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Component recommendations for Wilson Audio Alexx

hi forum - i'm especially interested in opinions from fellow Wilson Audio Alexx owners on this topic.

I took delivery of my Alexx a couple months ago and am looking at upgrading my streamer/DAC and pre-amp. I feel all set on my amp, which is a Soulution 710 and my cabling, which is purist audio for speaker cables and XLR interconnects. I only listen via streaming and use Tidal hifi, which has masters/mqa, so would prefer a DAC that could support that.

my main dilemma is while my local dealer is fantastic, they carry a relatively narrow range (at the upper end) for streamer/DAC and pre-amp. Their main lines for streamer/DAC are dCS and Linn. I think they also carry Naim but to be honest it's never in the reference room for some reason. In the pre-amp space, it is ARC and D'Agostino. I have read lots of reviews on MSB, CH Precision, Aurender, Lampizator on the DAC side and Soulution, CH, ARC, Kondo on the preamp side, but it's very difficult to actually demo any of these brands.

On the specific questions, I'd love input from other Alexx owners on 1) what setup you've landed on for your digital source and preamp, and 2) what options did you explore (or have) and decide against?

Budget is not a big deal, but if it gets spend-y I look at the pre-owned market first for electronics.

Thanks forum!
kantian22

Showing 1 response by jafox

jafox
1,447 posts
 
DCS is the best for digital front end. Boulder or Ayre for electronics, or AR if you want tubes.
Any reference as best is of no value and such a claim is either a sales pitch or personal preference. There are far too many product lines out there for anything to be the best.

I always found any system with DCS to be sterile. Maybe it was other system components or DCS, but sooner or later, I would have expected at least one system "builder" to get it right. I tried an Ayre amp in my system some years ago....same experience! No experience with Boulder but there are many reports here about their amps being the same. One exceptional product line comes to mind: Symphonic Line. Go take a serious listen to this and report back.

AR is best if one wants tubes? Please elaborate what other tube product lines you have owned, compared, auditioned.

I laugh when I see things like Lampizator - the unintended consequences of the internet.
What is there to laugh at? You see things? Have you heard this product line, either at an audio show, a dealer, or in your home?
I have owned the Lampi B6 for 6 years now, and the sound is truly amazing with some tube rolling efforts in the audio and PS sections. I admit, it does look like a DIY assembly, but there are many people who claim direct wiring is superior to PC boards. And such a layout allows for much easier update of passive components as they come along.

And what are the unintended consequences of the internet here? What exactly does this mean?
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