looking for more power to drive Salon2

default -- Sat, 08/15/2009 - 13:03

Hi,
        Right now I am absolutely happy with the sound of my system, by
Mark Levinson 326s + 436 mono blocks to drive Salon2 speakers.
But I always feel like Salon2 will be happier with even more watts.
      Can you please advice what will these two options sound like ?
1. Keep ML 326s, add No53 mono blocks to the system.
2 replace ML with SIM MOON P8 + W7M mono blocks

     Are these two options sound a lot different ?
Thanks

Robert Harley -- Sun, 08/16/2009 - 22:46

Can you remind me of the relative output powers of those amplifiers?
I found that 200Wpc (into 8 ohms) was not fully adequte to drive the Salon2.

TOGA -- Mon, 08/17/2009 - 03:48

Thanks Mr Harley,
         My current ML 436 mono block has 350wpc/8 and 700wpc/4
The other two new amps I'm interested are ML53 and MOON W7M, both provide 500WPC/8 1000WPC/4, the former
use switching technology.
       If I replace ML436 with ML53, I will keep ML326s preamp, but If I replace ML436 with MOON W7M, I will also replace
ML326s with MOON P8 too. I dont like to mix between brands. Both options will cost me approx the same.
       From you experience with both Mark Levinson and MOON. What would you suggest. ? My room is large with
about 23*34*8.5 feet.
                                                                              Thank you

Robert Harley -- Fri, 08/21/2009 - 09:22

I think that 350Wpc into 8 ohms (and 700Wpc into 4) is enough to drive the Salon2. There's not much difference in how loudly the system will play between 350W and 500W.
You should audition both the ML system and the Simaudio pair and decide on the basis of sound quality rather than output power.

TOGA -- Sat, 08/22/2009 - 01:51

Sure, I will. Thank you.
May be some day, SIM may introduce Reference model to compete with Levinson 's 53 too.
However, For me, I like user interface of ML preamp more than MOON's. For sound quality, I
will find out.

TOGA -- Sat, 08/22/2009 - 01:52