Brutally Honest- The Good The Bad and The Ugly about Dan D'Agostino

Our most popular series is back with another installment, now this time Adrian is getting brutally honest about all things Dan D'Agostino related!
Previous Brutally Honest video on Legacy Audio:
• Brutally Honest - The ...
Previous Brutally Honest video on McIntosh: • BRUTALLY Honest about ...
Previous Brutally Honest video on Sonus Faber: • BRUTALLY Honest About ...
Previous Brutally Honest video on Magnepan: • BRUTALLY Honest About ...
Previous Brutally Honest video on PS Audio:
• BRUTALLY Honest About ...
Previous Brutally Honest video on Bowers & Wilkins:
• Brutally Honest - The ...
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Audio Excellence Inc. is a high-end audio/video store in Markham, Ontario, Canada, a suburb of Toronto. We've been in business since 1991.
Check out our interviews with designers and audio luminaries like Daryl Wilson of Wilson Audio, Paul McGowan of PS Audio, Paolo Tezzon of Sonus Faber, Wendell Diller of Magnepan, John Atkinson of Stereophile, Dan D'Agostino of D'Agostino Master Audio Systems, Nelson Pass of Pass Labs and others.
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[@jrdavisphd]

Totally agree with your comments about manuals, AMG-like signature, and letter of appreciation.

[@PBlaik]

I've never heard one, although I'm sure they sound phenomenal.... but not my personal taste aesthetically. This series of videos is your best work. I do agree with the small details, meaning a lot. The packaging, manuals, accessories all = buyer pride of ownership. The presentation of an AMG and the dealer unveiling, and gigantic bow.... the Sonus Faber packaging, welcome picture book, speaker covers, polishing cloth, fluid, manual.... Focal upper end headphones with the leather box, leather manual booklet, and headphone case all are purchases that stand out in my mind as examples of great product presentation.

[@adrianlow2114]

Hi Paul!!!

[@michaeljacobs5235]

Amazing customer service...buying a new pair and replacing the customers "faulty" amps instead of simply repairing them is over the top. Well done sir!

[@adrianlow2114]

Thank you

[@aceofspades6667]

Been waiting for this one!

[@MrCharlesray]

Couldn’t agree with you more Adrian, thousands of dollars supporting the company, it’s a very small thing to do, to have a thank letter with a charming manual, all they have to do is add $20 to the price to have it done. :) such a small gesture that shows huge appreciation.

[@gordonwong7158]

amazing video. Appreciate your deep experience with hifi and willingness to share candidly. Thank you so much.

[@thomasperina2990]

Hello Adrian & Crew: Just a quick note to thank you all for all of your hard work and efforts. I don't know if you all in Canada partake in the Christmas holiday season but I wish you all nothing but the Best. God Bless, stay safe, & Happy New Year To All, TMP from N.J.

[@adrianlow2114]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

[@thomasperina2990]

@@lgf0004 Thank you 😊, I guess it's just another ultra left wing country that spews that type of BS. No wonder Biden is liked there more than the USA. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, TMP FROM N.J.

[@courtneyswaby3178]

Great videos as per usual a different perspective is always welcome

[@robvandendolder3157]

Everything you have said is perfectly valid. How good is it for you to lay out these issues. One would expect Dan to appreciate your comment and he would no doubt take these on board. We don’t live in Canada but you customer service sounds like it’s at another level. Cheers Adrian👍😎

[@reidbounsall9098]

The SPECTRAL preamp Adrian mentioned in his review of the D'Agostino products was the exact same reaction I had. It came out in the early 80's and, like Adrian, I was completely blown away by the build quality. It had something of a glass or plexiglass covering over the top so you could see just how magnificently it was put together. Would that ALL ultra high-end brands were built like that!

[@adrianlow2114]

Yes that's right!

[@charlesmanneschmidt7587]

Spectrals were among the most beautiful, but consider: Few if any(?) had balanced I/O. And many of those parts were in lovely packages no longer available, for example transistors in TO-5 metal cases and blue-green Corning resistors. Also, as I commented elsewhere, laying out a PCB--especially a more complicated circuit--results in optimum parts placement that is not as symmetrical, orthogonal, etc. When you see the PCB connections from that perspective, an optimized layout will ruin the looks for looking "under the hood."

[@reidbounsall9098]

Thanks for sharing.@@charlesmanneschmidt7587

[@davidbee8178]

Adrian - another fun and entertaining video. Maybe not so much for Dan D'Agostino :-) About including nicely produced introductory and user manuals : I just bought a REL S/510 at, I imagine, a FRACTION of the cost of one of Dan's amplifiers and the manual that came with the S/510 is as beautiful and as classy as one can imagine. Enough said.

[@DarkvirusXI]

great video, really appreciate the honesty!

[@dksculpture]

Excellent summary. Thanks 🙏

[@AncientEgyptArchitecture]

Love these GBU series clips, keep 'em coming Adrian.

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks

[@SantanKGhey1234]

First here to say... Happy holidays Adrian and AE team!

[@adrianlow2114]

Same to you and yours!

[@kerryfarrell2787]

Thank you for making this brave video! I hope you had discussed all this with DD over the years and he has had a chance to make these changes already. I have heard his equipment in the past and always loved the look and sound. But, I was under the impression that this stuff is bomb-proof considering the look and the price. Good to know to be on the lookout if I can ever afford these pieces! Keep them coming, Adrian! Happy Holidays!

[@adrianlow2114]

Yes D'Agostino has made major improvements in their production and QC. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

[@paulupton5557]

I appreciate your candour, well done.

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks

[@bootymchooters2820]

I agree with you, Adrian. At a certain price point I expect all the little things to go a step above. I understand in this digital age many people will use there phones to look at instruction manuals. That said when it comes to two channel audio I do love a really nice manual.

[@polymusegal]

These videos are great. Is it possible to do a series on the speaker cables you support?

[@TheChianello]

Thanks Adrian!

[@adrianlow2114]

You're welcome

[@Turboy65]

You make some great points. For this kind of money, the amps should be beautifully built both INSIDE and out, and yes, the manual should be, in my opinion, nothing less than a hardcover bound book of the kind of quality that you expect out of "coffee table books", or better. Heck, if I were in Dan's shoes, that manual would be leather bound in full grain premium Italian leather and with gilt edged pages. Included in the manual would be a section for documenting the complete service and maintenance history. Plus, when amps are built to order, the front page should be personalized to the owner.

[@thebiffer100]

Hi Adrian, wonderful review. I just acquired a pair of D'Agostino Progression Mono Blocks and Pre-Amplifier not even a month ago. Too early to offer my opinion until I have had some serious listening time under my belt. My speakers are the Gryphon Pantheons. However so far they are playing magnificently and feel they will have a permanent home here. I also briefly owned a Gryphon Antileon Stereo amplifier Pure Class A and within two weeks it would not even start up. Internal fuse blew and it brought back memories decades ago having to change out fuses all the time for similar amps and I returned it so the old story proves all these electronics have or will have annoying behaviors. Choose wisely!

[@adrianlow2114]

Congrats! Love the Progression series.

[@scslite5206]

So so true! I wish I had a dealer like yours close to me. I'm glad to hear you call out the issues a lot of these high end to ultra high end companies fall short of. I for one no matter how great the product is the after sales and continued customer support is most important. Likely, will not be a repeat customer due to these "little" things that these manufacturers overlook which actually turn out to be game changers to people like myself.

[@LPBHC]

Hi Adrian, completely agreed with the presentation of a luxury packaging is very important. Brought my Paradigm Persona speakers and found that they came with certificates signed by the technical teams and even the CEO! How impressive was that and one will be overjoyed after spending good money for a luxury item.

[@povicollege3055]

I fully agree!!! Write a nice letter, a beautiful signature etc. I FULLY AGREE!!!!!

[@supabayes3284]

Respect for making this video and sharing the bads

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks

[@grayd5848]

Adrian I remember when you used to be a D'Agostino dealer.😂

[@adrianlow2114]

hehe, still am .... I think!

[@Langeloudspeakers]

I agree with your comments; beyond a certain threshold, customers rightfully expect perfection, and technical issues simply cannot be tolerated.

[@bikemike1118]

For d‘Agostino amps to be not considered as highly priced ‚bling-bling-stuff‘ the internal looks should at least match the outside looks. I still have a Krell CD player (KPS 28 c) from Dan‘s era there (early 2000s) and this is not so blingy from the outside (black) but very well build internally. And still sounds gorgeous.

[@hennievangalen3789]

Respect and admiration for your honesty, manufacturers should take note indeed. The phase inversion on one of the monoblocs is inexcusable. Those tech guys would be fired same day when working in the aircraft industry. I would be a customer of Adrian right away, and have the impression he can look in his own mirror too. Enjoyed the video very much, brings a breath of fresh air.

[@raykuiper4979]

Good Day Adrian, I have this year bought the Momentum HD Pre-amp in black, even here in Switzerland a lot of money, my reason for this Dan D`Agostino is the sound ,,yes they are very heavy

[@cklau8245]

Great comments for the manufacturer

[@craig9242]

Adrian great informative channel you you have keep up the great work. Just wondered why you do not mention the plain looking and lower priced Dan D'Agostino classic stereo amp on your channel and does not appear to be advertised on your web site? Would be interested on your thoughts on it.

[@Dpro78]

honesty is 👑 thank you

[@psyphonyxaudio]

I am sure all of this feedback will carry weight for MANY brands to consider. I am going to agree with you on many of these things too ( having build amps for a global brand before ) When the companies are attentive to the smallest details that improve the experience across the entire support line ( sales, dealer, service, listener ) THAT .. makes a great product and testament to the ingenuity of the engineers.

[@adrianlow2114]

Companies should hire you! I know how precise and anal you are about details!

[@theaudiophilecorner]

Merry Christmas Adrian! Need a Momentum under the tree.

[@adrianlow2114]

Same to you!

[@robertdebellis9703]

Hi Adrian, I very much liked your comments about the quality of very expensive audio products. It is a great service to we customers who part with a lot of moola for these things. I often think of some comments Nelson Pass made about amplifier design. In. Essence, he said we’ve had the electronics of amplifier design pretty much all worked out for a good while and we’re just tweaking this way and that. This causes me to question the pricing of many products. Also, if a persons buys a Rolls Royce or a Mercedes, they expect the view under the hood shows an impressive organization and quantity parts. Thank you for all the informative videos you have given. Bob D.

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks for your kind words

[@clifffff7630]

I laugh when amp makers make about their relentless research efforts leading to x and y patent pending innovations which were then implemented in your recently purchased device. The either give no explanation about these so-called innovations or when they do they just make themselves look silly. Go to the European Patent Office website or its American counterpart and you will find pending applications for lighter cigarettes, adult diapers, sex lubricants and what not. Yet patent-pennding or patented technology has become buzz words in the hifi market. Your quote from Nelson Pass settles the issue. He is absolutely correct that since the 70s no major technical breakthrough has occurred in amp design, just small optimization and tweakings here and there of tried and true topologies (right now there is a little more movement in Class D segment but that's a can of worms I don't wanna go near). Several years ago at Munich Audio Show I had the pleasure of being amused by a certain individual from a high-end amp maker who was claiming that their aluminium electrolytic capacitors had been designed and developed in house by their own researchers. Apparently they were superior to anything put out by the likes of Rubycon, Kemet and the like because they had been designed with one and only one objective in mind, music for the audiophiles... 😂 So here you have it, devotion to audio can surpass millions of dollars in state of the art measurement instruments and manufacturing machinery, decades of accumulated experience, research teams numbering in the thousands and last but not least, regular half billion dollar subsidies provided by the Japanese and American governments...

[@user-ej3ii8zm2b]

Another great GBU video Adrian. Its been nearly 24 hours since you posted this and just wondering if you're still a D'Agostino dealer today or if Dan pulled the plug on you LOL! Keep up the good work. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you.

[@adrianlow2114]

Truth is none of the manufacturers I represent are thin skinned. They are all adults, know their strengths and areas that can be improved. I'm not saying anything they don't already know. And for that, I truly love and appreciate them. Of course, they might have a pic of me with darts ...

[@madmax7622]

Or a small doll of you, with pins, pressed in in "strategic" locations.....@@adrianlow2114

[@aminafkham1265]

Very Good and informative video. please do a good bad and ugly video about darTZeel Audio products.

[@adrianlow2114]

We don't carry them and I don't have enough experience

[@kabes-us]

So appreciate the openness and candor here. Takes courage to call these manufacturers out on these things. If they listen it can only help them get better, which is all what we want.

[@johnruppert5630]

I fully agree on the owners manual issue. When you are spending thousands of dollars on a piece of equipment it should come with a manual that wasn’t just run on a copy machine!

[@StealthParrot]

Personally, I like the aesthetics of the D'Agostino products. By contrast my Bryston equipment are spartan black monoliths. Unfortunately, I will never be fortunate enough to afford something in this price range but I really enjoy hearing about them. I greatly respect you for telling not only what you like about these audio products but also what you don't like. Nothing is ever perfect.

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks!

[@stevewarner8686]

What is your system? Speakers? I think Bryston is high value products.

[@StealthParrot]

@@stevewarner8686 I have a Bryston 3B amp and Bryston 0.4B PreAmp both from 1989 before Bryston equipment got a LOT more expensive. They still work and sound great but probably not as good as the newer stuff obviously. The rest of my system consists of a Micromega Stage 2 cd player (which I absolutely love), a Magnum Dynalab FT-101 fm tuner, a Systemdek IIX turntable. I have to use an external phono pre-amp with the turntable since the Bryston pre doesn't have a phono stage. The speakers are a rather obscure Canadian brand called Clements RB 8.0 (made by Phil Clements in the late 80's early 90's but now defunct). These are 2-way transmission design with ribbon tweeters. It was all bought new but are getting rather vintage now, lol. What do you have Steve?

[@philhunter9134]

Ouch. I'm glad you said that about the internals. I was expecting...more.

[@adrianlow2114]

The terminals are superbly made, I just want banana connection as an option as well

[@philhunter9134]

The internals, not the terminals.

[@manny2230]

Definitely agree with you about the little details and esthetics. I don’t own dan amplifier,but I own now the latest Hegel H600 and it’s a mess inside. Was the same with my previous one H590 or H390.

[@adrianlow2114]

Agreed

[@manny2230]

Adrian,please consider doing this tipe of video about Hegel amps. As you know hegel is very popular brand. Especially here in Europe. Would like to hear your opinion as the Hegel brands official distributor.

[@adrianlow2114]

@@manny2230 Coming

[@klaymoon1]

Great video. Yes, I do wish Relentless are little cheaper, or at least offer a stereo version. And, I do wish Momentum are a bit bigger.

[@rocketbrothers540]

Let’s wait and see what happens in the future

[@josenebrus8183]

You're almost there Jay 👍 still needs some breaking in, but it's becoming palpable 💥💯🎶

[@burgerbirger2221]

Agree with you on the user manual issue. For the price it should have been leather binding with raised gold letters. And also i think the remotes on many high end brands are pretty simple and cheap looking.

[@kiritrajayt]

Can't agree more with your comment on the letter to the customer and manual. I would be happy with a laminated/framable letter and leather spiral-bound manual that I can keep on my audio rack. I am not asking too much after that spending on the product.

[@alcrawford9149]

Very true from around 16 mins on, buying a piece of kit that cost as much as an automobile, a little bit of tlc from the manufactures would go a long way, Ken Ishi did as much, but didn't charge as much. God rest his soul.

[@epi2045]

This is absolutely the best series on KZbin. It’s such a great historical. Thanks for doing this.

[@rafaelfranco7041]

Agree on the AMG analogy. Buyers at this price point are somehow buying or validating their status. On top of that, i think that percentage wise, luxury car manufacturers make less than luxury audio brands.

[@reidbounsall9098]

Cannot WAIT for Adrian's Good, Bad and Ugly report on his new Mark Levinson Line, "Daniel Hertz". The speakers, at least, seem to be very beautifully made - hopefully, their electronics will be equally well made.

[@adrianlow2114]

Coming

[@xXxFaustoMoraesxXx]

The letter is a really nice idea, couldn`t be that expensive for the company (compare to their products)

[@davewin1792]

We have to give John Curl his due accolades!

[@JJ-no2ob]

JC is a mad genius & has earned all the accolades we can applaud his way! I have heard the best of Krell & Conrad Johnson & Marc Levinson - John Curl deserves the top honor at any price- full stop!

[@VideoArchiveGuy]

My biggest issue/fear is the sheer number of D'Agostino owners I've known who have had to had something fixed under warranty - far too many for such a small company. I don't know any Gryphon owners, for example, who have had to have items fixed.

[@adrianlow2114]

As my late friend Derek used to say: Anything made by man will break. Women, not so much😂 D’Agostino has been reliable overall. I’m picking on the company because I love what they do. Dan is the embodiment of the classic comeback story.

[@VideoArchiveGuy]

@@adrianlow2114 I love their stuff too, but given how low production they are their gear should be FAR less trouble-prone; it's a bit fragile even among high-end makes. Even you mention having to fix things that never should have made it out of QC that way.

[@adrianlow2114]

@@VideoArchiveGuy Agreed re QC, not so much breaking. I've owned many of the exotic stuff, and they all break. Even lines that have "20 year warranty" break. More than you might imagine. The key is how the company deals with the issues. D'Agostino has been exemplary in this regard. I might do a follow up video about this.

[@daniel77455]

Adrian I really enjoy your reviews and the good, the bad and the ugly. A dealers perspective is very helpful. One area I would disagree with regarding D’Agostino is they are comparable in price to amplifiers of similar quality. The D’Agostino momentum integrated amp is $65,000 while the new Gryphon Diablo 333 is $25,000. I think you would agree they are both of comparable quality but the D’Agostino is much more expensive.

[@adrianlow2114]

I haven't heard the Gryphon 333. Didn't think they had been released in large production yet. I've owned 2 Gryphon 300 and they are far more in the Progression level. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

[@michaelmityok1001]

@@adrianlow2114 sorry Adrian I respect you a LOT, but regarding D'Agostino I disagree; I own a Diablo 300 and that amp is a MUCH better amp than the Progression and not just sonically but in build quality and reliability. I demoed both in my home system before purchase and it was no contest. I can't speak for the Momentum - but I would be willing to bet serious cash the new 333 is on par and at less than 50% of the cost. Sorry but Gryphon is on another level from D'Agostino especially in terms of value for money: the new Commander/Apex stack is 60% less than the top of the line Relentless stack! But of course you know this, so I suspect that most likely from a business perspective the markup ratio is the real reason you prefer to carry D'Agostino over Gryphon.

[@adrianlow2114]

@@michaelmityok1001hi Michael. Firstly I am truly happy and delighted for you. Finding something that makes you happy is a great thing. We simply disagree re the 2 integrated amps. I owned 2 because I thought one was perhaps a bad sample. Doesn’t sound bad at all. Just prefer the D’Agostino Finally, you’d be absolutely wrong about my reasons and agenda for preferring D’Agostino. I’ve considered Gryphon as a dealer for decades. And still am. There’s more than profit for me. Watch my video on the McIntosh ML1 speakers. In the beginning I go into some detail about how I choose products I want to represent

[@michaelmityok1001]

​@adrianlow2114 fair enough Adrian, I will watch the video you suggest. Sonically, it's true that at this level, it is preferences rather than outright qualitative differences. Design language is subjective as well, both manufacturers are unique. But the value proposition of D'Agostino vs Gryphon seems dubious - the price gap is too wide to be justifiable. But next time I'm in Toronto I will drop by and attempt to be persuaded 😊

[@daniel77455]

@@adrianlow2114 Adrian - since you are much more experienced with better trained ears than me could you give a little more color on the differences you hear between the Momentum and the Gryphon Diablo 300. Thank you.

[@delvalle9256]

Can you please explain what the noose signify in your thumbnail? I don’t get it

[@crisbravbr]

Well, unfortunately there’s no way I could ever buy one of these. They’re just too expensive. However, I’m a happy Krell owner 😊

[@adrianlow2114]

Good for you

[@MuscleBN]

What he doesnt realize is that when a unit has plexi glass on top so u can view the inside is not totally indicative of a standard unit..Extra care and time is given knowing this is a internal demonstration unit..

[@ptg01]

His amps from Krell are legendary.... His current amps are gorgeous but priced in the stratosphere...

[@paulpaulzadeh6172]

with that price tag , you are absolute right , Asian make today much much better quality , US industry live on old merit,. sad sunset for US industry !

[@elsamariasorforger5788]

hi there i saw ur video on ma12000 mcintosh so i bought an ma 12000 ,and the amp humming itself, dont know does it come from the transformer, or from the tubes or another electronic device inside the amp, this buzzing is just inside the amp it is not going to my xr100 speakers, i mail to mcintosh never got an answer,,PLS HELP ME TY SM

[@adrianlow2114]

Best to contact your dealer

[@klewja]

The QC is not great. I have had a progression integrated short out on us. There were new progression integrated where the meters were broken. Phono pre that shorted out because the foot was threaded too long and it shorted when screwed in and destroyed the circuit. Units with flaws in the finish when they shipped from the factory. Things happen but this is not acceptable at this price point. I went from Momentum monos and hd pre to MSB premier Dac with the MSB s202 and have not looked back and have more money in my pocket too.

[@thomasranger8851]

I bought the prog int. very happy with it. But when it arrived the needles didn’t work. Had to ship back 😢Sometimes when switching on the fuse at my home will release; Also the remote drains batteries way to fast not acceptable. I only use the app now :). But look and sound are top notch. I haven’t heard any better ❤

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@safferstefan]

Ok here is a life saving trick : roll carefully the momentum amp onto its back then apply the stand upside down then roll the amp onto the stand again with the stand attached. One person can do it. If the stand does not lock onto the connectors kay a belt onto carpet and roll amp upside down onto that - then stand on and then tighten the belt ( leather ? ) so the stand cannot slide off / the roll package onto its feed - done 😂

[@adrianlow2114]

Thanks. Not as easy as it sounds though. But I may try it with some modifications. The metal finish can be marred by the belt, so a piece of cloth between will help.

[@dan-sc7fm]

I absolutely agree with you that these high-priced audio companies include a decent manual and a personal cover letter thanking the customer for their purchase. It would cost them pennies to make the customer feel appreciated for paying tens of thousands of dollars for their products. Of course, they may be relying on their dealers to make sure the customer is appreciated and served well. After all, the dealer is getting a markup cut to sell and be the face/representative of these products that they carry. In fact, I am buying the product from your store and will never have communication with the manufacturer.

[@dan-sc7fm]

To add what I stated above, the manufacturer should welcome your (the dealers) critique and concerns about the products you are selling. Dan Augustino would do well to listen to what you have to say to make his product better. After all, you are the middleman between the customer and manufacturer.

[@adrianlow2114]

Agreed, both dealer and manufacturer should offer the best buyer experience. However most clients buy because of the manufacturer's products. We can and do a decent job of that experience,can always do better!

[@jeffandich3894]

While out of my price range, when inquiring about the Progression Integrated over the phone, 2 dealers have tended to steer me to other products by different manufacturers. From online listening, based on my tastes, the PI seems to strike a good balance between details, separation of layers, power, and not being as bright as offerings by Gryphon and Boulder..

[@net_news]

D'Agostino gear looks good but I prefer simpler designs. PS Audio's BHK line or Pass Labs are better designs in my opinion.

[@reidbounsall9098]

Adrian, I really appreciate your brutally honest reviews, especially this one. If I were worth millions and cost was no object, D'Agostino products would be at the very bottom of my list of possibilities. With all due respect, I wonder why you continue to sell D'Agostino products? If I were the store CEO and had had as many bad experiences as you've had, I'd have severed ties with them long ago. That nightmarish 18-hour-day you talked about would have been the deal-breaker for me. Completely unacceptable!

[@adrianlow2114]

Unfortunately it's not just Dagostino that has QC issues, especially at this high level. Virtually EVERY brand i've owned has had similar problems at one point. And I love the Dagostino sound

[@reidbounsall9098]

This brings to mind the truth of the saying, "Caveat Emptor" - let the buyer beware! And although Bryston is priced way below these ultra high-end products you've had problems with, there's no denying that they're beautifully engineered and crafted and come with an unparalleled 20-year warranty on their amps and preamps. I could live blissfully contented with any of their stuff. @@adrianlow2114

[@reidbounsall9098]

I appreciate your response, Adrain.@@adrianlow2114

[@bigjay1970]

I thought the Asian curse had to do with something else!🤔🤫😉😅 By the way adrian, you hit a home run with this series.😇

[@adrianlow2114]

Haha, we have a number of curses ...

[@torquerulesok4278]

As a Krell KSA-250 owner I was curious on the progress that Dan has made. The video was very informative in that respect. Given that like for like the equivalent D’Agostinos are 10-15 times more expensive while not providing a commensurate increase in sound quality, I will stick with my Krell. The build quality issues are totally unacceptable at that price point and seem to appear frequently (I assume you don’t sell hundreds of $50-80K amps). Well done on telling how it is!

[@8000audiolab]

i heard the top of the line monster monos at heathrow hifi show. i was so excited to hear them but when i did i was unimpressed imo after hearing previous krell models. to me the sound was harsh but it could have been the room or the speakers

[@OhMyGodMuffins]

These are the amplifiers Andrew Ryan would own, paired with some Top of the line Tannoys.

[@HB92647]

I have Dagostino stuff and I love it, but the names for inputs are crazy. Radio. Dac. Streamer???? Radio really? How many people are running tuners through their Dagostino preamp?

[@DrimbleWedge]

Input1 to input whatever would be a better…

[@rocketbrothers540]

I hope this changes and will change to input 1, 2, 3, HT bypass etc.

[@andygrenn680]

You’ll be doing all right with a Christmas so white, but l’ll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas. Think I’ll fire up the hifi with Christmas music this weekend…Seasons Greetings Adrian! One other thing. Was Santa the original audiophile? I read acoustics are excellent up the at North Pole!

[@adrianlow2114]

lol, Merry Christmas to you too!

[@andygrenn680]

@@adrianlow2114 All I want for Christmas is a Shakti Stone…Hope Santa comes through!

[@cirenosnor5768]

Informative post I don’t think amps where boards are expected to be replaced can be called easily serviceable. The day will come when those boards are no longer in production. Then, how are the repairs done? A tech has to do soldering on a board that wasn’t meant to have components replaced? The amp is potentially obsolete

[@Yanks9698]

None of the bads seem that bad, but I do agree about manuals in the industry. Most of them are truly awful. Also, prices for this gear are significantly more than even the best Krell gear which has made the brand out of reach for most people. I don’t really care what the insides look like but a personalized letter is nice. Transparent Audio does this for their reference and above cables.

[@mpa_21]

The price for this amp relative to the built and quality is a total rip off regardless if it sounds the best (subjective) in the world, its nowhere near worth the price tag!

[@luisvazquezborrero2372]

Can you do a video on Bryston?

[@adrianlow2114]

We generally only review products we carry

[@andretraylor7418]

D'Agostino amplifiers, appears to be inspired by the "Steampunk" design?

[@jmalen123]

And the Lord giveth the 2-wheel dolly. Merry Christmas to your whole gang.

[@adrianlow2114]

Didn't have onethat day

[@Rascallucci]

I don't think you could call it "expensive" only because it is supposed to be expensive as a true high end brand. I think for the average Joe including myself, most would be maxed out with the Progression M550 if not just the integrated. When you are looking at US$350K for a pair of Relentless monoblocks, for those folks they are not going to have to stop eating for a year in order to buy it. Think about it, that is more than the price of a Lamborghini Huracan. For those clients, their only headache is whether they should go for the Relentless, the Gryphon Apex or the Boulder 3050, etc. They are not in the market say for a pair of McIntosh MC1.25KW or Pass Labs X600.8, don't get me wrong those are great amps, but they are not in the same tier at least price wise.

[@johnmastroleo995]

When is Pass Lab brutally honest coming

[@adrianlow2114]

We generally only review products we carry

[@davidsmith790]

Just buy a Jeff Rowland amp or preamp. I shall purchase the all new 555 power amplifier!

[@soundman2604]

Either your microphone is super duper good or my audio system overly resolving because I hear things I normally do not hear on most videos, including the swishing and swooshing of your mouth...lol Interesting video never the less.

[@adrianlow2114]

Sorry about that. Mic was prob too close

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

There class looking very steampunk

[@RadoDani]

How does current Krell stuff compare to D’Agostino???

[@terryhumphries1]

Depending on which planet you love on !

[@samuelwaters697]

I cannot speak to items in that price range, however must agree that details matter(manual, clean wiring, quality control etc). At ‘Bespoke’ price levels…those issues should be remedied. I cannot help but think of Schiit gear(I currently have Aegir monos). But their wiring(and Vidar) is sloppy, and crammed/wedged in there. little thought in the manual and over all QC has been known to be poor…however their products are performance first and U.S. made for very low costs. Actually, their Amplifier line looks a bit like a very poor man’s D’agostino…lol My Anthem STR gear is better in every way…yet I keep the Aegirs around because they are great for the $

[@JR-ho5qm]

Do you, or have you ever carried Yamaha? I would love to see a good bad ugly on Yamaha

[@adrianlow2114]

No we don't

[@daleromney6062]

I am surprised there is a bias adjustment.

[@djurkk1]

Semi-finished product

[@charlesmanneschmidt7587]

Not to be too tough, but if it was a design goal to make a small, great looking amplifier, it follows that the resulting product might need to be cluttered and thus uglier on the inside. Also, I've not read enough discussion about this, but I believe there's a tradeoff between an optimally neat, symmetrical, and orthogonal PCB layout and an optimum one. When you lay out a PCB, you learn that the optimum parts placement for minimal and optimum traces puts parts at odd angles. The board will work better that way, even if it's not as pretty or impressive looking. I do enjoy these videos, however. Thanks.

[@adrianlow2114]

I'm totally fine with layout that's "not" symmetrical if it leads to better sound and efficiency.

[@davecollins8136]

Funny - we can buy Chinese knock off preamp/amps and the show off the internals at a fraction of the cost

[@jdekong3945]

I think I could listen to you read the phone book Adrian 😸

[@adrianlow2114]

You're too kind ... or too bored! lol

[@jdekong3945]

@@adrianlow2114 😹 nah, love your chats, have a great Christmas and New Year Adrian

[@shaner9641]

Interesting. At the start of the review you state that then serviceability has been greatly simplified with the Dag gear vs the Krell. Then you complain about the difficulty of servicing a Momentum amp. You sell a pair of Momentum monoblocs to a customer which you know very well are spades only, but neglect asking him whether he has spades or banana. Then you blame Dan for not having bananas. LOL I own a silver Momentum pre amp - on the back, all the inputs and output names are in Black. How is that difficult to see? I do agree re the paint finish on the early amps - I have a S200 upgraded to a S250 and the finish is like you said. My more recent Momentum preamp seems to have a more resilient finish.

[@fatphoca5009]

I could never own an amplifier that looks like my bathroom scale.

[@jeffswanson3740]

I could. Easily. It’s gorgeous.

[@OhMyGodMuffins]

What kind of fancy bathroom scale do you own?

[@dougdavis8986]

You have a very cool scale. Where can I get one?

[@1999zrx1100]

I agree, extremely ugly, bathroom scale is right on. 🫣

[@jasons7070]

I could never own a scale that looks like my amplifier.

[@PS-qx6mw]

i was expecting comments about the sound quality and there was no mentioned. Wasted my 25 mins!

[@GluttonforPunishment]

Exceptional sound quality. Very, very detailed. It’s not the warmest, it produces a very technical sound. If you want something warmer, with more soul, it won’t be your first choice. If you want something very detailed and cerebral it’s exceptional.

[@TheNorliss]

Good vid, poor sound though...

[@sidesup8286]

Do amps at that price level do anything sonically that much cheaper amps cannot do. Pleaae describe.