DarTZeel Preamp

Frank:

I thought twice about writing that comment--perhaps it was worded a bit strongly--but I thought I should make my thoughts known. (And I actually am pretty open-minded. If you read my posts, that should be pretty obvious.) If you read that review, Jeff Fritz paired ONE DartZeel with the Alexandria X-2s. He claimed that the Wilson is an 8-ohm load, but that only tells part of the story. Actually, the Wilson dips below 4 ohms in the bass and elsewhere, and that may explain his complaints about the bass. As for value, I can understand his reservations. The cost of the Dart is largely based on the weak dollar. And I didn't agree at all with his comments about the comparisons with the M1.2 and Boulder 1060. You own the Lamm, correct? I don't mean to step on any toes, but I've heard the 1.2 several times in friends' homes--one actually had them paired with Kharma 3.2s--but the sound just wasn't my cup of tea. (I prefer great SS to great tube, anyway.) While the construction of the Boulder 1060 is beyond reproach, I found its sound sterile and uninvolving. Same thing with its bigger brother. Yes, it was Fritz's opinion, and to that he is entitled. But I'm entitled to mine, and I found his choice of partnering gear a little suspect. I heard a single Dart paired with the Maxx2s, and I didn't like it all. The X-2s simply were not a good match for the Dart. And to make the pronouncement that the Dart is not a good value, based on what was clearly a system mismatch, is a little irresponsible. You, as a reviewer and longtime audiophile, should know how important gear matching is--especially when your comments could potentially make or break a company. Also, you write for Soundstage, don't you? Was your post perhaps a little influenced by that? If not, I apologize. At any rate, as you say, we're all entitled to our opinions--that what this hobby is all about anyway--but I think journalists have a responsibility for covering all their bases before they make a pronouncement like Fritz did. As a one-time writer for a New York newspaper, I know all about that. BTW, I didn't attend the meeting. Ellice wanted to see the Rodin exhibit at the DIA. After years of her suffering with my audiophilia, I thought it time to reciprocate. :) I may host a meeting once I get the preamp in and everything broken in. Then we can get a chance to argue again!

I hate to disappoint you buddy, but I won't be "arguing" with anyone. The problem IMHO is there is TOO much of that in this hobby anyway - too much music to enjoy to waste time arguing.

As far as your points made above though, I thought I should at least clarify a few things:

1. Yes, I own Lamms and you didn't step on my toes - that was the point of my post - I like the Lamms you like the Darts - so why does one of us have to be "wrong" or have his toes stepped on? What I guess I find silly is how people get so offended if someone doesn't like or agree with our opinions of our gear. Who really cares who likes what or even if a reviewer likes our stuff? Is that what we are left to? We now need our purchasing decisions to be validated by other audiophiles or, worse yet, by reviewers?

2. Yes, I NOW write for Soundstage but I did NOT know Jeff or have any affiliation with Soundstage at any time when the Darts were auditioned or reviewed or even before the review was published. As far as Jeff being irresponsible, I find that comment totally unjustified. The Darts are supposed to be 100 watt amps are they not? With an 8 ohm nominal load even dipping to 4 and with the Wilsons sensitivity my Lamms at 110 watts have NO problem driving the Wilsons (or my Kharmas). I could see if Jeff paired a weak SET amp or the 30 watt Aloia with the Wilsons, but most would think a 100 watt solid state amp should be able to drive the Wilsons. In addition, many people who have heard Marc Mickelson's system (the Editor at Soundstage who drives his Wilson Maxx 2s with the 18 watt Lamms with no problem) claim the sound is incredible, so how is Jeff "irresponsible" by assuming the 100 watt Dart was a good match?

3. I am confused by your comment about the Lamms. You say you heard the M1.2s with the Kharma and it wasn't your cup of tea - no problem, your opinion based on your tastes. BUT, you then say "I prefer great SS to great tubes anyway." Why this reference? Did you really hear the ML2.1s which are the Lamm 18 watt SET amps? Or the ML 1.1s which are 80 watt tube amps? The M1.2s are 110 watt hybrids (but really are essentially SS amps as they only have 1 tube).

Finally, as I said above, I had no affiliation with Soundstage when the Darts were reviewed. The reason I responded is that it seems a bit hypocritical and disingenuous to me to attack someone's opinion as "utterly ridiculous" when at the same time expressing your own opinion on the same issue - when they are both just that - opinions. Don't get me wrong, I do agree that if Jeff paired and old set of Soundlab U-1s with a 12 watt SET amp you could call his opinion into question due to system mismatching - I just don't see how pairing an $18,000, 100 watt solid state amp with Wilsons amounts to a glaring mismatch sufficient to render Jeff's opinion "utterly ridiculous." IMHO, in retrospect you might have been better served by saying that, in your opinion, Jeff did not hear all the Darts had to offer paired with the Wilsons as the Dart is not sufficient to drive them.

Just my $.02

ps - GOOD CALL on the DIA - always a smart idea to keep our better halves happy.

Frank:

You make good points. And I don't want to argue, either. I was just being facetious. Guess my humor needs a little work. You're right: There is WAY too much arguing and dick swinging in this hobby. It makes my stomach churn. As for my calling Jeff's comments irresponsible, again I may worded things too strongly, but IMO the X-2 is NOT the best match for the DarTZeel. Maybe our sound of "great" sound differs. The DarTZeel may be 100w, but for some reason I can't explain, it doesn't sound as good with really tough loads, which the Wilson definitely is in the bass. I heard another friend's Grand Slamms paired with the 2.1s, and, at least with the music I'm used to listening to (rock), it just didn't have the slam and balls I wanted. Others may have different expectations, and that's fine, but for me, the combo just didn't do it. But, that's my OPINION. I did hear the M1.2s that you have (I think) paired with the Kharma 3.2s, and even though it essentially is a solid state amp, it still does have a tube, which influences the sound. If not, why would Vladimir put it in there? Anyway, I liked the sound alot, but something (I'm not quite sure what; I have to flush the cannabis from my brain) just didn't click with me. I didn't mean to start a war with you with my words. I thought that Jeff's matching of the Dart was a little suspicious because of the Dart's quirky speaker-matching characteristics--and I stand by that--but I don't want this to turn nasty. There's more than enough of that on these forums. Let's just say, we agree to disagree about certain things. I will watch my words a little more carefully from now on, but in the heat of the moment, sometimes things don't come out as you quite intended. I'm sure you're not immune to that, either. Ellice loved the exhibit. Makes my impending purchase of the Dart preamp a little easier. Did you make it to the inaugural meeting of the SE Michigan Audio Club (or whatever it's called)? I'd like to make it to the next one. Maybe we'll see each other there. No hard feelings?

Frank:

You make good points. And I don't want to argue, either. I was just being facetious. Guess my humor needs a little work. You're right: There is WAY too much arguing and dick swinging in this hobby. It makes my stomach churn. As for my calling Jeff's comments irresponsible, again I may worded things too strongly, but IMO the X-2 is NOT the best match for the DarTZeel. Maybe our concepts of "great" sound differs. The DarTZeel may be 100w, but for some reason I can't explain, it doesn't sound as good with really tough loads, which the Wilson definitely is in the bass. I heard another friend's Grand Slamms paired with the 2.1s, and, at least with the music I'm used to listening to (rock), it just didn't have the slam and balls I wanted. Others may have different expectations, and that's fine, but for me, the combo just didn't do it. But, that's my OPINION. I did hear the M1.2s that you have (I think) paired with the Kharma 3.2s, and even though it essentially is a solid state amp, it still does have a tube, which influences the sound. If not, why would Vladimir put it in there? Anyway, I liked the sound alot, but something (I'm not quite sure what; I have to flush the cannabis from my brain) just didn't click with me. I didn't mean to start a war with you with my words. I thought that Jeff's matching of the Dart was a little suspicious because of the Dart's quirky speaker-matching characteristics--and I stand by that--but I don't want this to turn nasty. There's more than enough of that on these forums. Let's just say, we agree to disagree about certain things. I will watch my words a little more carefully from now on, but in the heat of the moment, sometimes things don't come out as you quite intended. I'm sure you're not immune to that, either. Ellice loved the exhibit. Makes my impending purchase of the Dart preamp a little easier. Did you make it to the inaugural meeting of the SE Michigan Audio Club (or whatever it's called)? I'd like to make it to the next one. Maybe we'll see each other there. No hard feelings?

No hard feelings? NO WAY you 2-bit ingor . . . just kidding. ;-) My whole point has been that there should be no hard feelings and I never felt this was nasty because it has all been JUST opinion, which is why I am of the "opinion" that since it is all "opinion" we should not need to condemn another's "opinion."

AFAIC, the fact that we all buy different gear is proof we DO hear differently and have different opinions so I never take offense to someone else not liking my stuff.

I didn't get to the first meeting as I was on vacation but I may host the next one. We will see. I hope to see you there.

Frank