Amp/pre for Soundlab M1s Advice: Digital or no?

Albertporter is busy at the HE Show this weekend, but I'm sure that he would tell you that the Wolcott Presence 220 monoblocks are the best amps that he has come across in about 15 years of Soundlab ownership. He uses the Soundlab U-1, and the Wolcotts, with Aesthetix Callisto Signature Linestage, and Aesthetix IO Signature Dual Power Supply Phono Stage.

I know Albert very well, and I know that he has tried many things over many years, and considers his current setup to be the best he can find, cost no object.

Given this fact, I think that the Wolcotts have to be considered in this role with the Soundlab speakers.

Hello Brian,

Thanks for the kind words!

In my experience, amps with digital-switching power supplies haven't worked real well with Sound Labs. There seems to be some dynamic compression that amps with good, old-fashioned beefy power supplies don't have. That being said, I haven't heard the TacT amps with Sound Labs.

How many channels do you need? I presume only two of those channels will involve Sound Labs.

Best wishes,

Duke

Hi Duke:

Any idea how the Parasound JC-1 monoblocks work with the Sound Lab M-1s?

Mshan -

I'm a dealer for both Sound Lab and Parasound JC-1's. They work exceptionally well together. The Sound Labs in my living room are hooked up to JC-1's right now, even though I have some other amps on hand that are several times the price. I had to be convinced that the JC-1's would work well with Sound Labs, and now I have several customers (including one with the Ultimates) who have switched to JC-1's.

Duke

Duke - Which switching amps have you heard? I understand Spectrons/Bel Canto/Ear seem to have a great reception among audiopiles - even tube guys. Now very highend manufacturers (Linn/Rowland/others?)with good reputations to lose seem to be putting out some products. The concept of a pure digital signal path with room correction & equalization done in the digital domain is seductive and will be the future of audio eventually. I just wish I could get some real world comments from users about how the current state of art works with electrostats.

Brian,

I am a Sound Lab dealer and have heard a Spectron amp on them some time ago. It was an OK match, nothing particularly wrong, but I didn't hear any magic. I was the first person to try Parasound JC-1s with Sound Labs (U-1s) and immediately knew it was a superb match, as they really brought the speakers to life with excellent control, focus and dynamics. Some may prefer tubes.

Brian Walsh

Any tube preamps that you've found to work particularly well with the Parasound JC-1's and Sound Lab M-1 speakers?

The Musician II is a big improvement over past Spectron amps. Their six channel Premiere is due out shortly. They are more than worth a listen, unless you need a heater for
your room, then go with the JC-1s or Wolcotts.