quicksilver amps and preamps any thoughts ??


any input on theses items, they look nice, am curious to the sound and reliability, thanks. Any comparisons to other equipment etc.
Ag insider logo xs@2xsuperhonestben
I've got the 8417 monoblocks and there is some mechanical hum from the transformers. However, this is not translated to the speakers at all. You have to go up to the amps to hear it, but music remains completely unaffected. The amps sound fantastic as well. Since these were early Quicksilver stuff, I'm sure the Triodes being discussed have overcome any of those early kinks.
I have the V4's and the background is dead quiet. If you go up to the amps themselves with no music playing, you can hear a slight hum but nothing at all over the speakers. My Merlin's were a lot noiser with the Audio Research D-125 amp I used to have. Oh, and they sound great and have been absolutely trouble free. There may be better amps, but they are pretty darn good and a really good value I think. The one thing I'd like to do is try an OTL amp with my speakers sometime when I can afford one but other then that, I'm sticking with the Quickies. Oh, I have used cheater plugs as I get a pronounced hum without them but thats not the transformers. I've been thinking about getting a balanced line conditioner for that issue, but it seems as though a lot of A'goner's have that issue with their systems.
I use a Mini-Mite pair with the Cary SLP-98 preamp and I can tell you it is dead quiet and very musical. The Quicksilvers are a very nice amps if you don't mind the simple appearance.

Thanx,
Russ
My friend has been a long time owner of the full function preamp. I like it a lot. A musical and transparent preamp with no hint of grain, excessive bloom, or "tubey" warmth. Beautiful midrange and speed when paired with a good SS preamp. I think this is a preamp that works very well in a hybrid setup. Does not sound anything like a classic CJ tube preamp.
I'm using Quicksilver Horn Monos with a Cary SLP-2002 preamp and Klipsch La Scalas. Jaw-dropping transients, superb detail, clarity and fullness. The Horn Monos are dead quiet and a great match for the La Scalas.

I used Rogue M120s before - way more power and great amps in their own right, but they were much noisier with high efficiency speakers like the La Scalas. The Rogues were more impressive sounding due to their much greater power, but the Quicksilvers are more truthful with respect to tone, clarity, and intimateness.

I'm extremely happy with the Quicksilvers, and the build quality is exceptional. The horn mono is a lower-gain version of the mini-mite, with some cosmetic improvements (and real binding posts!) Not a single problem with these amps so far - not even the slightest deviation from the same operational characteristics and behavior every listen. Rock solid.