2. amps-preamps
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Starting from Scratch -Please Help Pick 1 out of 3

Dear Friends,
Hope that all of you are well, in a moment of transitional evolutional state of mind i sold off my Rogue Cronus Integrated, my Tannoy Stirling Speakers ; well pretty much the spine of the entire system.

I wanted to start over, i listen to a lot of varied stuff ; usually very complex stuff ; i love the weight of solid state gear and the resolution of their baselines and the treble which intermittently sound "filled" ; i also love the midrange liquidity of tubes especially on vocals and the natural timbre of orchestras and drum snares.

So i had gone on a spree to audition some gears, some which couldn't be heard are also included as a part of the system (say, i listened to the power amp but not the pre) i couldn't get to some of these due to various difficulties but generally i've put a package of 4 different set ups - i hope learned pundits here can guide through this to build a good system which i will use for a long time.

I am not the type for frequent upgrades.
Thank you!

The Candidates

Group 1
------
Pre : Rennaisance Preamplifier MKIII by VAC (Valve Amplification Company)
Power : VAC Phi 200 Power Amplifiers (Valve Amplication Company)
Speakers : Harbeth SHL5 [or] Devore Fidelity The Nines (Please Pick)

Just love the look of this system!

Group 2
------
Pre : Modwright LS 100 or Ls36.5
Power : Pass Labs XA 60.5 (Class A 60 wpc) but can take a few months to save
up for Pass Labs XA100.5 (Class A 100 wpc) if it really matters.
but evidence shows otherwise :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXGf3AonFCQ
Speakers : Magnepan 1.7
Which sounds great!

But Will the Modwright (semi-tube) impedance match with the pass'?

Group 3
-------
Pre : Leben RS28CX Premium Preamplifier
Power : CS-660P Separate Power Amplifier
Speakers : Harbeth SHL5 (or) Devore Fidelity The Nines (or) Devore Fidelity Orang Utan

Group 4
-------
Pre : Modwright LS100
Power : Pass Labs XA30.5 Monoblocks (30 watts Class A)
Speakers : Devore Fidelity Orang Utan

Also Please Feel Free to Mix-Match and Advice.

Music will be fed from my MAC to my DAC and to these.

Thank You!
thegoodarcher
p59teitel
312 posts
 
If you'd bothered to look at my virtual system you'd see that I do in fact own them. And sorry, but you're about the only person I've ever seen on here who claims that kilowatt amplification is absolutely necessary to drive them.
mbovaird
140 posts
 
Go with group one.
dsholl1
99 posts
 
Don't waste your time and money. Go the Leben harbeth combo.

Just heard my friends Harbeth SHL5 with the Leben Cs600.

Never heard better synergy in my life!!!!!

Just music.
thegoodarcher OP
70 posts
 
Sorry fellows, i really dont know how the Revel speaker topic got twisted here, as if you have would have read my posts - i have access to limited stuff.

I am going with the PASS AMPS, dealer just signed them in they say that it will take 1-2 months more for them to get the complete pass range in as they need to sample of the higher end ones, but i paid my advance and asked them to get mine in as fast as possible, theres no way iam waiting 1-2 more without any music..lets see..

as far as VAC goes - they seem very disinterested, my dealer says usually companies reply even if they are not keen, but VAC didnt even bother, so be it.

If my dealer gets me a discount i might even jump on the XA100.5 and for sometime will use my dac's preamp to connect directly to the power amp, as far as why not atma sphere amp - i have only access to a used m1 here in India, and on top of that - so many tubes scare the shit out of me - what if they explode and burn down the house!
ilidra
21 posts
 
Another idea. Pathos InPower monoblocks are excellent choice. 80W pure A Class hybrid INPOL design. Very warm, tube like sound with excellent bass control. Also they look amazing, Italian design. I paired them with Emotive Sira moded tube pre. Best sound wich I heared for sure. Hopefully you have Pathos dealer.
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