What amps do you use with your Revel Salons/Studio

My system consists of the following:
Sony SCD-1,
Bryston Bp25,
Bryston 4b-st,
XLR interconnects (much more pleasing than RCA, to me),
Cryoed Virtual Dynamics 3' Nite Power Chord to SCD-1,
2 Cryoed Virtual Dynamics 3' Signiture PC's to Brystons,
Cryoed Audio Magic Stealth power line conditioner,
AudioQuest Calderas and Volcano speaker wire.

Total cost of above was $9000 (including taxes). Most of the wires were purchased on Audiogon.

When I audition the Salons at a local hi-end salon I listened for 3 hours on an all ML system. The speaker wires on that system alone was 18,000 dollars. The demo amp, a ML No. 336 was priced at $8500. I felt that the system sounded so amazing, and I was so moved, that I ended up buying a pair of Salons 2 days later. That $50,000+ system was better than my current system but not by much.

I have the same emotional connection with my system as I did with the hot rod ML system. My weakest link is the Bryston 4b-st which will be replaced by the Bryston 14b in February. There is a review of the Bryston and Revel combination in the October 2002 Stereophile if you are into magazine reviews.

My current 4b-st, sounds a little slower and slightler brigter than the great sounding ML 336. I am not going to kid myself into believing that it is in the same league. But the addition of the accessories I mentioned above has moved the system up to a level that gives me about the same amount of pleasure as I experienced that day at the local salon. I am now a big believer in power chords and power conditioners.

Every dealer that I spoke with about the Bryston 14B-sst and the Salons says I am doing a great disservice to my speakers with that combination. However, my system sounds very pleasing to me right now. The change to the 14b-sst, which is considered a warmer sounding amp, I think will put me even closer to the sound I heard the day I decided to buy the Salons.

The Bryston 14B-sst is going to cost me $3000 used and has been favourably compared to the big ML and Krelll amps. For a cheap guy like me (that's why I mentioned prices in this reply) I think I am doing my wallet a great service.

The best I have heard the Revel Salons sound was with the Halcros at CES 2002. There was a top to bottom rightness about the sound, though still somewhat cold and lifeless. The Halcros and Salons had a kind of calm synergy, like two old friends meeting who like each other but are maybe too much alike to be best buddies.

A near second, and somewhat livelier version was with the Linn 500 watt monoblock pizza boxes we heard at Sounds Like Music in Phoenix, AZ a few years ago. They easily beat out the big Levinson 33s in a side by side comparison except that the 33s had just slightly more liquidity and solidity. But the Linns had more life, PRaT, naturalness (by a hair), speed (the Linns are FAST), and musicality. The Linn monos, however, are a little TOO fast sometimes and add a slight edge all of their own to some aspects of the music - some people finding them the slightest bit dry and lean.

Just some more data points, probably doesn't help you much though...

-Mike (Audio Federation)

I have heard the Studios at a dealer (who also is ML dealer)with a Rowland synergy/model 10, and it seemed to work well.

KeithR

I am currently running my Salons w/ Levinson 33H's. I, like most audio enthusiasts, have heard a great many systems. However, the Salons paired with the 33H's are truly a match made in heaven to create my most realistic musical experience to date.

Sold the 33H's for the Lamm M1.2 Ref monos. BETTER!!