Chord spm600 vs Tag 125Ms

anyone tried or, even better, compared these? I've been offered both (1 x chord & 2xTag monos) s/h for about the same price but will not have opportunity to A/B.

this would be upgrade from AudioLab 8000S, so I know about the Tag/AudioLab 'sound', which I dont dislike. It's the Chord that's new to me.

I'd like to move to a slightly more silky sound but still keep it clean.

I need to drive EPOS ES22 floorstanders that like being bi-wired - I bridge at the speaker end at the moment, into the three sockets for tweeter, bass/woofer and bass.

asked this elsewhere but no response. hoping for some help here.

 

not heard the tags but every chord i've heard has sounded very harsh. tag / audiolab have a good but slightly tarnished rep (for no good reason that i can think of other than snobbery pure and simple) but as i say i've not heard them.
you really should try the vincent sp 993 (or the monoblock 991's if you have 2k sitting about). a seriously good amp once it warms up - see my post in the amp thread that i'm about to make....
cheers


julian.

 

Silky and smooth are words not associated with Chord in any form, the audio equivilent of a jack hammer, compared against the Tag's dry and matter of factness, tuff call there

 

well, I'm not looking for a jack hammer. Have you heard the Tag 125M, btw?

 

When you heard the PS Audio you were quite impressed, except for the hum... you should try the Tact SDA2175 power amp, 3 week approval scheme. Reasonable price too.

OTOH - does Graham still have those Michell Alectos?

 

Try the new mono 200 power amp from Graham its rather good. I'm sorry I'm not a big fan of Tag gear, leaves me cold I'm afraid sorry

 

Heard Chord amps at the Heathrow show (when it went into central london a couple of years ago) and they sounded quite harsh to me - admittedly under show conditions. They were driving Wilson Benesch speakers (I think) and it certainly wasn't what I would have described as silky.

My mate has the Tag Maclaren AV processor and multi-channel amp and this sounds much better to me.

 

of course if you are a cylon from the 1980's battlestar galactica then the new mezzo 'bling' edition will suit you down to the ground.


:chunder:
cheers


julian

 

pl say more. I think you and Alan are talking about two different Grahams.

 

I meant Graham at Retro Reproductions in Edinburgh - he had a pair of Alectos a few months ago, maybe still does.

 

Ditton, I mean the new Alecto dual mono amplifier which Graham from Trichord has just finished

 

I know where Retro Graham is, could you give me contact details for Trichord Graham pl, PM if you wish.

thanks to you both.

 

Ditton,
You can contact Graham Fowler on 01684 311600, he's a decent guy. Wm

 

Ain't that the truth

If my TAG amps sounded even remotely rubbish, I would have sold them yeas ago. As far as I'm concerned, they're sweet as a nut.

DT

 

i have to agree with this one...

the tag/audiolab sound is clean.. open.. crisp and dynamic... but without any bass bloom or treble sweetness that a lot of other amps can have.

the tag 125m's are about the same sound wise as the last 8000MX's as very little was changed. A little brighter and faster sounding than the 8000S, 8000M, 8000P era stuff but still very enjoyable.. and id think would work well with epos.

i myself might try to replace a pair of 8000M's with 8000MX's to drive the treble/midband side of things for a bit more zest.

 

NAIM and Exposure also good matches with Epos.

 

thanks for the comment. I went with belcanto evo4, as per sig.

 

my chord 1000b sounded silky and smooth - the 1200e also sounded silkier and smoother than the brystons I actually bought next. I dont like it too smooth

 

i also dont like my system too smooth.. something id noticed with my all audiolab setup is that in spite of many peoples opinions... audiolab is a very very smooth sound. It may not be warm.. or bright for that matter but theres almost no edge to it.

and after a while that lack of edge to any music gets a little dull. Switching to the croft valve preamp brought back the attack and life that the system was missing.

Im sure dittons belcanto also has a measure of attack and clarity to it that really works with the epos. He doesnt have to worry about preamps as i do :-(