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Wyred 4 Sound experience with 804Ds

I purchased a W4S ST-500 a couple of months ago for my 804Ds. I found an immediate improvement on my NAD amp in terms of soundtsage depth and width, clarity and detail from lows to highs. What I have noticed though is that, music dependent, the sound's can be little cold and lean. With warmth in the recordings it's not an issue and the sound is fantastic. I don't use a tube pre.

I thought I'd mention this for the benefit of those considering a W4S amp, and potentially other Class D amps. I suspect that these amps work best with "full bodied" speakers, and there might also be a lot to be said for synergy with tube pre's. In my case I'm sniffing around a Mcintosh MC302 to bring some of the warmth I had with the NAD back. I can absolutely see why these W4S amps are so highly praised, but my experience suggests there might be room for some qualification/care when choosing them.

Any experience from other 804D owners also valued.
128x128ullodea
13 responses Add your response
jdec
123 posts
 
Funny that Srajan Ebaen mentioned this in the review of the ST500:

"In my extensive amplifier comparisons the ST-500 was considerably warmer and denser than three different Mosfet amps from ModWright, FirstWatt and Nagra; two valve amps (one Yamamoto 300B SET, one Trafomatic EL84 push/pull); one Power Jfet (J2); and two other transistor amps (F5 and Burson PP 160)."
ullodea's avatar
ullodea OP
16 posts
 
I also find that odd, in fact his review was very influential when making my choice. Just posting my experience for the benefit of potential purchasers, as I know I'm not imagining it.
jult52
155 posts
 
I've just started using exactly this amp with my Maggies and have exactly the opposite experience, finding it a very warm sound (which I like). This warmth is identified by a wide swathe of critics, not just Ebaen.

The W4S is detailled. Could it be revealing something about your DAC or Pre that had been covered up by the NAD's coloration?
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 
Ullodea,
This cool character could simply be a unique finding with your system. Overwhelmingly most have found this amp to reside in the warmth camp.
ullodea's avatar
ullodea OP
16 posts
 
Jult52, Charles1dad: it probably is a unique product of my system, I think the problem's in the mids. Could be that they're being sucked out by my (probably not so well matched in pedigree) CA dacmagic. Back to the drawing board.
ryder
1,682 posts
 
The W4S amps(and DACs) have been dubbed giant killers. Some of my friends have traded in their more costly gear for the Wyred4Sound stuff. A friend ditched his Mark Levinson monoblocks for the W4S in driving his Revel Salon2 speakers.

I'm not sure if the W4S amps lean more toward warmth or cold but they are certainly neutral sounding amps that sound quite remarkable in the realm of high-end.
magfan
1,583 posts
 
They SHOULD sound very similar to all the other 'd' amps out using the ASP module from B&O.
By similar I mean 'Really Tough to tell apart'.
pics of W4S amp.
http://www.wyred4sound.com/webapps/site/74030/117839/shopping/shopping-view.html?pid=362236&b_id=&find_groupid=18158

backpanel pic of PSAudio GCC series.http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Photos/Default.aspx?i=681GCC250&tp=180
bacardi's avatar
bacardi
663 posts
 
I have a Parasound HCA 2205 AT power amp which I am happy with. My pre is a Oppo BDP 83 SE which will soon be a BDP 95. My pre is an Onkyo Pro SC 885. I am running a Paradigm Signature 5.1 system with a SVS PB13 ULtra sub. My paradigms are all the sealed model, the S1's, C1,ADP1 all with the beryllium tweeters. Best speakers I've had to date but might move up to the S6's down the road.

Would a Wyred for sound amp suite my setup and or maybe a Wyred for sound pre or both and which models?

When playing movies I run analogue from my Oppo 83 SE and 2.1 for music. Any help & suggestions greatly appreciated.
THX...

Regards Bacardi
jdec
123 posts
 
"A friend ditched his Mark Levinson monoblocks for the W4S in driving his Revel Salon2 speakers. " -Ryder

Ryder, do you remember the model of your friend's ML monoblocks? thanks
ryder
1,682 posts
 
JDec, they were the 531H monoblocks.

He was using a Bryston 4B-SST to drive his PMC EB1i's and subsequently upgraded to the 531H. He then replaced the EB1i's with the Revel Salon2 before ditching the 531H's for the Wyre4Sound. Some folks may be skeptical but this is what that has happened. A few friends who were in the room also concurred that the W4S were the better amps, probably for his speakers in his room.

As always, YMMV.
ullodea's avatar
ullodea OP
16 posts
 
Just to close the loop on this, my MC302 arrived this week. The MC302 is the better amp in just about every way (and it should be as it's 3x as expensive as the ST-500). Above all though, I was right in detecting a certain cold and detached quality to the ST-500. Kind of like the kid who gets the instrument technically right but isn't conveying emotion. The MC302 has much better mids, deeper, more satisfying bass, and I get way more emotionally "into" the music than I did when listening to the ST-500. It may lose to the ST-500 on the width of its soundstage, but I've only had it running a few hours.

Does make me wonder whether there's something to the oldschool criticism of Class D amps..
face
516 posts
 
Or you just prefer Mac's colored presentation?
mcgarick
277 posts
 
I just picked up a W4S ST-250 here on the Gon, and boy am I impressed....I love it! I wouldnt call it warm or cold.
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