Wyred 4 Sound Statement Amp

I totally agree Jack. We are very much on the same page here. I believe, as I think you do, that a person looking in a certain range should be open to reviewing many options. What is a great choice for one person may not be for another.

I was only pointing out that Wyred has other choices in lower ranges that for many people are a good choice. TAS actually gives them an Editor's Choice Award again this year.

And you are correct, I did forget that you do actually own both brands :D.... I wish I could have keep both because because I like both in different ways. Just like I wish I could keep the KEF speakers along with the MC's, because I love both. But, unfortunately I have to sell the KEF's to afford the MC's (look in the for sale section, I am basically giving them away). At this point, being that I recently jumped back into this amazing hobby, I just can't justify keeping multiple pieces. :(
 
Once you reach the $5K price point, I believe there are other options that I might consider before pulling the trigger and would compare all options.



Jack said:
Randy

I think you are forgetting that I own W4S amps and the Job so I am well aware of how they stack up against each other and the other entrants in the field. I either own or have had them in my systems. I just don't have an attachment to one over the other. W4S gear is no more the answer to all amp questions nor is Nord. But someone looking in this arena and not willing to spend $4500 -$5000 needs to look at all of the options.
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It is interesting that this amp came up as I am currently considering trying out a new to me amp as well. It isn't new (35 years old) with a fancy panel but they are unique looking. In fact I find them to be beautiful. They are a pair of Classe DR-3 vhc amps for about the same price as the wyred 4 sound amp. They only put out 100w/ch class A compared to 750w/ch class D but I love the old technology. And the build quality is pretty high as well. Which would sound better? It would be interesting to compare the old Classe amps to the new Wyred 4 Sound amp with a challenging speaker load (like an Acoustat). I am trying to build up the courage to spring for them as the price is a bit of a stretch for me. Maybe it's time to start selling off some unused audio goodies.

Here is a pic from the ad from CAM.
 

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I think the new Wyred amp is 250 wpc, 750 watts bridged.... I could have that wrong... That is what mine is, 250 wpc 8 ohm, 430 wpc into 4 ohm (my MC's are 4 ohm).... way more power than I could ever use....


  • Proprietary Wyred 4 Sound Class-D amplifier design
  • 250 watts stereo @ 8Ω, 500 watts @ 4Ω
  • 750 watt fully-differential bridgeable mode

Man Classe DR-3 are mammoth. I think they are rated at like 25-40 wpc, and in bridge mode I could not find for sure, but plenty enough. Class A, so they are going to be very very hot... and very very very heavy :).... and expect your light to flicker because the power draw with two is going to be crazy.

I would have a hard time spending that much on 35 year old Class A amps... but they look cool as crap.... :)

I would bet my bottom dollar that EJ's new design will sound better :)... I know the ST-500 mkII sounds amazing running with a 85 db, 4 ohm speaker. That is a pretty hard to drive speaker... so much power to spare... the amp literally does not even get warm....
 
Classe DR3 VHC

45 w/ch into 8 ohms
90w/ch into 8 bridged (:D)
180 into 4 ohms, 360 into 2 ohms, 700 into 1 ohm (:exciting:). Each amp uses 1000w continuously regardless of load. I'd have to add a couple of dedicated lines just for the very high current (vhc). At least class D amps won't roast you out of the house.
 
They look pretty amazing, but I bet my ST-500 mkII would sound better and EJ claims that the Statement is a completely new level :)....
 
I bet those Classe amps in original condition could stand for a complete recap based on the tremendous amount of heat they generate. So add $1,000 or so to the price for the restoration.
 
Actually they are just back from the repair shop with a half dozen new small caps and rebiasing. The large caps checked out alright (according to the seller). That is why they are on the pricier side. They are almost a perfectly matched pair with serial numbers 2 apart. I am so tempted...
 
Albert

You could just put the amps on stands with castors and move them from room to room in the Winter and turn the furnace off. No doubt David designed some great amps in his time at Classe', but I might be inclined to look for a pair of DR-9's instead. Same great sound, but newer design and less heat. And just my two cents neither will sound anything like a Class D amp that I have ever heard. The older Classe' amps from that era were something special.
 
I am on Amp shopping right now and inclined to get the Nords from various feedback on this forums, especially when I can customize to my taste with various Opamps.

I am a great fan of W4S and truly admire EJ engineering skills. I have had various W4S products - DAC, STP-SE, ST-1000, mAMp, USB reclocker earlier. The products bring a great value at the given price but that it were it ends. While their DAC and STP-SE preamp is an excellent product, their ICE modules amps (whatever customization W4S used or did) didn't sound musical in my setup - great bass but that's about it. The midrange and upper registers were too dry and flat. Among the other amps I compared at the time was parasound, von gaylord, symphonic line, pass labs.

The new W4S reference amp looks very promising but in the 5K range, the competition is very steep - the recent PS Audio BHK 250 stereo amp is gaining popularity as well....
 
Devg,

You could get the Nords with all the options and pocket more than half the money.

Job monos and matching preamp could be an option. Odyssey amps optioned up could be compelling at that price. A gently used McIntosh MC452 could be fun at that price. There's plenty of tube gear at that price that I'd consider, for example MC275, Conrad Johnson Classic 60SE, Primaluna HP integtated or one of their HP amps.

I could go on but you're opening the door to a lot of gear. It all depends on what you want.

Personally, I get the Nords with the 994's add a Backert Rhumba preamp (for example) for fun, sit back and enjoy a great musical experience for not much money.



Devg said:
Joe, could you elaborate on all the other options ?
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I am anxious to see how EJ's new Class D in house design compares to the Nord. I know he has done direct comparisons and in his words the Statement is "a whole other world" or as Tony said, "this is a game changer". He did show me the Nord boards that he had on his desk. So I know he has been comparing....

They also do A/B designs with the SST brand. The famous Ampzilla and Son of Ampzilla amplifiers are owned by and built by EJ and crew. However there current emphasis is the newly design Class D amplifier.
 
Randy Myers said:
I know he has done direct comparisons and in his words the Statement is "a whole other world" or as Tony said, "this is a game changer".
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I wouldn't expect a manufacturer to tell anything otherwise ;)

Randy Myers said:
They also do A/B designs with the SST brand. The famous Ampzilla and Son of Ampzilla amplifiers are owned by and built by EJ and crew. However there current emphasis is the newly design Class D amplifier.
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The man behind the SST brand was late legend James Bongiorno who taught EJ one or two things about designing Amps. Those Amps aren't designed by W4S per say. After James died, the SST brand was bought by W4S.
 
joeinid said:
Devg,

You could get the Nords with all the options and pocket more than half the money.

Job monos and matching preamp could be an option. Odyssey amps optioned up could be compelling at that price. A gently used McIntosh MC452 could be fun at that price. There's plenty of tube gear at that price that I'd consider, for example MC275, Conrad Johnson Classic 60SE, Primaluna HP integtated or one of their HP amps.

I could go on but you're opening the door to a lot of gear. It all depends on what you want.

Personally, I get the Nords with the 994's add a Backert Rhumba preamp (for example) for fun, sit back and enjoy a great musical experience for not much money.
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Thanks Joe.
 
Devg said:
I wouldn't expect a manufacturer to tell anything otherwise ;)



The man behind the SST brand was late legend James Bongiorno who taught EJ one or two things about designing Amps. Those Amps aren't designed by W4S per say. After James died, the SST brand was bought by W4S.
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True... EJ and James became friends before he died. The current ones are a majority Jim's design, however EJ has updated them.

EJ and told me these things as friends not as a manufacture :).
 
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