OP,
What sort of sound levels were you listening at? With the Sabrina’s being 87 db sensitivity, I really think you are going to want more than 30;watts.
Wilson Sabrina X ... oh my God! and Jadis... or?
Well, I’ve been a sucker for high efficiency and low powered tube amps, but the other day was visiting a good store and they had several Wilson speakers; the man offered me to sit and relax enjoying the Sabrina X, with a Jadis DA-50s and... BIG MISTAKE! Cannot stop thinking in such beautiful, full, complete, non fatiguing sound, I had 2 hours of pure enjoyment, seriously Didn’t want to leave room.
So here I am sending all my stuff and getting what I really think is the final game? At the end, I’ve never listened to such expensive and fantastic speakers. Fed by the aforementioned Jadis, a Prima Luna DAC and a Innuos Zenith, a shame I couldn’t play some records, but He said He was even better with vinyl reproduction.
I started with Isaac Hayes - Close to You from Black Moses... the voice was spread everywhere the room and just came from the amp, which was in the middle of the rack, just amazing, also played some flamenco, funk, classical, Jazz, Blues, Bossanova, Samba, everything was just spot on and sounded far beyond the speakers, without losing presence in front of me, hard to explain.
Now that I’m in, and pulled the trigger for an Ivory ones, need a proper amp for a few months till my wallet recover or sell the stuff I have.
I have a Goldmund Telos 7, which is beautiful Swiss made small amp, 175wpc Class AB with a fantastic DAC inside. But wondering if going Tube path is the right thing, cause I heard such airiness, full bodied, non fatiguing and relaxed sound with Jadis that was awesome!
Thought about these ones:
-Jadis DA-50S
-Mastersound Duetrenta
-Audio Research GSI75 (someone sells to me at good price)
-VAC Sigma iq170
-EAR Yoshino 834
-Lyric Ti200
-Octave V70 Class A
-Any of RAVEN tube amps?
Solid State: (Thinking from the "most analog sound"):
-Pass Labs INT-60
-Mark Levinson 5805
-Krell k-300i
-Boulder 866
-Coda (dunno much)
-ModWright (dunno much)
-Moon (dunno much)
-Kinki EX-M1PLUS
Not sure going Class D, although reading lately a lot about GanFet Class D amps like AGD, Java, Gato, Aavik...
I’m going integrated for now and for a few years, if it got a DAC or Phono inside, better, but can live without them inside.
What I don’t want to lose is that 3D, great body sound that valves used to give me, more into musical pure joy than High End nowadays.
Btw, speakers cables were Nordost and Crystal Cable, being the later one maybe more open and higher volume but maybe less controlled if I remember well.
Much appreciated, these Wilson left me in shock.
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@superelmar the front end components are not in the same class as the price of the speakers and amp. Seems too good to be true, and you know what that means. Have you ever gone wine tasting and were having fun and the wine was great. you bought a case, got it home and it tasted like crap? A lot depends on the environment and your mental state. I wouldn't make big decisions without more research. Best of luck, Jerry |
I was looking for new speakers and an amp last year. I also was in the high efficiency speaker, low powered amp camp. The first speakers I listened to were the Sabrina X. I knew the D’Agostino amps were a popular match, but I told the dealer I couldn’t afford them. He insisted on demoing them with Audio Research Ref equipment and it sounded amazing. I asked him to let me hear them with electronics I could afford so he set them up with Naim electronics, and much of the magic was gone. I wanted to hear them with the Audio Research i50 but he wouldn’t set that up for me. In the end I bought Devore O96’s with a Leben CS600 amp that I’ve been very happy with. I’m glad to hear you found a less expensive tube amp that works well with the Sabrinas. With limited dealers who carry limited products I never had a chance to hear the Sabrinas with a tube amp that I could afford. I wondered if the VAC integrated amp would be good match. |
- 46 posts total