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Need more slam! Help!

Hi all,

For the most part I am very happy with my current system. I’m still pretty new at the hobby, been about 3 years or so but in that time I feel that I’ve been able to cobble together a pretty nice system.
I currently have a vpi prime scout with an ortofon 2m black cartridge running to a musical surroundings phonomena to a rogue rp1 preamp, to rogue st90 amp and concluding with vandersteen model 3 signatures. Audioquest diamond back interconnects and kimbercable speaker wire.

First, here’s what I love about my setup - huge soundstage, really open and three dimensional. And this is probably what I find most exciting in home audio reproduction, I love feeling as if I’m looking at the stage from the third row and can pick out where everyone is, truly magic to have that feeling from the living room couch. I am pleased with the speed and accuracy of my system, it feels very articulate and controlled.
Now for what I’m yearning for, basically just more omph. I want a lot more snap on a snare hit, I want to feel the music more in a physical sense. I guess you could describe this as a more “live” sound but that’s not exactly what I mean. I really just want some more slam. Where should I be targeting, thinking power amp? Thanks in advance!
sammyshaps
shkong78's avatar
shkong78
1,485 posts
 
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis413a-jadis-ja-500-dual-mono-w-custom-stands-tube

I drove B&W Nautilus 801 with Jadis 500 about 20 years ago.

It gave the most powerful slam in my  listening room.
sammyshaps's avatar
sammyshaps OP
44 posts
 
Thanks for all the replies thus far! Really appreciate it.

@erik_squires the preamp has two outs so I could go to an active woofer. I'd be interested in hearing thoughts on that with my setup. I'm not looking for deeper bottom end, the Vandersteen's reach low enough for me. Would a woofer help with the "snap" and "slam" I'm looking for? 

@bdp24 thanks for that recommendation. I will research further.

@shkong78  Thanks for the recommendation, interesting indeed but 18k is not happening right now. I'm happy to invest up to $3k to get me closer to what I'm looking for. 18k is more than the worth of my whole system. 
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,227 posts
 
@sammyshaps,
VPI ADS drive system can give you the "attack" you're looking for.
celtic66
1,785 posts
 
You’ve one of the most polite audiophile sounding speakers on the planet.  Not a bad thing, they are just that.  A sub may get you there.  
I’ve lived where you are now.  I added a JL 10” sub and got closer.  Then I opened the gates and went active towers.  Done.  Slam, articulation, presence and attack.  Big on the attack!

Once you go active, it’s done.
big_greg
6,722 posts
 
Give some thought to replacing the Phonomema with something like a Manley Chinook. The Phonomena is nice but very neutral and not a lot of attack. 
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