New integrated amplifier to drive Magico S3 mk2

An update: I home auditioned the Diablo 300 today. I did a track by track comparison with my Devialet and by the third track only I had made up mind. I then blind tested both amps with 5 tracks and the difference was clear: I had a 100% success rate picking the two amplifiers. Gryphon won hands-down. Warmer, richer, fuller, more musical, and a bigger and deeper soundstage. And that was straight out of the box! Still struggle with the aesthetic (it is no D’Agostino Momentum Integrated), but I can live with that and even take some perverse pleasure out of it!

Just need to buy a DAC/streamer now. Have decided to go for a temporary solution and wait until I build up a new war chest in 12 months time and then buy something worthy. Will also upgrade cables and power then.
 
And maybe an S-sub at some point :rolleyes: But for now and the immediate future, am VERY happy!
 
AJR said:
An update: I home auditioned the Diablo 300 today. I did a track by track comparison with my Devialet and by the third track only I had made up mind. I then blind tested both amps with 5 tracks and the difference was clear: I had a 100% success rate picking the two amplifiers. Gryphon won hands-down. Warmer, richer, fuller, more musical, and a bigger and deeper soundstage. And that was straight out of the box! Still struggle with the aesthetic (it is no D’Agostino Momentum Integrated), but I can live with that and even take some perverse pleasure out of it!

Just need to buy a DAC/streamer now. Have decided to go for a temporary solution and wait until I build up a new war chest in 12 months time and then buy something worthy. Will also upgrade cables and power then.
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Congrats Andrew. Looks like I will need to make a trip to our dealer for the home loan with my Vivid Giyas
 
gtl said:
Congrats Andrew. Looks like I will need to make a trip to our dealer for the home loan with my Vivid Giyas
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Can’t wait to hear your thoughts. With those speakers, I am confident you will have perpetual ‘holy s#*+’ moments!
 
Andrew, congrats on a Diablo 300. I got one several weeks ago and I love it. Mine is still below 100 hours and opening up nicely. Mike from Sun coast (he helped me a lot to get Diablo 300) saying it needs at least 150 hours to sound to its full potential. I'm also planning to find a better frond end (currently own esoteric k-05x).
leaning towards esoteric K-01x, also may consider Vitus SCD-025.
What cables (speaker, power, ICs) are you using with Diablo 300? I currently have full loom (with exception of ICs) of Shunyata Sigma cables.
Thanks.
 
Hi. Thanks! I am currently using very cheap speaker cables and no power solution. So it can only get better :D

My friend just bought a Diablo and is using an Esoteric K-05x. He is thinking about a new DAC and streamer solution. Is it possible to use a streamer (eg an Aurender N100) with the K-05x?
 
You got to upgrade cables when it will be possible to get the best out of diablo. Yes its very possible to use Aurender 100H via esoteric digital input.
 
AJR said:
An update: I home auditioned the Diablo 300 today. I did a track by track comparison with my Devialet and by the third track only I had made up mind. I then blind tested both amps with 5 tracks and the difference was clear: I had a 100% success rate picking the two amplifiers. Gryphon won hands-down. Warmer, richer, fuller, more musical, and a bigger and deeper soundstage. And that was straight out of the box! Still struggle with the aesthetic (it is no D’Agostino Momentum Integrated), but I can live with that and even take some perverse pleasure out of it!

Just need to buy a DAC/streamer now. Have decided to go for a temporary solution and wait until I build up a new war chest in 12 months time and then buy something worthy. Will also upgrade cables and power then.
Click to expand...

Congrats Andrew! The Gryphon is a superb choice, great amp. I’m sure the synergy with the Magicos will be great.

Not surprised about the clarity of outcome comparing the Gryphon vs. Devialet.

I wish you a lots of pleasure with your new setup.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
The internal DAC in the Diablo is quite good and a great value. I was very skeptical and didn't order it at first but went ahead and got it after the great things that Mike said about it. I'm really glad I did. It's great!
 
+1 for the internal DAC. And congrats, Diablo seems to convert a lot of Devialet owners!

And it helps a lot when you keep your eyes shut while listening... seriously, the looks of the Diablo still puzzle me. As a whole, I still don't like it, but I love some of the details in it. You really can see there is a professional industrial designer behind the looks.
 
walesi said:
+1 for the internal DAC. And congrats, Diablo seems to convert a lot of Devialet owners!

And it helps a lot when you keep your eyes shut while listening... seriously, the looks of the Diablo still puzzle me. As a whole, I still don't like it, but I love some of the details in it. You really can see there is a professional industrial designer behind the looks.
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I think Diablo 300 looks great and the build quality is top notch.
 
A further update:

I bought a Lumin T1 today. I was expecting to buy a Lumin D1 or D2 as a temporary solution. I blind-auditioned the D1 and T1 and it only took a couple of tracks which I listened to multiple times to realise the T1 is a big step up. The D1 was fantastic and is amazing value for money, but the T1 just produced a spatially deeper sound.

And further to my concern about the aesthetic of the Diablo - my oh my, how beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what a difference ‘personality’ can make! The sound is so damn good I now see it in a completelt different light and I am now in love with the aesthetic! So a total 180, in the space of 24 hours. Wasn’t expecting that!

A very happy music lover right now.

Next rabbit hole excursion: cables and power.
 
Another observation: the whole sound spectrum is a huge step up from my previous amp. Every single metric or adjective we all use to describe sound is off the charts. It seems like each note is more ‘rounded’ and transitions into the next note effortlessly and seamlessly, with warmth, richness, speed, and punch.
 
the professor said:
The internal DAC in the Diablo is quite good and a great value. I was very skeptical and didn't order it at first but went ahead and got it after the great things that Mike said about it. I'm really glad I did. It's great!
Click to expand...

Wish I could have auditioned (and had the budget for) the Diablo DAC and the Lumin U1 which you have. Might be a future upgrade option :happy:
 
Although after reading Kuoppis’s reports on his Brinkmann Nyquist... The Nyquist, the Berkeley, the S1, the MSB Analogue, and maybe even the Kalliope (?) are all contenders, and no doubt by the time I have a war chest there will be others. Let the war games continue.
 
Next purchase is an XLR to connect the T1 to the Diablo and also speaker cables.

Am thinking MIT SL Matrix 39 speaker interface and MIT SL Matrix 26 XLR.

Givem my system and that budget, does anyone think I can do better? My MIT dealer doesn’t sell the EVOs.
 
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