Last year, I had a privilege of owning SE MK3, pairing with SS amps such as Plinius 200W class AB, Sugden Int Amp 20W class A SET, Meridian G57 200W class AB.
I thought Meridian G57/Coincident SE Mk3 paired well, using all Coincident Extreme cables, the result was disappointing. Same experience with Plinius/SE MK3.
They sounded dry. So i tried Sugden class A SET, 20W with Coincident. Sounded better: impressive sound field and mid range, very airy highs and controlled deep bass.
The difference with big class AB SS amps are transparency and details, with excellent punch and dynamics. However, they sounded coloured and dry, uninvolving, having the electronic sound that makes music not so musical and listenable.
Finally, i tried with my friend's 10W SET class A integrated amp, Grant Fidelity. Finally, the magic sound of SET is so musically enchanting, fatigue free, free of electronic glare and natural sounding but simply could not drive big movies and orchestra tracks well. Simply sounded slow on big sound.
So i sold my SE Mk3, and went back to my Dynaudio Contour 1.8MK2 and 2.0, they paired with Plinius and Meridian Class A/AB amps....for movies and orchestra.
Music preference is a personal choice, one man's food is another man's poison. i loved classical, jazz and movies.
I agree with above audiogoners that bigger power has better control and authority on frequency extremes.
Still, i felt something missing and the sweet memories of tube SET class A sound continues to "haunt" me....finally, beginning of this year, 2010, i plunged into getting new Frankensteins 300B Mk2, 8W monoblocks driving my new pair of Coincident Triumph Extreme MK2 (not officially released on Coincident Website yet).
I sold my plinius active preamp, and got Coincident to make me a passive preamp. With their CST1 speaker cables to Extreme speaker cables, it was a dramatic change of experience: drop of noise floor, i hear harmonics and minute details clearer, also, the tube warmth was clearly conveyed. Not the false or articial warmth that you sometimes hear from SS amps or cd player, i'm talking of natural tube warmth if you've heard and know what i meant.
Still, after several months, i feel something is still missing. So i changed from total passive preamp to tvc passive preamp. It took the sound to a different level, sound stage, focus, transparency and details were several notches better....more musical.
I'm using mod OPPO Blu-Ray dvd player for all round purpose: cd, sacd, movies playback. As well as McIntosh MR78 FM tuner. I'm not exactly your typical audiophile guy, because i simply wanted the better experience of music and movies.
I'm in the midst of selling my FM tuner, to add a tube dac for better performance. As well as selling my speaker stand to add a matching passive sub to my excellent Triumph Extreme MK2 monitor speakers. I'm still torn between getting a SE Mk3 speakers now selling in audiogon, and a new matching passive sub from Coincident. To get a full range speakers or passive sub, i might need bigger amps to satify my low bass authoriative sound that i expect from big amps....so i'm opening up a can of worms....
I must say that Frankensteins 300MK2 8W monoblocks doesn't sound like any 300B tube amps i've ever heard before. It is neutral, dynamic and sounded more powerful than any flea powered amps i've heard. i concur with above audiogoners that the improved beefed up transformer on Frankensteins played a huge part.
I played movies with these Frankensteins and they don't sound like running out of steam. I'm sure the bigger powerful amps will sound more authoritative on the lower bass frequencies, which is important to "improving my quality of life" because playing movies and classical music is a big part of my musical experience.
So i had my Frankensteins up for sale last month, thank God, it wasn't sold and i've not regretted keeping it. Yes, i'm still keeping it, but i might one day try another class A SET amp 25W using KR52 tubes that i'm on the verge of ordering from another manufacturer which makes the tvc preamp. This manufacturer has the same design topology as Coincident: simple design and using quality components to produce superior sound.
But i don't regret owning Frankensteins, it's soooo pure, neutral, dynamic, natural, revealing, ultra low noise floor...it's quality is hard to match in this price range, and more so, it matched well with Coincident Speakers. If you like coloured or romantic sound, you need to look else where. But if you want a sound system that attracts no attention to iteself, Coincident is highly recommended, if you can afford it. :)
I thought Meridian G57/Coincident SE Mk3 paired well, using all Coincident Extreme cables, the result was disappointing. Same experience with Plinius/SE MK3.
They sounded dry. So i tried Sugden class A SET, 20W with Coincident. Sounded better: impressive sound field and mid range, very airy highs and controlled deep bass.
The difference with big class AB SS amps are transparency and details, with excellent punch and dynamics. However, they sounded coloured and dry, uninvolving, having the electronic sound that makes music not so musical and listenable.
Finally, i tried with my friend's 10W SET class A integrated amp, Grant Fidelity. Finally, the magic sound of SET is so musically enchanting, fatigue free, free of electronic glare and natural sounding but simply could not drive big movies and orchestra tracks well. Simply sounded slow on big sound.
So i sold my SE Mk3, and went back to my Dynaudio Contour 1.8MK2 and 2.0, they paired with Plinius and Meridian Class A/AB amps....for movies and orchestra.
Music preference is a personal choice, one man's food is another man's poison. i loved classical, jazz and movies.
I agree with above audiogoners that bigger power has better control and authority on frequency extremes.
Still, i felt something missing and the sweet memories of tube SET class A sound continues to "haunt" me....finally, beginning of this year, 2010, i plunged into getting new Frankensteins 300B Mk2, 8W monoblocks driving my new pair of Coincident Triumph Extreme MK2 (not officially released on Coincident Website yet).
I sold my plinius active preamp, and got Coincident to make me a passive preamp. With their CST1 speaker cables to Extreme speaker cables, it was a dramatic change of experience: drop of noise floor, i hear harmonics and minute details clearer, also, the tube warmth was clearly conveyed. Not the false or articial warmth that you sometimes hear from SS amps or cd player, i'm talking of natural tube warmth if you've heard and know what i meant.
Still, after several months, i feel something is still missing. So i changed from total passive preamp to tvc passive preamp. It took the sound to a different level, sound stage, focus, transparency and details were several notches better....more musical.
I'm using mod OPPO Blu-Ray dvd player for all round purpose: cd, sacd, movies playback. As well as McIntosh MR78 FM tuner. I'm not exactly your typical audiophile guy, because i simply wanted the better experience of music and movies.
I'm in the midst of selling my FM tuner, to add a tube dac for better performance. As well as selling my speaker stand to add a matching passive sub to my excellent Triumph Extreme MK2 monitor speakers. I'm still torn between getting a SE Mk3 speakers now selling in audiogon, and a new matching passive sub from Coincident. To get a full range speakers or passive sub, i might need bigger amps to satify my low bass authoriative sound that i expect from big amps....so i'm opening up a can of worms....
I must say that Frankensteins 300MK2 8W monoblocks doesn't sound like any 300B tube amps i've ever heard before. It is neutral, dynamic and sounded more powerful than any flea powered amps i've heard. i concur with above audiogoners that the improved beefed up transformer on Frankensteins played a huge part.
I played movies with these Frankensteins and they don't sound like running out of steam. I'm sure the bigger powerful amps will sound more authoritative on the lower bass frequencies, which is important to "improving my quality of life" because playing movies and classical music is a big part of my musical experience.
So i had my Frankensteins up for sale last month, thank God, it wasn't sold and i've not regretted keeping it. Yes, i'm still keeping it, but i might one day try another class A SET amp 25W using KR52 tubes that i'm on the verge of ordering from another manufacturer which makes the tvc preamp. This manufacturer has the same design topology as Coincident: simple design and using quality components to produce superior sound.
But i don't regret owning Frankensteins, it's soooo pure, neutral, dynamic, natural, revealing, ultra low noise floor...it's quality is hard to match in this price range, and more so, it matched well with Coincident Speakers. If you like coloured or romantic sound, you need to look else where. But if you want a sound system that attracts no attention to iteself, Coincident is highly recommended, if you can afford it. :)