I tried buying a W-5 off Audiogon for over a year to no avail. A pair of monoblocs came up one day, W-6’s, which I did grab and have had ever since.
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There’s a Simaudio group on Facebook Kevin. You should join!
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Never mind Kevin - I see you’re already a member! I’m listed as Cam Baskey on Facebook.
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Oh that’s funny. We’ve actually chatted before on the group. Always a treat to talk to like minded individuals.
I have a 390 and works great as a streamer w Roon. Ultimately would love to go to the 740p and the 680d next, curious if I did one at a time which would make more sense to do first? The 390 could be used as a pre only or as a dac/streamer only I believe…
Hi Kent, both are important pieces, but if I had to choose one first, I’d do the 680D. It makes a more significant improvement to the sound. Not to say the 740P doesn’t make a big difference. It does. If you do vinyl as well, I’d probably do the preamp first, as it would improve both sources. If by chance you bought your 390 within the last year, you could trade up to the 740 and get everything you paid for it towards the new preamp. With the DAC, you could start with a 280D and then trade up in just under a year to the 680. It is a staggeringly good DAC/streamer. This is all assuming you’re in North America to take advantage of the, “Reach for the Moon” program.
I don’t do vinyl, but I have enjoyed having the headphone output, which it appears the 680d and 740p would not have. Could always add a headphone amp later I suppose.
Do you think the 280D would bring much improvement over the 390? I had not considered it as I figured it might be close to what the 390 has. Also with the trade up program, it may have been over a year I’d have to check, but then I’d be looking at doing both pieces at the same time since the 390 has the pre/dac/streamer all integrated… although I do have an old Aurum pre amp sitting around that I was using prior to the Simaudio, for an older piece its still pretty good, but of course straight analog with no remote, nothing digital about it…
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I haven’t used the 390, but I suspect you’re correct in that it’s going to be a very similar DAC to the 280. The lower model number of the 280 doesn’t mean a lot, as I have a 300D and the 280 is far superior. I think it’s more important how current the technology is in the unit. I’m only guessing, but I suspect the two units share many parts in the DAC section. As soon as you enter the higher level Moon gear, the price increase is significant, but so is the improvement in sound quality. 600 series and up is the higher level gear. Formerly known as the Evolution series and the lower series was called Neo. I’ve owned over a dozen Moon pieces and I can honestly say I’ve loved them all. Something I can’t say about any other audio brand. The fact that it’s made in Canada is an added bonus for me.
Hi Kevin
I have 2 M400s and am considering upgrading to the 860A v2…have you made the move? Any feedback or insight?
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Hi Kent the 390’s the next level up from the 280D - I actually trading up my 280D to a 390 and beyond the Preamp capabilities there was increased details revealed with the 390 as a streamer/DAC
Hi Kevin, no I haven’t made the move yet, but I’ve heard the amp in a similar setup to mine. It’s a significant improvement in overall sound quality. The first thing that grabbed my attention is a marked increase in the holographic sound. There was an increase in clarity and the bass seemed more controlled. Another passion of mine is espresso and I just purchased my dream setup for $20k. And then another $20k on BBQ smokers. Now I’m saving to make the final move (in this house) on the stereo and purchase the 860A v2. I may buy the next amp down and then trade up with the “Reach for the Moon” program. Keep me posted. I’d love to hear your feedback.
Last week I had an opportunity for a home audition - swapped out the M400s and put in the 860A v2.
I had heard the 860Av2 at the shop driving Sonus faber Sarafino’s and it was awesome.
My first reaction was the amp brought the best out of my speakers - they never sounded so good - sound stage, clarity in details and the ability to produce extremely tight and accurate lower frequencies. I have Olympica Nova Vs
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I love reading stuff like this. It confirms all the money we spend on audio. Thank you for the input. It’s greatly appreciated!
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So I thought of this post recently when I saw the announcement from Simaudio about their new North series.
I’ve really loved my 390, and it sounds like they are using that strategy in a 7 and 8 series model, so I was a little excited and curious.
I know the old CW is that more boxes is better. But as I’ve occasionally looked around considering upgrades now that I have a dedicated room, I find myself basically looking for a higher end version of the 390. I think this may be a smart move for simaudio if they’ve done it well.
Anyway, I don’t guess anyone has heard these units yet, I think they aren’t available for purchase until later on the year.
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Ha!
I used to go on Audiogon all the time. Was always on the hunt for a W-5, I think it was, power amplifier. Always great reviews.
A W-6 or W-8 pair showed up, can’t remember the number anymore. I kinda lowballed (but not really) and he accepted. The pair was less than a year old. They travelled from San Francisco to Dallas and now to Houston.
They power a pair of Aerial Model 9s.
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The headphone amp has great reviews. I was going to get that one, as well, but then decided on Benchmark Media HPA-4. I’ve been very happy with it and paired with a DAC3 HGC from Benchmark.
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I agree with you completely. At first I thought it’s just a price increase thing. But it’s not. In many ways it’s making the gear more cost effective and attainable to more people. Less boxes mean less money spent. I have the current 740P preamp that’s powered by an 820S that also supplies power to my 680D. The replacement for the 740 includes the dac/streamer and phono stage! And my 820S can still be used with it. Less boxes and the latest technology. The slight change in cosmetics is an improvement and it’s similar enough so the old and new look great together. I like the album display. Something I’ve always wanted. And it can be turned off it you find it distracting. They walked a very fine line, but, in my opinion, did a stellar job. Soon I will sell some of Moon to make room for the new stuff. Looking forward to the new lineup.
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Would you say the 820S is a cost effective upgrade to the 740P?
(I don’t have the 680D, i didn’t think it measured up to my expectations soundwise. Functionally and aestethically its a no brainer though)
I think to use the 820S for one component is not a good value. It does make a significant improvement, but it costs similar to the 740P. I’ve had four Moon DACs and still currently own three. When I first got the 680D I thought it sounded the same as the 280D I traded in. But after it broke in it was significantly better than the 280. Then with the 820S it moved up another notch. More dynamic and the bass became more pronounced.
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Hello,
I have a Moon Ace Mind2 that I use with Roon and I’m very happy with it. I would like to move to a higher level still at Simaudio but without canceling my vacation. What solutions are available to me?