2. digital
  3. 156153-140172

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
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
kantian22 OP
That is the setup your friend runs and you both think it sounds great?
Yes both of us and it’s very similar.
Just go direct to amp with any of the MSB’s they all do it, it’s the most transparent, uncolored and dynamic way you’ll hear your system.
Live with it for a while 6mt’s or so to let it and you settle in (some call it burn in). Then after you can always get some preamps to try to see if it betters the sound. I doubt it very much, as the output stage in any of the MSB’s would better most ss preamps output stages, especially tube.

Cheers George
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,222 posts
 

ianrmack,

Your response to kantian22's  inquiry comes off as snarky and sarcastic. Are you a bit envious of his endeavor to get the most from his audio system within his means? We all have our budget parameters/limits and certainly there’s quite a broad spectrum. if you meant this as humor, my apology.

Charles

mtdining's avatar
mtdining
131 posts
 
DCS is the best for digital front end. Boulder or Ayre for electronics, or AR if you want tubes. I wanted to like CH Precision. It definitely is not in the same league sonically. I laugh when I see things like Lampizator - the unintended consequences of the internet.
rsf507
2,222 posts
 
Kondo VERY euphoric IMHO
mdp632
54 posts
 
@mtdining What about Spectral electronics and Wilson speakers? 
@kantian22 Spectral SV is very special and very similar to Soulution (very low distortion) 
More to discover