D'Agostino Progression Integrated vs Gryphon Diablo 333 vs Naim 332/300/350

Hi-Fi Corner
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I’m interested to hear if anyone compared D’Agostino Progression Integrated against the 332/300/350 stack?

I have an opportunity to demo it out at home after I auditioned it at my dealer playing with MA Hyphns. I was pleasantly surprised at how much control it had over Hyphns at very high volume. It was obvious that the low end could be fatter, but for my room and speakers that shouldn’t be a problem. The highs were very extended and airy, with dynamics out of this world.

Replacing 4 black boxes and cables with a one box that can do all that is very tempting. :slight_smile:

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I demoed the momentum . Have yet on the progression . The DD is on another level , however , it’s very different from the 300s. And you need real good stuff to go with the DD..

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I am heading towards this..I have 70% of what it takes to as one of the best sought after pairing w DD

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@tt33 where are you located?

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Thanks for sharing your experience @naimophile, seems like we have similar systems and also ideas. :slight_smile:

I believe you that Momentum is in another class, given the price it should be. Too expensive for me. However, my dealer will setup the Progression pre and stereo amp just so I can hear it how it compares to the integrated.

You have the DCS and Esoteric, which both perfectly fit to DD, so I reckon when you say 70%, you are just missing the Wilsons? :wink:

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And my valhllla2 are actually future proof and standby for the DD… it was unexpected upgrades until I explore DD.

As for speakers , maybe magico or a marten, maybe I will try a Wilson but Wilson is boomy if not properly placed , and my room is small . Sigh ..

The pre power is one option , or just get the power , use your linn as a pre , many are doing so w DD if one seek lesser box. The progression integrated , it’s a beast , highly praised by my dealer , but due to time , I have yet to auditioned it yet.

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Having said all the above, it’s quite painful to give up the 300 sound should I go for DD. The DD has lesser low , more analytical as compared to the NCs 300 ,
I believe you would have notice that .

But the power it delivers, that’s top notch , unfaved no matter what you throw at it. Ultra stable gears

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My thinking as well, Progression stereo power could fit my Linn but I’m very disappointed in Linn’s pre section. Compared to for example DCS, it really sucks. Night and day when you use it with and without an external amp.

To my ears, Magico with DCS sounds too analytical. Not sure which amp was used though. Marten I love.

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Ya agree w the magico pairing with dCS been analytical .

If you would go w the DD pre power, you have one box lesser , and the intergrated , ONLY 2 boxes. So it’s your preferred choice .

The speed and slam of the DD , by far, the best I has heard as compared to many of the high tier amps.

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Exactly what I noticed, but I contributed it to Hyphns which pushed the progression VU meters into the red. :slight_smile:

You convinced me, I’m gonna try it at home. :slight_smile:

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Dangerous !!! The ladder starts now :joy:

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@tt33 friend , what makes you have the thoughts of changing the 300s?

If your dealer have dCS dac wth him , any APEX, demo th at your place w the DD, even with your naim,
It’s crazy sound !! :clap:t2::flexed_biceps:t2:

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Ditto, it has a crazy good output stage. Progression integrated has 200 W @ 8Ω and 400 W @ 4Ω.

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Exactly .. so crazy that it can drive any huge speakers !!! Effortlessly

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You can have many configurations, all up to what you prefer

  1. integrated w linn
  2. pre power w linn
  3. dCS w power
  4. integrated w dCS

Source is very important to go w DD.. your dealer would have hint you on that . :flexed_biceps:t2:

DD is very gears/cables dependent,

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Well to be honest, mostly curiosity. :slight_smile:

I haven’t tried any other amps since I got my speakers which I really love in my small room.

Also, those 4 black boxes are losing their charm by the day. :smiley:

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Grab a dCS apex dac from your dealer w the DD for demo, try out all the configurations, you will get something far more powerful out

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Yeah my other dealer holds dCS, Pass and Magico. Will be doing that for sure some time.

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Make your dealer works , he can borrow one or 2 dCS to go w DD, :joy:it’s very expensive gears, he has a job to do :rofl:

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True, this was demoed to me with Kimber and transparent cables and Esoteric N-05XD streamer/preamp and K-05XD sacd player.

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Going dCS and DD both at the same time will be too much :smiley:

I’m interested to see if Linn is up to the job.

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