Hi Wilson W/P8 owners, best amp ever to drive WP8?

If I'm not mistaken I think Wilson uses Audio Research when designing, and tuning their speakers. So that might represent a good choice. Based on some of the above responses and my own experiences it seems like they both work well depending on your tastes. There are a relatively small number of speaker companies that excel at both but Wilson is one of them. I've heard WP8's driven by Boulder and Mark Levinson and both were excellent.

almost everything will have less control than your Krell in the bass department.. so expect a sacrifice.

2 options.... Get a tube preamp and flavor the krell that way

or Theta Citadel's work amazing with the WP8's, and have tremendous bass control. The Ayre MXR's are warmer on top and have way less bass control than the Citadels, plus I find the Citadel's to be more open and transparent (if you are running balanced because of their truely balanced design). Make sure you have at least 1 dedicated 20amp circuit, as the Citadels provide limitless current and volume with the WP's. another huge benefit with the theta amps are they idle at 80watts so there is no warm up time for instant pleasurable listening!! this was a key factor for me.

If you are a deep bass head that likes excessive volume don't get the Lamm ML2.1's (which I own currently along with the Theta Citadel's as I determine which I can live with my Maxx 2's, soon to be three's but I owned WP7's with Lamm M1.1's and M2.1's and the Citadels.) The Lamm's have more texture around the bass notes but the are about 30% of the impact of the Lamm's (then again I'm waiting for a new tubeset because I think the breaking up of sound at volume is a tube problem and not an amplifier problem) But there is no way the 18 watts will ever do what the Theta Citadels do with Wilson speakers (effortless transparent volume).

The only compromise that I considered that I liked better was the VTL S800's or VTL 750's which have all the current and provide the air that tubes have without the bloom/excessive warmness of other tubes. The newer VTL 450's or the S400 would work on the WP8's where they don't quite drive the Maxx's as well.

Dear Arwp: +++++ " little more warmth and glow in the midrange, overall airiness in the treble and soundstage plus a more natural/real presence of acoustics................. Well controlled bass and a tight mid bass are top priority. " +++++

Maybe you don't need a " new/different " amplifier but IMHO a " new " approach due to the WP8 characteristics.

The " key " factor can/could be that the WP8 goes really " down " into the bass ( 21hz. ), this fact put " pressure " on the IMD ( intermodulation ditortion ) in that driver that has to handle ( at the same time ) frequencies over and to 200-250hz.

Waht happen if you add two self powered subwoofers ( in true stereo fashion ) to " liberate " the WP8 of the " responsability " to handle that last ( bass ) 1.5 octave?, the IMD goes down and all what you are looking improve/change for the better: you can achieve a higher quality performance on your system and according with what are your overall targets, everything improve: your Krell will perform better in this " new " frequency range ( with out frequencies say from 50-70hz and down ),better mid bass, better ( quality and quantity ) and controlled deep/low bass ( here you not only will have the right drivers/subs to handle the bass frequencies but a " dedicate " amplifiers to that specific and difficult bass frequency range. ), better soundstage, better mid range and high frequency due that you don't have " smeared/distorted " sound coming from the WP8 bass driver, etc, etc.: you system change for the better!!!!!

IMHO I can tell you that a pair of WP8 with two subwoofers ( everything the same ) outperform a pair of MAXX2 , no doubt about.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

I'm listening an ASR Emitter II version Blue with Watt/Puppy 7 and the set is really amazing.
It's the solid state more similar to tube sound i ever heard. Moreover, it has the ability to give as much current as they need, and as you know, WP8 are really demanding.
The only flaw i feel, are the low frequencies. I feel it can be better but it will need some work in the silent partner, the room, not the amp!
Pro memoria: its a hell of a german tank.

I've have very enjoyable results with VTL MB-450's Driving WP8's

I've found I Wilson products like a big power amp even if your not cranking the volume.

WP8's can produce a scary amount of bass in a controlled manner. I've had musicians and other audiophiles make comments along the lines of "where is the subwoofer?" "bass response is unbelievable."

I've also enjoyed Jeff Rowland equipment driving WP7's