Devore 0/96 - Integrated AMP help

@kw6   Did you hear the MQ-88uC paired with O/96's specifically?  I own a Leben CS-300xs as well and they both sound good but the Luxman does most things better than the Leben in my room with O/96's - including much more lifelike tonality, air, finesse, and neutrality.  Both very enjoyable!

Not to stray too far off topic but has anyone had the opportunity to compare Devore with Coherent Audio speakers from Canada?

Yes, I have had both O/93s and Coherent Model 10’s in my room at the same time. I prefer the Coherents on sound, and factoring in price it was really no contest (for me).

The Coherents have a wide open, see-through clarity in the midrange, whereas the 93 midrange is slightly more rich. They are livelier and more immediate sounding. They are extremely transparent, and if you want to hear the sound of your amp, these speakers will tell it to you. They are perfect if you want to explore low power amps. 

The Devores can dig a touch deeper in the bass (I’d guess the Coherents go to 38-40 hz) but have a bit too much "back of the hall" presentation for my taste compared to the Coherents.

The 93s can be a bit more forgiving and therefore a bit more amp friendly from a tonal perspective, however the Coherents are a bit more sensitive. Mine are rated at 94db but I would not be afraid to try them with any amp. I was able to fill a room with a half a watt from the LTA MZ2 from a high output DAC (I believe Frank at Coherent also uses the MZ2 in his shop to test speakers).

They are more alike than different but those are the differences I noticed.

I’ve had the Coherents now nearly 3 years. I run them mainly with one of the First Watt SIT amps.

Coherent Audio speakers fly under the radar amongst a plethera of available speaker brands. Yet from all I’ve heard/read about them they are genuinely excellent sounding and very easily driven as a bonus.
Charles

I almost went for the GR12’s. The O/93 was a poor match for me. I’ve found my mojo again in a pair of Verity Otello’s. The ups/ downs and unknowns of audiophilia are all blessings on the path.
Mastersound makes great sounding amp too.

Thank you! To KT-77s are a revelation on the Leben cs600x. They wanecthe amp up for more lively and complex music including pop and rock adding both dynamics and speed. Thank you for the suggestions @davehg.