Wolf Audio Server/Streamer Owners

Do you still have it

A Wolf Alpha 3SX has been in my system for almost a year.  Originally it fed my Ayre QX5/20 DAC with excellent results.  This past April I changed to a Diablo 300 with it’s DAC module and the Wolf continues to make every session a pleasure.  I still love my analogue also…

Let  me add to the accolades.  I am a proud owner ( 2 months) of a Wolf Luna R with Flux capacitor and 4TB drive.  I use the touchscreen as I want to limit the amount of garbage in the air in my listening room.  I got the Luna R to start archiving my cd's as I was running out of space in the rack.  Once set up ( with Joe's help online), it has performed flawlessly and I could not be happier with it.  I connect via Shunyata Alpha USB to an Eleven Audio Sagra ladder Das and I have to say that the resulting sound is engaging and stunning- as good as my analog playback.  Thumbs UP for WOLF!!!!

put me on the wait list for the Hyperion. There is IMO still a reason for a TT.

Has anyone upgraded from a NAIM or has Joe transitioned the goofy ( imo ) Wav lack of metadata file / folder structure to a Wolf server ? Like David, I have been playing ripped files for over a decade. I get the allure :-)

How does it compare to Antipodes CX/EX?

  My Wolf Alpha 3 with Flux Capacitor has changed the way I listen to music.  In combination with my Berkeley Alpha DAC (through a Berkeley USB converter), my digital playback now equals my vinyl playback. 
  Frankly, this was a complete shock to me.  I'm a vinyl enthusiast for sure, but principally because I want the highest possible emotional connection to the music.  The combination of the Alpha 3 with a great DAC delivers that connection on every level, and of course accessing the music I want is so much easier than playing records. 
  To me, though, the best part of being a Wolf owner is the support.  Joe P. is simply amazing and bends over backward to assist Wolf owners.  I've sent questions in on weekends and Joe has called me on a Sunday afternoon to get me hooked up.  Outstanding!  Joe also suggested that I try Qobuz and that has been a game changer also.  The Alpha's power and precision make streaming hi-rez music seamless. 
  I own a top-shelf analog rig: SME 30/2 with Series V arm; Soundsmith Hyperion cartridge; BAT VK-P10 SE with Superpak phono pre; BAT  VK-50 SE preamp.  My entire analog rig has been removed from my system and has been in my store room for about five months.  My system now consists of the Alpha 3, Berkeley Alpha DAC, Luxman m900u amp, and Tekton Ulfberht speakers.  The sound is glorious.  After serious consideration, I will be listing and selling my entire analog rig.  The Wolf Alpha 3 is THAT good!! 

How does it compare to Antipodes CX/EX?

@thewolfaudio  Thanks. Looking forward to your update.

@arion  PM sent.

@david_ten  I apologize for not being more clear. I am not a Wolf Audio dealer but a happy customer. I was just offering a phone conversation if that may help in any way. Good luck in your search!

@arion   Thank you. Not 'long-winded' at all. Your post is insightful and helpful.

I've been trying to get a demo unit in for an audition. Since another dealer is involved, I will not overstep. Should that change, I will reach out in the future.  Thanks again!

@lwin   Thanks for your response. 

I started streaming around 2005 and have been streaming 100% since the late 2000s after walking away from a CDP / CDT based system.

It's clear from the posts in this thread that Wolf Audio's support of their customers is stellar. 

I would like to hear from those who have made direct comparisons with other Servers to get a better feel for differences / strengths / weakness as well as the relevant system chain, so I can extrapolate synergies.  Thank you!

Note: in addition to Wolf Audio, the following servers are under consideration: Pink Faun, Taiko, Innuos. 

@david_ten I live out in the sticks so I am looking at a 3 hour drive to get to a store that would allow me to do comparisons and I would have to return it when I  am done so I had to do a little research of what was available online and Wolf Audio caught my attention. One of my criteria was customer service. Like pgleekel I am a baby boomer and I was sure I would need more than normal customer support and every time I needed help, Joseph was there so that criteria was addressed.
 My next criteria was I wanted a piece of gear built with high fidelity in mind not computing.For several years I had been using a custom gaming laptop with 1tb ssd, I7 chip and 32 gb of ram with J River. My personal opinion is that a laptop can be used for hifi and sometimes can sound pretty good but it isn’t a hifi device. I purchased a Wolf Alpha 2 that also had 1tb ssd, I7 chip and 32gb ram.Once  I got the Wolf fully broken in the laptop was relegated to a second system as the Wolf was obviously better. 
Having grown up with turntables it is pretty neat just to kick back and tap my I-pad to select what I want to play. If a guest asks for an artist or song that is not in my library I just slide into Tidal, Pandora, Spotify and their request is almost always fulfilled. I have also noticed that all my guests like to get the I-pad in their hands and be the DJ.
If you have a good system and you want to get the best out of it digitally you should try a server/streamer/ripper. 

A shout out of thanks and appreciation to the owners of Wolf Audio Servers who have posted here.

If any have conducted direct comparisons (in your own systems) versus other servers, can you share more? 

I too wanted to share my experience with my Wolf server. I have an Alpha 2. I was in the middle of seriously considering having Joe upgrade it to an Alpha 3x before the virus hit.  But, now alas have decided to reign things until this passes. On that note I hope you all are safe and well.

I am a 60+ year old audiophile so my computer skills are not what I would call my strength. This has been a non-issue given the absolutely incredible support I have received from Joe. I send an e mail to Joe looking for assistance and without fail, Joe has been there for me. That he can access my system  remotely makes things very easy for me.It has made my enjoyment of the server one of ease and free of any concerns.

As far as the performance, it is outstanding. I went from an Auralic Aries, now in a second system, to the Wolf. The upgrade in sound was obvious from the first moment I had it up and running.  Bass is taut, deep and impactful. The middle fill is all the more present, as is the sound stage. I have read reviews where reference has been made to a wall to wall and wrap around sound stage.  Never had that in my system; now I do!  Similarly, detail is that much better as are transients.

Botton line, although I did not audition any other servers, I could not be happier; well unless and until I step up the Wolf line.

Having a sizable vinyl collection and many CDs I was content with flipping disks and not in a big rush to purchase a music server. The real push came from exhibiting at audio shows. I realized that we were limiting our music selection. I met Joe at the CAF show 2018. I didn't fully appreciate the quality of the Wolf servers until we partnered to exhibit together at The Home Entertainment Show 2019. Wow, our room sounded great. At least that's what many people told me. At this point I have probably exhibited at close to 30 shows and I have to say having the Wolf server was a great experience. First and foremost the sound quality was outstanding. The Wolf was easy to use and having so much music at our fingertips was just plain fun. We exhibited together again at CAF 2019 and are ready for AXPONA 2020 if it happens. I purchased a Red Wolf 2 for our showroom. BTW, I did research many other music servers before purchasing the Red Wolf. Joe has been extremely helpful and patient helping this non computer audio guy (me) get through the learning curve. If any of you are in the Charlotte, NC area and want to check it out (AFTER WE ALL GET THROUGH THIS CRISIS) just let me know. Thanks Joe for building such a wonderful product!

We are here at work, practicing social distancing, disinfecting and following all guidelines outlined by all governing bodies in order to do our part in keeping the global wheels turning.

Hey everyone, it's Joe... I wanted to give a big thanks to those who have shared their experiences, and I am starting to send this link on to other Wolf owners so that they can also chime in. It is great to see the positive responses here - it really makes all this worthwhile.  What I am reading is indicative of the whole point of why we started Wolf - to help audiophiles make the most of this new digital audio world. We've sat in some of your homes, we've found new bands and artists thanks to you, and many of you have been with us since the start. You can chart the evolution of our systems and processes by your own listening experiences.
On another note, I feel a bit bad for Will and Fred and Wes, some of you have met them, but they are also working tirelessly in the background to keep things running smooth here at Wolf. If you have any anecdotes with regard to them helping you out, lets hear them!
I hope that this thread will grow and that through it, some of you will make new friends and learn some new ways to enjoy your Wolf that you weren't aware of previously. I will also make myself and my team available for questions, so please, reach out!
The Alpha 3 SX is big. Next month, the Stereophile article comes out and Jason Serinus seems to have had a pretty good time with the server. The performance of it is so good that we are working on an upgrade to our Red Wolf line, and hell, that might be ready by the new AXPONA dates. We shall see! Thanks everyone!

Hi all, I want to share my experience with the Alpha 3. My objective was to listen to my substantial accumulated digital music with something other than sound boxes or computer speakers. I needed good sound. I already had a good sound system: Creek Audio integrated amp, a great pair of Harbeth 40 speakers, Linn Ikemi cd player. I tried first connecting my ipad with a earphone to RCA inputs connected to my Creek and the sound was just a fuller computer output sound.  I then tried a DAC with a docking station for the ipod/iphone and the result was very disappointing. I came across an advertisement from Wolf Audio and couldn’t really figure out what it was. I called Joe who patiently walked me through what a set up might look like for the result I was expecting. I was very impressed by the extent of Joe’s involvement. He helped me in choosing the DAC and cables, supervised 3rd party shipments, took many calls from me and was on top of the process from beginning to end. I acquired a Wolf Audio Alpha 3 with 4tb,  A Bryston BDA-3 DAC and Wireworld Silver cabling- all connected to my Creek Audio and Harbeths. The setup took about 1 hour, Joe on the phone walking me through the process. The Alpha is a fantastic component, fast, quiet; cool looking; the screen and keyboard were well chosen by Wolf;  it came loaded with software and media. The sound is very good. Some music is extraordinary, the best I’ve found is Qobuz. Jrivers is great. But even my playlists in Spotify sound captivating, deep, clear, with a whole lot of detail, beautiful bass. I’m very happy with my purchase and thankful to Joe and his team for producing high quality products but especially providing a superb service. Thank you!

Thanks guys for the responses. If there is one thing we can all agree on is the only thing that can be better than Joseph’s service is his servers. I encourage each of you to try some different power cords. Wolf products will immediately tell you if they like the cords or not. After trying a lot of power cords my favorite is the Voodoo Air Phoenix. I have my Red Wolf 2 sitting on a Synergistic Research Transporter as well as it’s power supply. Each Transporter is sitting on Isopods also made by Voodoo cable. Currently I am using a Synergistic Research UEF usb cable that finally sent my longtime Lightspeed usb cable into retirement. 

Wolf Audio Systems really restored my interest in digital audio.  A few months ago I found myself growing tired of hearing digital through my MacBook Pro and Lampizator Level 4.  It sounded OK but after having issues with my files and libraries I was done.  I was considering an Aurender but an audiophile friend suggested I take a look at Wolf so I settled on a Luna.  I couldn’t be happier.  First of all, I wasn’t expecting such a massive upgrade in sound quality.  The noise floor, tonal quality, and bass are the best I’ve had in my system.  The soundstage rivals my analog rig.  It’s ginormous! And the treble is sweet and extended.  I feel like I am finally getting what I paid for from my DAC.  In addition Wolf has a relationship with Audience and their USB’s are highly recommended.  I already had an AU 24SE USB prior to getting the Luna so I didn’t need convincing.  As far as file management goes, I’ve had some problems with my old files that Joe Parvey helped me to resolve.  I would never have been able to do this myself.  Incredible customer service for someone with the entry level server!  Try that with some of the other server companies.  Wolf is perfect for the computer audio newbie as well as the experienced computer audiophile who wants to take things to the nth level.  And Joe Parvey is still helping me months later.  Great company with great products.  You can’t go wrong.

Glad to hear of the interest in Wolf. I am a very satisfied owner of an Alpha 3. I use Audience power chord into an Audience power conditioner into a dedicated power line. Only other tweek is vibration control. Looking forward to hearing the latest updates but this unit is excellent. I have a highly resolving system and this is a worthy front end. The tone, separation and noise floor is spot on. It’s also very  versatile playing Roon, Que Buz , Tidal and a large collection of PCM and DSD. This unit  has also been reliable. When I had to ship it back to Florida for service it went same day air and was back the next day working perfectly, setting a new standard of service. Whenever I require support Joe is on the line resolving what I screwed up, a windows problem or software issue. Wolf takes the hassle out of digital for us non techies. After a few years I also have not exhausted features but I’ve gotten many hours of musical thrills.

I recently upgraded from a Wolf Alpha 2 to a Wolf Alpha 3SX and have realized a notable improvement of the sound. The Alpha 3SX offers a substantial and palpable improvement over the alpha-2 in both accuracy and musicality.The improvement was noticed immediately after upgrading from the alpha-2 . My entire music library seems new and fresh and the alpha 3SX has brought me hours of enjoyment.