My Long List of Amplifiers and My Personal Review of Each!

Video drops shortly

You don't wanna miss this!

I guess Jay does a good job filming 😆

Jay,

Hopefully you can discuss with Mikey why he has the bass cabinets in the middle and the panels on the extreme sides.  When I had the huge Maggie Tympani's, I placed the HF units in the center closer to each other than the bass panels which were on the outside.  I think I remember when you had the Maggie 3.7i and 20.7, you had the ribbon tweeters on the inside.  He has the panels very far apart, but it only takes a few feet to obtain excellent separation and spatiality.  The big disadvantage of very wide separation is blurring and bloating of most instruments in midrange/HF, although at first the huge soundstage is tantalizing.

Visually, his arrangement makes sense--otherwise the huge panels would destroy the beauty of the room.  If the bass cabinets were on the sides, the bass might be too loose and uncontrolled.

WC,

Just wanted to add that I appreciate your honest impressions in the videos with Mikey, and your car comparison is a great analogy.  The discussion with you and Mikey about Consulting Services will hopefully be helpful going forward.   Consulting ends up costing less overall, because the money spent on consulting is much less than the money lost on the equipment merry go round - which most of the time is inevitable without an Expert.

Dave

Mike has the speakers very very far apart (maybe like 12 feet?) and the adjustability of the entire system is great too. I liked the way things sounded which you will get to hear on the video i shot at this place. I can appreciate ANY SYSTEM that sounds great regardless of the money spent. I am sure that many of you have systems that kick ass and yet only cost about 10% of what i have in mine.

Hopefully this video with MIkey has shown you all that for me it is not about dumping a ton of money into a system and that this is the only way to get things to sound right. I am simply playing with components that yes, they are out of reach for many but i remain objective. I even voted the Joseph Audio room the best room at CAF 2021 and there were rooms with systems costing far more money there.

Ultimately, i would like for all of you to understand that the fact that i am playing with this level of gear is EXACTLY what makes me valuable because if i came into your house TODAY, heard your affordable system that you have put together by working your @ss off and was blown away, wouldn’t that make you say: "wow, this compliment is coming from a guy who has had just about EVERYTHING and who plays with some of the best stuff out there and yet he is highly impressed by what i have put together in here".

Wouldn’t that feel good for you?  I want for the guy who owns the Ferraris and Lambos to praise my Turbo Honda Civic after he takes it for a test drive. You want people with greater reference points to be that extra set of ears because your goal should be to aspire to make things even better (assuming your budget allows). 

I have said it before, and i will repeat it again: If something sounds damn good, i will be vocal about how good it sounds regardless of price. Please, erase that idea from your head that if i came over to hear your system that I probably wouldn't like it because it is not as expensive as mine. This is BS and hopefully you all now have a greater appreciation for what I am doing. I am not doing this to be cheerleader for the ultra high end (although that is for the most part what i have been presenting on my channel). I am here to be vocal about ANYTHING that impresses me so next time I am in your neck of the woods and you want my honest opinion (yes i will be real with you about how i feel about your system), feel free to let me know.

Thanks guys for the love and the support !

Jay

As you said Jay, these systems are on opposites of the spectrum, if not polar opposites.  Very cool u both had a chance to experience such incredible systems in their own right.

I plan to try that at some point. That said, I can't really evaluate amplifiers if I biamp speakers with different amps. In his system, it's good because he doesn't do what I do. He has a reference system that he has built by doing a lot of tweaks which includes a magnepan tweeter on his speakers. 

WC - I see what you mean, when you described the system in a previous video.   It does sound really good.

Dave

Though it’s a poor man’s system by comparison, I can absolutely agree the VAC Master preamp makes for an EPIC pairing to a clean SS amp. The VAC Master pre paired with matching VAC power amp (200iQ’s in my case) sounds more beautiful than any other combo I’ve tried on most music, but falls a bit short for high-adrenaline heavy metal and hard rock with a fast & heavy beat. But either VAC component, paired with another brand’s very clean sounding complementary component (e.g. ARC Ref 6 pre or Phison A2.120SE amp), does just fine with heavy metal! I’ve been driving myself crazy with amp swaps the past few months 😅

I see Jay chooses very NOT metal material for his videos :)

asin,

Thanks.  At low/moderate SPL, how do the ML 536 and AHB2 compare for detail, resolution and bite of classical music?   My experience with AHB2 is it is strong in subtleties but weak in power dynamics.

I have opportunity to test Mark Levinson 536 against Krell FPB 600, Pass Lab X350.8, Benchmark AHB2, and NAD C298.

They are driving my B&W 802D3.

They all sounds good and each have their own signature.

ML 536 has the best dynamic, details and holographic soundstage for playing loud classical music

Krell FPB has the most bass weight, details and soundstage lacking compare to 536

Pass Lab X350.8 very similar to ML 536 but less dynamic and life like details...ML 536 will reproduce close mic recording of piano or trumpet as if you hear the real instrument with the "bite" that make you think you hear the real life instrument if you close your eyes.

AHB2 good overall value , lacking in bass punch and soundstage details by comparison

NAD C298 very good value, lacking in bass weight , soundstage and details transparency by comparison.

Catching up and enjoyed the Qkore review as well. Been enjoying its impact on my system for awhile now but it sounds like it may be worth trying 2 premium cables over the standards. I have heard some Nordost dealers say it isn't necessarily worth the price, but as you say, if it gives you more of what the Qkore does....

Just plain fantastic!  Perhaps you will hold onto this system and use as a reference? Would be a worthy system!

It would be very difficult for me to let this grouping of components and speakers go....excellent system synergy.

Lots of great comments on the video itself. This has been well-received. 

Take 2 is much much better than take 1,I think it is the different on record way.

and this demonstrate that what we hear  largely depends on the record method.

Take 2!

Thanks for pulling this together. Of seven-channel amps that you've tried and that are currently in production, would you say that the Krell Chorus 7200 is the best? Only other amp that seems in the running would be the ATI Signature Series 6007. Would like to avoid Class D. 

I note the Plinius Odeon has long since been discontinued.

You can do excellent grounding and AC filtering for way less money than the Nordost stuff......Just doing the grounding stuff recommended in the below link would probably blow your mind.  The grounding stuff is a separate grounding rod you install just for your stereo, the Puritan Ground Master filter, and a bunch of wires to connect each component to the Puritan line filter.  All under $500 total.  The Puritan line filter......less than $2K for the 156 version is raved about in this thread and can be used in conjunction with all the above grounding thangs......my friend is doing all the above in his stereo but starts off with a 3000 watt battery powered low distortion inverter in front of it all......super dead quiet and transparent.....mind blowing.  The whole enchilada for the Puritan Line filter 256, the Ground master, the ground rod, installation (if you cannot put in a rod on your own)......would be less than $3K.

https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=173793.0

Interesting, I often use Medium, especially late at night, which sounds quite good to my ears, but never tried Low. I think the manual says it is just for keeping the amp ready for listening without initial warm-up. Does it sound as good as Medium or High setting?

LOW

Jay, what bias setting did you use on the last video?

Thanks,

Aziz

Is this presentation my all-time best? hmmm.. 

here we go:

@divertiti 

So I think the furutech is broken in... It took roughly 500 hours. 

Very nice improvement for sure. 

Ok guys, the video of the vac preamp and Gryphon amp will be released tomorrow. I have 3 songs total but I will release one song tomorrow. I think you will like what you hear very much. 

@jays_audio_lab Bumping a previous post here, how is the Furutech outlet playing in your system now, did burn in help and turn it around?

Thank you Ron !

Very nice review of the Nordost Qkore6.  I really love mine.

Man you have hit the road running in 2022.  The very high end SS vs tube comparison was unprecedented.  Really looking forward to the VAC Master preamp / Mephisto Solos video.  Your content just keeps getting better and better.  

Honestly, I don’t see viber6 changing at all. I understand that viber6 has his preference and wants to help others with theirs and uses their comments and good logic to deduce what would be best for folks. Good intentions for sure.

However, I think that along with the good intentions, viber6 does not respect others. Seems like a weird combo, but that’s what I see. For example (recent examples), WC recently requested that viber6 take a conversation offline, but viber6 bucked that. kren006 mentioned that he doesn’t need any tips on his purchasing decisions, and viber6 then replied with a few suggestions for purchase, such as the M1200 and the LSA. It’s this lack of respect that leaves sour notes on his good intentions.

I hope I’m wrong and viber6 starts respecting others.

Dave

@jays_audio_lab 

I appreciate your kind and insightful comments - you hit the nail on the head, metaphorically speaking.

Ok folks, 

On today's video, i will be be giving you my opinion on the Nordost Qkore. Is this thing worth the money? who should be buying it? what are its CONs? What does it do for your system? 

Tune in to find out! (1130AM)

@riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook 

I see your point, but taking heat when you don't really have to can't be good press.

I am having to take heat because i am public and have a channel so it comes with the territory, but if i did not have a channel or a thread i would not put up with it. I would just walk out and find something else to do with my time or a place where i am welcomed. 

@jdechamp 

You and many others have the same sentiments. I am only stepping in this time because i want for viber to "regroup" and understand what is happening without me having to be abrasive towards him. However, one can only help a person that truly wants to be helped. If he continues to do the same thing then I will not intervene and unfortunately let him seek his own demise. 

Thank you Jay. I have resisted commenting on Viber6 several times and I appreciate you addressing this with him in a civil, yet realistic manner.

Joe

Some people just need constant attention regardless if its positive or negative. You know the old saying "Any press is good press".

@viber6

Although i don’t like it when others shove you around, i can’t argue with them because you continue to do the things that have been historically burning you:

1. recommending equipment you have never owned
2. drawing up conclusions based on your preference
3. providing help where it isn’t being requested
4. having conversations with some people within the thread that eventually take away from the natural flow of what people are really interested in

Sometimes it feels as you are trying to "fit in" and go through ups and downs (you stop doing this behavior only to return a few weeks later and do the same thing again) and i don’t know if you don’t realize you are doing it?

Look, i was guilty of being combative in the past. I had differences with some people ( @mrdecibel ​​@grey9hound ​​@kren0006 , and i am sure others i can’t remember) and then i realized that i was handling things the wrong way. I had to take a step back and understand that they all have their own journey as well and I am nobody to tell them what to do or not to do or how to listen to music/gear/etc.

We all want healthy, respectful discussions WITHOUT barking or imposing our views on others especially when there is no "hands on" experience with such recommendations.

Everyone who has been on your case is not doing it on purpose, but rather because you call for it after repetitive behavior that i think you can admit you are guilty of.

I have people on here who have been riding with me from my early days and who post on here regularly and have helped the organic growth of this thread (THANK YOU BY THE WAY) and they are not judgmental, but even they are tired of what is happening.

Every person who has told you something at one point or another is only doing it because you pushed it for far too long until they could not take it anymore.

Lastly, please take a step back and try to understand what is triggering you to do the same thing over and over again. It keeps being the main obstacle between you and everyone else on here and i think if you managed to figure that out then you wouldn’t be getting the reaction you get.

It is 2022, maybe it is time to hit a reset button inside of you? if you simply feel that you are who you are and you can’t change then perhaps this thread is not the right environment for you and it might actually hurt you down the road due to all the constant heat you take. It CAN NOT feel nice to wake up each day and see something negative written about you on here. That has to hurt and I am surprised you have been handling it for so long. I personally would have just never come back. 

Viber,

You are Dominating the thread. People are sick of it .

We do not want or need your input or perceived "HELP "to any posts. You are replying to anything posted and giving your advice or reply to every post made. Nor do we need you endlessly drawing conclusions and assumptions based on what you read elsewhere and put together with what people say in this thread.

You some off as "ALL KNOWING" and respond to everything as if you are the expert on ALL things.

Must be that DR that you use in front of your name in the real world. YOU are not GOD or all Knowing ..and I am pretty sure people are "SICK" of it .

PLEASE STOP.

Jay, curious how the Furutech outlet worked out,  has the burn in helped or have you switched away from it?