Coincident Dragon MK I vs MK II

hi Erndog, you need to match with medium sensitivity speakers with medium impedance level that does not "run wild".
you'll need to do basic homework first! Regards.

Roger that, but that is not what I was asking about. Can you offer any relevant information about the sonic differences between the MK I and the MK II versions?

The biggest difference between the Frankenstein mkI and mkII was the noisiness and the EMF's that it generated. In a recent email to a Dragon mkI owner he stated that the Dragon MkI had similar issues. Other than that, I have no idea.

I actually owned both Dragons MK1 and II.

Physically, the MK2 is bigger and heavier than MK1, due to the increased weight of transfomers. MK2 uses dual power transformers instead of one in MK1. Also, the Dragon MK2 is much cooler to operate. If you stand close or even 6 feet away from the MK1 amp, you will definitely feel it when it's operating! Mk2 amp is exceptionally quiet to operate and feels cooler.

Sonically, MK2 is way better than MK1. I happened to own latest Franks 300B (before owning Dragons MK1) and this MK2 sounded very identitcal to Franks, back ground noise is so low and black like Franks and you can hear more minute details and nuances. With Dragons, you will not sacrifice any bass weight and impact and dynamics that you come to expect from bigger powerful amp, yet retaining the strength of Franks! Franks might still be the champion, on certain recordings and music...i heard a few tracks on both amps, i can't tell the difference. Again, your mileage may differ with mine, on the type of music and setup...so leave some room for variance.

If your budget permits, go for Dragons MK2. Else, go for MK1 in used market, with new tubes are around $4k before shipping and taxes.

Actually, if you don't listen to large orchestra and music with alot of bass, go for Franks...best buy!

Jimmy

Thanks for the info.

I ended up getting the Dragon MK I. It does some things better than the Pass Labs XA30.5 and the Pass did some things better. So it is a mixed bag.

The pass has better bass, sounds fuller, and has more weight or umphff to it.

The Dragon has better separation, more 3D, and very smooth, which I really like. However, it sounds a little thin compared to the pass amp. As a result it has less bass drive.

Any advice on how I can tweak the Dragons so they produce more weight to the music?

Thanks,
Ernie