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Wyred 4 Sound experience with 804Ds

I purchased a W4S ST-500 a couple of months ago for my 804Ds. I found an immediate improvement on my NAD amp in terms of soundtsage depth and width, clarity and detail from lows to highs. What I have noticed though is that, music dependent, the sound's can be little cold and lean. With warmth in the recordings it's not an issue and the sound is fantastic. I don't use a tube pre.

I thought I'd mention this for the benefit of those considering a W4S amp, and potentially other Class D amps. I suspect that these amps work best with "full bodied" speakers, and there might also be a lot to be said for synergy with tube pre's. In my case I'm sniffing around a Mcintosh MC302 to bring some of the warmth I had with the NAD back. I can absolutely see why these W4S amps are so highly praised, but my experience suggests there might be room for some qualification/care when choosing them.

Any experience from other 804D owners also valued.
128x128ullodea
jdec
123 posts
 
"A friend ditched his Mark Levinson monoblocks for the W4S in driving his Revel Salon2 speakers. " -Ryder

Ryder, do you remember the model of your friend's ML monoblocks? thanks
ryder
1,689 posts
 
JDec, they were the 531H monoblocks.

He was using a Bryston 4B-SST to drive his PMC EB1i's and subsequently upgraded to the 531H. He then replaced the EB1i's with the Revel Salon2 before ditching the 531H's for the Wyre4Sound. Some folks may be skeptical but this is what that has happened. A few friends who were in the room also concurred that the W4S were the better amps, probably for his speakers in his room.

As always, YMMV.
ullodea's avatar
ullodea OP
16 posts
 
Just to close the loop on this, my MC302 arrived this week. The MC302 is the better amp in just about every way (and it should be as it's 3x as expensive as the ST-500). Above all though, I was right in detecting a certain cold and detached quality to the ST-500. Kind of like the kid who gets the instrument technically right but isn't conveying emotion. The MC302 has much better mids, deeper, more satisfying bass, and I get way more emotionally "into" the music than I did when listening to the ST-500. It may lose to the ST-500 on the width of its soundstage, but I've only had it running a few hours.

Does make me wonder whether there's something to the oldschool criticism of Class D amps..
face
516 posts
 
Or you just prefer Mac's colored presentation?
mcgarick
277 posts
 
I just picked up a W4S ST-250 here on the Gon, and boy am I impressed....I love it! I wouldnt call it warm or cold.
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