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Shahinian/Dynavector amp

A

Andy B

pfm Member
Hi,

Does anyone know where I can hear this combination please?

I've had Arc speakers for many years but never had the chance to hear Shahinian and Dynavector together.

I'm based in Essex and working in London.

Regards,
Andy.
 
Andy B said:
I've had Arc speakers for many years but never had the chance to hear Shahinian and Dynavector together
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I used Arcs for over a decade with a Naim 250 and various preamps from 52 to 72.
I wanted to scratch the same itch as you and when a mate bought a HX1.2, I dropped it into my system.
It was very good but not the paradigm shift some would have you believe.
At the time the HX was twice the price of the Naim and, ultimately, I decided the money was better spent elsewhere.
No idea what the latest offerings sound like.
 
Thanks Ponk, I will give John a call.

Hi Steve, yes, the Naim amps are very good indeed. It will be interesting to hear how something different compares. I can't see me ever changing speakers so I'll try anything that partners well with them (or Obs).
 
The worst speaker/amp combination I've ever heard. I even sent the amps to John Burns to be checked if they were broken. He said they weren't.

Taught me not to trust forum opinion.
 
Just to give the polar opposite view i am running Shahinian Obelisk MK1 with Dynavector L300 Mk2/HX1.2 MK2 and it is without doubt the best sound i have ever had in my system! I have tried a number of other amps with the Obelisks including Sanders Magtech, Exposure 16 monos and MCX monos, the Dynavectors are head and shoulders above all those amps for driving Obs. Complete synergy in my opinion with plenty of PRAT and detail. A very Happy Bunny here.
 
SteveH said:
I used Arcs for over a decade with a Naim 250 and various preamps from 52 to 72.
I wanted to scratch the same itch as you and when a mate bought a HX1.2, I dropped it into my system.
It was very good but not the paradigm shift some would have you believe.
At the time the HX was twice the price of the Naim and, ultimately, I decided the money was better spent elsewhere.
No idea what the latest offerings sound like.
Click to expand...

I first heard Arcs with a variety of amps at a bake off many years ago. We all agreed the speakers were great and seemed happy with whatever amp we used - the aim of the bake-off was comparing amps but somehow the speakers were the star of the show. I am sure the Arc's worked well with a NAP250 but Obelisk's are a different proposition and do require significantly more grunt to get the best out of them, hence working well with Dynavector amps.
 
Chaps

I had a good telephone conversation with John Burns and he advised me to stay put with my Naim 52/300 system for my MK1 Arcs and he said it would be difficult to improve on the sound by buying other amps.

So I stayed put and am loving every minute and have now totally lost the urge to upgrade.

Naim and Shahanians are a marriage made in heaven.

Regards

Mick
 
Snufkin said:
I first heard Arcs with a variety of amps at a bake off many years ago. We all agreed the speakers were great and seemed happy with whatever amp we used - the aim of the bake-off was comparing amps but somehow the speakers were the star of the show. I am sure the Arc's worked well with a NAP250 but Obelisk's are a different proposition and do require significantly more grunt to get the best out of them, hence working well with Dynavector amps.
Click to expand...

I've heard Obelisk II's working very nicely with a 250 DR. They also work very nicely with a 500 DR of course, but the 250 didn't sound inadequate.
 
Ponkbutler said:
I've heard Obelisk II's working very nicely with a 250 DR. They also work very nicely with a 500 DR of course, but the 250 didn't sound inadequate.
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The second iteration of the obelisk is generally regarded as an easier load than the earlier one but they still need some welly to really sing.
 
Naim and Shainian works well.
Dynavector and Shahinian is better in my room.
A wide range of other amps also sound good with Shahinian

The main question is whether you get the Shahinian presentation. If you do then it is about matching. If you don't then no amp is going to make them work for you.

Jason
 
John Burns (Pear Audio) is the UK distributor so doesn't sell direct.
 
Ponkbutler said:
John Burns is solid gold.

Is that a Sunbeam, Mick?
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I have always owned a British bike since the age of 16.

I ran the Sunbeam S7 for about 6 or 7 years and sold it to buy a 650cc BSA twin.

The Sunbeam was a "gentlemans" bike and the engine / gearbox / prop drive was a brilliant design and if I recall reading it had 46 patents on it when it hit the market.

It was easy to work on and I always regreted selling it and hence the pic.

I sold my last bike a few months ago after a bit of ear ache from Mrs Mick who thought 70 years of age was a good time to give it up. She found out that the brakes were not up to modern standards and that was the start of the inevitable nagging.

We still have "discussions" on that subject.

Regards

Mick
 
Re-Joyce said:
Naim and Shainian works well.
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Not my Obelisk Mk1s with my old (olive) NAP250, they produced NO treble from the tweeters!
It was an issue with the current limiting built into the 250 (and 135) power supply regulator boards not liking low impedances at high frequencies.

The bigger amplifiers (300 & 500) are probably ok with Obs and larger Shahinians and 250s are no doubt ok with the smaller Shahinian models.

Shahinian recommend the NAP180 in preference to 250 or 135s for Obs and that worked well for me but now I'm using Avondale power amp and see no reason to change.

Naim and Shahinian can work well but you've got to be wary of some combinations of amps and speakers.
 
peterm said:
Not my Obelisk Mk1s with my old (olive) NAP250, they produced NO treble from the tweeters!
It was an issue with the current limiting built into the 250 (and 135) power supply regulator boards not liking low impedances at high frequencies.

The bigger amplifiers (300 & 500) are probably ok with Obs and larger Shahinians and 250s are no doubt ok with the smaller Shahinian models.

Shahinian recommend the NAP180 in preference to 250 or 135s for Obs and that worked well for me but now I'm using Avondale power amp and see no reason to change.

Naim and Shahinian can work well but you've got to be wary of some combinations of amps and speakers.
Click to expand...
One the difficulties in driving the Obs and above is that the speaker impedance is around 2 Ohms in the treble region. Many amps are not happy driving such low loads and won't sound nice doing so. In addition this treble region is where our ears are most sensitive so any distortion will be very noticeable.

I had a 250 and a pair of 135s (the latter were upgraded by Avondale to stage 3) and neither sounded nice with the Obs Mk1. We have an old piano with a beautiful tone but the Naim/Obs combo couldn't get the sound/timbre nor dynamics from any of our recordings. That all changed when the Naim kit was changed for a much more powerful amp and now instruments sound like instruments. Its amazing how realistic an illusion that the Obs can create. I can sit/stand anywhere in the room and enjoy the music like at a live venue. No need to sit dead centre unless that is ones preferred presentation.

Cheers,

DV
 
Well I drive my Obs Mk1 with a pair of olive 135s which are standard Naim specification and they sound sublime ! I've never had an issue at all !

Also I really do object to comments like 'upgraded my 135's to Avondale stage x' .... this should read 'changed my 135s to Avondale stage x'. I hate the sound of Avondale modified Naim amps, which is of course reflected in the re-sale value on the 2nd hand market. Standard Naim stuff will always go for more then fettled stuff.
 
HydeLea said:
Well I drive my Obs Mk1 with a pair of olive 135s which are standard Naim specification and they sound sublime ! I've never had an issue at all !
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I believe it's sample variation dependent, some combinations work fine, others don't.
 
HydeLea said:
Well I drive my Obs Mk1 with a pair of olive 135s which are standard Naim specification and they sound sublime ! I've never had an issue at all !

Also I really do object to comments like 'upgraded my 135's to Avondale stage x' .... this should read 'changed my 135s to Avondale stage x'. I hate the sound of Avondale modified Naim amps, which is of course reflected in the re-sale value on the 2nd hand market. Standard Naim stuff will always go for more then fettled stuff.
Click to expand...

I bet it reproduces Hitlers Nuremberg speeches with great clarity...
 
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