Time for a few updates
First of all, I have been asked about the audible difference between the M725 330W monoblocks that have been my reference amp for one year, and my new M925
As much as I love M725, M925 are already generating sound that is in an entirely different league
First of all the obvious
. That is the M925s sheer power, which lets them generate life-sized stage and images
Yes, significantly larger and more solid than M725, with incredible ease and authority. There is a sense of space, air, and depth that comfortably exceeds M725, and any other amp that has been in my system until now. M925 never breaks a sweat on high dynamic transients
It is in that totally effortless
. There is a harmonic coherence and exposure of fine detail that is very highly resolving, but is musical rather than being hiFiish
. Because it makes music emotional, and never analytic. In addition, the bass has a depth and musical purity to die for. Neither fat overhang nor thuddy behavior here.
Of course, break in is very much still in progress, and we are not out of the woods by any stretch... At 250 hours, I listened to Christiane Jaccottet on harpsichord playing Bachs Well tempered Klavier
there was a very faint zing added to the upper harmonics of the harpsichord
But this sounded more curious than annoying
. Very different from the typical harshness found in many new amps. What I find astonishing is that whatever fabulous behavior I hear from M925 at any particular session, it is usually exceeded by what the amps demonstrate after another few days
.
On a more positive note, I played the Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances in the version for two pianos
A performance by EMANUEL AX and YEFIM BRONFMAN on SONY redbook, recorded in 1999 in 24-bits. Several things were remarkable, and already let me confirm that I comfortably prefer the total performance of M925 over every other amp I have had in my system, including Rowland M725 monos
The apparent total coherence and extension of the M925 frequency bandwidth, from the bottom notes to the top octaves, without any perceivable suckouts or fatness/overhangs.
The fine exposure of harmonic information from the high treble to the lowest bass.
The vast size/proportions of stage and instrument images, that where completely congruent in the three dimensions with real life grand pianos in a recording studio, with the front of the instrument image approximately coinciding with the front of the speakers, and the left/right edges of the stage merging into the side walls of the room (speakers are 11 feet apart, while the room is 18 feet wide)
This among other things means that M925 is thankfully not a forward
sounding amp, but is also far from being recessed.
Tremendous macro authority and dynamics, perfectly consistent with the illusion of a pair of real life concert grands in the room, from whispering pianissimo (ppp) to fortissimo (fff) without any clipping or other signs of strain.
Subtlety of microdynamics, which exposes the sudden partial dampening of a piano string when a key is half-lifted and so, lowers the felt damper to graze the string.
The instant speed of macro and micro transient response at all frequencies. There is no euphonic caramelization of transients, neither there is artificial emphasis of leading edges.
The sense of emotion and musical immersion
. The listening experience is relaxed
. I sink into the listening couch and enjoy
. I do not feel the need to balance on the edge of the seat ready to bolt with audiophilic anxiety.
A minor milestone tonight... I have just clocked 302 hours of playing time, and an additional 60 hours of low power ops. I decided to check again the Christiane Jaccottet recording of Bach's Well Tempered Klavier... Disk 2 of 4, to be specific.... The trace burr or overpressure in the high treble region of the harmonics that I reported around the 250 hours mark has disappeared completely. If I did
not know better, I would be tempted to say that the amps have reached maturity, as the sound of the harpsichord was magnificent and musically involving...
But I know I should expect even further opening up... probably intermixed by a few more episodes of minor "bad attitude".
Saluti, Guido
