Karl - The ML432 looks very nice in your room. it is a very nice amp. Hope it's meeting your expectations.

Mike

Thanks Mike --- I'm thrilled so far!

Karl...sounds like a good plan :thumbsup: I guess my thinking was that it's not necessarily an eithor/or situation. I believe you can find DACs with well designed analog volume controls or preamps in the chain that will maintain/highlight all the detail/resolution/instrument separation and dynamic contrast while also delivering naturalness/fluidity/harmonic richness and timbral purity to the presentation. Of course your next question is which ones? :D And that of course is dependent on system synergy with the rest of your components so no substitute for researching and seeking out components that might fit the bill and auditioning them if you can.

By the way, the guys at Goodwins (my local dealer) are big fans of the Berkely Alpha Dac 2 (with the USB-SPDIF converter box as well if you are going to use a PC as a source) and they maintain it has all of the resolution and detail of version 1 but is more musical and has less digital harshness. So definitely worth an audition.

Good luck with your next upgrade :thumbsup:

Cyril:

Great post (as always). I like your question: which ones?! :-)

As much as I love the Audio Research gear (especially the large displays on the Ref. Preamps), I've decided that tubes are out. My favorite time to listen to music is after the world has gone to bed and I am winding down from a long day of work. This sometimes (read: often) results in me falling asleep in my listening chair and leaving the whole system powered on all night. Thus, I need solid state products which are intended to be left on or are at least OK to be left on.

Happy to hear that Goodwins loves the Berkeley Alpha DAC 2. It and the matching Berkeley Alpha USB are near the top of my list.

Cheers

Karl...I would think if you want to stay in SS land that exploring ML pres would make a lot of sense. I think Ayre always offer excellent products at relatively good value. Another brand to consider that is just picking up some steam in the US but that has been around for a while and seems to offer great products at great value is Hegel. Check out this letter to the folks at Soundstage.com and check out the reference to the P30 preamp from Hegel: Hegel is the One to Beat

I am not sure what the price is on the P30 but it seems to offer great value and seems to offer the strength of SS offerings with the positives of tubes all at a great price:

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/hegel3/11.png

http://www.audioaficionado.org/attac...-558477265.jpg
Attachment 19990

For installation tomorrow morning. Looking forward to putting the finishing touches on the amplifier installation.

Karl,

Very nice! Keep us posted! :)

Terry

Karl, congrats!! We will need a full report. :)

Karl, Congrats on your new ML-432!!:banana::banana:

Call me crazy, but the WireWorld Silver Eclipse 6 XLRs and Silver Electra 5^2 PC seem to have provided some additional space and clarity between the instruments.

The system is sounding great!

Thanks to Ivan (Masterlu) for another flawless WireWorld cable transaction.