2. amps-preamps
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Class D amp wyred4sound and B&W 803D

I still havent decided what to use to power my recently bought 803d, some days ago I asked about a match with a Primare integrated amp (I30) and got mixed responses. On the other hand, some suggested I use a spectron amp (class D), and I have just started noticing lots of good reviews for the Wyred4sound integrated amps, which use the ICE power module. Is anyone using one of the ST/STI int amps to push a set of b&w? Power should be enough with [email protected] I dont know how it will handle the low ohm loads and the final sonic characteristics.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.
Demian
demianm
dob
577 posts
 
"I'd like to know how could a speaker be very forgiving, but also revealing? "

me too

"...and don't benefit from tubes "

May be it is because B&W family of speakers have terrible phase behaivor and thus very difficult to control bass...

I am happy for Chazz customers that he stopped selling audio equipment in 2001.
magnumpi205
504 posts
 
The Wyred Reference amps will be out soon. Tube and solid state input.
plato
1,543 posts
 
Dob, the Spectron is my friend's amp which he bought here on Audiogon updated by the manufacturer within the last 4 or 5 months. He said it is the "Spectron Musician II MKII (updated with Mk3 boards)." I'm assuming those are the standard Mk3 boards, but I don't know for sure. So you are correct that it's not the latest Musician model, but neither is it a 10 year old model.

Magnumpi205... Yikes, just when I thought I was set for a while. Then again, I suppose I'll have to wait and see how they turn out. I'll have to send Wyred an e-mail and see if I can get some further info.
danielk141
489 posts
 
Face,

Here's an example of forgiving & reavealing, in a speaker.
I had a Sony Transport, Theta DAC, Adcom GFP565, and Parasond HCA1000A amps or Adcom 555s biamping Magnepan MG3.3Rs.
The ribbon on the Maggies was the most revealing & deatailed tweeter I had ever owned, but was forgiving enough to be used with either the Parasound or Adcom amps.
I also owned a pair of Counterpoint Clearfield two way monitors. These used the same Aluminum Vifa tweeter, with the three pole guard, that Thiel used on their (3.5?) speaker, before they started using their concentric tweeter/midrange.
I tried the clearfields in the system, with the Adcom amps.
They were unlistenable. Just way too bright/forward.
That Maggie ribbon had more detail, but was still easily listenable with the Adcoms.
Hope this helps.
rhljazz
1,250 posts
 
See my comments in the thread "opinions on wyred 4 sound ice amps".
The W4S amp is not at all "dry" sounding in my system. However, I suspect many users would not have an $8500 preamp in front of a $1600 amp. I have not listened to the ST500 with anything other than the VAC preamp. I am a tube amp guy but the W4S is a killer amp on the N802's
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