During your audition, look for imaging and staging. The MTM design of the Stella is a huge plus for me.

The EM woofer has this Force factor that not many speakers have, so feel free to hit them hard with drum tracks, enjoy the utter speed of these drivers in the speakers. Snare drums and hi-hats and pressure of the drum sticks on the skin is very telling with the Stella. Totally authoritative, totally majestic. Does extremely well in Jazz, Blues, string ensemble.

If a soothing tone is what you're looking for, Aida's are great. Has a nice relaxed bass, and warmish mid-highs. Elegant sounding. Aida does well with vocals, and has a totally different feel to the Stella with string ensemble.

Personally, for $90k, maybe Xrt2k should be a serious contender, with a bit more stretch. Then you'll know what McIntosh is really about, even with 150watts. Just personally. Not many share my appreciation of the Xrt2k over the competition for strange reasons. Just my opinion.

Cheers!

Enit.

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Thanks. Will let you know how it goes

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i tend to vary the amps used for the fun of it.
mainly i use a pass x350.5 with a n xp-10 pre and naim hdx.

but i have also powered them with audio research reference 210, halcro dm 78 and bryston 28B.

all with great result, hence i find them an easy match with a lot of amps.

what amazes me about the stella, is how versatile they are in the choice of music genres. they just seem to do it all very well.

Halcro+Utopia to this day is still one of my absolute favorite gear combos.

I went to listen to Aida today. It was paired with AR Anniversary 40 and Ref 250. I am not good in writing review but suffice to say the sound was excellent - warm, massive sound stage and big depth. We listen to varieties of music from Jazz in pawnshop to frances black to steely dan. I was demo'ed goldmund telos 250. While it was ok but certainly not match to AR preamp. I think the impedance was not right.

Overall i really enjoyed Aida. Obviously i cant compare with scala that i currently have.

Next week will be stella paired with Mc1.2kw.

Attached some pics.

Stella hands down.

Now deciding MC2301 or MC1.2kw to drive stella.

Cant wait :-)

Wow, congratulations.

Enit, would you rate 2301 or 1.2kw be better match for Stella for you. Why?

Thanks

If you play dynamic tracks, this would be relatively straight forward. MC1.2kW gives you so much headroom, effortlessness, control than the MC2301 ever will. Not to say MC2301 isn't great- MC2301's tube-ness is a perfect blend of high fidelity response and just a little roll off.

While the Stellas are real sensitive, the EM Woofer needs some very good control, and the MC1.2kW does it much better for me, there's more force factor with the MC1.2kWs.

I've heard them on bi-amp- MC1.2kW on bass, and MC2301 on the MTMs, and I thought it was perfect. MEN220 as active crossover.

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