Hang on...the most consistent proponent of maintaining the SAME manufacturer for preamp and amp says the best choice is ARC Ref40 + VTL Siegfried II? Assuming we run with the Siegfried given its legendary status...why not the VTL Series 3?
Particular conditions - my Transparent Opus ICs are tuned to the ARC preamplfier and I like the big sound, dynamics and bloom of the Audio Research Anniversary amplifier. The VTL 7.5 mkIII shows more detail and is more transparent, but is less enthusiastic. The fact that the Siegfried II can be tuned using eight distinct options helps this matching.
The be fair to VTL I must say I am not giving the 7.5 mk3 the proper chance to have a fair fight - my current Opus cables are a very poor mismatch with it, it has a solid state low impedance output buffer.
Have you heard the XLFs? I am curious if you can make any comments about how they compare? Unless you were able to listen side by side, i understand that may be difficult...or perhaps not depending on how much of a leap forward they may be. Thanks for any thoughts.
In no particular order (except the first two... they are the best I have heard):
Living Voice Vox Olympians/Elyssians with Kondo electronics
Aries Cerat Symphonia with Cerberus subs and Aries Cerat Electronics
Odeon Nr. 32 + Einstein OTLs and all Einstein electronics
Odeon Nr. 38 + Aries Cerat amps
Odeon La Boheme + Aries Cerat and Silvaweld electronics
Acoustat + direct drive amps
Acoustat + Silvaweld electronics (preamp, phono and OTL monos)
Acoustat + Acoustat (two pairs with active xover) + KR Audio
Apogee Grands driven with Diva passive crossover, Audio Research active crossover and Sphinx cd player and amps.
Apogee Divas with Kora tube electronics
Living Voice OBX-R + Einstein electronics (OTLs not hybrids)
Odeon Nr. 32 + Aries Cerat/Lampizator
Dynamikks Athos 10 + Aries Cerat
Western electric clone + AcousticPlan electronics
Ypsilon prototype speakers + Ypsilon electronics
Avantgarde Duo Omega + Thomas Mayer
Avantgarde Duo Omega + AudioPax/Lampizator
Rockport Arrakis with 2 pairs of VTL Siegfried II's (Austin)
Apogee Duetta Signature with a pair of Spread Spectrum Technologies Ampzilla 2000 (San Antonio)
Wilson Audio Grand Slamm with a pair of Pass Labs (San Antonio)
From Axpona 2019 Gryphon Trident II with all Gryphon components (which i later purchased). Next was Avantgarde Duo Mezzo XD, Rockport Cygnus a ways back from AG but I liked to approach. I did not want to travel any more searching but should have auditioned AG Trio XD and Rockport Lyra. There are so many others, so difficult to hear them all...
Particular conditions - my Transparent Opus ICs are tuned to the ARC preamplfier and I like the big sound, dynamics and bloom of the Audio Research Anniversary amplifier. The VTL 7.5 mkIII shows more detail and is more transparent, but is less enthusiastic. The fact that the Siegfried II can be tuned using eight distinct options helps this matching.
The be fair to VTL I must say I am not giving the 7.5 mk3 the proper chance to have a fair fight - my current Opus cables are a very poor mismatch with it, it has a solid state low impedance output buffer.
Rockport Arrakis with 2 pairs of VTL Siegfried II's (Austin)
Apogee Duetta Signature with a pair of Spread Spectrum Technologies Ampzilla 2000 (San Antonio)
Wilson Audio Grand Slamm with a pair of Pass Labs (San Antonio)
From Axpona 2019 Gryphon Trident II with all Gryphon components (which i later purchased). Next was Avantgarde Duo Mezzo XD, Rockport Cygnus a ways back from AG but I liked to approach. I did not want to travel any more searching but should have auditioned AG Trio XD and Rockport Lyra. There are so many others, so difficult to hear them all...
LL21 I am getting the EVO stereo amp. Have not decided on which Gryphon pre. Joe Cali is my guide (and dealer) in this full system build. He has suggested the Zena to replace my AR Ref6. However I may step up to the Pandora as this is a do it once and be done system.
LL21 I am getting the EVO stereo amp. Have not decided on which Gryphon pre. Joe Cali is my guide (and dealer) in this full system build. He has suggested the Zena to replace my AR Ref6. However I may step up to the Pandora as this is a do it once and be done system.
And off course my own Full Range speaker , sounds fantastic sounds more relaxed right now without all the windows in Amsterdam .
Is capable of playing anything at any SPL.
Together with Convergent audio I hear nothing anymore I wanna change , just a better custom designed room in a room ( able to play as loud as I want at anytime) and possibly LAMM ML 3 pre power at one time
In no particular order (except the first two... they are the best I have heard):
Living Voice Vox Olympians/Elyssians with Kondo electronics
Aries Cerat Symphonia with Cerberus subs and Aries Cerat Electronics
Odeon Nr. 32 + Einstein OTLs and all Einstein electronics
Odeon Nr. 38 + Aries Cerat amps
Odeon La Boheme + Aries Cerat and Silvaweld electronics
Acoustat + direct drive amps
Acoustat + Silvaweld electronics (preamp, phono and OTL monos)
Acoustat + Acoustat (two pairs with active xover) + KR Audio
Apogee Grands driven with Diva passive crossover, Audio Research active crossover and Sphinx cd player and amps.
Apogee Divas with Kora tube electronics
Living Voice OBX-R + Einstein electronics (OTLs not hybrids)
Odeon Nr. 32 + Aries Cerat/Lampizator
Dynamikks Athos 10 + Aries Cerat
Western electric clone + AcousticPlan electronics
Ypsilon prototype speakers + Ypsilon electronics
Avantgarde Duo Omega + Thomas Mayer
Avantgarde Duo Omega + AudioPax/Lampizator
LL21 I am getting the EVO stereo amp. Have not decided on which Gryphon pre. Joe Cali is my guide (and dealer) in this full system build. He has suggested the Zena to replace my AR Ref6. However I may step up to the Pandora as this is a do it once and be done system.
and possibly LAMM ML 3 pre power at one time
