D'Agostino and ARC REF 250 Demo

[2fastdriving]

Originally Posted by soundslikemusic

These amps and pre are the best ive heard !! wish i can afford em...

Wow talk about resurrecting an old thread! I agree... It's about the only thing that I'd trade my audio research stuff for.

BTW, the stereo and mono momentums have identical circuits. In fact you can have the stereo model converted to a monoblock.

[jpgr4blu]

I've compared the Dag stereo to my ARC Ref 150 in my system and can summarize as follows:
Dag is the best ss I've ever heard in my system. Faster and more transparent with a slightly more defined and faster bottom end than the Ref 150. Very liquid and tube-like.

Ref 150 still has that "breath of life" that no ss gear can match, especially with acoustic, singer/songwriter, quartets, chamber, etc. Just makes me feel a bit more like the performance is in the room. Electronic music, Dags are superior.

I consider the Dags the ss ARC and the ARC the tubed Dags. They sound that close in tone and liquidity. All of that being said, I would not trade my ARC for the Dag but have been saving for the Dag as an alternate amp since my in house audition. There are many more similarities than there are differences between these two outstanding amps.

[2fastdriving]

Originally Posted by jpgr4blu

I've compared the Dag stereo to my ARC Ref 150 in my system and can summarize as follows:
Dag is the best ss I've ever heard in my system. Faster and more transparent with a slightly more defined and faster bottom end than the Ref 150. Very liquid and tube-like.

Ref 150 still has that "breath of life" that no ss gear can match, especially with acoustic, singer/songwriter, quartets, chamber, etc. Just makes me feel a bit more like the performance is in the room. Electronic music, Dags are superior.

I consider the Dags the ss ARC and the ARC the tubed Dags. They sound that close in tone and liquidity. All of that being said, I would not trade my ARC for the Dag but have been saving for the Dag as an alternate amp since my in house audition. There are many more similarities than there are differences between these two outstanding amps.

Nice. I just ordered KT150s for my ref75, and your post makes me feel like saving 30 grand.

[soundslikemusic]

probably best to mate a ARC REF10 / REF5 /SE w/ the DAG s and get the best of both words.
i have heard recently the DAG Pre and DAG stereo with the Amati Futura.// boy was i blown away! wished i bought some lotto tickets....

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by jpgr4blu

I've compared the Dag stereo to my ARC Ref 150 in my system and can summarize as follows:
Dag is the best ss I've ever heard in my system. Faster and more transparent with a slightly more defined and faster bottom end than the Ref 150. Very liquid and tube-like.

Ref 150 still has that "breath of life" that no ss gear can match, especially with acoustic, singer/songwriter, quartets, chamber, etc. Just makes me feel a bit more like the performance is in the room. Electronic music, Dags are superior.

I consider the Dags the ss ARC and the ARC the tubed Dags. They sound that close in tone and liquidity. All of that being said, I would not trade my ARC for the Dag but have been saving for the Dag as an alternate amp since my in house audition. There are many more similarities than there are differences between these two outstanding amps.

Having only recently passed a couple of hours demo-ing the D'Agostino integrated into Martin Logan CLX Art with ARC Ref 9 CDP as source, I have spent some time on this, and other threads, seeking the opinions of fellow ARC owners who have made a transition to D'ag or have spent time comparing the two brands, whilst mulling upon my own the experience, and I, for my part, would concur with the above.

On several very well known demo tracks I was more than surprised by the similarities rather than than dissimilarity , between the D'ag and an 1000 hours REF150!
Whilst cranking up the SPL levels to 90+ the SS amplifier, as I had expected, remained shure footed and beautifully poised, whilst remaining exceptionally smooth, highly resolving, without the slightest hint of glare or artefact, whilst simultaneously dealing superbly with the impedance roller coaster demands of the CLX's, Yer genuine Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove experience.

However, as per jpgr4blu 's considerations above, I feel that the valve amplifier produces an even larger sound stage in comparison, quite exceptional in it's 3D like imaging, together with a harmonic palpability that, and I apologise for the much used/abused analogy, has me seated at a table, front row and centre, in the company of Frances Albert at iThe Sands.

The D'Ag Mommentum is without doubt quite exceptional in the areas where SS amplification have their strengths, whilst simultaneously and remarkably coming as close to the perfect Hybrid of Valve and SS application that I have experienced thus far.
In that oft dreamed of utopian world, I would most assuredly possess them both,
Alas!
Does anyone know the going rate for a human Kidney these days?

Jasper.

[jpgr4blu]

Still saving Jasper, but new digital will probably come before second amp. But I would still like to have ARC and DAG at my disposal, not to mention 911Turbo.

[SRT-10 Viper]

I had the ARC 250's and D'Ag's in my home for about 3 months prior to finally parting with my REF250s. I decided after 3 months it was time to decide what I wanted to do. I stopped using the D'Ag's for a week and then stopped using the REF250's for a week. I found I missed listening to the music most when the D'Ag's were out of the system. I have a REF40 so I still get the great ARC sound. I traded the REF250s for new Mac amps for my theatre room which really improved my sound with my B&Ws... So in the end I feel I ended up with the best sounding system in my 2 Channel room and a major improvement in my theatre room.

[turntable]

Interesting thread

I have my cj tube amps as well as Dag Stereo amp and Pass xp-20 pre amp.

It is truely great to have both excellent ss and tube gear that can be mixed and matched at the drop of changing a few cables.

Pass pre amp sounds great with Dag amp, but not so with the cj amps.

Cj GAT sounds great with both cj and Dag amps.

Over time the amps I am spending most time with is the cj GAT and Dag amp as they sound the best with the widest variety of music.

[Harlequin]

Originally Posted by SRT-10 Viper

I had the ARC 250's and D'Ag's in my home for about 3 months prior to finally parting with my REF250s. I decided after 3 months it was time to decide what I wanted to do. I stopped using the D'Ag's for a week and then stopped using the REF250's for a week. I found I missed listening to the music most when the D'Ag's were out of the system. I have a REF40 so I still get the great ARC sound.

SRT-10 Viper, As I currently find myself impailed upon precisely these Horns of Dilema I found your post both most interesting and pertinent, and I would be grateful if you could expand a little upon your comments as to the areas where you May have preferred one over the other ?

Likewise I would welcome any further user experiences in this regard, in particular from any members who may have also made transition from ARC to D'Agostino Momentum.

[SRT-10 Viper]

It was a difficult decision to make based on the specific sound differences. Both sound great. ARC would sound a little better (warmer) with female voices while the D'AG's would have better / tighter bass. You could go through each sound quality characteristics we all listen to and one would tweak out the other at times (back and forth)... The key to me was the 1 week (what do I miss the most) test. I can tell you it was a more emotional link with the music when I had the D'AG's in my system that swayed me in the end. Recently I read users say the ARC REF75 was the best sounding AMP ARC makes. So I tried the process again. The REF75 sounded great but lacked some of the bass control the 250's had with my Alexia's. Once again I found myself missing the feeling I get when I play my D'AG's.

I also tried last year Dan's preamp vs my ARC REF40 and here again I felt I missed the emotional ties with the music but this time it was the ARC REF40 that won.

So for now, I will stay with the REF40 and D'AG amps. I find I am simply enjoying the music without the itch to make changes anytime soon.