Speakers like the Atrias are relatively tough impedance loads. As such, when paired with most tube amps, there is a mid-bass boost, hence the warmth. Actually, tube amps create this effect with the vast majority of speakers (why peeps claim tube watts sound more powerful), even many high sensitivity speakers if they don’t have a mostly resistive load.
You are probably experiencing a much more linear response with the D’Agostino. If you don’t have the luxury of experimenting with speaker placement, you can try reversing the speaker cable polarity. That may cause a bass boost or null depending on your room acoustics and the amp’s output polarity. Otherwise, if you haven’t had the amp for long, you might do well to give your ears more time to adjust to the new sound.
Chances are that upgrading to a “better” D’Agostino amp will not provide the missing “warmth.” Maybe consider a Sim Audio or Boulder integrated.
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@astralpen
Classy , elegant . Not ostentatious . The magic is rather inside
The remote is like a small computer . Always commicating with the grears .
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@g9taylor I understand on the room size. I went from Atria II to Cygnus. I loved the Cygnus but had an issue with the pair that I got and decided to go with Estelon. My room is 15 X 17. The XB diamond play really well n the room and are not bass light. They are not flat down to 20 but they play well below 30hz with great authority.
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@g9taylor
I was asking a question about Amp/speaker possible integration.
My complete set up : 2 Channels and Home Theater is over 200K $
And I have plenty of time 😉
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@maxwave Sorry if my thoughts wasted your time.
@creditingkarma You are right. The YB MK2's don't require 400w mono blocks. I bought the amps as part of a plan to do a significant remodel that would have given me a much larger listening room and an opportunity to try bigger speakers. For reasons not related to audio those plans changed.
My current listening room is small. It's kind of an L shape, 12 x 16, widening to 15 in the rear. The shape is the result of a bathroom and two doors. The room is below grade and very solid so the sound right now is great. It's a very quiet room, <30Db background. The Estelon's image really well though they are short on deep bass.
So yes, I originally planned to move to bigger speakers. Plans changed and everything sounds so good right now I'm reluctant to change. I finally have a turntable with two tonearms and I'm enjoying experiencing different cartridges.
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also you might try the Townshend podiums underneath your speakers those things get rid of a lot of problems, the mid b a s s problem could be because the vibrations are going out of the speaker into the floor and back into the speaker again and shaking it causing smearing in the sound stage they're not cheap but best upgrade you'll ever do.
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it could be due to your interconnect or your speaker wire or both if you're using OFC wire that definitely could be the problem that's the worst wire for audio you could have you should try OCC single crystal wire.
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@astralpen
I know from a credible source that Marc Phillips from PAT will review the Brama separate 2nd generation ( mono blocs and preamp )
Also ,Michael Lavorgna of Twittering Machines, will review the Brama Integrated 2nd generation.
I have no business link with Vinnie Rossi , except that I own the Integrated amplifier 1st generation
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I have look at the MSB Cascade , and I suddenly felt very poor 😉
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@maxwave Unless I am mistaken the output section of these amps are solid state. The tube is only in the pre section. This should not affect bass output. Also there is a difference in power between the amps. The Dag were 400w into 8ohms and 800 into 4ohms.
Again this is only my experience having owned the Atria II with the Momentum gear. We all hear things differently and have different preferences too. That is what makes this hobby great.
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@creditingkarma
I do not know about D'Agostino ´ s upgrade program. Brama 2nd generation encloser is 10 % smaller than the 1st generation . You can't upgrade keeping your 1st generation enclosure.
´´ lacking bass and also bass control ´´ On both mode : SS and Tube ?
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@maxwave I am referring to the Brama gear in comparison to the D’Agostino. I have experienced the Brama separates not the integrated. I found them lacking bass and also bass control. The rest of the sound was really nice and I love the remote. I do think that it is called appt to all of the owners to release a new version so quickly. This also happened with previous Vinnie gear. It makes it hard to resell and upgrade. Maybe they will do an upgrade program like D’Agostino does.
p.s. I would take the Brama gear over progression any day of the week.
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@maxwave With MSB dacs there is really no need for a preamp. This is especially true if you are using their amps. The dacs and amps are designed to work together with matched impedance. I do not have any analog sources so being completely digital is perfect for my use. If you go up to the Reference dac there is actually an analog preamp section as well for use with either xlr or rca inputs. The cascade dac now offers multiple analog inputs too.
One advantage of their designs is that if you are using a digital input there are no amplifications stages after the dac section. Their dac modules output enough voltage that there is no need for op amps. The signal is only attenuated.
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@creditingkarma
´´ The Brama gear looks incredible but the V1 was lacking in many areas ´´
Can you develop about this ? I am interested to know about the weakness of my integrated amplifier
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@creditingkarma
MSB offers no preamp ?
What is your preamp ? Classe Audio Delta Pre ?
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@OP. The D'Agostino amplifiers have very clean bass - but it is not lean. But it is very far away from the way a lot of tube gear sounds in the bass. The MxV amplifiers are more refined than the Progressions - that's more noticeable from the midrange up.
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@g9taylor That is a serious front end for a pair of YB MK II. Are the thinking of upgrading the speakers to larger Estelon?
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I am in an interesting position to comment on this. I used to own a pair of Atria II with the momentum HD pre and M400 monos. I also had a pair of JL F110 v2 subs. This was an incredible sounding system. I decided to upgrade to a pair of Cygnus which I do not own anymore for reasons that I don’t want to discuss here.
I ended up with a pair of Estelon XB Diamond MKII. I also sold off my D’Agostino gear and moved over to a complete MSB system with the S202 and Premier Dac. I sold the Momentum gear to get some cash but also out of fear that it may fail in the future. I had a progression integrated blow a board while I had that in for a trial before I went with the momentum separates (I bought them used at a great price). The MSB combo is so close to the Dan gear at a fraction of the price that I can not see spending the extra. I would much prefer a MSB Reference Dac and S500 amp at a lower price and you have an incredible Dac.
As for the Atria at axpona with the Vinnie gear that was actually my old pair that I traded in. They were loaned out to Vinnie for the show. The Brama gear looks incredible but the V1 was lacking in many areas and was not close to D’Agostino. I have not heard the new V2 Brama gear but it seems strange to release a new version after only a little over one year.
I would look into MSB if you are considering the MxV Integrated.
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@g9taylor
The synergie between D’agostino and Estelon YB MK2 may be different than
the synergie between D’agostino and Rockport Atria .
And you own a 200K $ system ....
It is more a question than an affirmation though.
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I haven't heard the Momentum integrated but I have the HD pre and the MxV mono blocks. They don't lack fullness and richness in the mid-base. Based on that I'd say it may be worth a listen to the integrated.
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more important question what are you using for a source?
i know several things that will add warmth
an audio magic power conditioner, good power cords, vibration management,
improving dac/streamer
furutech ncf products
Dave and Troy
audio intellect NJ
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Room is treated and many, many hours of speaker placement experimentation.
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May it gives you some ideas about Rockport Atria . And the Brama 2nd generation is a step above the 1st generation
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Just a comment, but I'd think of room acoustics / speaker positioning long before changing amplifiers when looking to fix a mid-bass issue.
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If you wait a little bit , reviews should be coming soon for Vinnie Rossi Brama Integrated 2nd generation.
Less expensive than the MxV Integrated.
Less XMas lights and XMas tinsels but , very classic aestheticly speaking and the magic is inside.
I own the Brama Inegrated 1st generation . very very nice . But if I win the lotery , the Brama integrated 2nd generation will come to my home
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