Amplifier Pairing

Any recommendations as to which amplifier manufacturers pair the best with dcs? What amps does dcs use to test their products?
Thank you.
Cheers !

We don’t make any specific recommendations nor do we have a specific “reference” configuration that we use in the design of our products. Overall we try to make our products compatible with a very wide variety of downstream components so that a customer can choose speakers and amplification that fit his preference.

This forum is a small cross-section of our customer base and you’ll find people with all varieties of solid state and tube electronics as well as a few running active speakers. All appear to be quite pleased with the sound that they’re getting :wink:

Thank you for your quick response Andrew. I understand the overall compatability with various components but was just curious if you personally had a preference with amplification considering your position with dcs. You know… and unbiased / non-dealer line card restriction opinion. Thinking in terms of a similar sonic signature.

If anyone out there has an opinion or thought on this , I would love to hear it. Thank you all.

What Andrew says is correct. The " voicing" of the dCS components is neutral ( there is no “sonic signature”) and IMO is compatible with any high performance amplification/ active speaker component. Offhand,there are people here happily using EAR Yoshino, Audio Research, TAD, Dan D’Agostino, ATC active monitors and, no doubt, many many more.

The ability of current models to allow the selection of various output voltages eases electrical matching especially given the very low output impedances of the components.

My advice? Choose the flavour of your amps then buy dCS with confidence.

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Ditto on what Pete says. There really is no “signature” of the dCS. It’s just a very natural musical sound. I am running my Vivaldi stack through Merrill Audio Veritas Monoblocks, soon to be replaced by Merrill Element 116 Monoblocks. I am also about to add a Townshend Allegri Reference passive pre. If the sound changes, it won’t be the Vivaldi doing it.

You need to pair your amp up with what ever speaker you use really, not source.
Bass heavy amp and then speakers, obviously will end up as a bad pairing and the same goes for if your amp is on the lean side.
As always system synergy is needed, so really need to know what spekers you have or intend to get, that also obviously work for your room and listen style

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Thanks to all of you for your replies. My previous system consisted of Rossini player and clock, Wilson Yvette’s and Mark Levinson 432 amp. I sold the Dcs’ s and the speakers due to a move. I’m now considering the Bartok and Wilson Sabrinas. Also thinking Levinson 436 monos. Older Levinson is very neutral.
Is their a significant sound difference between Bartok and Rossini? Also same question as it pertains to headphone only usage. :crazy_face:
Thanks again !!

As you are new to the forum, had you been around here over the past few months you would have found from various threads that dCS is very careful to maintain a distinct difference between its different ranges in ascending order of sound quality. Therefore as the Rossini is " senior " to the Bartok there is a significant sound difference in favour of the Rossini even if the clock is not included in the comparison.

Nevertheless If one compares the two components pertaining to headphone only usage then the Rossini is obviously the wrong tool for the job and the Bartok with headphone stage is the appropriate selection. That is not to say that a Rossini coupled with some suitably exotic headphone amplifier may not open the question again. However that is not what you have asked.