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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
I have read lots of reviews on MSB 

Get an MSB R2R Ladder Multibit Dac, your system deserves it, a friend has similar.
MSB Discrete,Premier, Reference or Select which ever you budget allows.
Use it's volume control direct into your Solution 710 and forget about a preamp.

Cheers George
4425
861 posts
 
Or DCS
kantian22 OP
6 posts
 
Thanks @georgehifi  - i love the MSB aesthetic and virtually every review sings its praises. good suggestion on the direct to amp...that obviously frees a lot of budget. That is the setup your friend runs and you both think it sounds great? Thanks for the suggestion on real-world application.

4425
861 posts
 
You’re buying Alexx speakers which I imagine are awesome. The dac direct to amp theory is concerning in that you ‘may’ end up making decisions based on the ‘savings’ of going direct and then find that you’re not happy without a great preamp. In buying the Wilsons you’ve made a commitment to excellence. Be careful on the front end and don’t try to cut a corner that may or may not degrade your final results. 
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
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