Thanks for accepting me.
I have been on a mission to bi amp, which lead to a custom set of speakers, whereby all drivers are driven by a mono amps after active crossovers from the pre amp. More on that later. We auditioned the amps as below.
the dva m225 where inserted into my reference system
front end
1. VIP hw IV highly modded with 12 inch VIP arm and a sumiko starling cartridge into a AR PH2 with balanced connection via silver wire. This is connected via balanced wires into Mark Levison 380 preamp
2. Mac Mini into a Weiss int 202 into a AVA hybrid dac into a transformer based phase splitter into the mark Levinson 380
Power
Audio Research VT 100 X2 Bi amped balanced connection
Speakers
Aerial 9 Bi amp capable.... 4 7 inch woofers crossed at 220 one set of binding post. midrange and tweeter second set of binding post.
room 25 x 18 x 14
so the contrast is between the VT 100 Mk IV and the AVA m225 amp.
Clearly the base of the AVA was better in every way as in speed, control, tone etc. The mid and highs were difficult to sort. I would describe the AVA as a more precise sound stage which extended beyond the speakers laterally, vertically and deeply. The VT 100 provide very articulate mid and highs and also excellent imaging.
So my friend, who is my aural memory, auditioned the AVA with me. He brought reference female and male voice, orchestra, jazz, piano and field recordings of extreme volume changes. The AVA did not blink. He loved the amps. He plays baby Apogees driven by tubes.
Remarkable amps
