Linestage search

I´m learning a lot and clarifying many things.
I have no chance to audition any of them and that´s why I´ve started this discussion.

I´d welcome any additional comments of the three I list below.

*. Charles, your experience with the Coincident Statement Linestage and the aparent no technical issues, confirm it as one of the firm candidates.

*. Al, the Manley Neo Classic 300b is on my list too.

*. The other on the list is the EAR 868

Al, Charles, Matt, George, Bdp24, I appreciate the help of all of you.
Thanks,
Rafael

charles1dad
  It appears that George may have confused the 2 different products

No, it's the Jumbo Shrimp.

Hey just going from the Manly website on their Jumbo Shrimp product under specs. and it states switchable gain from 45dB or 60dB and they mention those gains not once but at 8 different times!!! If it’s a typo, it’s a humdinger.
http://www.manley.com/products/view/mspr

Cheers George

1. EAR 868 (used)
2. Coincident Statement Linestage (used)

A couple 3 years ago I accompanied a friend to go audition a pair of AZ Adagio floor standing speakers. Gorgeous looking speakers, by the way.

The setup had EAR 100w amps. I asked of the preamp and could swear I was told ‘Frankenstein’. Knowing then Coincident made an amp called by that name, I said as much, you mean Coincident? The seller agreed.

Obviously looking back there was a communication breakdown.

An analog source was used primarily until a digital one was asked for. Isoclean PLC was in use as we were informed.

The presentation IMHO was as close to SS as one could ask for in spite of the tubes. It lacked the sheen or luster of tubes what so ever. The bass was remarkable though.

Whenever one decides to mix and or match different houses and the numbers regarding input and output IMP and gain coincide, everything will work on paper.

One should as well be prepared to move on if the sonics don’t butter one’s bread, and that possibility exists a lot. As the sound or ‘synergy’ is another story altogether.

A real world certainty is staying in the same house will yield more synergistic parings more often than not. The noteable disparity then hinges on performance, not electronic matching. Of course too, digging or not digging a brand’s voice plays a role.

Were it me, I’d try hard to get an EAR pre.

I’d bet too, either of your choices would do quite well…. Good luck.

blindjim
I agree with you that the synergy is very important , and the EAR 868 was my first consideration because it belongs to the same house of the amps.
However, the Coincident Linestage attracts me.
Thanks for your advice and telling me your experience.
Rafael