2. amps-preamps
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amp or preamp to extend upper end

I went from a fantastic little Krell integrated amp to a Musical Fidelity M6 amp and preamp. Found that the high end is a bit rounded off -- that amazing detail I had on the cheaper Krell is lost. My dealer said that the owner of Musical Fidelity designs his equipment for this sonic signature intentionally. Maybe I just got to used to an over-emphasized high end.

Question: would replacing the amp or preamp have a more noticeable impact on extending the upper range (assuming the new equipment can do so)? Any suggestions? Speakers are Vanderteen 3s.
evolving
evolving OP
16 posts
 
Atmasphere: I'm considering the MP-3 MKIII preamp. No experience with tub components, concerned about sacrificing detail and precision given what I've read about tubes from others. Any advice? Thanks. Paul
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,800 posts
 
The MP-3 and MP-1 have direct-coupled outputs which allows them a lot of transparency and bandwidth. Detail is not a thing they are lacking. I find solid state to be bright but lacking detail by comparison.
evolving OP
16 posts
 
Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

I found a really good deal on 3 month old Cary SLP-05 tube preamp. Very excited to hear it. I think this will be a great introduction to tubes.
rleff
1,065 posts
 
Evolving did you try Almarg's suggestion?
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 
What Ralph just posted seems to me related to Atkinson's Vandersteen 3 measurements. SS amps can sound bright while lacking detail because fine detail is smaller than the resolution floor of the amp, the detail lost in the amp's graininess (just as detail can be lost in the grain of analog film, the size of the grain larger than the detail itself). The Vandersteen 3, while measuring flat, sounds a little soft (just slightly out-of-focus, to continue the photography analogy), lacking detail that it's flat FR is supposed to assure. The softness then is not the result of a rolled-off top, but of what? The original Quad speaker has a more rolled-off top end than does the Vandersteen 3, yet provides far more detail. Transparency is the result of time-related matters, not just frequency---though the two are inseparable, of course. Vandersteen designs are touted as being time coherent---why then are they not very transparent?
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