Devore Fidelity Silverback Reference.


I'm now in the final iteration for my system - and thank the pundits in this forum to help me out - i run a 30wpc Class A SS amp which doubles as a 140 Watt per channel class a/b amp - i found this amp after a long and tiring search going through the likes of Naim,Pass Labs,Ayre,Rogue Audio etc.

I am not in the vicinity to try out the devores, and it has to be pretty much a blind buy.

I am very worried, as online reviews can be very misleading - some say, these speakers are tremendously revealing (i listen to a lot of not so cleverly mastered music) plus a lot of modern stuff, and my source is almost always a Mac mini played through Antelope Zodiac DAC, with occasional vinyl here and there, other say that it's 'an open window' to music - since i have no way of going back? can you guys advice or share with me your opinion if you are a silverback owner? my amp has a single tube manifest with geranium and bipolar transistor (more of a solid state amp).

My Current speakers were a pair of Monitor Audio Platinum (which i got rid of last week) i found them bright, a bit unrefined and a bit musically showy, with a lot of listening fatigue, on of the worst speaker i have owned, i also owned Harbeth SLH5 (which was ok, but not great)

I loved my amp with Kharma DB9 (which it drove fantastically well) unfortunately i can't afford this or the DB7 though now i hear Magico's will be releasing their S3, which is more in by budget, but prefer to have the Silverbacks and pocket the extra cash.

The thing is i do not know what kind of technology devore employs, compared to more larger, technologically superior manufacturers, though
the design might stand the test of time, i do not want the trouble of reselling the devotes, and going through the hassle of buying something else.

Please Help! I play everything form Dizzy Gillespie to Michael Jackson to Scottish Chamber Orchestra.
thegoodarcher
Truemaineiac, how was the silverback with the lm218ia? I have a 518, and was considering eventually between the O/93 O/96 or the LM755's. I never really considered the silverbacks, but may add them to the list.
dchang, the lm218ia worked fine with the silverbacks, plenty of drive, a very good sound. I ran across a used shindo montrachet and auriges and couldn't pass it up, would have been happy with LM and the silverbacks.
Thegoodarcher,
I don't know what tube amplifiers you've been using but something's amiss if you had hissing, pops and clicks. I've used/ owned numerous tube amps and that was never an issue under any circumstances.
My current SET amp is one of the quietest amplifiers I've ever experienced, tube or transistor. Bst of luck with your amplifier search.
Charles,
Truemaineac,
Amplifier power ratings can be misleading. Oldgrey's 8 watt Shindo Cortese llikely has better transformers and stiffer power supply than the 15 watt Shindo Apetite and thus more grunt and drive for speaker loads.
For example my 8 watt SET out drives a 30 watt el34 push pull amp on the same speakers I own. The 8 watt SET is heavier with bigger transformers.
Charles,
Without any kind of doubt Silverbacks are the best speakers John Devore has manufactured.

Rich, powerful, dynamic and BIG/small (chamaleonic) sound. The bad new is this is an old model and probably will be replaced in few time.

You can buy them without doubts.