Quote:
Originally Posted by Bodhisattva
Hi Ken, I thought i'd chime in as I previously owned Infinity Renaissance 90's which share some DNA with Revel and own an Aesthetix Romulus cdp. I also own more 'modest' speakers (Magico S5's), though I only know the Vandy 7's by reputation. The Vandy 7's are great speakers, but for that money I could have bought both my current S5's & Vitus amp and still be very happy.
I know the Vandy 7's are great speakers. And I could have bought a pair had I settled for more modest amplification. I think it's more important however to keep your system balanced and optimize what you have to get the best synergy. For example, Magico & Vitus have known synergy, and the SIA-025 is the sweet spot in the Vitus range imho & is more romantic than an SS-101 for example. With the terrific value Aesthetix cdp, I am very happy with the sound which at only about 90hrs is already sounding wonderful.
In saying that, I am planning a front end upgrade of the same order of magnitude as Vandy 7's. My view is, the S5's are good enough and i'm better off investing more money in my front end and preamp, optimize those components with the best isolation and consider upgrading critical power cables later on. I think this approach smokes a lesser front end and amp paired with super speakers like the Vandy 7's. But even with my current Aesthetix tube player, the sound is great and i'm not left wanting, well perhaps only for my gear to run in!
Btw, i'm not sure if you're aware, Revel used Infinity Omega speakers to voice their Revel Gems years ago  Here is a small photo -
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Hi David,
You have a terrific system and it sounds like it's only going to get better with the addition of the preamp. I've not yet had the opportunity to audition the Magico S5 but I've read that it's a world class loudspeaker with incredible bass among other things. My friend recently purchased the Aesthetix Pandora and he has fallen in love with the sound. It is incredibly smooth, warm and natural sounding and in my opinion, one of the best tube DACs on the market, regardless of price. What preamp are you looking to add to your system?? And are you looking to upgrade your digital source too because the Romulus / Pandora is going to be tough to beat. With its sound and build quality, they could easily be charging over $10K for it. I don't know much about Vitus amps but from what I've read, their warmth provides nice synergy with Magico's neutrality.
Best,
Ken