[cd45123]

Hi all,

Recently purchased the SET 120 Control amp and really enjoying it, which has me curious about what the new DVA 225s might be like. Wondering if anyone has gone from the SET 120 to the new mono blocks and how they differ in sound. I have a fairly basic setup for streaming and a pair of Sonus Faber stand mounts in one setup that's about 8 feet away. I have a larger bedroom setup that is about 15' feet back with a pair of DALI stand mounts.


Thanks

[danielgk]

I would say that comparing the SET120 to the M225 would be like comparing a Mustang to a Corvette...They are both nice cars.  They both handle great.  They are both very fast.  They both get the job done.  BUT, the Corvette handles better.  The Corvette is faster.  The Corvette is more desirable.  The Corvette is more fun to drive.  The Corvette is also more expensive.

Everything about the M225 is better than the SET120, but sometimes you have to listen real hard to hear these differences.  Sometimes it is hard to tell them apart.  At other times, it is night and day different.  Other than the obvious power difference, almost 4X, I would say the most obvious difference is the HUGE sound stage produced by the M225, quite holographic and intoxicating.  The M225 is also quieter, due to its differential design, although usually you need an oscilloscope to observe this.

The SET120 is a great amp, but the M225 is better.

Dan

[aln]

It also requires balanced output vs the single ended set.  Preamp choice comes into play here.

[cd45123]

That was another thing. There’s no balanced preamps at this time, right? I was thinking Schiit Freya, maybe the Denafrips Hestia. I am getting some new fuses to try out, will see how those change things sonically. I really like how the SET 120 has air on top and some actual slam on the low end.

Anyone added a pre just to see how things change?

[sumoking]

I would say that comparing the SET120 to the M225 would be like comparing a Mustang to a Corvette...They are both nice cars.  They both handle great.  They are both very fast.  They both get the job done.  BUT, the Corvette handles better.  The Corvette is faster.  The Corvette is more desirable.  The Corvette is more fun to drive.  The Corvette is also more expensive.

Everything about the M225 is better than the SET120, but sometimes you have to listen real hard to hear these differences.  Sometimes it is hard to tell them apart.  At other times, it is night and day different.  Other than the obvious power difference, almost 4X, I would say the most obvious difference is the HUGE sound stage produced by the M225, quite holographic and intoxicating.  The M225 is also quieter, due to its differential design, although usually you need an oscilloscope to observe this.

The SET120 is a great amp, but the M225 is better.

Dan

Nice post. What makes it so holographic? What’s makes the soundstage SO wide and deep?
Cheers!

[I.Greyhound Fan]

Nice post. What makes it so holographic? What’s makes the soundstage SO wide and deep?
Cheers!

You just have to hear it for yourself.  It is the design of the amp, same for any other amp.  The 225 is an excellent amp.

[sumoking]

You just have to hear it for yourself.  It is the design of the amp, same for any other amp.  The 225 is an excellent amp.

Oh, I’ve heard them. It is intoxicating. Just curious what part of the design he attributes such a 3 dimensional sound to?

[simon wagstaff]

I can confirm the dimensionality of the 225 vs the SET 120, having owned both. I posted my impressions in a different thread. I am not sure the "why" is important, and likely due to a combination of things. If it were that easy to define then all amps would be like this.

[mav52]

That was another thing. There’s no balanced preamps at this time, right? I was thinking Schiit Freya, maybe the Denafrips Hestia. I am getting some new fuses to try out, will see how those change things sonically. I really like how the SET 120 has air on top and some actual slam on the low end.

Anyone added a pre just to see how things change?

A friend of mine runs a Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE pre-amp, and has an AR pre in another system. Also the Parasound P6.  Each has balanced inputs and outputs.  But like anything in audio, it depends on the budget.

[trebejo]

Nice post. What makes it so holographic? What’s makes the soundstage SO wide and deep?
Cheers!

Phase information is preserved even better in a well-implemented differential design, so the relative time differences of signal arrival to microphones is relayed a (tiny perhaps) little bit better. Lower noise floor helps there too, I imagine. The tiniest echo of a sound comes back a little clearer and you get even more the sense of being in the concert hall.

I don't know how soundstaging would show up in the equations as a single parameter.

Overall, the thing sounds great to begin with, then gets tweaked up a bit more (tweak might involve incorporating an extra chassis and transformer  ). I guess.

As long as you stay within the speed limit, the difference will probably not be very noticeable. On the autobahn, who knows...

[Birdbrain]

That was another thing. There’s no balanced preamps at this time, right? I was thinking Schiit Freya, maybe the Denafrips Hestia. I am getting some new fuses to try out, will see how those change things sonically. I really like how the SET 120 has air on top and some actual slam on the low end.

Anyone added a pre just to see how things change?

What problems are you having that you think replacing the fuses will fix? I hope your new fuses are UL certified.

[KLH007]

Oh, I’ve heard them. It is intoxicating. Just curious what part of the design he attributes such a 3 dimensional sound to?

I'm going to say monoblocs vs stereo, Klaus at Odyssey always says get monos vs a more expensive stereo amp especially for soundstaging. In my system the DVA M225s deliver the best soundstage ever in my room, I'm loving them driving Alta Alecs.