Ollie0967 Posted March 15, 2020 Posted March 15, 2020 Hi guys, was wondering if any body has any experience using pro audio gear for use at home in a hi-fi setup and how it compares to dedicated hi-fi components of similar monitory value. In particular has anybody used the Messa Boogie simul-class 295 in a hi-fi set up? I did come across some articles about Messa Boogie 400 that was quite popular with hi-fi enthusiasts so much so that Messa Boogie introduced the Baron.... Thanks in advance..... 1
mbz Posted March 16, 2020 Posted March 16, 2020 How many watts do you need/sensitivity of your speakers? Yamaha P (professional) series power amps have a following in the USA but the puritans(?) poo poo prefesional amps. The 295 above looks interesting, will wait on your listening impressions...
MattyW Posted March 17, 2020 Posted March 17, 2020 Guitar amps are likely not idea. The purpose with guitar amps is to introduce distortion.... It's Mesa so I'm assuming a guitar amp. That said, I run a Behringer KM750 power amp to power the woofers in my DIY speakers and it sounds great.
Ollie0967 Posted March 17, 2020 Author Posted March 17, 2020 Actually before I took the plunge, I did do some reading about the 295, 395 and the strategy 400 (which was later introduced as the Baron for the hi-fi market). What people who commented on it said was that it amplified the sound without any colour what so ever..... and this was uniformly across all commentators... it was the preamp that did the coloration..... Like I said earlier, the strategy 400 was so good that audiophiles were picking this up and modifying the jacks to take rca’s and speaker binding posts.... all at a fraction of comparable dedicated hi-fi amps. Messa in fact released their version as TheBaron as pictured:
MattyW Posted March 17, 2020 Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) Sounds like its worth getting then Some interesting stuff here: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/mesa-boogie-stereo-simul-class-295-tube-amp Edited March 17, 2020 by MattyW
bryansamui Posted March 17, 2020 Posted March 17, 2020 (edited) I posted elsewhere about a related guitar amp type design:: Would be great if Hi Fi amp designers marketed a " Kemper Profiler" modeling type amplifier..I could select a Levinson Solid State to a Plinus Solid state to a McIntosh Vintage Tube Etc.. I could 'select my preferred tube EL84 or 2a3 and change the bias level and tube Sag with digital simulation.. The' Kemper Profiler is incredibly convincing and mostly impossible to tell from the real deal. I could enjoy the Speed, Accuracy and control a solid state amp offers or I could wallow in the ' rose tinted Syrupy luxury an older tube amp. ... All this without plugging in a shitload of gear or mortgaging the house... Wouldn't such an amp be marvellous.. All these amps at turn of a knob... This amp exists in the guitar amp world... Why not ours? Edited March 17, 2020 by bryansamui Spelling
Ollie0967 Posted March 18, 2020 Author Posted March 18, 2020 You are absolutely right.... I was reading an article on the Lampizator site about the Behringer Ultramatch Pro which he said really impressed him. With regards to cost this is what he said: Generally, the studio pro industry seems to have completely different price point calculations than High End. Their product costs the cost of parts and labour plus a margin. Not "cost plus 10 000 Euro. " From then I started looking at the pro side of the aisle as well. Started with the Behringer DAC and then the Messa boogie amp... am very happy at a fraction of the cost..... I must check out that Kemper Profile you’ve mentioned....
bryansamui Posted March 18, 2020 Posted March 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Ollie0967 said: You are absolutely right.... I was reading an article on the Lampizator site about the Behringer Ultramatch Pro which he said really impressed him. With regards to cost this is what he said: Generally, the studio pro industry seems to have completely different price point calculations than High End. Their product costs the cost of parts and labour plus a margin. Not "cost plus 10 000 Euro. " From then I started looking at the pro side of the aisle as well. Started with the Behringer DAC and then the Messa boogie amp... am very happy at a fraction of the cost..... I must check out that Kemper Profile you’ve mentioned.... Hi Ollie, The Kemper Profiler per se is not set up for Audio but is an amazing amp nevertheless. Check out what it does.. It profiles Harmonic Structures of Amplifiers, Tube Sag, Tube Bias, Microphones, Speakers etc... With regards price justification of the Highest End Audio, the makers don't have to justify what their asking price is as they don't pretend to be value for money... They are not flying that flag....If they halved the price the rich people would not buy it because it now no longer had the exclusivity or "Bragging Rights" Exactly the same with High End Handbags, Watches or clothes... You are mainly paying for the Badge...Often , the higher the price, the better people think the product is...Often ,the expensive item is not that great. Automobiles are a classic case of this...
MattyW Posted March 18, 2020 Posted March 18, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, bryansamui said: Hi Ollie, The Kemper Profiler per se is not set up for Audio but is an amazing amp nevertheless. Check out what it does.. It profiles Harmonic Structures of Amplifiers, Tube Sag, Tube Bias, Microphones, Speakers etc... With regards price justification of the Highest End Audio, the makers don't have to justify what their asking price is as they don't pretend to be value for money... They are not flying that flag....If they halved the price the rich people would not buy it because it now no longer had the exclusivity or "Bragging Rights" Exactly the same with High End Handbags, Watches or clothes... You are mainly paying for the Badge...Often , the higher the price, the better people think the product is...Often ,the expensive item is not that great. Automobiles are a classic case of this... I think you'll find that price point has little to do with why you buy something provided you can afford it. Likewise esoteric often means that the masses simply haven't discovered it yet. Case in point, most of my system. Not the most expensive gear out there, nor cheapest , though then again exceptional value for the money. Likewise pretty much all of it is hand built as is often the case with low volume production components. I don't care how something is assembled nor how exclusive, just how it sounds and whether it's at a price I'm willing to pay. Besides, I suspect I'm not alone in this but the overall cost of my system has crept up over the years. Totally unintended. I'd much rather have no money tied up in the system but it has to satisfy me when listening to music. Cost doesn't really enter into it. If I could afford anything on the planet I imagine my options would open up. Edited March 18, 2020 by MattyW
bryansamui Posted March 18, 2020 Posted March 18, 2020 16 minutes ago, MattyW said: I think you'll find that price point has little to do with why you buy something provided you can afford it. Likewise esoteric often means that the masses simply haven't discovered it yet. Case in point, most of my system. Not the most expensive gear out there, nor cheapest , though then again exceptional value for the money. Likewise pretty much all of it is hand built as is often the case with low volume production components. I don't care how something is assembled nor how exclusive, just how it sounds and whether it's at a price I'm willing to pay. Besides, I suspect I'm not alone in this but the overall cost of my system has crept up over the years. Totally unintended. I'd much rather have no money tied up in the system but it has to satisfy me when listening to music. Cost doesn't really enter into it. Spot on Matty... I'm not a brand snob either... Not Wealthy enough. i look for stuff that punches above its price point.. You can get 'MORE than you pay for'... You can get what you pay for or thirdly, you can pay over the odds for the best.... 1
Red Spade Audio Posted March 18, 2020 Posted March 18, 2020 There is a place for pro audio components in hifi systems, especially when it comes to power amps for active woofers and subs. With regards to valve amps used in pro audio I'd be quite cautious. In my experience, good reviews are not always a reliable indicator. I've experienced many products I'd rate as mediocre which were highly rated by many audiophiles. It's not always safe to assume that a product you only hear good things about will be one that you have a good experience with. Having said that, in the past I had good experiences with Behringer A500, which is a studio amp at a ridiculous price - around $350 before it was discontinued. I've not tried it's replacement which is an entirely different design. I've worked with a lot of pro amps like Behringer, Crown, QSC, Quest among others, both in pro and home audio systems. They may not be the last word in high fidelity and their fans often mean installing them in another room. They are ideal for active systems, driving a sub or a woofer. You get loads of power and the ability to drive difficult loads reliably. In the bass, the extra headroom can translate into bass with greater authority. This is where a hifi power amp may be clipping without any obvious penalty, until you hear a comparison with a much more powerful pro amp. It may not sound louder, it may just give you the impression of meatier and more authoritative bass. What you are hearing is likely just a pro amp which is not clipping. 3
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