Can have a huge impact on recommendations

I am using the Vandersteen Treos, and have the Musical Fidelity M6PRX power amplifier, which can put out over 400 watts per channel and sounds fantastic, and an Audio Research LS26 (current version is LS27).

The LS26/27 has seven inputs that are all balanced (and can be used unbalanced), plus it has three selectable gain ranges for each input and a 102-step volume control. Both the flexibility and features are excellent, and the sound quality is second to none.

The LS27 costs $7000, and the M6PRX is $3500. To get a power amplifier as good as the M6PRX, you could easily spend $8000 or more. IMO it is a bargain at that price.

If that is more than you have in mind, I think the M6PRE would be a good choice for the preamp, and it is only $2500.

Classe Audio is well respected for both amps & processors.
Is you application for mostly multi-channel music or home-theater?

norma wrote:

Commsysman,

Thanks for the recommendation. I read somewhere here on the forum that you previously owned the Gallo Classico 3s. How do they compare to your Vandersteens. I assume you liked your present Vandersteens better.

At first I really liked the Gallo Classico 3, and they are very good speakers. I bought them for my new system at my new home.

The problem was that I was making the transition from my old house, which has a very large living room and where I had Vandersteen 3A speakers, to a new primary home in a different city.

I liked the Gallos fine until each time I went back to the old house and listened to the Vandersteens; then I was dissatisfied again...lol.

There was no room for my 16"-wide Vandersteens at the new place. Space constraints made my absolute maximum around 10" wide.

Then Stereophile did a review on the new Vandersteen Treos, which are much better than my old Vandersteen 3A speakers and fit the space; problem solved!!!

I traded my Vandersteen 3As in on the Treos and sold the Gallos.

Just a comment on a few amplifiers I have tried:

I had the Bryston 3B-SST for several years, and tried various amplifiers to see what might be even better (this was with my Vandersteen 3A speakers).

I tried a Parasound amp, which was around $1200-1500 or so, and it was nowhere near as good

I tried a Classe amplifier, which I think was around $3000-4000, and did not like it very well at all.

I tried a Vincent 331 amplifier, which was almost as good as the Bryston (and half as much money), and it was very good; almost as good as the Bryston, but not quite.

Then I tried the Musical Fidelity M6PRX. It blew me away. The only thing I have ever heard that is in the same class is the Audio Research 150-watt tube amp, which weighs a ton and costs $7000 or so, and a Krell that costs about the same.

It is the first amplifier I have ever heard in my system that will actually make a Steinway grand piano sound really LIVE from a good recording.

It makes every decent CD or LP I have (2000 or so) sound so much better than the Bryston (which I thought was pretty good), that I am smiling from ear to ear.

For $3500, I think it is a hell of a deal.