D'Agostino vs. Ayre

thoughts ?
i went with the Vandersteen amps....... pretty excited to say the least
5 weeks away.....
contact Randy at Optimal if you want a nice VX-R Twenty in black
and to think i claimed to rarely change gear

Let me say this: I know the components I'm running right now might not be drop-dead neutral. But, Man, that slightly modified Audio Research Reference 6 feeding the D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Momentum S-250 is So Musical. Wow! Even Dan D'Agostino admits that his latest creations don't measure as well in the lab as some of his old Krell stuff. He went for musicality over measurements.

Tweaks, on the other hand, are, well, tweaky. Inconsistent. I probably would be looking for another preamp right now had the Synergistic fuse and the Sain power cord not been so effective. But I did try aftermarket fuses in Ayre amps, when I had them, with little change in sound. I tried a Sain power cord on the D'Agostino. Nope. A little to lean. I went back to the stock cord. So, my experience with tweaks is that what might work well in one component or system might not be beneficial in another.

Glad you're enjoying the S250.  I've got one in my listening room too and it is a phenomenal amp.  And you won't find finer people in this business than the D'Agostinos.

I remember back, maybe 20-25 years ago, I was considering becoming an electronics engineer. I wanted some feedback from some highly-respected audio companies on specifically what skills they require. I picked up the phone and called Krell. After explaining my desires to a receptionist, she put me directly through to Mr. Dan D'Agostino. He spent 20 minutes on the phone with me and answered all my questions. He didn't have to do that. But he Did. Major respect for Mr. Dan D'Agostino.

Any update on the comparison of your Dan'Ag vs the Ayre?