What's a good amplifier match with Wilson Benesch? Without arguing

[The Devil]

The sound is sweeter with the Lavvy's and slower too, bass is a touch fuller, but not as extended or anyway near the control offered by the B/c's..

Tony .... ....Tony. .................Sigh.


Can you please explain what this all means? You are clearly an expert on hi-fi, and yet I don't know what you are trying to say.

My translation reads:

"The B/Cs are better than the Lavvy's! Ner ner ner-ner ner! So there! Saddo!!! You bought the wrong box, you sad loser!"

But I may be completely wrong.

 

[I-S]

James - please leave it alone. This thread has been around the loop once already.

 

[Pete]

I have a pair of Discovery's and have used them with great results with a Musical Fidelity E11 integrated, but at £300 its hardly the perfect partner.

I now use a Mark Levinson No.334 after trying lots of other amps:
Conrad Johnson
Bel Canto
Linn
Bryston

I find the Levinson to be by far the best with them but my advice is to get some demo's and try some for yourself.

 

[Garmt]

Can you please explain what this all means? You are clearly an expert on hi-fi, and yet I don't know what you are trying to say.

My translation reads:

"The B/Cs are better than the Lavvy's! Ner ner ner-ner ner! So there! Saddo!!! You bought the wrong box, you sad loser!"

But I may be completely wrong.

I don't read that at all, maybe you are indeed best to leave it well alone... I know what he means and I can agree, Lavardin indeed has a sweet sound, with a nice warm bass (though it doesn't tread the path of real colouration). I think the Lavardin gives a very musical sound and I don't crave for a less sweet or faster sound, I like the Lavardin like it is!

 

[Garmt]

I have a pair of Discovery's and have used them with great results with a Musical Fidelity E11 integrated, but at £300 its hardly the perfect partner.

Very interesting pairing...

I now use a Mark Levinson No.334 after trying lots of other amps:
Conrad Johnson
Bel Canto
Linn
Bryston

I find the Levinson to be by far the best with them but my advice is to get some demo's and try some for yourself.

Could you describe what you liked less in the other amps?

Thanks!

 

[Curt]

Hey Bubsy you and Tones been bed sharing again


Curt

 

[Cloth-Ears]

I was excited to see that the original attempt to discuss this got transfered to the Kindergarten section.

I was hoping to add my own immature and trite contribution to the squabbling but then the thread got closed.

Now the thread has been rekindled here but "without arguing", may I just say:

EVERYTHING ANYONE SAID HERE IS WRONG AND YOU ARE ALL STUPID !

To further wind up the moderators I shall now utter some random rude words:

BOTTOMS ! UNDERWEAR ! TOILET SEATS ! PANTS !

 

[penance]

Very helpfull

 

[tones]

Hey Bubsy you and Tones been bed sharing again
Curt

I do hope you meant the other one . James and I are just good fiends.

 

[anon_bb]

bryston, chord, plinius, gamut, brinkmann ;-)

 

[dominicT]

I recently listened to some ARCs with my Quad 99cdp and 909 and they sounded great. The dealer favoured partnering the ARCs with something that was not too bright and lean as they would be fatiguing. I listened to the ARCs when I had my Wadia and they were great for 20 minutes, now that I have the Quad they sounded great - to me. If you like naim gear (very forward sound) you would not like to partner them with Quad. if you are in London, KJ West One have a wide range of amps that you could try them with.

 

[Garmt]

I'm in The Netherlands, but thanks for your comments... Maybe if I am in the neighbourhood... Having listened around more, I have now heard them partnered with NAIM (a bit too grainy and 'reproduced' for me, although good timing and drive, like always with NAIM) and AR: good match, but I like more dynamic contrast, low level detail, aliveness...I also know the Quad player and amp and I think the Arc deserves better, although it certainly will sound safe enough...

 

[Pete]

Very interesting pairing...



Could you describe what you liked less in the other amps?

Thanks!

You would be amazed how good the sound was from the E11, it is a great budget performer.

I tried the following and these were my thoughts as I remember [about 18 months ago since getting the No.334]...

***Please understand they were ALL fantastic amps though and any one would have made me happy - nothing really sounded poor except the Bel Canto, and that all relative because in some respects it was the best piece of equipment.

Conrad Johnson MV60- Sweet sounding but cold not raise serious levels without getting very hot, the bass was tuneful but could have been tighter, and i dont fancy the idea of having to replace valves.

Bel Canto evo200.2- Almost too hifi for its own good. Brilliantly transparent and analytical, but didn't quite have the 'boogie' factor I was after.

Linn klimax 500 monoblock pair- Sensational performance, but pushing the budget so I had to make a real world choice against it. Very rare so not many ex-dem or used around, unlike the others.

Bryston 14bsst- AWESOME on some material. Very close to call between this and the No.334.

I chose the No.334 because it sounds exactly like I wanted. Its tight, detailed, very accurate and above all I find it tuneful.

I listen to a vast array of music types and the No.334 could be beaten by some of the others on certain CD's but it was the way it was the true all rounder sealed it for me. There really is nothing I can play on it that doesn't move me.

But like I said previously, make a shortlist and have a listen with your kit and cables. I am assuming your system is otherwise as you want it because other changes will influence things. When I upgraded my system to un Nordost Valhalla throughout it was a surreal difference in sound.

 

[Hamilton]

For WB owners: what do you use with your speakers and are you satisfied with the match?

Thanks!

I use a Bryston (3B SST) with my W-B's and am very satisfied. I have the older Orator floorstanders, but they work very well with the Bryston and I'd be surprised if the Arcs don't. Worth having a listen to the 3B SST - some suggest its the sweetest-sounding of the SST range and I don't think you'll need the heft of the 14B SST with Arcs (and could save some money)...

Cheers

 

[Garmt]

I use a Bryston (3B SST) with my W-B's and am very satisfied. I have the older Orator standmounts, but they work very well with the Bryston and I'd be surprised if the Arcs don't. Worth having a listen to the 3B SST - some suggest its the sweetest-sounding of the SST range and I don't think you'll need the heft of the 14B SST with Arcs (and could save some money)...

Cheers

What equipment have you partnered with the Bryston? Source? Pre-amp? Cables?

Thanks!

 

[Hamilton]

What equipment have you partnered with the Bryston? Source? Pre-amp? Cables?

Thanks!

Pioneer DVD player - Monarchy DIP Classic - Monarchy 22C dac - Bent NOH tvc, VH Audio diy silver XLR and DNM Reson speaker cables. Bit of an odd mix but it works for me. The Monarchy dac has a very nice musical multibit sound with excellent bass, the combination of the VH cables and Bent is very transparent.

 

[vince1]

Wilson Benesch Speakers and amp matching

Hi, I have a pair of Wilson Benesch Curve speakers (carbon fibre cabinets), fantastically revealing, punchy & dynamic sound powered by a Karan KI180 integrated amp. The WB Curves ideally need some power to control the lower registers plus the Karan adds a little warmth that tames the treble to make a match made in heaven (in my 20' x 15' listening room with wooden floors)

Vince.