Wadia 861 Owners...

I purchased the 27i/270 to go direct into SS monoblocks and fell in love. Lately tried running through a tube preamp into SS monoblocks and even enjoy it more. Might be backwards using a high end digital extraction to be processed by tubes and amplified by SS but the sound gives the answer.

Chrysler, may I call you Mopar?, I've employed a tubed preamp/SS amp combo for five years (with Meridian front ends) and this has been a very good combo. And it may be that I end up upgrading along that route. My feeling is, after dropping $7 or 8K on a front end, I want to maximize its value. What monoblocks and preamp are you using?

Islandear,

Mopar works for me. I am running the Wadia 27i/270 through a Mcintosh C2200 (mullard 10m's) and into Mcintosh 1201's. Speakers are Thiel CS6. The Wadia direct was great but I was able to lay back the soundstage of the Thiel's by using the tube preamp and swapping around the tubes. I am using the bypass so only the tubes are affecting the Wadia signal. The result is quite amazing.

Mopar, was the overall sound of the Wadia compromised by the insertion of the 2200 into the chain? I infer, from your enthusiasm, that any loss of PRaT was worth it for the adjustment to the soundstage...or was PRaT enhanced as well? I'm wondering, per some of the suggestions above, if running direct to a tubed amp will deliver my desired result. The Parsifals are known for their midrange, but with a SS amp they deliver a very good low frequency signal. I know the only reasonable path is to audition with both tubed and SS amps, using my tubed pre- as part of the process. Thanks again, for your insight.

I personally feel that any signal loss from using the Wadia direct/volume control issues is reasonably equivalent to any affects of the preamp insertion. This is assuming the use of a decent preamp of course. McIntosh has a tone bypass so only the input signal is amplified through the tubes which I find does not compromise the accurate detail obtained with the Wadia combo. Quite obvious is if one chooses to use the tone controls the output is dramatically different than the direct Wadia, hence in my personal opinion blurred.

In my set up the addition of a preamp extended the superb detail and resolution of the Wadia, enhanced PRaT, but additionally by lenghty tube comparison and employing the tone bypass allowed the soundstage corrections. Coupled with the imaging of the Thiels, I can obtain significant orchestral stage presence throughout the room.

I will also admit freely that my original purpose was to improve the low end response by adding the preamp and use the bass attenuation but have stumbled upon the aforementioned results by accident, and of course buying very expensive NOS/NIB tubes. This is also all with budget cables which I hope to upgrade upon.