Low to mid-power Crofts. Yes it definitely did not lack "flow". It has it in abundance. Across three front ends at that a Mohican, a Tentation and a Flatfish + BADA
Any thoughts on the Nagra HD pre + amp combination? The build for the amp looks not up to par compare to other heavy weight. It seems the tone and resolution is top notch.
Any thoughts on the Nagra HD pre + amp combination? The build for the amp looks not up to par compare to other heavy weight. It seems the tone and resolution is top notch.
Heard Nagra classic amps in all Nagra battery powered system with Acapella Cellini High speakers at a dealer in Germany the other day. Simply awful sound. We drove over 3hours to get there and stayed less than an hour...
Any thoughts on the Nagra HD pre + amp combination? The build for the amp looks not up to par compare to other heavy weight. It seems the tone and resolution is top notch.
So at this moment i feel that almost conclusive that the first tier SS belong to Dartzeel or Boulder for 2 different sound signature. Second tier SS belong to the like of CH Precision, Vitus, Soulution, Gryphon, D'Agostino.
So at this moment i feel that almost conclusive that the first tier SS belong to Dartzeel or Boulder for 2 different sound signature. Second tier SS belong to the like of CH Precision, Vitus, Soulution, Gryphon, D'Agostino.
I had the Nagra Classic amplifier in my system playing with the XLF and the ARC REF40 for a couple of days. Nice sounding, decent bass extension and musical sounding. Considering its retail price (14keuro, less than half of the price of the NH108), I considered it good value for money. I was told that there is a considerable improvement when they are used as monoblocks.
Although I never listened to the HD's in my system, I could listen to it at shows and at the distributor. It sounded good enough to trigger my attention, although out of the price range I wanted to spend.
So at this moment i feel that almost conclusive that the first tier SS belong to Dartzeel or Boulder for 2 different sound signature. Second tier SS belong to the like of CH Precision, Vitus, Soulution, Gryphon, D'Agostino.
I don't understand you arrived at this tier system. Is it based on compares? Otherwise they are all same tier with different signature. I personally like Vitus and boulder and Dag, which I have compared to other amps, and have heard excellent systems with dart and CH though never compared so can't suss out the attributes. Also that dart was the 458, not 108. But I can easily see why one would consider Vitus above gryphon while another would consider it the other way. So I don't think you should tier them unless you compared.
I had the Nagra Classic amplifier in my system playing with the XLF and the ARC REF40 for a couple of days. Nice sounding, decent bass extension and musical sounding. Considering its retail price (14keuro, less than half of the price of the NH108), I considered it good value for money. I was told that there is a considerable improvement when they are used as monoblocks.
Although I never listened to the HD's in my system, I could listen to it at shows and at the distributor. It sounded good enough to trigger my attention, although out of the price range I wanted to spend.
I demoed the Acapella Cellini High with the mono Classics. Sounded like each driver was doing its own thing rather than coming out as unified whole. I have heard this speaker sound very good with Acapella's own La Musika hybrid amp and/or Einstein OTLs/preamp. The room was well treated and properly (not overly) damped. It was the worst demo I have ever heard from an Acapella. Interestingly, we then went over to another room to hear the Acapella La Campanella but this time with all Brinkmann electronics (mono amps, preamp and Nyquist DAC). The La Campanella is less than half the price of the Cellini High and has a horn but no ion tweeter (it is a two-way design). The sound with the Brinkmann gear was MUCH better in all respects...the speaker spoke with a unified voice and was very transparent with nice tonality (except for the bass, which was somewhat strange sounding). The flatness and hardness heard with the Cellini/Nagra was now pretty decent 3d and good soundstage depth and localization of performers in that space.
I don't understand you arrived at this tier system. Is it based on compares? Otherwise they are all same tier with different signature. I personally like Vitus and boulder and Dag, which I have compared to other amps, and have heard excellent systems with dart and CH though never compared so can't suss out the attributes. Also that dart was the 458, not 108. But I can easily see why one would consider Vitus above gryphon while another would consider it the other way. So I don't think you should tier them unless you compared.
I don't like the sound I have heard from any of them so far (except Boulder, which I haven't heard at all)...no need for compares to know if you like or dislike a sound...
Compared to good tube or hybrid gear, I wouldn't put any of them in the top tier of amplification...YMMV...
I don't like the sound I have heard from any of them so far (except Boulder, which I haven't heard at all)...no need for compares to know if you like or dislike a sound...
Compared to good tube or hybrid gear, I wouldn't put any of them in the top tier of amplification...YMMV...
Well as i have explained in my previous post, what am i looking for is electronics that make me feel real when listen to music, especially large scale orchestra. So my tentative ranking is based on what i have heard and feeling when listenning. CH Precision, Vitus, Soulution can make it sound great but not as real as Boulder or Dartzeel. Gryphon come close though.
Feel free to give your opinion please. After all i am still new and got a lot to learn.
Well as i have explained in my previous post, what am i looking for is electronics that make me feel real when listen to music, especially large scale orchestra. So my tentative ranking is based on what i have heard and feeling when listenning. CH Precision, Vitus, Soulution can make it sound great but not as real as Boulder or Dartzeel. Gryphon come close though.
Feel free to give your opinion please. After all i am still new and got a lot to learn.
Thats one scary thought that leaning me towards Dart. Along with the fact that Boulder cant utilised Kuro power cable. Oh wait, Dart has BNC instead of IC. Dang.
Well as i have explained in my previous post, what am i looking for is electronics that make me feel real when listen to music, especially large scale orchestra. So my tentative ranking is based on what i have heard and feeling when listenning. CH Precision, Vitus, Soulution can make it sound great but not as real as Boulder or Dartzeel. Gryphon come close though.
Feel free to give your opinion please. After all i am still new and got a lot to learn.
You are also missing out FM acoustics. I only demo on classical... All of those present orchestra in different ways, at a similar level. You are going to have to rotate those in your system to know the best.
Thats one scary thought that leaning me towards Dart. Along with the fact that Boulder cant utilised Kuro power cable. Oh wait, Dart has BNC instead of IC. Dang.
You are also missing out FM acoustics. I only demo on classical... All of those present orchestra in different ways, at a similar level. You are going to have to rotate those in your system to know the best.
Yes indeed, FM Acoustic gear is hard to find. Out of all the system you listened, may i asked which system gave the deepest and widest sound stage , Spatial cue, 3D feeling in relative to room size.
Yes indeed, FM Acoustic gear is hard to find. Out of all the system you listened, may i asked which system gave the deepest and widest sound stage , Spatial cue, 3D feeling in relative to room size.
Again, this is very relative to rest of the set up. Mike's system with dart 458s far more than any other, but there is much more than the amp happening there. Apogee grands with modded Stax and plinius, but that doesn't mean I would recommend those amps.
All the others do soundstage etc very well, in most demos it will be limited by speakers and the room. If you are hearing one amp do more than the light without a direct compare you are probably hearing the speaker and the room.
FM and Vitus seem to have the most flow and tone. Vitus is slightly slower than the others. CH, boulder, spectral, are extremely fast. Gryphon is also fast. Boulder and spectral are also very clean sounding. Boulder can also sound very bright and artificial when not correctly set up. I am not a fan of being forced into a system like spectral. They will all do big soundstage, sufficient resolution. Your speakers and room will be the limiting factor.
In a non-analog system I personally would not prefer a very clean sounding amp, as I would need tone and flow, which a lot of digital lacks. This is easier with vinyl. So for a digital system I would go Vitus or FM.
