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  #21  
Old 04-01-2018, 02:16 PM
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Andrew Zakon Andrew Zakon is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bhatten View Post
Andrew,

Wow... Congrats on your amazing system and recent upgrade! Out of curiosity, have you had the opportunity to hear the Wilsons driven by tube pre-amp/amps or were the McIntosh electronics the only other ones used before the D’Agostino?
Unfortunately I had only opportunity to listen Wilson Audio Speakers only with McIntosh nontube amps and preamp in my setup. At high-end shows I also didn’t noticed WA paired with tube gear.
__________________
Analog: McIntosh MT10 with SME V tonearm and Van den Hull Colibri XGP Gold MC cartridge which is paired with McIntosh MP1100 phonopreamp;
Digital:modified Mac mini as Roon server with Uptone JS-2 Linear Power Supply which is connected to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB with Curious USB cable and then by Transparent Audio 110ohm Premium AES/EBU cable to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference series 2;
BD/SACD/CD player OPPO 205 (which also works as home theatre processor),
Preamp:Dan D’Agostino Progression preamp,
Amplifiers: 2 Dan D’Agostino Progression monoblock power amps,
Speakers: Wilson Audio Alexx,
Power unit: Nordost QBase Qb8 Mark II, QKore 6 earth unit
Audio Cables: Transparent Audio G5 Reference SC and balanced IC, the rest are all G5 Ultra
Power Cables: OMVLabs, Nordost

Last edited by Andrew Zakon; 04-01-2018 at 02:19 PM.
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  #22  
Old 04-01-2018, 03:14 PM
2fastdriving 2fastdriving is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Zakon View Post
Unfortunately I had only opportunity to listen Wilson Audio Speakers only with McIntosh nontube amps and preamp in my setup. At high-end shows I also didn’t noticed WA paired with tube gear.
WA is often paired with VTL and doshi tube amps with great results.
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  #23  
Old 04-01-2018, 05:05 PM
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Sharp 1080 Sharp 1080 is offline
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Default Progression monos and preamp joined my setup

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2fastdriving View Post
WA is often paired with VTL and doshi tube amps with great results.
You beat me to it. The first real good demo that I heard XLF's on were the big VTL's. Dire Straits was the featured group. It sounded so good! Before I bought the Dan D'Agostino Progression I borrowed a pair of ARC Reference 250 SE monoblocks. You definitely get soundstaging and depth and great sonics from those ARC amps. I could have lived with them except when it's time to retube them both!
__________________
Source Esoteric K-01X
Preamp Audio Research REF 10
Amplifier D'Agostino Progression monoblocks
Speakers Wilson Audio Maxx 3
Cables Transparent Reference Gen 5
Equipment rack and amp stands HRS
Power conditioning Transparent
Power outlets GTX-D(G) Gold-Plated duplex receptacles dedicated 20 amp lines.

Last edited by Sharp 1080; 04-01-2018 at 07:33 PM.
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  #24  
Old 04-01-2018, 05:44 PM
Bhatten Bhatten is offline
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My experience with Wilson have been with VTL and McIntosh.

My first set of Wilsons were Sophia 1s initially powered by VTL ST-85 (tubes) with a SS pre-amp. That was then upgraded to a VTL ST-150 amp, with the VTL TL-5.5 pre-amp. This was my main front end for many years and was incredibly satisfying.

Due to conveniences with the family and integration into my home theater system in the main room, I eventually sold of the tubes (both the amp and pre-amp) and went with a McIntosh SS amp running the Sophias (using a pre-pro).

I found myself becoming much less emotionally involved with music with this set up.

I then upgraded to Wilson MAXX 2s using the same electronics. It was a major improvement, but I still missed the "beautifulness of music", if that makes sense.

I changed my front end electronics back to VTL, this time with a S-400 amp and TL6.5 pre-amp. Now all that musical bliss is back!
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  #25  
Old 04-02-2018, 07:11 AM
1KW 1KW is offline
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Congratulations, thats kicking it up quite a notch
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  #26  
Old 04-02-2018, 11:03 PM
Bhatten Bhatten is offline
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Thanks. That’s for sure.

The synergy between the VTL amp and pre-amp helps for sure. I’m sure it’s the same for the D’Agostino electronics.
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  #27  
Old 04-05-2018, 12:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sharp 1080 View Post
Andrew,

I am pretty sure you have an enormous smile on your face? I can imagine in my mind how good it must sound with the addition of the Transparent G5 cabling. Prepare to be amazed at the change. I am curious as to what you are hearing? Congratulations on the useful addition.
Vern, how long did it take to break-in Your TA Reference G5 cable before they started sounding properly?

The problem is that my Ultras G5 sounded much better then Reference G5 (just out from the box it sounded terrible, it sounds like somebody put an curtain over the soundstage), now I have break them in for 16 hours. But still I am not satisfied with the sound (Ultra had tighter bass, more air and more detailed sound I have owned them for almost for 2 years in my setup).
__________________
Analog: McIntosh MT10 with SME V tonearm and Van den Hull Colibri XGP Gold MC cartridge which is paired with McIntosh MP1100 phonopreamp;
Digital:modified Mac mini as Roon server with Uptone JS-2 Linear Power Supply which is connected to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB with Curious USB cable and then by Transparent Audio 110ohm Premium AES/EBU cable to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference series 2;
BD/SACD/CD player OPPO 205 (which also works as home theatre processor),
Preamp:Dan D’Agostino Progression preamp,
Amplifiers: 2 Dan D’Agostino Progression monoblock power amps,
Speakers: Wilson Audio Alexx,
Power unit: Nordost QBase Qb8 Mark II, QKore 6 earth unit
Audio Cables: Transparent Audio G5 Reference SC and balanced IC, the rest are all G5 Ultra
Power Cables: OMVLabs, Nordost

Last edited by Andrew Zakon; 04-05-2018 at 12:58 AM.
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  #28  
Old 04-05-2018, 01:15 PM
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Sharp 1080 Sharp 1080 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew Zakon View Post
Vern, how long did it take to break-in Your TA Reference G5 cable before they started sounding properly?



The problem is that my Ultras G5 sounded much better then Reference G5 (just out from the box it sounded terrible, it sounds like somebody put an curtain over the soundstage), now I have break them in for 16 hours. But still I am not satisfied with the sound (Ultra had tighter bass, more air and more detailed sound I have owned them for almost for 2 years in my setup).


Andrew,

I changed from Super to Reference Gen5. I had a similar experience. No soundstage and they seemed to have less low end punch. I heard the change after 20 hours of playing. The bass did return but with more definition with it. Wide open and without issues now. I was still using it as a home theatre and stereosystem at the time so it was faster.
__________________
Source Esoteric K-01X
Preamp Audio Research REF 10
Amplifier D'Agostino Progression monoblocks
Speakers Wilson Audio Maxx 3
Cables Transparent Reference Gen 5
Equipment rack and amp stands HRS
Power conditioning Transparent
Power outlets GTX-D(G) Gold-Plated duplex receptacles dedicated 20 amp lines.
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  #29  
Old 04-05-2018, 04:25 PM
2fastdriving 2fastdriving is offline
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Give it time. My reference gen5 took a week to seem "right" to me.
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  #30  
Old 04-09-2018, 04:08 PM
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Andrew Zakon Andrew Zakon is offline
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Thank You for advice 2fastdriving.
Today received an answer from Transparent Audio:
"Reference Level cables require around 100hours of break-in and your speaker positioning should be adjusted every time a performance level change is made in cabling. The reason for this is that more musical information is passed on to your speakers with every upgrade in Transparent cables, including more low-frequency information which is what I suspect you are hearing in the bass."
__________________
Analog: McIntosh MT10 with SME V tonearm and Van den Hull Colibri XGP Gold MC cartridge which is paired with McIntosh MP1100 phonopreamp;
Digital:modified Mac mini as Roon server with Uptone JS-2 Linear Power Supply which is connected to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha USB with Curious USB cable and then by Transparent Audio 110ohm Premium AES/EBU cable to Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference series 2;
BD/SACD/CD player OPPO 205 (which also works as home theatre processor),
Preamp:Dan D’Agostino Progression preamp,
Amplifiers: 2 Dan D’Agostino Progression monoblock power amps,
Speakers: Wilson Audio Alexx,
Power unit: Nordost QBase Qb8 Mark II, QKore 6 earth unit
Audio Cables: Transparent Audio G5 Reference SC and balanced IC, the rest are all G5 Ultra
Power Cables: OMVLabs, Nordost

Last edited by Andrew Zakon; 04-09-2018 at 04:12 PM.
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