means they can fit any speaker like a glove.
 
wisnon said:
CH?

Now that the M1s are out, maybe the A1s are going cheap on the used market?
Click to expand...

There was a pair of A1 monos that just sold on Agon.


Would second the CH nomination. But after hearing Allnic gear this weekend, Allnic gets a thumbs up from me!
 
Mike...if you are worried about the heat from the Pass amps, you will have the same issue with all "true" class A amps, so if you consider the Pass, Accuphase, and BSC amps, then you may want to consider putting in an extra quiet split AC unit in there to cool that room down when the amps are in use.

The list of world class SS pre/amp combos have largely been enumerated: Ayre KX-R/MX-R Twenty, D'Ag combo, Constellation, Soulution, Naim, Hegel, etc...

The ones I would add to that list: Vitus (Class A and Class A/B for the amps and their pre and phono pres have gotten stellar reviews), Simaudio Moon Evolution series (line and phono pres and stereo/mono amps in the 800 series models), and Luxman (pre and Class A amps are phenomenal).

I have not heard the Vitus but I have heard the Simaudio and Luxman gear (various models) and they are awesome. Some pics/links for your perusal....

Simaudio:

850 Pre: Preamplifiers MOON Evolution | Simaudio

Reviews:
Simaudio Moon Evolution 850P line preamplifier | Stereophile.com
Simaudio MOON 850P Evolution Preamplifier ? Reviews | TONEAudio MAGAZINE
Simaudio MOON 850P Evolution Preamplifier ? Reviews | TONEAudio MAGAZINE

Pics:

38~v~preamplifier.jpg

1213sim.bac.jpg

1213sim.ins.jpg


880M Mono Amps: Power Amplifiers MOON Evolution | Simaudio

Reviews:
Simaudio Moon Evolution 880M monoblock power amplifier | Stereophile.com

Pics:

613sim.promo_.jpg

613sim.bac.jpg

613sim.inside.jpg


I won't go over the 810P phono because I am presuming you are going to stick with the Ref 2SE but the 810P was positively reviewed by Fremer.

Luxman:

C-800F: On a Higher Note :: C-800f Control Amplifier
M-800A Class A Mono Amps: On a Higher Note :: M-800A Pure A Stereo Amplifier (heard these with C-800F...scary good!

Reviews:

luxman 800


Pics:

lux00003_20130804142752_98.jpg

lux00003_20130804142752_99.jpg

lux00003_20130804142752_100.jpg


lux00014_20130805004019_141.jpg

lux00014_20130805004019_142.jpg

lux00014_20130805004019_143.jpg

lux4.jpg


Hope I have provided you with a few additional things to think about. I have not gone down the road of providing you links/reviews/pics for Vitus because I havenot heard personally but everything I have read suggests excellent gear as well. Of course the Simaudio is Class AB and the Luxman is Class A. Enjoy.
 
Thanks Cyril. Luxman is another brand I'm looking at. I would think Vitus would be great, but their prices have gotten crazy expensive too. Sim....hmmm....that's one I didn't consider.


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wow mike tough choices, i dont even have to tell you what i think. you already know.
but to be realistic, you have the carys and love them. get some big s/s amps to make you satisfied with having different types of sound in your room(cant believe i just said that.lmao). then get some 10w a5000's for your spatials.
call it a day. :D
you need to try the h5000 phonostage before you buy any other. and i was also wondering if you have heard the big vac phonostage?? i have not but my good friend loves it to death.
 
He already has a great "big SS amp" in the Hegel and the Cary's for the Strad's, plus the Music Reference OTL's for the Spatial's and a perfect match for the Tannoy's with the LM. To me I think he is set already, but Mike just likes to keep surfing through gear. Keep it up Mike!
 
Mike said:
Thanks Cyril. Luxman is another brand I'm looking at. I would think Vitus would be great, but their prices have gotten crazy expensive too. Sim....hmmm....that's one I didn't consider.


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Click to expand...

Mike if you have a local dealer, seek them out for a demo hopefully with a Strad or better yet if they a free take them home for a demo. I think you will be very surprised by what you hear. Some of the most resolving, neutral, and musical SS gear I have heard. I think you will be positively surprised. They need a min of one hour of warm up time but will really come into their own after being on for 24 hours so if you demo them at a store, ask them to keep them on for you from the day before so they are at their optimal steady state operating temperature. By the way, the 800 series is not cheap as you can see from the pricing info in the reviews posted.
 
I am becoming a fan of simple architecture. Anything point to point wiring by hand no PCBs. Simple signal paths with hand selected parts. Tubes in any type of preamp. My ears hear electronic haze in most anything else. Although I haven't heard everything. The more I listen the more I become sensitive to anything artificial sounding.
 
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