Which electronics would you choose for Sasha DAW with the given budget?

[Gregadd]

With such speakers ss is always the default position.
Tubes are always good.

 

[Blackfield2023]

Thank you for the replies.

Even from these small samples thus far, we can see that they are simply so many amps out there and people have different taste and experiences, thus recommendation.

I wish I can be more specific on the sound and criteria that I am looking for on an amp, unfortunately, I don't have the experience to do so.

At this point, I would like to note few things:
1. My preference is to go with SS (I mentioned it in the original post). Thus, to narrow it down, I will not consider VTL, ARC.

2. Comfort is important when listening thus I am concerned if I can live with Class A amp that generates good amount of heat. Again, please consider that I live TX with small listening room, summer can reach 100F outside temp for 2-3 months. I am truly intrigue about Gryphon Essence but after more thoughts, I was going to exclude it from my considerations until I read @KeithR's reply - Gryphon Essence owner- who does not think it is space header. How large is your listening room, KeithR? I see that you live in CA, where the weather is probably comfortable most of the year.

3. Lamm, thank you @tima for sharing your Lamm review. I read your glowing review on it and the fact that you paired it with Wilson Audio means a great deal to me and that other people recommended it as well. I reluctantly am going to exclude it as well as I mentioned in the original post, I would like to go with company that has strong customer service in US and I am not sure if Lamm will have this in the long run. I plan to keep this next amp for a while. Even if I won't, selling it can be a concern as I won't be the only person that has the same concern.

4. I heard D'Agostinos Momentum powering WA Alexx V before, it was glorious and I have seen so many pairing with Wilson Audio on YT videos.
I did not mention it in my original post as I have slight concern with how frequent Dan keeps updating his amps, his somewhat nonchalant approach towards measurements, of course, the Momentum is outside of my budget as well. Look, please do not take this as me critiquing Dan, he is obviously a giant in the audio industry, this is just one potential customer point of view. I don't know where D'Agostinos amp's house sound is in comparison to Vitus, Gryphon, CH Precision and others.

5. DartZeel - the only one that might be in my budget is the integrated. I think I would like to go with separate.

 

[Lee]

IMHO;
I agree with @tima about Lamm hybrid mono blocks. I heard them with watt/puppies -predecessor of sasha- and the sound was good. It was a better match than gryphon, mark levinson, boulder etc for wilsons back then and I believe it still is. Another good option is vitus which I prefer over boulder, mark levinson, gryphon and especially CH precision.

If you insist on CH go for M1.1 instead of 1.5, which I compared both on same system and there is a big difference between them in terms of sound quality.

If you insist on boulder then go for 2060 or 2160 not the 1000 series.

I don’t think any of the above mentioned amplifiers will have problems driving wilson sashas. In addition to those I heard many amplifiers with sasha or watt/puppies (more or less same topology). The ones I remember are KR mono blocks, a couple of Kondo amps, conrad johnson premier eights, a couple of audio researchs, Nagra 845s, Tenor hybrids etc. Although it’s possible to drive them with tube amps I recommend you to stick with solid state or hybrid amps.

Watt/puppy or sasha are famous with their boomy bass due to double bass drivers in a separate box. Placing them very close to side walls can exaggerate this problem. I recommend you to consider moving them to side where windows will be behind them.

Finally consider getting a preamp if you’re not gonna buy an integrated cause there is no shortcut in this hobby. Dac’s volume control may not compensate the need for a good preamp.

Nah. The Sasha are not boomy if set up properly.

 

[LL21]

I am intrigued by your quest. I am going to take a risk, and suggest that you consider the following though I am unfamiliar with them...simply based on discussions I have had with owners and/or articles I have read.

- Mojo Audio X SE DAC: R2R, non-oversampling and direct-sale...which should help your quest budget-wise (new thought they have B-Stock)
- Innuous Statement Server (new)
- 2nd hand Audionet Humboldt (https://www.facebook.com/HighendBro...ition-complete-with-remote-/4292523780793667/)

Just barely within your budget, BUT world-class components by all accounts.

 

[mtemur]

Nah. The Sasha are not boomy if set up properly.

Neither watt/puppy series. But (there is a big but here) setting them up properly is very difficult. That’s the problem. Maybe w/p is a little bit worse than sasha but both easily become boomy IME.

 

[gleeds]

Blackfield, welcome to WBF. I love your clean room and set-up. With respect to boominess, while I see you use tube traps currently, several What's Best Members (notably Ron Resnick) have gotten exceptional results to tame bass anomalies using PSI Audio AVAA active tube traps. Although expensive these devices should be well worth the investment given your room configuration.

PSI Audio AVAA C20 - Active Bass Trap

Unique: easy to set up and move, no calibration required, as efficient as passive absorbers 25 times its size, the AVAA C20 typically reduces the resonance time of all room modes between 15 Hz and 150 Hz by up to 50%.

www.psiaudio.swiss

 

[tima]

Fwiw, KeithR has no industry insight. He is not a reliable source of information.

 

[abeidrov]

Another important factor is what equipment is available for audition in your area. I know this feeling when you read reviews, forums, ask questions and everyone tells you that a component X is the best choice and you should go for it. That’s how I got Mephisto I do not regret it, but I do regret not auditioning Lamm, Audio Research, VTL or VAC.

 

[TDX]

I have a smallish room as well. In my experience, a small room also needs a powerful amp. I can’t play the music too loudly. But at the low volume, I still got all the details. The bass is still punchy. If your amplifier is not powerful enough and you can’t play loudly due to size of the room, you won’t be able to hear what a big speaker can do.

 

[KeithR]

2. Comfort is important when listening thus I am concerned if I can live with Class A amp that generates good amount of heat. Again, please consider that I live TX with small listening room, summer can reach 100F outside temp for 2-3 months. I am truly intrigue about Gryphon Essence but after more thoughts, I was going to exclude it from my considerations until I read @KeithR's reply - Gryphon Essence owner- who does not think it is space header. How large is your listening room, KeithR? I see that you live in CA, where the weather is probably comfortable most of the year.

I live in the San Fernando valley that regularly sees 100+ degrees temps - my room is 20x14. Pass X series put off far more heat than the Essence in my room (I wouldn't try XA160s as a result). One reason I didn't get Lamms a few years ago also was the heat. I do think the Antileon would be much warmer than the Essence. It's a darker, more chocolate sound too. Best of luck!

 

[LL21]

I live in the San Fernando valley that regularly sees 100+ degrees temps - my room is 20x14. Pass X series put off far more heat than the Essence in my room (I wouldn't try XA160s as a result). One reason I didn't get Lamms a few years ago also was the heat. I do think the Antileon would be much warmer than the Essence. It's a darker, more chocolate sound too. Best of luck!

Adding to KeithR's Gryphon experience (I have not heard the Essence), I owned the Antileon (original), Colosseum and Mephisto. The Antileon definitely threw out a lot of heat and somehow always stuck out in my mind as creating heat issues in the room during particularly hot days. Less so the Mephisto and even less so the Colosseum.

Of these 3, second hand, I suspect the Colosseum could prove to be exceptional value for money and of the 3 maintains that pure Class A magic renown in the Gryphon design ethos...while also perhaps having the most neutral palette of the 3 as well.

 

[Blackfield2023]

I live in the San Fernando valley that regularly sees 100+ degrees temps - my room is 20x14. Pass X series put off far more heat than the Essence in my room (I wouldn't try XA160s as a result). One reason I didn't get Lamms a few years ago also was the heat. I do think the Antileon would be much warmer than the Essence. It's a darker, more chocolate sound too. Best of luck!

Interesting, thank you for the first hand feedback.

I have a smallish room as well. In my experience, a small room also needs a powerful amp. I can’t play the music too loudly. But at the low volume, I still got all the details. The bass is still punchy. If your amplifier is not powerful enough and you can’t play loudly due to size of the room, you won’t be able to hear what a big speaker can do.

Good point, I would love to have an amp that can provide tons of detail at low volume.

Adding to KeithR's Gryphon experience (I have not heard the Essence), I owned the Antileon (original), Colosseum and Mephisto. The Antileon definitely threw out a lot of heat and somehow always stuck out in my mind as creating heat issues in the room during particularly hot days. Less so the Mephisto and even less so the Colosseum.

Of these 3, second hand, I suspect the Colosseum could prove to be exceptional value for money and of the 3 maintains that pure Class A magic renown in the Gryphon design ethos...while also perhaps having the most neutral palette of the 3 as well.

Hi LL21,
I stumbled upon many of your posts while researching, your experiences with Gryphon are appreciated.
I also saw your previous post recommending Audionet Humboldt - I considered it at one point as it is an attractive package, decided to pass as I am not sure if the company is stable enough to be around in the long run - of course, I could be wrong on it.

 

[Kingsrule]

Westminster mono's and pre-amp. Keep everything in perspective $$ wise.
With DAW's this would be a killer system

 

[Mobiusman]

I concur with Kingsrule's recommendation on WestminsterLab amplification. I replaced some very high-end tube electronics with WestminsterLab Rei amplifiers and Quest pre-amplifier about nine months ago and found my end-game electronics at a price point that was far less than expected!

While i like the price point of the Westminster Lab gear, what I like even more is the sound of the Westminster Lab equipment. I have always loved class A amps, but the heat has always been a problem, not to mention their size and cost. The Westminster REI monoblocs have small footprints, are cool to touch and are surprisingly powerful, not to mention cost roughly 1/5 of what my former AB tube cost and to my taste sound better because of their class A. sound, their incredibly. fast rise time and decay time, with a noise floor that is amongst the lowest I have ever heard. The
Westminster Quest preamp is a wonderful mate to the REI amps. I have Von Schweikert Ultra 9's which are 4 ohms and the amps provide more than sufficient power to fill my entire house (2,000 square feet open construction) and thus should have no problem in your somewhat small room

While I like their price, it is the sound that I love and they are now part of my bucket list system. For me, music is all about believability, and put simply, these are the most believable amps and preamp I have every heard regardless of price. There is essentially no coloration to these products. One warning, plan on spending a lot of time listening to music because you will not want to stop because it is sounds so real.

 

[abeidrov]

I thought Pilium was the most neutral of all electronics, and now it’s Westminster

 

[TDX]

Good point, I would love to have an amp that can provide tons of detail at low volume.

That’s why I like CH, lots of detail. Another option not listed in your survey, Pilium. I’m biased as I own them. The box itself is stone cold after running for a whole day which suits the best in my small room. And lots of details even at very low volume with ease.

 

[mtemur]

I’ve never been a fan of Gryphon amps but I used their 4 pieces preamp back in the day. I bought a Gryphon preamp because it’s punchy character matching well with Mark Levinson power amp’s dark sound. It wasn’t a great sounding combo but it was still better than a full Mark Levinson setup (pre+power)

IME/IMHO If you add Transparent cables to Gryphon + Wilson combo I think you’ll achieve a big sound. So big that truck size drums, car size guitars, 3 meters tall women singing with zero musicality. I can only think of one worse option than that. It’s Mark Levinson electronics instead of Gryphon but I’m not sure which will be worst after all those years.

 

[DasguteOhr]

I'm not a wilson fan thats kicks good

 

[sbo6]

Late to the party, another Texan here.

Not much to add as there's plenty of good advice already. My 2 cents: Luxman M900s - you could get a pair and run mono which are fairly neutral amps with a great deal of current capability that don't get very hot. I'm contemplating going this route to replace my Audionet Max amps.

 

[Germanboxers]

Since you're willing to purchase used and have a budget of $50k I would recommend an MSB Reference DAC with its outstanding passive preamp, an antipodes K50 streamer or equivalent Innuous and Atma-Sphere Class D amps. You could easily stay below your budget buying used on the DAC and streamer and new on the Atma-Sphere amps since you probably can't find them used.

Atma-Sphere Class D - preliminary

Monoblock class D amplifer hand made in the USA.

www.atma-sphere.com