I have a Proceed HPA2 (Mark Levinson) amp driving Aerial Acoustics 7Bs and I love it. However, I have not compared the combo to much else other than a set of B&W tower speakers driven by the same amp. The 7Bs were way better sounding.
Not sure I would worry about an upgrade if primary use was HT though. |
I really want to find a ML 533H but... They are so hard to find!!! |
Mark Levinson is a sonic match for Aerial speakers.
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GO for Citadel 1.5s! They are amazing even tho my mains have active subs and are still continuing to get better. |
Years ago my dealer had a pair of Levinson Mono's w/a Levinson preamp and a Wadia CD player. Speakers were Aerial 10 T's. The music was Shirley Horn. To this day I can't forget how good the music was.
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I really want to find a ML 533H or 535H but i can't locate one... I think the Aerial will need the current of the 533H over the 535H, but I am not sure... We always want more power!! lol
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I used a Proceed HPA3 with my Aerial LR5’s and the combination was excellent. From what I’ve been told the HPA series was basically Levinson in a different case.
I now have an ATI signature that is equally as clear, open and dynamic. They really open up my Aerials polite top end. |
HPA3 = High failure rates and no aid from paulie walnuts sterngold in caSE of issues.. I got raked over the coals and never got my amp5 fixed. the HPA3 is of the same dna.
Harman = Anti consumer when it comes to repair and from the schematics I have seen there were revisions. and known issues...
Cit 1.5 or prometheus would be my suggestion. (went from an amp5 to monoblocks) |
@jdlynch
Did you feel like you lost ANYTHING when switching to the ATI from the HPA's? Midrange? Bass Slam? Anything?
Note: I am also looking at a Theta Dreadnaught II that is for sale right now too... ;)
As I plan to eventually upgrade to the 7T Aerials, I want something that is compatible with both what i have now, and still transparent enough for the newer 7T's... |
I am a theta fan ever since getting my 1.5s steve bruznowski over on avs had the 7t/ dread citadel / prometheus evolution i went from an amp5 to citadel monos / a sigma amp5 for center and surround duties
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I actually felt I gained a bit of dynamics and mid-bass slam going to the ATI signature. My proceed was aging though and could’ve benefitted from a cap replacement. Regardless, it gave nothing up to the proceed.
The proceeds are indeed repairable. There are replacement channel modules available that when replaced will buy 15 more years of service. Pyramid Audio in Austin, TX can handle any repairs you may need. The proceeds are a great value at their selling prices.
Theta may be good, but they’re Uber-expensive. If you’re mainly HT I bet you’d never hear the difference. Save your money. I still prefer to stay with class A/B gear and decided to go with the ATI signature. No regrets!
Best wishes in your search and I hope you’re happy with your final decision. |
Very happy with my Pass X250 with my 7B’s. Had a X250.5 at home as a demo and definitely a little more refined but not by much. Look at Pass. |
@Ok. Did you feel like you lost anything when you went from the Datasat amps to the ATI? I just want good, clean (but musical and not dry) power!! |
Parasound JC1's are a perfect match for my 10T's. They replaced a ML336 and I preferred them to many others I tried including Pass X-series, newer Levinson, and a whole host of others.
Good luck with your shopping. |
I didn't ask if you were running a balanced pre or out... its an important factor in your decision tho. |
My Datasat amp and my ATI signature amp sound pretty much identical. They are basically the same amp except for the Datasat having a cooling fan and some additional connections to match their Pre/Pros. If looks are important the datasat wins hands down. |
Ok. Do you think the new Krell Chorus line would be a good fit? There is a Krell 7200 for sale on here and i am very curious about it, but not sure how it will mate up with the Aerials... |
My cousin has a set of Aerial 10T's. They are very fast responding in the mids and highs. The JC1 would probably be a good match in my opinion. The Krell Chorus or Dual/Solo amps would be another good choice as the high frequencies on the Krell are very smooth and clean. I would avoid fast high resolution amps like the Bryston Class AB amps. The older generation Aerials (such as 7B and 10T) used a very responsive aluminum dome tweeter. The new generation 7B uses a ring radiator and has different mids. It is a completely different speaker and much more laid back and smooth. So, an amp that would match well with the old 7B may be too slow/warm on the new 7T. |
Ok... Then maybe i should wait to upgrade my amp until after i upgrade the speaker... I am just really curious if there will be a noticeable difference between say a Theta Dreadaught, Mark Levinson 535H, Krell Chorus 5200, ATI signature or class D amps....
I will also be using an Anthem AVM60 as my front end on this.
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The Krell Chorus/Duo/Solo amps are excellent amps. Very smooth, very refined with lots of resolution. However, they are not extreme high frequency "air" amps. They would be an excellent match to the older 7B. They would definitely sound good with the new 7T, but you’ll find that you’ll lose high frequency extension with that combination. If that’s not a concern, then the latest Krell amps are great choices. I always caution people on Mark Levinson, because it’s a case of "you either love it or you hate it". I found that Levinson has a very interesting midrange and the soundstage is kind of weird - I find it too compressed or closed in (in a sense). But for many people, they just love the sound. So, I would suggest you go listen to an actual Levinson amp first before deciding. What is your current preamp / sources? Inteconnects / speaker wire? All these can influence what kind of amp you should choose. |
