Best complement to Wilson Sophia 3s?
- Thread starter Cameron
- Start date
Cameron,
At the start of this thread you write: "I won't bore you with sources,...".
But I'm actually quite interested in what made you decide to go for the Klimax.
Key thing i would like to learn about is, did you compare it to the Berkeley Alpha?
I play with Akurate ds and want to upgrade.
Klimax DS is fantastic but BAD (idealy paired with Aurender solid state drive) feels like a very strong contender.
cheers
At the start of this thread you write: "I won't bore you with sources,...".
But I'm actually quite interested in what made you decide to go for the Klimax.
Key thing i would like to learn about is, did you compare it to the Berkeley Alpha?
I play with Akurate ds and want to upgrade.
Klimax DS is fantastic but BAD (idealy paired with Aurender solid state drive) feels like a very strong contender.
cheers
Thanks for asking. First I will bring you up to speed on the entire system: Sophia 3s, VTL 6.5 Pre amp, VTL 450 monoblocks, Linn Klimax 2, Transparent interconnects/cables. On order...on track for a six week wait. Why Linn? For starters I already have a Linn Majik DSi/109s with a NAS, so I am familiar with the Linn Line and the concept of networked music. Add to that I have heard and loved the Klimax...so frankly I didn't look at many other options. I may have made a mistake but I am where I am...
No it doesn't. Just Ethernet. However they do have a new product-
Klimax DSM - that has digital inputs and a built in Pre amp. Supposedly sounds amazing though I have not heard it...
Thanks!
I am interested in going down the server-based route, but I'm still learning about all these technical details, and reading a lot of posts on here to get better ideas.
Mike
Well, when it works it is awesome, but having a very healthy network is obviously important. It is maddening when it doesn't work. However I don't have r2r, or vinyl, and I don't have the physical space or start up capital to really get into either, so I've decided to max out the possibilities that digital provides.
Cameron,
What media server software are you using on your NAS?
I'm using Twonky but I find refreshing of the NAS annoying.
It takes too long each time I put new files on the NAS. (And I don't even think about rebuild, this takes hours)
What media server software are you using on your NAS?
I'm using Twonky but I find refreshing of the NAS annoying.
It takes too long each time I put new files on the NAS. (And I don't even think about rebuild, this takes hours)
Excuse me for barging in, but I take encouragment from the thread's title. I've been offered a nice discount on some Sophia's at a dealer here in Nashville. He is also carries Mcintosh along with Mark Levenson and B&W. It has been suggested I use a Mac 6600 as an amp and take a MCD 500 as a source. The 6600 has some phono options, I believe, and I can add a FM tuner module if I like. Also, I think, the MCD has DAC if I wanted to explore those posibilities. I'm not completely convinced and am exploring the "high end" as I would like to have something nice for my declining years. I should say I have a small room and listen mostly to acoustic music-- traditional American, bepop jazz, and classical. Thanks for your indulgence, I'm new around here and I would like to hear your opinions. It seems like a pretty nice place, I appreciate being here. Thank you for your help. PS: I guess part of my question is about if the 6600 is enough to do justice to the Sophia.
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Hi Dleroy,
Nice situation to be in...the Sophias are great speakers. Assuming you have decided you are running with the Sophias then my own 2 cents is:
- the Sophia is a very good speaker and therefore gives you a wide range of options because in many respects, the higher quality electronics you go, the more the speaker will deliver because it is that good.
- i have not heard the Mc equipment you mention, and can only say i have a good friend who owns Wilsons and loves them with his Mc equipment...the 2300 amps i believe.
- As to specific suggestions, a few answers from you would help:
1. do you have a rough budget or budget range?
2. if you had to rank your priorities in sound, how would you rank the following:
1. purity of tonality
2. Volume/pure undulterated power
3. tight-fisted control, extraordinary detail
4. low noise-floor, superb decay
5. extension, soundstaging
When you listen to your music do you enjoy 'midrange magic...female jazz vocals', 'thumping deep tight bass', incredible detail, clarity, 'accurate, accurate, accurate' in-the-recording-studio playback?
While the Sophias are slightly more forgiving than other older Wilsons...they can probably deliver the above to you depending on your choice of electronics...Halcro v ARC Tubes, vs Lamm, vs Gryphon.
Thanks for any guidance on the above, and then happy to share further thoughts (one man's opinion...who currently owns Wilsons.)
Nice situation to be in...the Sophias are great speakers. Assuming you have decided you are running with the Sophias then my own 2 cents is:
- the Sophia is a very good speaker and therefore gives you a wide range of options because in many respects, the higher quality electronics you go, the more the speaker will deliver because it is that good.
- i have not heard the Mc equipment you mention, and can only say i have a good friend who owns Wilsons and loves them with his Mc equipment...the 2300 amps i believe.
- As to specific suggestions, a few answers from you would help:
1. do you have a rough budget or budget range?
2. if you had to rank your priorities in sound, how would you rank the following:
1. purity of tonality
2. Volume/pure undulterated power
3. tight-fisted control, extraordinary detail
4. low noise-floor, superb decay
5. extension, soundstaging
When you listen to your music do you enjoy 'midrange magic...female jazz vocals', 'thumping deep tight bass', incredible detail, clarity, 'accurate, accurate, accurate' in-the-recording-studio playback?
While the Sophias are slightly more forgiving than other older Wilsons...they can probably deliver the above to you depending on your choice of electronics...Halcro v ARC Tubes, vs Lamm, vs Gryphon.
Thanks for any guidance on the above, and then happy to share further thoughts (one man's opinion...who currently owns Wilsons.)
I suggest you take both the levinson and the mc intosh amps home for a try out from the dealer
For me , i would go with levinson , power /warm/neutral
Mac : tubey /rounded ( i must say i have not very much expirience with mac , just 2 or 3 times at shops /shows
For me , i would go with levinson , power /warm/neutral
Mac : tubey /rounded ( i must say i have not very much expirience with mac , just 2 or 3 times at shops /shows
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I wouldn't use tubes with Sophia lll's although a hybrid such as the Lamm would also be good. As for the choice of Mc equipment, it will sound fine if SS (my hunch is it is tubes)
Thanks for your early replies folks. Quite frankly Wilson was not on my radar as I was aware of their rep in certain circles for being a bit strident. However, after seeing them over at the only place in Nashville that has a few "high end" pieces, I looked up the more recent evaluations and was suitably impressed enough to give them serious some consideration. Sadly, this shop is rather limited to mainly Mac equipment. So if I'm after one stop shopping....... Anyway the 6600 integrated is 200 watts a side SS and has a complete suit of functions. On the other hand I might want to go with some seperates, either Mcintosh or perhaps look further afield. The Lamms suggested by Steve are an interesting possibility. I guess for a start I'll be going over to the local place for further investigation and report back. This is a great place to learn-- vast knowledge and the willingness to share. Much appreciated
Dleroy,
My two cents on the 'sterile' bit.
Some speakers are voiced to have an genuine 'midrange magic' that comes thru with (almost) any kind of electronics. Sonus Faber, Celestion, Epos...all good examples of speakers that have this. I owned 2 of the 3 and always enjoyed them.
Other speakers are engineered to pass the signal thru...plain and simple. Wilson certainly seems to suggest they focus on this method. Pass it thru. Which means if you get a source that might (in a tube, Sonus FAber setup) sound perfectly wonderful...it might sound a touch hard with a Wilson.
That said, the latest generation of Wilsons (Sasha, for example) somehow seem to perform the 'pass thru' technical bit as well as ever, while somehow being more 'forgiving?' if that's the right word.
So coming to your earlier concern about Wilsons being strident, the Sophia falls into the later generation of production at Wilson that are both pass thru while somehow feeling more forgiving than the older Wilsons might have been. I have heard the 5, 6, 7, 8 Watts...and i think our own venerable Steve Williams may even have owned them all.
Good luck.
My two cents on the 'sterile' bit.
Some speakers are voiced to have an genuine 'midrange magic' that comes thru with (almost) any kind of electronics. Sonus Faber, Celestion, Epos...all good examples of speakers that have this. I owned 2 of the 3 and always enjoyed them.
Other speakers are engineered to pass the signal thru...plain and simple. Wilson certainly seems to suggest they focus on this method. Pass it thru. Which means if you get a source that might (in a tube, Sonus FAber setup) sound perfectly wonderful...it might sound a touch hard with a Wilson.
That said, the latest generation of Wilsons (Sasha, for example) somehow seem to perform the 'pass thru' technical bit as well as ever, while somehow being more 'forgiving?' if that's the right word.
So coming to your earlier concern about Wilsons being strident, the Sophia falls into the later generation of production at Wilson that are both pass thru while somehow feeling more forgiving than the older Wilsons might have been. I have heard the 5, 6, 7, 8 Watts...and i think our own venerable Steve Williams may even have owned them all.
Good luck.
I would think that if you buy a sophia , you have a lot of loudspeakervalue for a modest price , its a very good high end start, amps are personal , but i would not be suprised the sophia needs power .
I would have to look at the impedance graphic for that and the efficiency.
well i did , the JA measured eff. is 88.3 Db which is modest , certainly not high
the impedance drops to 3.15 Ohms in the 100 hz region .
it does need power, more power gives more unit control or i should say more current gives more loudspeakercontrol
http://www.stereophile.com/content/wilson-audio-sophia-series-3-loudspeaker-measurements
I would have to look at the impedance graphic for that and the efficiency.
well i did , the JA measured eff. is 88.3 Db which is modest , certainly not high
the impedance drops to 3.15 Ohms in the 100 hz region .
it does need power, more power gives more unit control or i should say more current gives more loudspeakercontrol
http://www.stereophile.com/content/wilson-audio-sophia-series-3-loudspeaker-measurements
Wow...nice one Andromedaaudio...that is very, very valuable to know. i did not realize that, having heard the Sophias with the big MBL monos as i recall. And the Watt 8s which i thought sounded better with them than with the big Krell Evo 900 monos.
Dleroy - FWIW, i would take note of Andromedaaudio's post. High current to drive the speaker effortlessly will be important (among other things of course).
Finally, the big Levinson is a powerhouse of an amplifier, comfortably exceeding its rated power. Specified at 150W into 8 ohms, it actually didn't clip (defined as 1% THD+N) into that load until 265W (24.2dBW)! And the wall AC supply, at 114.5V, was starting to droop—this means that, with its own dedicated 30A line, this amplifier will probably put out 300W into 8 ohms.
Fig.8 Mark Levinson No.33H, distortion (%) vs output power into (from bottom to top): 8 ohms, 4 ohms, and 2 ohms.
Into 4 ohms, the maximum output power almost doubled, to 500W (24dBW); into 2 ohms, 900W was available (23.4dBW). (The wall AC voltages for these power figures were 113.3V and 112.5V, respectively.) As we don't have a dummy 1 ohm resistive load capable of sinking the almost 2kW that the Mark Levinson is presumably capable of putting out into this load, I wasn't able to check its clipping power into 1 ohms. However, the fractional decibel drop in dBW each time the load is halved suggests that this amplifier behaves as an almost perfect voltage source.—John Atkinson
I like that last sentence , thats why i like high currentdelivering stable amps this was 1998 and they still go for substantial amounts of money
Fig.8 Mark Levinson No.33H, distortion (%) vs output power into (from bottom to top): 8 ohms, 4 ohms, and 2 ohms.
Into 4 ohms, the maximum output power almost doubled, to 500W (24dBW); into 2 ohms, 900W was available (23.4dBW). (The wall AC voltages for these power figures were 113.3V and 112.5V, respectively.) As we don't have a dummy 1 ohm resistive load capable of sinking the almost 2kW that the Mark Levinson is presumably capable of putting out into this load, I wasn't able to check its clipping power into 1 ohms. However, the fractional decibel drop in dBW each time the load is halved suggests that this amplifier behaves as an almost perfect voltage source.—John Atkinson
I like that last sentence , thats why i like high currentdelivering stable amps this was 1998 and they still go for substantial amounts of money
Steve williams
Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I like ML on Wilson as I do also like Krell. Neither would be a disappointment
I also like the Lamm M1.2 Reference for the Sophia
I also like the Lamm M1.2 Reference for the Sophia
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