Mccormack DNA-1 deluxe vs PASS X150.5 amps??
I had a DNA .5 Deluxe, then modded it up to near Rev A status. Please, please ... if you are going to buy a McCormack amp get one on the used market that is already modded to Rev A or Platinum levels, or expect to have it done afterwards and consider that into your costs. Once modded these amps are close to state of the art in terms of sound. I now have a DNA 500 to drive my power sucking Apogees. |
Hi Sunnyjim I agree with the posts above again. The DNA .5 Deluxe definitely has more power than stated and could power your speakers with no issue. I would wait also on a better price than what is out there on A'gon right now. If you wait you a deal on DNA .5 Deluxe amps or SMc modified one will pop up. You just have to check back often. It has happened to me a couple of times in general. Good Luck |
Sunnyjim- I've owned the DNA 1 and 0.5, and no question to my ears that the 0.5 is a smoother amp than the 1.0. The impedence and phase angle vs. frequency curve shown here indicates that the Adagio should be an easy speaker for most any SS amp to drive so unless your room is v. big, or you want live level symphonic music, I would imagine the o.5 would have enough power. McCormack was sold to CJ, but I believe Steve McCormack is still involved and he is usually very accessible through this site or thru his other venture, SMcAudio which does mods on the DNA amps and also has a v. high end pre (and amp?) on the market. Call them and talk to Steve or Chris, his chief technician. They are very forthright in their asssessment of an amp/speaker interaction and their mods do bring the DNAs to near SOTA performance. I've never actually spent any quality time listening to Pass amps, so I can't compare, but IMO, you'd be hard pressed to go wring if you jump on the first "A" or higher level 0.5 mod you can find, but Steve may say otherwise. I would definitely talk to him, or buy 'em both and make the ultimate test. Both have great re-sale value. |
I want to thank everyone who responded. I have read other threads about the quality of the REV A version of McCormack Deluxe 0.5 amp. So I will keep looking for one on AG or get one modded to that level, if i can afford it. NOTE: I am sorry about thanking everyone later. I must embarassingly confess, I fell out of bed last week, and was knocked out cold. When I came out of the fog in the emergency room of a local hospital, I felt more embarassed than scared. After some X-rays and blood work, I was discharged. I decided to lay off the computer for a few days, and not think about audio. Instead, I did somehing old-fashioned, and read a few good books. At first, I thought the fall had reordered my priorities, but thankfully only served to rekindle other lost interests. Nevertheless, I am grateful to be back on AG, and never forgot how the membership always steps up to offer useful advice, recommendations and comments. Better friends and colleagues would be very hard to find. Jim |
Jim, this thread may be old, and you may have long passed this issue. But, I am a neuroscientist and a psychologist and long-time audiophile and musician. The likelihood that your system is changing its sound from time to time, unless there is some factor you are not telling us, is really remote. The probability that you will perceive the sound differently from time to time is large, for a plethora of reasons. If you are ever able to accept that fact, then perhaps you can stop being unhappy with your system. |
