quicksilver amps and preamps any thoughts ??

Hello many thanks for the responses, sounds like people really like the gear, the horn monos interest me as I have Khorns,but also have B&W cm4s and Linn Ninkas, is there a better all around amp for all...say mid monos anybody heard those ??

Hi Ben,

I've had Minimites for the past year and am still amazed by their exceptional value. They are driving Klipsch Forte's and are a great match. I plan on auditioning the Horn Monos to see if I can draw that last bit of inner detail out of the music. I'd say the Horn Monos would be a perfect match with Khorns but you may need something a bit more versatile if you plan on driving speakers rated below mid 90's db. You should email Mike Sanders at Quicksilver to get his opinion. Mike's design philosophy - form follows funtion - is clearly evident in all his creations. I'm convinced that his approach allows the listener to be more emotionally involved in the music.

Mwilson - You said the Rogue M120's were more impressive than the Horn Monos due to their much greater power. Do you find the Horn Monos, when pushed hard, run out of steam with the Lascalas? I would think that the 104db Lascalas would leave plenty of head room. Just curiuos.

Regards, Mike

Hi,

Thanks everyone for thier feedback! I was thinking of e-mailing Mike Sanders but did not want to risk offending him if I asked if some of his amps hummed.

Thanks!

BTW Howard thank you for the invitation but not close to you right now.

Hi Mike. To answer your question, I have never run out of power with the Horn Monos on the La Scalas, and I've gotten them up to "pictures falling off the wall" levels regularly. The Rogues had more current swing and slam (120 watts a side can do that for you), but the Horn Monos also go very deep and with great authority. I listen to heavy metal, space rock, dub reggae and electronic music mainly, and never lack for volume or impact with the Horn Monos in my setup. I haven't looked back from the Rogues, which I never would have let go if I had any inkling that the Quicks were close on headroom.

I think your idea of trying the horn monos on the fortes is a good one - though bear in mind the horn mono is lower gain than your mini mites, and the forte is lower sensitivity than the la scalas I'm using. How much headroom you'd have, I wouldn't be able to say (but in my setup, I can't see the end of the tunnel, so at 104db, there's plenty.) I sold my Forte II's about a year before picking up the Quicks, else I'd be able to tell you firsthand!

I have owned Quicksilver gear and can speak about the company, reliability and a little about the sound. My amplifier experience was with what I think was Quicksilver's first amp, the MX-190. Well the MX indicated that it was the second version of the original amp which I think was called MS-190. This amp was in the 160 watt range, big chassis, etc. Although I purchased the amp used, and had the amp for years, they never had a single problem. The amp was ultra reliable, and through steady use imparted a Rock-of-Gilbrator-like sense of problem-free behavior. With regard to their later amps, I’ve always heard from users that their amps shared the rock-steady reliability that my amp had.

The sonics were exceptional for their time. In fact, when I got the bug to upgrade, I discovered that the MX-190 performed better sonically than many of the highly thought of amps that I considered. In the end, I did upgrade. Note in testimony to my MX-190 and to Quicksilver, I sold my used Quickie back to the person who originally sold them to me! I’ve only heard of that happening with Quads.

An essential item to me with regard to audio gear is the company that makes the gear. What is the value in owning an amp if it is unreliable, if the vendor does not share your goal in making said amp reliable, or if the company ignores you if you have a question? Relative to those categories, some vendors are significantly better than others. Mike Sanders and Quicksilver provide some of the best customer service in the industry. In short, if you audition the Quickies of your choice and are pleased with the sound, I would not hesitate to purchase them.