Phase One
TS P75 with Discovery Amplifiers:
I have previously reviewed the Discovery Mono Blocs in detail on this site.
After over 30 hours of burn in on the preamp…..Im not going into the many adjectives, nomenclatures, and such. I will offer this, as a lover of music and the ever search of what moves me. After all the many decades, I now have a component that has reshaped my entire system! Yes, I am hearing nuances, details and lively engagement never heard by me in all the music I know so well I use to test components. All kinds of genres, cymbals now shimmer more, and have a sweet decay. Sounds Ive heard on tracks such as Little Feat, “Waiting for Columbus”…”Spanish Moon”. 20 seconds into this track in the right channel there is an instrument I’ve vaguely heard before on very expensive amplifiers, pre amplifiers and DACS.
But, now the horn is now revealed with an air and presence that’s simply makes me smile. That alone can explain what Im trying to state. I find myself loading many CDs just to find a fault that I can’t live with. At first it was a bit bright at moderate volumes, but that calmed after 30 hours or so. The gain on this component is so nice, at lower volumes still getting the response I seek. The remote is metal (thank you) and very sensitive. Ive had $6000.00 preamps with plastic huge remotes. At a much later date I might tube roll for fun, but if this is it, I am so happy with the Galion TS P75 Preamplifier!!!
Testing Components:
Discovery x2
JL Audio CR-1 Active subwoofer crossover, 100 hz
JL Audio Fantom 12 V2 subwoofers x 2
Denon DCD-3000NE
All connected to PS Audio P10 power regenerator
Room Treated 14 x 22
Phase Two
TS P75 with Discovery on low frequency and TS A75 on high frequency
Connected, kept volume low, not knowing what to expect. Played some high end tracks, testing the too bright issues possible with this combination. Suddenly, …….what’s going on, am I being fooled somehow, oh Thomas what have you done, delirious, oh I know Im still asleep!!!!! Someone tell HOW can one reach such an audio pinnacle at this price point????????
Did some dampening adjustments on the JL CR-1…..then the real high end test………….
“Who's Next, SACD, “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Volume to 11 on P75, let it rip!
No, I do not listen at this volume, just testing! Good response, no distortion no overbearing.
Note, if I do have some lessor recorded high end tracks, I can lower the satellite speakers output on the CR-1, and subwoofers as well. On to Jazz, Johnny Hodges, saxophone reed breathing…now you can heard such realism as though there. Dire Straits “You and Your Friend”. Wow, such immersion in the stage. Have not lowered DB on high frequencies @.
Bill Evans Trio, Waltz For Debby, “My Foolish Heart”…..the brushes are so exquisitely revealed now, I feel that I can close my eyes and see Paul Motian sliding on the snare drum. My system now has a “fullness with holographic detail”, Ive not experienced and I have spent a lot more and got far less in the past. I find the spectrum complete, High-Mid -lows, balanced very well for me, Thomas’s voicing works for me. Thomas’s, response, feedback, and assistance is far and above any in this field!!!!
The Discovery did a fine job indeed, but now I have an effortless display of the sound stage.
The difference is significant to me.