Wolf Audio

I am a Wolf Audio customer, as well, having recently added the Alpha 3 and a T + A DAC (that was recommended to me by Joe Parvey of Wolf).  I am blown away by the music coming out of my system now.  Like many of you, I am very particular about the characteristics of the sound in my listening room.  I recently upgraded a lot of components, including top-of-the-line Audience frontRow cables.  Adding the Wolf product to my system has been so remarkable because now I have jillions of song selections to choose from at high bit rates, and the sound is just truly magnificent.  The Wolf product has exceeded my wildest expectations.  Moreover, service is over-the-top and always available.  [I have no monetary interest in Wolf or Audience.  They are just simply THE BEST!]

Thanks L & G, we certainly appreciate the kind words. You both are at the cutting edge of what we are doing with digital audio, and it's always great to hear how much you are enjoying using your systems.
@LWIN, can you expand a bit on what you hear in the Red Wolf 2 over the Alpha 3? Gapperis123 has just started out with us - he heard several of our systems at AXPONA and got an Alpha 3 SX, but you have been with us from the start - you've spent over a year with the Alpha 2, and then probably almost the same with the Alpha 3...   the Alpha 3 SX gets us much closer to the Red Wolf than before, but what do you say?

- Joe

I cannot comment on the Alpha 3 SX but as good as the Alpha 2 was compared to my custom laptop the Alpha 3 was a definite step up from the 2 especially the USB playback with the addition of the flux capacitor. The Red Wolf 2 continues that tradition of increased performance. I have always been a big fan of separate power supplies and for this type of application I think it pays even further dividends as you are getting it away from the potential noise of the operating system.
The first word that comes to my mind when listening to the Red Wolf is gravitas. There is an increased weight (in a good way) to the bass, midrange and highs. I have been seriously upgrading my system for the past two years and one of the benefits is I am playing at measured lower volume levels but it sounds louder and the reason is as my system improves, I get more musical details so I don’t need as much volume to get the needed musical information.The Red Wolf took this a step further adding even more musical information. 
Anyone who is using a computer as their server is not getting anywhere near the performance they would get using any Wolf unit. I just finished reading several issues of Stereophile and the Absolute Sound and the majority of authors list a computer which is usually a Mac as their digital source if they have one.They are handicapping themselves and doing their readers a disservice by not using the newer and much better technology for equipment evaluations.
If you are sitting on the sidelines and would like to get more involved in digital, talk to Joseph. If he can get a baby boomer like me to the cutting edge of digital playback he can do the same for anyone. You will not get the level of personal service from anyone else that you will from Wolf Audio. You also won’t get the same bang for your buck. 

@thewolfaudio -- First off, congratulations for crafting such great products. I hear nothing but the highest praise from several members here and other forums. I checked out your website but not sure if you build a specific type of product that I'm looking for.

A few years ago, I lost most of my CD collection during a move, and since then sold my transport as well. Right now, I'm pretty much streaming 90% of the time. I am fully invested in the Roon universe (lifetime subscription, Roon core, several DSP configs, etc.), so that is a must for me. I don't know if you have something that competes with the likes of Lumin U1, i.e. purely a streamer sans a DAC, media server, storage or CD ripping capabilities. I apologize if I'm not looking at the right product or configurations.

How many plugs does it take to become a Wolf customer?

@arafiq contact Joseph at Wolf Audio as he has just what you are looking for. Sorry to hear about the loss of your CD’s.

@arafiq Great talking to you today, and Rod, you as well if you are following this thread. As discussed, the Luna R exceeds the sound quality of the streamers discussed above - we have tested them all pretty thoroughly. With Wolf, you could use it only as a streamer if you prefer, but should the day come that you wish to purchase hires audio, whether PCM or DSD for playback, the ability is right there, built in. As we often say, a Wolf is as simple, or as feature-filled as you want it to be. 

-Joe

@thewolfaudio -- Joe, it was indeed a pleasure talking to you. I think the key point that resonated with me the most is the upgrade path that your platform provides. Many of us don't want to invest huge sums in streamers upfront, but want to 'feel' our way through this journey. 

Secondly, with US-based companies now offering great audio products at almost the same price point as China and other countries, it doesn't make sense to buy from abroad. Of course, this only applies to US-based consumers, not intended to offend folks from other countries by any means. Not only are you getting superior parts, craftsmanship, but in case of smaller companies, often direct access to the people who build and design your unit. 

Having said that, I do wish that you look at improving a couple of things. First, I feel that your website can be a little confusing. With the plethora of accessories and options, it is hard to figure out what is really needed and what's a nice to have. Perhaps, you can create 'packaged' offerings based on customer profiles. For example, people like myself who are invested in Roon but have no need for CD ripping or massive storage. Sort of like pre-defined packages. Second, maybe think about creating a streamer-only version to compete with the likes of Sonore or Lumin U1.

I appreciate your time yesterday, and Wolf Audio is definitely one of the top contenders in my list.

Great to hear but not surprising as Joe is a stand up guy with excellent products.