Devore and Shindo match

Fjn04,

My take in my system is a bit different. I doubt I can better the VTLs without sacrificing some other area. But one thing I tell all my friends is buy the amp & speaker as a system. Not apart. VTLs have a wonderful synergy with Ribbons, Metal dome tweeters, and quite a few electrostatics. Correct me if I am wrong but the Vandersteens are an active bass speaker. That would preclude getting the most important aspect of the VTLs performance to show through. Also, if you see those who are using VTL successfully (older models) Albert Porter for one, is using a hybrid ribbon design. The VTL is definitely a "laid back" sound that when balanced with the correct speaker can give you a sense of the SET magic but with power. But this is never experienced in triode mode. For me it just rolls off the highs.

As for Shindo amplification, due to the designs being all fairly different between models I would strongly suggest that the question is Shindo, but which Shindo.

Dgad, No doubt on both your points. I just decided to move on from VTL due to the marriage. If my room was a bit larger, I may have explored some other speaker options. There is no doubt that the VTL is a premier amp matched with the right speaker. I heard them driving Magnepan's, and it was a whole different ballgame. The Shindo amp's as you said seem quite different. Not only push-pull and SET like the Lamm's, but using quite a few different tubes from model to model.

The Shindo/Devore combo is quite popular and for good reason, there are good synergies there. I have the Aurieges/Montille combo and used to have the Super 8s. In my room the mids were wonderful, natural very uncoloured. However the bass was lacking but I'm sure it was a function of my room because my friend with a Monbrison/Montille combo once borrowed them and was able to dial them to produce glorious sound - including a very tight articulate bass. I never did hear the 9s with my gear but I did hear the Super 8s vs the 9s with Naim gear and I really liked the 9s, the same lovely highs and mids, but with a more fuller sound with a deeper bottom end. Shindo preamps have a loyal and dedicated following, and for the money I don't think they can beat. If you can swing for also a Shindo amp you should, because the synergies are truly magical.

Thanks for your comments. I have recently added the Monbrison to my system, and it has been very impressive.
To consider one of the Shindo amps, it would also mean that
I would have to chose a speaker as well. Mine is not suitable for 40 watts or below. It's been a while since I have made such a large move system wise, so I want to get
a feel for the Shindo/Devore sound first. I am not sure what other speakers to consider, but am leaning toward a conventinal cone driver right now. It would have been an interesting comparison to have heard the Nines with Shindo after having heard them with Naim. It seems like making a move on the speaker first would be a better.This would then make it easier to check out a wider variety of amps. Especially with a speaker like Devore that has such a stable impedance curve and is 90+ db.

I thought I'll chime in on my impressions with the Devore - Shindo Montille 6v6 match. I did get to hear Mickeyc8's Devore Super 8 in my system for a week (as Mickeyc8 mentioned above) and got some insight into what makes the speakers so special:

I really enjoyed the evenhanded and uncolored presentation of the Devores. They completely managed to disappear - sonically and spatially - and just let the music through. Their presentation does not draw attention to itself at all. It is easy to differentiate between instruments, different tonal structures, and carefully follow the development of a piece. We had a couple of really nice evenings just immersing ourself in music. Beyond that the Devores are very articulate, balanced, with a natural tone and texture. The soundstage is very structured and very wide much beyond the speaker, instruments are well separated and placed, no blurring of images, with a decent sweet spot. In Michael's room they were a little problematic with respect to bass (as most speakers do in his room) . In my 14 x 18 room the Super 8s nicely opened up and with the Monbrison and Montille 6v6 the Devore were far from thin sounding. I find the Devore's very well balanced; the bass is well defined and articulate rather than boomy and exaggerated, and some people may find the Super 8 slightly on the lean side.

In direct comparison, my Abbys still offer a little more midrange detail and texture - the Abbys capture the brassiness of trumpet and saxophone or the resonances of a cello a tad more. Images are taller and larger. Bass extension is similar although the Devores go a little deeper with a more articulate bass. In many ways it is a bit of a trade-off and they are kind of at different ends of musical speakers - the Abbys are more colored but also offer more texture and richness. I haven't heard a speaker that puts a solo cello into the room quite like the Abbys (short of the Shindo Latour of course).

I wouldn't have really considered a two-way like the Devore, but the evenings we listened were quite special and we really did appreciate what they did.