Legacy Whisper XD and Audio Research Amps

Sajid, Thanks for the complement. I'm glad I have been of assistance to you in finding some good gear. :)

The Skylla DAC is probably going to treat you very well. I believe it has the Gain switch that is used also on the CD-5. This is a very powerful feature and you should seek to test it out at different settings with the Whisper speakers. You will likely have a strong preference toward one or the other setting.

Pay careful attention to your CD transport, if you use one. It, and the S/PDIF cable, will have a big impact on the sound of the Skylla.

Are you planning on having more than one amp to use at any given time? i.e. solid state driving the Mid/treble at times and tube amp doing the same when you feel like switching them. If so, you're setting yourself up for a LOT of fun!

I do not want to give too much way, but I am reviewing a Coda amp currently. This particular amp is rich and full bodied, and matches up extremely well with the Whisper; it also sounded great with the Focus SE. I have not had the opportunity to try McIntosh with the Whisper.

Using the external crossover will enhance the performance, not diminish it. Your overall sound quality will be much higher than if the speaker was completely run with passive crossovers. I have found the processor to help preserve the sound of upstream components better than using a passive crossover.

Make sure you upgrade/change the cable on the processor! This can be easily forgotten. It makes as much difference to the sound as changing a power cord on the source or amp!
If you have two different brands of power cords, switch them around to see what difference it makes. You will likely hear a distinct difference and prefer one way over the other.

Also, upgrade the power cord to the internal speaker amp! Again, this will influence the bass positively. Your components and speakers will be refined enough to hear these changes, and together they will move your system to a much higher level.

Hi Douglas,

Yes the Skylla has the gain switch which makes a big difference in some difficult situations, esp with lower power amps. The transport i plan to use is the PS Audio Perfect Wave Transport. Though ideally I am still looking for a suitable transport with I2S output into the Skylla. Do you have any preferences when in comes to CD transports?

I plan to switch between the Triton and an SS amp, so I guess that will be a nice option to have. The guys at Legacy also tell me the Triton is a nice match for the XD.

Which Coda model are you reviewing now? Are you using it with the DSW?

Its great to know about the transparency of the processor. I am really looking forward to my Whisper as its my first high end speaker (i caught the audiophile bug just six months ago).

I will be placing an order for all AudioArt interconnects and power cords and will now be including the processor power cord as well. I am using the PurePower 2000 AC regenerator, so hopefully may not need much conditioning.

Would love to have a sneak preview of your review of the Coda amps if possible!!

Look forward to your advise and help on building my system.

Thanks again...

Oh, didn't realize you had posted again. I don't usually say too much about specifics of reviews until they are published. Suffice to say the Coda sound is very good, well worth considering. You could talk to Doug Dale at Coda and he would be able to suggest a preferable Coda amp for you. I have used the Coda amp extensively with the Whisper DSW and the Kingsound King.

For source I would suggest you check into 32 bit DACs, as the new technology is superb. See my review of the Eastern Electric Minimax DAC. The AES/EBU or S/PDIF cable used with it is critical to obtain the best result.

So, you are new to the High End as a hobby. Wow, the Whisper is your first speaker - you've done extremely well in your selection. You're moving up, way up, the ladder in terms of sound quality on your first attempt.

You will likely be overwhelmed and impressed at first by the sound; the system will be extremely good. As you get to know the system better you can tweak the processor and experiment with different cables. It is very unlikely that the first choice of cables will be the ultimate for your ears. You may have to compare a few sets of cables before selecting the 'best' for you. But if you are after ultimate performance it will be most worthwhile.

You have a LOT of fun ahead of you!

Thanks Doug. I hope to continue getting your advice and help along my journey to have a great system. Your review of the DSW where you mention that the speaker can be adapted with the external crossover in difficult situations to sound good was particularly helpful in me choosing the Whisper. I am restricted in my ability to try out many different combination of upstream equipment due to a lack of availability in my country.

Have a Merry Christmas and a great new year and hope to be in touch again soon.

Best,

Sajid

Glad to help; a joyous Christmas and new year to you as well.