Best Amp/Preamp/CD or DAC for Wilson Watt Puppy 7

I heard Ryan's 55 watt WAVAC's last weekend and they did a superb job of driving the WP7's in a small room. The top was a bit soft and the boyym less tight than the best solid state but the midrange was lush and textured. Very nice sound.

i cannot recommend a high power WAVAC SET enough.

rhyno

Put this in your pipe...
I am driving the WP7s with a cj premier 12 (tube monos.) Directly fed by an Audio Synthesis DAC discrete. All cables (including power) are Transparent reference. Everything (including power amps) is plugged into a P.S. Audio P-600 power plant.
It's fantastic!

LAMM ML1.1/2 amps, LL2 preamp, Accuphase DP-77 and Siltech Classic cables. I auditioned this system at CSA Audio and immediately started moving to this end. Just about there, saving for the speakers. NUFF SAID!

amazing sound ? spectral 100s and 30 priam olso mark levison 335 with linn. cd . and priam [audiocenter] audiostore

I had the good fortune of auditioning a pair of dm 58s for about a month with my W/P7s while my dealer considered taking on the line and no other regulars cut in on the dance. Using a Hovland HP 100 and Koetsu/Triplanar/Oracle analog source at the time I was spellbound. The Halcros are a most synergistic combination with the Wilsons, certainly their finest solid state companions. However, having amplifiers nearly as large as your speakers poses more problems than you might imagine, soundstage and aesthetics notwithstanding. With my W/P 7s they tended toward the genteel and sounded ever so slightly thin. And so I ended up with Jadis JA 100s now with an HP 200; a combination rocks, rolls, coos, purrs, spits, sighs and whispers sufficiently to keep me interested. For the time being at least.

I recently heard the 7's with an all Levinson system and while I was very impressed with the gigantic imaging and control, I thought the Levinson sound was too hard. I later heard the Sophia's with a Musical Fidelity system and while I missed the control and the huge soundstage I thought it more like music. While even the thought of the cost of the Sophia's is out my reach, its not out of my thoughts and we'll see. After the demo I feel that my Sonic Frontiers Power 2 SE would mate well with those speakers.....

Re: the Halcro. I found the DCD/Halcro system at my dealer phenomenal on the Wilson W/Ps and Sophias. True synergy. Never had power issues as well. In fact, had to turn down the music more often.

I'd sure try some experimentation before you dump your amp. I recall listening to several top CD players a few years ago and all were 'nice' but all had their own character. Top or close to the top Wadia, Theta, ARC. My point is system synergy is the key! (And I read the 302s need lots of break-in.)

Then there's wire. And power conditioning. My WP7s sound good on my ARC VT100MKII conditioned by PS AUDIO PP600 (and are less impressive without the PP.) The PP seems to deepen and make the bass more prominent - a good thing.

I plan to try the 201s because I'm tired of schlepping the VT100 in for tubes.

I recently sold my Room Lenses and I miss them. Sometimes the subtle details add up for a nice surprise.

My source is a modded (3x) SCD-1. I think that was a good move and each mod has taken me a step closer to the goal.

My pre is a modded ARC LS5MKIII - a keeper, I think.

Let us know what you discover?

Bob Wood

Keithr- The Rowland 201's were really amazing with my WP7's but they couldn't drive the bass with enough authority compared to my Lamm's. They have liquid smooth top end... Tubes without the pain! and they run really cool.. The Sophia's are an easier load to drive on the bottom and should be a perfect match! They are truelly a bargain, I am going to try a pair of the 501's when my dealer gets them to see if the extra current can grab ahold of my woofers..

If I had not been living with the Lamm's I would have bought the 201's they are that good (and the pricepoint)! But I had heard the magic of the Lamm's.

Thanks for the responses so far.....I am leaning towards going all solid state at this time because of my living situation with fiancee and the use of the amp with my wide screen tv.

As for the batvk51se and rowland combo its very smooth and the midrange is great. I have not had the opportunity to try out any other preamps with the rowland 302. I had tried the BAT with the Krell 400cx and prefer the rowland to it (but not by a country mile).

I was thinking perhaps the Halcro DM 58 but even used its pricier than the Rowland and with less power to boot. I wonder if the Halcro crowd like to rock or is it for a more genteel populace.

Michael

FWIW (and I am definately blowing my own horn on this one), John Giolas of Wilson Audio has access to everything and chose Atma-Sphere MA-2s in his setup at home.

See also:
http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/atmasphere_ma2ii3.htm

How do you like the BAT/Rowland combo? Try any other preamps?

I have some 201s coming in to check out with my 31SE on my Sophias....I'm sure they are not the same as the Lamms, but then again they are much more inexpensive :)

A pair of Parasound JC-1's, a CTC Blowtorch Pre, and an Exemplar Audio Modified Denon 2900 CD player will give some of the best sound/sound stage, dynamics possible.

Since you have a VK51se, why not a BAT amp? They make a great combo. I have WP 6's, VK51SE and a VK75se. I love it.

I'm sure the Lamm combo is great, I've read several reviews and posts on those. Ditto the VTL, which I've heard at my dealer several times. I personally like tubes with the wilsons, plays to their strengths and weaknesses.

I'm quite happy with Lamm M1.1s (tried the Rowland 201's nice character but missing something) Rowland Synergy IIi Preamp running on DC. Gamut CD1R and all transparent cabling. (I would love to try EMM gear but I'm broke for now..)

I've heard wp7 sound good also with VTL450 monoblocks, VTL 7.5 ultimate preamp, Burmester 001 CD player, Transparent Cabling
I've also heard them sound well with Theta Gen Va, Theta Data III, Theta Enterpise Monoblocks, and Transparent cabling

I've heard WP7's sound bad on Classe Omega monoblocks, Levinson, and Krell (all to harsh on the top and some are thin also)