Bear123
Addicted to Fun and Learning
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- Nov 27, 2019
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R3 amplifier matching experience
Ok, I finally ordered mine 2days ago (can't wait ...). Now what beast for the beauties ?
Didn't found much on the web, except What Hifi saying the Rega Elex-R does well (Read the review). Somebody uses them as monitors in a studio, powered by a Bryston amp ()
From my experience, as I said before, first listening session was with an Arcam SA20, which fitted the R3s acceptably well, but I'm the lucky owner of TEAC UD-501 DAC which means that I'm looking for a purely analog amplifier.
This time, the dealer connected first an Atoll IN100 signature. From an engineer's POV, a good amp (double mono, 100W MOSFETs, serious building and power supply), and I had good hopes for this one, considering the R3s as a "tough" load. Despite beeing tonally correct and with good dynamics, the sound was not "open" and musical enough for my taste. Kind of a good student, but not a gifted one.
I asked the dealer to plug a Moon 250i for comparison (I listened to one 3 years ago and it sounded fine), and started listening to my playlist again. Wow ! Music ! Forget about bass, treble or whatever. Everything in place, rythm and pace, natural focus on what's important, but you can listen to every music part without problem and hear the components of complex sounds (try on Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, the choir on "The chain" ...). That, as a musician, is what I was looking for. Downside: it's more than twice the price of the Atoll (2500 EUR vs 1100 USD) .
Why is it a match ? Maybe the fact that the Moon delivers 50W/8ohms and 100W/4ohms, which makes it cope with the load with grace.
Have to try the bigger Atoll IN200 Signature, and an NCore 400 or Purifi (I have a TEAC HA-501 which serves as a preamp) but a little voice inside my head tells me to quit the search there...
Many here would claim that if you had listened to these various amps blind and level matched, your perceptions would have been much different, as our perception of what we hear is unavoidably influenced when we see/know what we are listening to. However, perception is reality, and there is no doubt you heard what you heard. However, your experience here might end up a bit frustrating if you are unwilling to admit the possibility that what you hear is most definitely and unavoidably influenced by more than just the actual sound reaching your ear.