400 vs 440 Pro

[moreno1973]

I got my 440 yesterday, my mind is blown by the size of the improvement. I wouldn't have thought that any amplifier upgrade could have given me an improvement like this, it's like it comes with a free room and speaker upgrade as well. Truly mind bending stuff.

That is an exciting news. Can you tell us more?

[Non-upgraders of a nervous disposition should look away now]

Everything seems to have improved, and not in subtle ways, for me this feels like arriving at a destination, not a step along the way,

Bass is much tighter, deep drum sounds arrive in startling fashion, and then decay in very natural ways.  It’s the speed of arrival, and the lack of what I thought was room problems on the overhang that has improved so much.  The explosive energy on the leading edge of notes is repeated all over the place, and it has improved PRaT enormously.

The soundstage is now huge, and much more 3D, multiple different acoustics on multitracked recordings can be presented at the same time quite effortlessly.

Resolution is up at all frequencies, and it sounds effortlessly done, but at the same time there is more sense of life in the music now.  I used to have slight nagging doubts that my speakers were over refined sometimes, which leads to a feeling the music is being sat on slightly, not any more, it positively bounces out of the speakers now.

I went to the 400 from the 200 when I got the Guarneri Evos, they seemed to really need the extra power and control of the dual mono.  400 > 440 is a much bigger jump than 200 > 400 was.

I’ve got a real problem with the naming of the ‘Expert Pro’ line.  What were the old ones, amateur experts?  I also hate the use of ‘pro’ in product names where it isn’t truly deserved, and it almost never is, and these are clearly amps for use at home.  I hate the impression it gives me that next time they upgrade the range they will add another adjective on the end, something like Expert Pro Guru.  However given their amazing ability to transport you through time and space into the recording session I now think they haven't gone far enough, and they should be called Expert Pro Timelord.

I'm off to try and listen to my entire record collection in a week.

Great that Your are so Happy. But by paying so much money You should be!


But BTW...IMHO...The only worth comparision is when You have 400 and 440 side by side.

[thumb5]

But BTW...IMHO...The only worth comparision is when You have 400 and 440 side by side.

Yes...I've done exactly that comparison, and I agree with what Axel and Soniclife have reported so eloquently.

[Pim]

That is an exciting news. Can you tell us more?

[Non-upgraders of a nervous disposition should look away now]

Everything seems to have improved, and not in subtle ways, for me this feels like arriving at a destination, not a step along the way,

Bass is much tighter, deep drum sounds arrive in startling fashion, and then decay in very natural ways.  It’s the speed of arrival, and the lack of what I thought was room problems on the overhang that has improved so much.  The explosive energy on the leading edge of notes is repeated all over the place, and it has improved PRaT enormously.

The soundstage is now huge, and much more 3D, multiple different acoustics on multitracked recordings can be presented at the same time quite effortlessly.

Resolution is up at all frequencies, and it sounds effortlessly done, but at the same time there is more sense of life in the music now.  I used to have slight nagging doubts that my speakers were over refined sometimes, which leads to a feeling the music is being sat on slightly, not any more, it positively bounces out of the speakers now.

I went to the 400 from the 200 when I got the Guarneri Evos, they seemed to really need the extra power and control of the dual mono.  400 > 440 is a much bigger jump than 200 > 400 was.

I’ve got a real problem with the naming of the ‘Expert Pro’ line.  What were the old ones, amateur experts?  I also hate the use of ‘pro’ in product names where it isn’t truly deserved, and it almost never is, and these are clearly amps for use at home.  I hate the impression it gives me that next time they upgrade the range they will add another adjective on the end, something like Expert Pro Guru.  However given their amazing ability to transport you through time and space into the recording session I now think they haven't gone far enough, and they should be called Expert Pro Timelord.

I'm off to try and listen to my entire record collection in a week.

Great that Your are so Happy. But by paying so much money You should be!


But BTW...IMHO...The only worth comparision is when You have 400 and 440 side by side.

I Humbly disagree with your side by side Humble Opinion. When the difference is so great, an AB test really isn't necessary. You don't need to put a blue and a red car next to each other to see the difference. You don't need to have Vivid and Philips speakers side by side to hear which is better. It's usually tweaks that need AB testing because there's such little improvement.

[Axel]

Over the last couple of days, I've been using the phono stage of the 440. I guess it will need the same kind of break in time as the Pre-amp/ Power-amp section of the D, but one thing is clear from the outset: it sounds fantastic! I'm not sure if it's better than the 400, but I suspect it will be. The hiss levels are certainly a lot quieter than the 400, and if you use the max level control in the phono setup section, you can find a sweet spot, i.e a balance between enough power/clipping to further reduce hiss.
On the 400, I didn't have to bother making up a link to ground the record deck to the D, but with the 440 some 50Hz mains hum was evident, so I made up a grounding link and the hum disappeared.

[octaviars]

Over the last couple of days, I've been using the phono stage of the 440. I guess it will need the same kind of break in time as the Pre-amp/ Power-amp section of the D, but one thing is clear from the outset: it sounds fantastic! I'm not sure if it's better than the 400, but I suspect it will be. The hiss levels are certainly a lot quieter than the 400, and if you use the max level control in the phono setup section, you can find a sweet spot, i.e a balance between enough power/clipping to further reduce hiss.
On the 400, I didn't have to bother making up a link to ground the record deck to the D, but with the 440 some 50Hz mains hum was evident, so I made up a grounding link and the hum disappeared.

Nice to hear that! I am waiting for my 440 to get back to me and during this time I have been looking at a new turntable. A Roksan Xerxes 20 Plus is on my list to take a better look at.

[BrianT]

Nice to hear that! I am waiting for my 440 to get back to me and during this time I have been looking at a new turntable. A Roksan Xerxes 20 Plus is on my list to take a better look at.

Nice turntable, I'm like you waiting for the return of my 440Pro

Brian

[Xander]

Also waiting for my 440 to come back to me... second weekend without music. I expect end of next week the return.

I have a VPI Scout 2 with Lyra Delos... very happy with it.

[octaviars]

Also waiting for my 440 to come back to me... second weekend without music. I expect end of next week the return.

I have a VPI Scout 2 with Lyra Delos... very happy with it.

Same for me second weekend without my Expert amps, listening to a solo Phantom is not near the joy my 400 and Focal Sopra 2 gives me.

I have been looking at a full Roksan vinyl setup.