Yep Rogers was another BBC era brand I forgot to mention and of course the LS 3/5a is probably one of the more famous speaker models of all time. Still loved by many nearly 50 years on. The Brits loved and still do the mini monitors because they image so well and work great in the typically smaller listening rooms of European homes/apartments.
This is getting into the weeds but there was actually quite a rivalry in the 70s between the LS3/5a and a competing Spendor design, which was said to be a little more aggressive but probably not quite as popular overall.
My “classic” model I mentioned is the SA1, which derived from that old Spendor (same name but different dimensions, see 2008 Stereophile review for more details), and was their flagship mini monitor from 2008 until D series was released in 2015 or 16.
I enjoy mini monitors too (though I prefer full range floor standers much more when practical) but if you want music wherever you go bookshelves are great for smaller rooms. So the SA1s are in my office at work. And the D1’s, which just destroy the SA1s sonically in every way, are my bedroom speaker.
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No interest in posting videos or trying to convince others to like what I like. I really don’t give a damn what anyone else likes and I mean that matter of factly not in a dismissive or smart a$& way.
Plus this thread is not about that. If I did that, all that you and maybe others would do is post other things to try and upstage it, which I wouldn’t care about anyway.
As I said, I did all the legwork I needed to before I settled on the speakers, and it was in person listening. I don’t really do piecemeal upgrades. My next upgrade won’t be for a few years and it’ll be wholesale so I’m not looking to improve any particular component in meantime.
Not being dismissive because I know you think you’re trying to help but I’m not really looking for any. Well other than the info I pick up from WC’s trials bc my next system will probably be at the DAW/m900u/Bartok level but it isn’t any time imminent.
This thread is for stuff way above my current system and the less we talk about the latter the better, haha. I can hear everyone else going, yeah dude! |
In dac summary it sounded like Alexandria XLF might not be long for the room but now it sounds like you’re at a personal best in terms of what you’ve ever had (don’t recall “freaking stoked” ever before).
And you only have a stereo amp with msrp under 40k on them. Imagine if you still had the Boulder monos and preamp…. |
Awesome. Glad the Alexandria is rounding into shape.
After last few tries I’m thinking all the footer companies are hoping you don’t try them next! |
Correction to something I said above. I actually am very interested in hearing what others like and why. Once, not a thousand times.
What I have zero interest in, or don’t give a ___ about, is trying to convert them to what I like or change their minds. When I re-read what I had written I realized that didn’t come out right. |
My sense is Darryl Wilson will be even better than Dave. Every model so far he has led has just gotten rave reviews, with almost zero criticism other than I suppose the massive escalation in price, which criticism is warranted probably (though I have no idea of the cost to build and I don’t think that’s new with Darryl it’s been a trademark since the founding).
Some of stuff Dave did had plenty of detractors (like the watt puppy tweeters for example or really any of the speakers with the metal dome tweeters).
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Chazzy, since you and Viber were both interested, here’s a short paragraph I copied from one of the reviews of the more recent SA1 that provides more context on that 1970s rivalry I mentioned:
zstereo review, zstereo.co.uk, review from 2014
The original Spendor SA1 was launched just before the BBC LS3/5a surfaced back in the early nineteen seventies, and many thought it was a better sounding loudspeaker than its more popular rival. But the SA1 you see here is a distant cousin, and has evolved a lot since then. Only its dimensions (305x165x190mm) are shared – which coincidentally are exactly the same as the LS3/5a, but rotated through ninety degrees – along with the use of an infinite baffle cabinet design
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WC,
You said three 20A circuits are ideal. Is that because you like one for each monoblock amp and the third for everything else (preamp, sources)?
Or were you talking about two circuits for audio (one for amps, other for everything else) and the third for your home theater system? |
He had PS Audio regenerator also. Not sure about whether he has had Richard Gray Power Company, or Isotek. |
On vacation so behind on videos but hanging out on a couch watching second system building video on my phone playing on phone speaker and my daughter is sitting there too reading one of her books.
After the video ended I asked her, “so did you learn a lot?” (knowing she probably wasn’t listening at all).
She looked at me and goes, “the only thing I remember about it is you need to buy more cables!” 😂 |
So the four preamps are Gryphon, ARC, Soulution and what? Did I miss it or WC hasn’t told us the last one yet? |
Yeah I think it would be unlikely that Alexx V is a major step upwards from what you have. Whether it is any step up at all would be a more interesting question but probably not interesting enough to roll the dice on, given the downside risk |
Although I don’t recall this brand ever being mentioned on this thread or by WC in his videos, I will make a prediction that the secret preamp and monos arriving next week are Nagra HD series |
The treble with Alexx V will probably be better because it has latest tweeter without the gimmicky rear firing but everything else will likely be worse.
I say “gimmicky” only because I’ve never been a fan of any speaker that used that feature but I’ve never heard Alexandria XLF in person and I wouldn’t doubt it’s great. |
Ahh, my Nagra guess can’t be right then. Too light. Just as well |
I’ll go Dartzeel for the win |
Ah, Audionet is good guess |
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WC, your memory kinda sucks whenever you try to remember the hi-end stuff you’ve had "on the spot" on a video. It’s awesome when you catalog stuff like that but you should spend time in advance making the list so you don’t forget important ones.
This time on preamps, although you listed a lot of them, but notably forgot to mention, at least, the Luxman C900u and the D’Agostino (at least one, maybe more) that you’ve had, which certainly, at least on price if not performance on the D’Ag (just kidding, I didn’t like it but I’m sure others do), belong in the group of preamps you listed. I thought the C900u was better than almost all of the others you had to that point.
You’ve had some Pass Labs preamps also but maybe you didn’t think any of them rose to the level of inclusion in the list. I don’t remember if you had the Sim Audio preamp or not, maybe not.
Also, would be amazing to get Ref 10 preamp in again to better compete with the Soulution and whatever new big boy you have coming in. Ref6se amazing for its price category but probably won't compete with the Soul or other $50k+ preamps. I know, easy for me to say just bring it in, haha, but I have confidence you can do it : ) |
Sounds good. Glad the 6se at least in the mix.
Ok, here’s a complete Hail Mary guess on the new mono amps.
The mystery amps are in fact Gryphon Mephisto Solos, despite your proclamation that you are done with Gryphon on the video. You’ll claim the since you had ordered the Solos months ago that the proclamation was as to new purchases.
You won’t be able to move on from Gryphon until you’ve had them all, and it’s really the only foreign (“clear customs”) six figure amp I can see you purchasing new.
So……tricky and cagey, but cover blown!
(or Soulution flagships) |
Sure - those who already have perfect vision and don’t need help.
For those with perfect vision already, eyeglasses, contacts, or LASIK is detrimental |
The vision correction analog is instructive, and it highlights why blanket proclamations about a component’s sonic clarity are of limited value to others potentially, because just because a component may sound clearer to you, that may be because of a “corrective” tipping up of the treble (or other sonic adjustment) that the component makes, analogous to eyeglasses correcting for vision deficiencies, which may correct for hearing deficiencies of one with such ailments, but that to one with better hearing distorts the sound in an unpleasant and unnatural way, in a way similar to how someone with 20/20 vision would experience awful vision if wearing your eyeglasses.
And that just accounts for hearing deficiencies, to say nothing of sonic preferences….. |
Your analogy is fine so long as you admit that a large majority of audiophiles view your fringe sonic preferences - almost no bass required and tipped up treble to point of not able to play loudly - as so sonically undesirable and outside of the mainstream that you are, indeed, the static-loving bloke in your analogy |
This is the first time you’ve had electronics worthy of the XLF playing with it. That’s why.
Before this you were using components that weren’t worthy of the Alexandria xlf. For that matter perhaps same true with the Magico as well.
I’ve always thought systems where the gear quality tiers didn’t really match up were maybe interesting but not surprising when they underperform |
6+ hour listening sessions are the best |
“TO ME, choosing between both preamps is FAAAAAAR harder than choosing between the DCS & MSB.”
Wait a minute. But you didn’t choose between dcs and msb on the video - you said you had no preference.
On here, despite what you said, I wrote that I thought you preferred dcs but didn’t want to admit it and laid out some me logic to support that prediction.
So you gonna tell us which one you liked better? Based on your quote above it seems you like one better |
Cool announcement that Essence is best amp under $25k.
I recently watched your old video that declared (in no particular order) ARC 160S, Luxman m900u and SimAudio 860v2 as the three best power amps under $20k from 6 months ago or whatever it was. |
I highly doubt a small Bryston could adequately drive the Alexandria XLF. There is no such thing as an easy Wilson speaker to drive. It’s relative.
50w pure class A with Gryphon power reserves, as Essence is, is not really "low power"
I wouldn’t lump other truly low power amps in that camp with Gryphon Essence, even if it has lower drive than other massive Gryphon amps |
That’s because for the most part you’ve been on an upward amp trajectory and left behind the weak amps so long ago you probably don’t remember.
But for sure if you’d have used weak amps (like the ones Viber talking about or others) on Sasha DAW (or comparable) you’d have heard the lack of overhead too at realistic volumes.
There was one point in last year you had an inexpensive Mc integrated, lower power hybrid. I’m sure when you played that on DAW (or whatever you had then) the lack of headroom would have been very noticeable |
No, I disagree. Those inexpensive amps (bryston, Mytek, first watt) do not have nearly robust enough power supplies and capacitance reserves to handle the demands on xlf on difficult and loud passages. Just look at the stats you quoted for your amp - not impressive in the “doubling at successive halving of impedance” metric, to say the least (no offense, but this thread isn’t about lower quality equipment).
Sure they’ll cause sound to emerge from the xlf’s, and perhaps even loud sound.
But it won’t be adequate for what the speaker is capable of. It will be woefully lacking |
Most big lifters I used to see just wanted to be as big as possible. Less about amount lifted and more about muscle mass. Just speaking about the lifters I knew. I always thought they were crazy but dang they were dedicated….
(and good to be friends with those guys at parties in case something got stirred up, ha!)
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Yikes, 80lb dumbbell curls??? That’s crazy big. Yep, that’ll put a strain on your back. Damn. That’s prolly how you screwed it up.
I always hated lifting weights but did it semi-seriously for about half a year in my early 20’s. Sucked at bench press (barely do my weight), but was pretty solid at curls. I liked the curl wavy bar and I forget but I think I used to do around 75 lbs (can’t remember if that included bar) which seemed decent for a 180 lb dude who would rather be playing basketball or hockey than lifting. All I remember is the bigger and more ripped guy I lifted with would do less, but that’s the only thing I could beat him on. But of course that two arms, not one 😂 and still less.
But if you’re telling the truth about squats we can throw down for each of our speakers 😂 |
Ha, yeah that definitely true. All of the lifters get fat when they quit because body so used to shakes and 4-5 meals a day.
I remember that was one thing someone told me they’re like yeah it’s good to start these shakes but if you do you pretty much can’t stop lifting or you’ll just get really fat. I lost interest in 6 months so it didn’t really matter.
One thing I always noticed when I lifted was my BP went way higher than when I didn’t lift. Could never figure that out.
Problem with rebuilding back is spinal cord right there so lot trickier than knee or hip or shoulder. And it’s right in the way of where you need to get! You wouldn’t believe the spinal procedures they have and the med device research into all of that and the tools to gain access but long ways to go ….. |
Ha yeah wouldn’t expect too many weight lifters at audio show. Most don’t lift after age 30 and most don’t start caring about audio until at least age 30 because can’t afford before that. So just based on age prolly not much overlap.
And even most world class athletes look bad 10 years after they stop competing. Shaun Kemp (80’s/90’s NBA SuperSonics) was a guest presenter the other night for the NHL Seattle Kraken draft and dude looks like he weighs 375 lbs now, eeeks. So even if they were jacked at one point in their life by time they’re old enough to go to audio show you’d prolly never know, ha
I’ve never been to a show but aren’t most attendees over 50? I do wanna go to one tho
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I'm a little behind here......are we still waiting a month later to find out what the fourth preamp and the monos are? Or did some of them get sold before they ever saw the light of camera (day)?
Sorry if I missed it, been a little checked out...... |
I think a Pass Labs debate betwen thezaks and inna would be fun..... |
WC, have you ever tried Electrocompaniet from Norway? |
Isotek or Richard Gray Power Company
Try something new |
Actually I think WC just said in the video that low power amps like the Essence (he hasn’t really had any other low power amps with XLF so that must have been what he meant) made the XLF sound one dimensional.
Only the new high power amps he has now make it sound spacious, because of the headroom. So just the opposite of what Viber just said. Low power amps and XLF are a bad match according to WC (who is in the room and not just theorizing like Viber).
Viber you should watch the video again because you are continuing to make the same mistake WC specifically cautioned against in the video and said listen closely. It is not about volume. It is about spaciousness. Low power amps can make XLF play loudly, but not well. |
No sneering remarks. Just respect WC’s wishes and stop talking about stuff that has no place on this thread or his channel. TAKE A HINT!!! If it bothers you that much that your stuff isn’t worthy (WC’s decision - he’s told you that a million times and he just did again in his last post - reread it) then don’t follow the thread.
And in the spirit of your final comment with the tables turned, NO IGNORING WC’S WISHES FROM THE USUAL DOLTS WHO CANNOT RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR STUFF SUCKS IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WC PRESENTS |
You didn’t catch the tongue-in-cheek satire attempt. Only reason I posted it that was because that way was what another poster had done when asking for no sneering remarks while simultaneously directly insulting people ("closed minds"). It was meant as kind of a joke. |
AHB2 also shut down with difficult loads - unable to drive. There are threads for equipment of that caliber (great amp for under $5k, don’t get me wrong) - this isn’t the thread. But AHB2 closer to this thread than zip cord or Rane LOL!!!! Ahhhh....... it never ends |
WC: face the facts. Viber and ricevs actually believe the stuff they say (ricevs) over and over and over and over and over and over (Viber).
They actually think that stuff is better.
I don’t think anything you or anyone else says will convince them otherwise.
Ricevs sorry for grouping you with Viber here because I know your deal is tweaks but you do continuously profess that expensive amps will soon be boat anchors so that’s far enough out there in crazy land to warrant inclusion just this once with mr zip
(and psst, mr zip, the reason nobody commented on all of the videos you keep asking about is because nobody cares)
To be clear I am not ripping on inexpensive gear. We all (including WC, read his first post of thread) have or have had inexpensive gear and likely enjoyed it for what it was.
But to contend the bargain basement gear (the usual stuff that shall not be repeated) can sound better than the systems WC presents (as is contended ad infinitum here) is lunacy IMO, and dare I say it, tells you everything you need to know about the audio judgement of the one making the claims. To a few those statements will be celebrated, but to most experienced audiophiles they’ll be dismissed as out of touch ramblings . To each their own. |
Bryston and NAD -- ha, never fails. The two brands WC always lists when he talks about the crappy amps he started with ..... (Go back through the thread or channel - not less than 20 times - "Bryston's and NAD's of the world") |
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Axpona postponed til April 2022, WC. You might have to do RMAF instead it that one even happens |
Dude! We need the outtake version of the video where you went on to list other crappy American brands that can't measure up to SOTA after saying McIntosh way at back of line! I know you did but then you thought better of it and dubbed it out. Dang it! Come on, D'Ag? Pass? I bet you said them, maybe others too, but we'll never know ......... |
Yeah I agree with that. I think that's what people want |
Well you are certainly correct that this video will ruffle feathers I’m sure. You were pretty direct in what the top 2-3 are. No ambiguity for solid state according to you.
What I wanna know is do you always say Bryston is a low-fi brand because of Viber and how he keeps saying his amp is better than your stuff? Or some other reason LOL! |
I can't wait to hear Viber and Ricevs amps on WC's system. We have heard Viber brag about them for years and how they were better than WC's equipment. We have heard Ricevs mention boat anchors.
Send them in guys. |
