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  #11  
Old 03-28-2018, 02:25 PM
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GeAllan70 GeAllan70 is offline
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Sexy!!



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  #12  
Old 03-28-2018, 08:51 PM
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Default Progression monos and preamp joined my setup

Andrew,

I guess I have had my pair slightly longer than Bob's. To my ears that first hour they were very flat sounding. No depth, instruments sounded compressed and without that sensation of hearing music reproduced with feeling. That all changed the next day for sure. I leave them on now as they sound their best when in that mode to my ears. They sound fine when first powered up but seem to become even smoother overall from top to bottom and richer in tonal character with voices when I leave them on. I was standing right next to Dan D'Agostino in the store when I heard him recommend to one of his dealers to "leave them on". It was cool to talk to him and his lovely wife Petra. These are the best amps I have ever owned, and I have owned a few like the rest of you audiophiles!
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Source Esoteric K-01X
Preamp Audio Research REF 10
Amplifier D'Agostino Progression monoblocks
Speakers Wilson Audio Maxx 3
Cables Transparent Reference Gen 5
Equipment rack and amp stands HRS
Power conditioning Transparent
Power outlets GTX-D(G) Gold-Plated duplex receptacles dedicated 20 amp lines.

Last edited by Sharp 1080; 04-12-2018 at 08:50 AM.
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  #13  
Old 03-28-2018, 09:56 PM
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The caliber of systems owned and enjoyed by AA posters never ceases to amaze. If they had an Audio Rig Hall of Fame, several of our fellow member's systems would qualify including this one.
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  #14  
Old 03-28-2018, 10:18 PM
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For The Love of Music For The Love of Music is offline
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Killer setup!

The system will become more pronounced over a normal course of time.

I do turn the D’Agostino on for long periods come the weekend and turn them off, average 15 hours a day. Yes, you feel some heat but things do sound better hours after start.

Also I like your commitment to power, grounding, cables and tweaks - happy listening!
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  #15  
Old 03-29-2018, 12:52 AM
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Andrew Zakon Andrew Zakon is offline
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Thanks to all of You for congratulations and comments.
.... continuing from post 3:
For the A/B comparative short test listening material we choose following:
1) Malia & Boris Blank album Convergence, song Celestial Echo (it is good to test bass)
2) Shelby Lynne song Just a little loving (it is good to test women vocal and naturality of cymbals sound in the drum kit)
During first test (All Macs) we also made comparation between MC52 internal Dac and Berkeley Audio Reference Series 2 DAC which was played through BA Alpha USB.
Everybody understood that it is a "just out of box" short test for DAN D’Agostino Progression equipment (we made only 1,5 hour to break-in) and to make full critical listening test we have to give them some more time to break-in (as Bob (vintage tubes), Vern (Sharp 1080), For the Love of Music has mentioned in their comments)
But we were interesting to make comparation as they arrived.
Avoiding description of A/B switching. I will just say in general test results:
McIntosh setup played really good and I was considering MC601 to be the best in the class, until the moment that we swiched them to Progression monos. Bass was so deep that nobody could believe that the changes was so dramatically huge. It was not like, for example, when You change one cable in Your system and then You have to search for the changes by Your ears making test at least 10 times and paying attention on some instrument or group of instruments during each listening session to feel the difference. It was really huge easy-to-hear difference!!! When MC52 was changed to Progression preamp McIntosh Guys has raised their hands and recognized the total superiority of Dan D’Agostino. The sound stage was deep and clear, Shelby Lynne was staying in front of us and her voice was so natural and transparent, the sharp edges around her words which was present in Mc setup disappeared, voice become so smooth and sweet that nobody wants to stop listening. McIntosh guys left my room little disappointed, they believed in effect of Wilson, they believed in effect of McIntosh, but they couldn’t belive that changes with Dan D’Agostino will be so dramatically huge. I even can’t imagine how they will be sounding after break-in period.
Now I am waiting for my Transparent Reference G5 cables to change all my G5 Ultra. Until they come I am doing all day beak-in for Dan D’Agostino Progression components playing all king of music. Critical test day is coming.....
__________________
Analog: McIntosh MT10 with SME V tonearm and Van den Hull Colibri XGP Gold MC cartridge which is paired with McIntosh MP1100 phonopreamp;
Digital:modified Mac mini as Roon server with Uptone JS-2 Linear Power Supply which is connected to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB with Curious USB cable and then by Transparent Audio 110ohm Premium AES/EBU cable to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference series 2;
BD/SACD/CD player OPPO 205 (which also works as home theatre processor),
Preamp:Dan D’Agostino Progression preamp,
Amplifiers: 2 Dan D’Agostino Progression monoblock power amps,
Speakers: Wilson Audio Alexx,
Power unit: Nordost QBase Qb8 Mark II, QKore 6 earth unit
Audio Cables: Transparent Audio G5 Reference SC and balanced IC, the rest are all G5 Ultra
Power Cables: OMVLabs, Nordost

Last edited by Andrew Zakon; 03-29-2018 at 07:46 PM.
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  #16  
Old 03-29-2018, 06:45 AM
sajjad123 sajjad123 is offline
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[QUOTE="Andrew Zakon;908599"]Thanks to all of You for congratulations and comments.
For the comparative test listening material we choose following:
1) Malia & Boris Blank album Convergence, song Celestial Echo (to test bass)
2) Shelby Lynne song Just a little loving (to test women vocal and naturality of cymbals sound in the drum kit)
During first test (All Macs) we also made comparation between MC52 internal Dac and Berkeley Audio Reference Series 2 DAC which was played through BA Alpha USB.
Everybody understood that it is a "just out of box" test for DAN D’Agostino Progression equipment (we made only 1,5 hour to break-in) and to make full critical listening test we have to give them some more time to break-in (as Bob (vintage tubes), Vern (Sharp 1080), For the Love of Music has mentioned in their comments)
But we were interesting to make comparation as they arrived.
Avoiding description of A/B switching. I will just say in general test results:
McIntosh setup played really good and I was considering MC601 to be the best in the class, until the moment that we swiched them to Progression monos. Bass was so deep that nobody could believe that the changes was so dramatically huge. It was not like, for example, when You change one cable in Your system and then You have to search for the changes by Your ears making test at least 10 times and paying attention on some instrument or group of instruments during each listening to feel the difference. It was really huge easy-to-hear difference!!! When MC52 was changed to Progression preamp McIntosh Guys has raised their hands and recognized the total victory of Dan D’Agostino. The sound stage was deep and clear, Shelby Lynne was staying in front of us and her voice was so natural and transparent, the sharp edges around her words which was present in Mc setup disappeared, voice become so smooth and sweet that nobody wants to stop listening. McIntosh guys left my room little disappointed, they believed in Wilson, they believed in McIntosh, but they couldn’t belive that changes with Dan D’Agostino will be so dramatically huge. I even can’t imagine how they will be sounding after break-in period.
Now I am waiting for my Transparent Reference G5 cables to change all my G5 Ultra. Until they come I am doing all day beak-in for Dan D’Agostino Progression components playing all king of music. Critical test day is coming...
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  #17  
Old 03-31-2018, 03:49 PM
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Andrew Zakon Andrew Zakon is offline
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Default Transparent Audio Cables has arrived.

Today Transparent Audio Reference G5 speaker cables and balanced interconnects has been delivered. Every cable is specially calibrated to connect WA Alexx Speakers and Dan D’Agostino Progression monoblocks, and also mono-blocks and Progression preamp correspondingly. Quality of production and packaging is beyond expectation hope that sound will be also.
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__________________
Analog: McIntosh MT10 with SME V tonearm and Van den Hull Colibri XGP Gold MC cartridge which is paired with McIntosh MP1100 phonopreamp;
Digital:modified Mac mini as Roon server with Uptone JS-2 Linear Power Supply which is connected to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB with Curious USB cable and then by Transparent Audio 110ohm Premium AES/EBU cable to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference series 2;
BD/SACD/CD player OPPO 205 (which also works as home theatre processor),
Preamp:Dan D’Agostino Progression preamp,
Amplifiers: 2 Dan D’Agostino Progression monoblock power amps,
Speakers: Wilson Audio Alexx,
Power unit: Nordost QBase Qb8 Mark II, QKore 6 earth unit
Audio Cables: Transparent Audio G5 Reference SC and balanced IC, the rest are all G5 Ultra
Power Cables: OMVLabs, Nordost
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  #18  
Old 03-31-2018, 04:22 PM
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Sharp 1080 Sharp 1080 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Zakon View Post
Today Transparent Audio Reference G5 speaker cables and balanced interconnects has been delivered. Every cable is specially calibrated to connect WA Alexx Speakers and Dan D’Agostino Progression monoblocks, and also mono-blocks and Progression preamp correspondingly. Quality of production and packaging is beyond expectation hope that sound will be also.
Andrew,

I am pretty sure you have an enormous smile on your face? I can imagine in my mind how good it must sound with the addition of the Transparent G5 cabling. Prepare to be amazed at the change. I am curious as to what you are hearing? Congratulations on the useful addition.
__________________
Source Esoteric K-01X
Preamp Audio Research REF 10
Amplifier D'Agostino Progression monoblocks
Speakers Wilson Audio Maxx 3
Cables Transparent Reference Gen 5
Equipment rack and amp stands HRS
Power conditioning Transparent
Power outlets GTX-D(G) Gold-Plated duplex receptacles dedicated 20 amp lines.

Last edited by Sharp 1080; 03-31-2018 at 04:24 PM.
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  #19  
Old 03-31-2018, 07:36 PM
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80B 80B is online now
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Andrew,
Congratulations on a killer setup. Really look forward to your impressions as they break in.
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Sources: Vinyl: Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable with 9" Universal tonearm, Da Vinci V2 cartridge, Stillpoints SS & Stillpoints clamp, McIntosh MVP 901, Apple Mac mini via Benchmark DAC 1, Aurender N100C via Schiit Yggdrasil
Control: McIntosh C1100, Mcintosh MX151
Power: Mcintosh MC2301s (front), McIntosh MC501 (center), Mcintosh MC402 (rear)
Speakers: Sonus Faber Amati Futura (front and back), SF Vox center
Power/connections: PS Audio Power Port receptacles, RGPC 400 pro (2) WireWorld interconnects and speaker cable
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  #20  
Old 04-01-2018, 10:07 AM
Bhatten Bhatten is offline
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Andrew,

Wow... Congrats on your amazing system and recent upgrade! Out of curiosity, have you had the opportunity to hear the Wilsons driven by tube pre-amp/amps or were the McIntosh electronics the only other ones used before the D’Agostino?
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