I did the best part of 15 years with Olive kit, from passive to active and back to passive again, all with 135’s. I also went from 72 to 52 back to 72 and then back to a 52. There was always something about the 72 the was very satisfying. Sure, the 52 would dig deeper but the 72 was the sweet spot for me. There was just something about it. Had I continued to run it with 135’s I might still have it today but a chance to own a 500 came along and I knew it needed a better pre-amp, hence the move to a 52 again. I have to say the 52 and the 500 was a stunning combination and took me to places that the 72/135 only hinted at. I still say that the move to a 500 is the single biggest upgrade I’ve made in this rather fickle hobby of ours. Of course, I eventually succumbed to the beckoning of a 552, which actually gave me the qualities of both the 52 and the 72.
I’ve mentioned that a friend has an S1 and 350’s, so I have heard them in a domestic setting. If I was really pushed I’d say that the 500 still has the edge in shear bass end grunt and control. The 350’s are good, and within touching distance of a 500 but if you run big speakers you need that ultimate control. With smaller speakers I’m not so sure you’d be aware of these differences?
