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Simaudio I-5 and Dynaudio Contour S 1.4

My current system is a Simaudio I-3 driving a pair of Dynaudio Contour S 1.4s. I'm extremely happy with the sound so far, but am wondering if the upgrade to the I-5 may eke out some more detail. Both the Sims and the Dyns seem to complement each other nicely.

My concern is that the Dynaudio's tend to be a touch inefficient. While the 100W/Ch I-3 seems to drive them quite nicely, the I-5 shaves off a few Watts per channel in favor of a more refined sound (at least according to Sim's marketing).

I've also heard that the I-5 tends to sound a bit more subtle, whereas the I-3 has a more forward, energetic sound.

My question(s):
1) Does the I-5 really sound that much better than the I-3?
2) Does the I-5 still have enough juice to power the Dyn's?
3) Would (in your opinion) the I-3 or the I-5 pair better with the Contour S 1.4s?

I'm listening to the system in a relatively small room and pretty moderate volume. And, I have a separate subwoofer, so bass "slam" is less of an issue.

I'd appreciate any thoughts...

/* Jonah */
jonahsfo
jbello
115 posts
 
Wait for the new I-7
digsmithd
545 posts
 
i also am using the i3 with 1.3 se,s,and have asked the sim rep same question.he recomended sticking with i3 because of the efficiancy rating,im am sure it sounds more refined is what i am reading on audio gon,i am also pleased with this little amp,but you know when the bug bites!,be curious to here more from others.
goatwuss
875 posts
 
Jonah -

I have your speakers and have heard them in a variety of systems with a variety of gear. The fact is that these are really high-end speakers, and the better your amplifcation and front end gear is, the better sound you will get from them. Also- they are pretty finicky with gear. If mismatched, I've found they just don't sound good at all. I don't know what your budget is like, but moving to well-matched separates will pay dividends in terms of fidelity. I haven't been too impressed with Simaudio's preamps (including the ones in their intregrated, they have always sounded dry and thin to my ears) but I think their amps are fantastic.

Are you looking to buy new or used? Something like a w5 matched with a quality tube preamp would be ideal for your speakers. A used w3 would also be awesome, and cheap.

Regarding your actual question - Though the S1.4s are relatively inefficient, the bigger issue is that they are a 4 ohm speaker, and as such, need a healthy supply of current. My understanding of the I5 (someone correct me if I'm wrong) is that even though it is 70 WPC instead of 100 WPC, it is a higher current design then the I3, rendering it a better match for the Dyns than the I3.

What subwoofer do you have?
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