Wyred 4 sound amps
- Thread starter Big B
- Start date
Adrian Low
New member
Hi Barry,
I'm not a dealer for W4S, yet... The company is sending me some Mamps, pre, Dac and server to check out. I have reason to believe the stuff is fantastic, however, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. If you like, drop by the store next week. I hope the stuff will be here by then. We can audition it together. Would love your feedback.
Best,
Adrian Low
Audio Excellence Inc
I'm not a dealer for W4S, yet... The company is sending me some Mamps, pre, Dac and server to check out. I have reason to believe the stuff is fantastic, however, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. If you like, drop by the store next week. I hope the stuff will be here by then. We can audition it together. Would love your feedback.
Best,
Adrian Low
Audio Excellence Inc
I have no experience with the wyred multichannel amps, but I've owned the wyred sti 1000 integrated before and for the last year or so I've been running a wyred st 1000 mkii amp. The wyred amps are superb. I've tried many traditional class A/B high end amps for multiples of the price of this wyred amp and the wyred amp is as good as the best of them and better than many of them. And the people that bad mouth class D have likely not owned one in the last few years. There is zero reason to avoid them IMO. Just the opposite given the advantages in size, heat, power output, and price. Highly recommended.
CDLehner
New member
Jax, I've tried class-D a few times; and IDK. It was hard to describe...because technically everything was fine; but there was no soul.
That is, until I tried a VTL 2.5 tube pre-amp...into a pair of W4S SX-500 monos (driving PMC OB1i at the time). I've read...and my experience convinced me; the "right" pre-amp, is very important with class-D (particularly important).
I know you've got the luscious PL PPP pre-amp, driving yours. So I've no doubt it's a winning combo (and yet you're selling it ALL; what a hobby :blush
That is, until I tried a VTL 2.5 tube pre-amp...into a pair of W4S SX-500 monos (driving PMC OB1i at the time). I've read...and my experience convinced me; the "right" pre-amp, is very important with class-D (particularly important).
I know you've got the luscious PL PPP pre-amp, driving yours. So I've no doubt it's a winning combo (and yet you're selling it ALL; what a hobby :blush
Adrian Low
New member
Jax, I've tried class-D a few times; and IDK. It was hard to describe...because technically everything was fine; but there was no soul.
That is, until I tried a VTL 2.5 tube pre-amp...into a pair of W4S SX-500 monos (driving PMC OB1i at the time). I've read...and my experience convinced me; the "right" pre-amp, is very important with class-D (particularly important).
I know you've got the luscious PL PPP pre-amp, driving yours. So I've no doubt it's a winning combo (and yet you're selling it ALL; what a hobby :blush
Great feedback. I'll have to try that. Many years ago I had bought a bunch of Class D amps to see what the results were. In general they had promise, but not great. The cheap power was very addictive, especially for people using difficult speakers like Apogees, but I didn't think the sound was mature enough. Then about 5-6 years ago, I heard the Lyngdorf system and it blew my mind. (not the Steinway Lyngdorf, I haven't heard that yet). I'm really looking forward to checking out the W4S system, as well as the other designs based on Pascal/Hypex.
Best,
Adrian Low
Adrian Low
New member
Glad to hear that. The reason I asked for samples from W4S is precisely what you discovered. Friends and clients tell me the products offer some of the best value around, something I hold very dear.
Adrian Low
New member
No problem Barry, I just hope they show up soon. Haven't seen anything yet.
A little tidbit of information about the new generation of W4S amps. The input stage is designed by Bascom King, the same man responsible for the Constellation amps. Many companies use modules made by the same company (Hypex/ICE etc). I think the input stage sets the tone for the ultimate performance (all things being equal). I'm actually quite excited to check them out.
Adrian Low
New member
Hi Barry
Just found out that it was shipped by Canada Post, but they came yesterday before we opened. I'll go pick them up this afternoon. Hopefully no hiccups. Honestly feel like a kid at Christmas...Just received the following within the last month or so:
- Legacy Classic HD speakers
- D'Agostino mono amps and preamp
- MSB Analog D/A convertor
- New series of AudioQuest cables
- Audeze heaphones
- Wadia Intuition 01 Integrated amp with DAC, DSD capable with the Wadia 321 DAC (amazing DAC)
- McIntosh MXA70 Integrated Audio System that includes the new MHA 100 Headphone Amp
- VPI Nomad turntable/USB
Coming soon:
- Wyred 4 Sound
- new McIntosh MB100 Media Server with 1TB hard drive to store music on board
- more stuff
Coming to work is a dream come true.
See you Sat Barry
Best,
Adrian
CDLehner
New member
Adrian Low
New member
I get that. Wish it did too. Having said that, I'm not missing DSD, not yet anyway. I have many files, relatively speaking, but most are downloads from Blue Coast records. Music is fine but not my main fare. Also, I'm sure you already know, it's going to be very hard to know if DSD releases are really DSD or converted from PCM. Our strange industry at work...I'd be all over that; if it did DSD
Your Resonessence is very good. I'm thinking I'll get it too haha.
Best,
Adrian
CDLehner
New member
Not me; I have a truck-load of DSD layer, ripped from SACDs. BTW...the Resonessence is in the 2nd system (and on the auction blocks); the DAC in my main rig...that handles DSD duty...is the Oppo HA-1.
Adrian Low
New member
You find the Dac in the Oppo better than the Concero? Wow, that's great. I'll have to check that out. I'm toying with the idea of getting a Mirus. Also listened to an Acqua and that sounded wonderful too. Don't think it has DSD though.
Adrian Low
New member
Here are my impressions of the W4S Mamps, Mpre and Dac combo. We connected it to the Magnepan MG12s, just because. Actually the speakers were already there so why not.
Immediate impression: a little dark, yet not really. I think it's because the background is so quiet! Not that the previous gear every seemed noisy. I don't mean noise like buzz or electronic noise from the speakers or the gear. Music just seems to emanate effortlessly. I'm no wordsmith, so this may or not make sense.
Very lively. Dynamic contrast is remarkable. Not playing it loud right now, just normal volume. Beautiful tone, warmish in the mids. No harshness that I've detected, unlike earlier class D amps I heard (8-10 years or so ago). Really great control on the Maggies. I think this is the best I've heard the MMGs. And we haven't broken the electronics in yet.
For comparison, we've had the following on the MG12s; the electronics are usually in the same room, and we rotate speakers: Linn Uniti 2, Musical Fidelity M3 and M6 integrated amps, Cary SLi 80 latest version(tube integrated, 80 watts Pentode/40 watts triode), Wadia Intuition 01 Integrated amp with built in DAC, McIntosh MA5200. There are probably others as we use this room a lot. I'll try different speakers later today if I get a chance, including the Magnepan 1.7, Legacy Classic and KEF R700. After the W4S breaks in, I'll bring them into the other rooms and try them with Martin Logan Montis, Wilson Sasha2 and Alexia. I'm really curious to see what these are capable of.
So far, colour me very impressed. And no, I am not officially a dealer. I bought these samples to try. Been reading and following Class D evolution for a few years off and on (the geek in me), and some of the responses got me interested enough to try them again. Decided on the W4S because they offer a wide range of components, and are very affordable.
Immediate impression: a little dark, yet not really. I think it's because the background is so quiet! Not that the previous gear every seemed noisy. I don't mean noise like buzz or electronic noise from the speakers or the gear. Music just seems to emanate effortlessly. I'm no wordsmith, so this may or not make sense.
Very lively. Dynamic contrast is remarkable. Not playing it loud right now, just normal volume. Beautiful tone, warmish in the mids. No harshness that I've detected, unlike earlier class D amps I heard (8-10 years or so ago). Really great control on the Maggies. I think this is the best I've heard the MMGs. And we haven't broken the electronics in yet.
For comparison, we've had the following on the MG12s; the electronics are usually in the same room, and we rotate speakers: Linn Uniti 2, Musical Fidelity M3 and M6 integrated amps, Cary SLi 80 latest version(tube integrated, 80 watts Pentode/40 watts triode), Wadia Intuition 01 Integrated amp with built in DAC, McIntosh MA5200. There are probably others as we use this room a lot. I'll try different speakers later today if I get a chance, including the Magnepan 1.7, Legacy Classic and KEF R700. After the W4S breaks in, I'll bring them into the other rooms and try them with Martin Logan Montis, Wilson Sasha2 and Alexia. I'm really curious to see what these are capable of.
So far, colour me very impressed. And no, I am not officially a dealer. I bought these samples to try. Been reading and following Class D evolution for a few years off and on (the geek in me), and some of the responses got me interested enough to try them again. Decided on the W4S because they offer a wide range of components, and are very affordable.