Quote:
Originally Posted by gadawg
When you bought the new gear ... did you have the change to compare it to D'Agostino, VTL, or Audio Research? Just curious as I have had the chance to listen to those a good bit as of late and wondered what your impressions were having made the choice to go Levinson.
Thanks
George
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George,
I have heard D’Agostino with Wilson Audio and B&W at a local dealer, the sound was superb. I believe I mentioned in another thread that I bought my Mark Levinson gear without hearing them first because I was offered no brainer pricing, and a promise to buy them back if I was unhappy (no risk, other than a relatively small fee). So I’ve not done a side-by-side comparison, nor have I heard anything else in my home.
I’m not a case study that exhibits a reasoned, comparative decision process. At least not in a classic sense. I did hear McIntosh, Krell, D’Agostino, and Classe’ extensively prior to purchasing. I’d have been happy to own any of them, but I rarely purchase in the absence of extreme discounting. When I found an opportunity to purchase at uncommon pricing new gear that was engineered by a team with a successful history prior to being hired by Harman, I took a leap of faith. My faith was rewarded!
What I hear is:
- dead quit, black hole level noise floor.
- complete absence of distortion.
- fast, effortless dynamics.
- revealing, textured, full bodied voices, strings, horns. I hear the felt of the kick drum hammer and the air displaced as the hammer travels. Wood resonance of a drum stick striking the rim. Etc. I hear everything captured in the recording.
- bass impact, body, rock solid control of both the 800D2’s and Salon2’s.
- musicality in abundance.
It sounds as good as anything I’ve heard (see previously mentioned brands).
