So I bought the Willsenton R-800i

Status Update -

I'm 3 weeks into owning this amplifier.  It's a problem; on the days I'm not in the office or on the road (which has only been 2 during the holiday period), I'm getting little work done because I'm constantly listening to music!

I'm going to estimate that I'm 150-175 hours into this amplifier and things should be fairly run in by now. 

Please note that I'm in a fairly good size room (23' long x 16.5' wide x 10' tall).  I use efficient speakers (Klipsch Cornwalls--modified crossovers (only upgraded).  I've had a few amazing late night vinyl sessions (Technics 1200GAE, Benz Micro LPS/Kiseki Purpleheart/Dynavector X20 or something, Manley Chinook). But, most of my listening has been using a Roon endpoint (Intel NUC) feeding a Marantz Ruby DAC/SACD player voiced by Ken Ishiwata.  

The amp reveals details that I haven't had in my room with other tube amps.  Even my Elekit 300B (with Lundhaul transformers and VCaps) doesn't do what this guy can do.  

One of the particular characteristics of the sound with this pairing is the size of the sound image.  It is downright massive.  I've never complained I needed more holography or a bigger picture. Sure, who wouldn't want more?  With the Willsenton 800/805 the height of the sound seems to reach up towards the ceiling.  With certain production, the sound can start to wrap around me a bit from the side walls. It's quite something to experience.  

The low end is so nicely defined and plump that I can easily tune my two REL subs right into where the Cornwalls start to drop off (probably upper 30hz if I had to guess).  As a hobbyist musician, I have developed a decent ear figuring out songs and tones. This amp allows me to walk right up to the RELs and dial in the crossover and volume so easily and the resulting sound sounds seamless to me. Seamless.  So I should qualify, if you believe the above is possible and can sound great (the subs do NOT sound like separate instruments), my opinions of the amp are probably bolstered in the favorable direction because I've never been able to tweak the subs this well and I'm confident they were dialed in pretty nicely before. 

The midrange clarity can make my head turn like my dog's when she hears something unexpected.  It's caused me to listen more and more and more again.

I honestly could not be happier with this amplifier.  I'd pay twice the price for it. It's taken a bit of the Cornwall's watercolor-level of detail and tightened it up --yet not to a level that sounds like boring hifi.  It still sounds like live or the real thing...just more so. 

The power of the amp is a really sweet match for my room and setup.  I've never been happiest with low power SET amps and these speakers because even though I don't usually listen all that loud, I have had trouble getting an 8 watt 300B amp to make them open up.  I had a Primaluna Dialogue HP integrated that sounded best with KT150s and these speakers but it never romanced me (great amp though).  A Carver Crimoson 275 did a better job of adding some harmonic magic.  I adore a Ken Ishiwata voiced Marantz Ruby (shocked me as it is Marantz's own Class D topology), which sounds lovely and brawny with the CW IVs.  

But alas, the Willsenton R800 has been the ticket for me.  I don't know if I could otherwise afford to get to this place without it. Would I be looking a Shindo, Jadis, Triode Labs?  Soooo pricey--maybe someday.  

I really thought that I'd be itching to upgrade the power supply filtering film caps and the coupling caps.  I doubt the Willsenton re-badged caps are junk and I'd bet they are something fairly decent. Whomever voiced this amp did a wonderful job. 

I cannot recommend trying this amp out enough for yourself.  I wish I had more speakers around right now to play with so I could report differences.  I only have a pile of electronics right now in what my wife calls "the museum."   Nonetheless, I'm content to just keep listening. 

I want to shake the hand of the engineers and people who made this amp.  

I have just one nit to pick-- the remote, while I love it's feel and simplicity, makes too big of jumps in volume attenuation or increase with the motorized pot. Oh well. 

If anyone is in the Chicagoland area and doesn't have Craigslist-Killer sensibilities, you're welcome to PM me to swing by for a listen.  

@jbhiller First of all: Thank you so much for your elaborate description of the characteristics of the amp and its pairing with the Cornwalls. I´m lacking both language skills and ways to put into words in my own to properly describe what I´m hearing. What you write very much reflects my impressions. And I´m very happy to hear that the R-800i holds up well compared to other amps.

Most importantly though it´s good to hear that you are having a great time with it and that you find your money was well spent. Right now I´m away from home for almost two weeks and can confirm that this amp makes you want to come back and enjoy it. I can´t wait to listen to it again playing music I like.

Personally I find the volume jumps when using the remote totally ok, but that may be because with the Rotel I had before the jumps were even bigger. As an obect it feels a bit too clunky (metal, heavy, just three buttons), but then again I stopped counting how many times I lost the tiny remote for the Apple TV – something that never happened with this one.

I assume you have not started tube rolling yet, right? This can add yet another level of sound quality.

And another question: To me the sound becomes a bit (for lack of better words:) crowded once the music gets dense and more wild. Like when I play some rock music with crashing drums and lots of distorted guitars. Sure, it may be because of the recording, but the difference is striking. Maybe the amp is just too good at reproducing material where there is not too much going on soundwise (ambient, jazz, folk, etc.), I don´t know. Do you have the same experience? Or is that normal? If you know a rock record that also sounds nice when the action is on please let me know so I can compare. (But please no 1971 dutch first pressing or anything like that, when it comes to music buying I´m not that audiophile.)
Two examples that left me a bit underhelmed: Neurosis – „Times of Grace“ (not expecting too much hi-fi here, but usually engineer Steve Albini does a good job at capturing this kind of music) and Die Nerven – s/t.
On my Sony wh-1000xm4 headphones both sound punchy and allowing for dynamics even when the wall of guitars set in, on the stereo much less so.

@chmaiwald , Wow, I went back and listened to that Neurosis album. I wouldn't blame the amp for how this album sounds. The production seems intentionally nasty heavy. I don't listen to much metal or heavy punk though. Also, I'm in the minority camp on Steve Albini. I don't enjoy his production as much as others.  I always found it interesting that Nirvana held back their two radio hits on In Utero from Albini.  I think (sometimes) his engineering and production sound muddy and confused but that's just me.

I understand, I think, what you are saying about stuff sounding better when music is simpler (less going on). That's kind of a truism for all systems on some level. 

Do you use a subwoofer system?  The reason I ask is it can provide depth of soundstage and allow the highs to sounds more delineated and less harsh--just by filling out the lowest octave.  The CW IVs are not really a big bass speaker despite their size. 

correction--it may have been more than just two radio songs. I think Bob Ludwig may have remixed most of the album. 

@jbhiller I´m not using a subwoofer yet but I´m waiting for a reply from a dealer who is willing to send me two to compare (Rel T/7x and SVS PB 1000 Pro). The EQ I´m using is basically only to push the lows a bit. It also shows that the Cornwalls lack in that area (for my taste) but first and foremost it so much helps to give depth, just as you say. I´m hoping a sub will do that to an even bigger extent and that it will give the recordings I find (for lack of better words) crowded more room to breathe.

I like Albini´s productions for capturing a live feeling and directness which does not automatically translate into pure sonics as can be found on recordings considered good by audiophiles. You said muddy... Maybe I myself have to listen to it with open ears again, I´m such a fan.
Two years or so ago he recorded the newest album by SUNNO))), the drone-doom duo that basically plays guitar-generated soundwaves*. Compared to their other albums the resulting „Life Metal“ manages to leave room to breathe in the overall oppressing wall of sound. He´s done a stellar job there.

As for Nirvana: I find it hard to tell which mixes I like better, the re-mixed versions of „Heart Shaped Box“ and „All Apologies“ are just so familiar, those are the version I came to like. Albini´s are also great, the roughness and all. As far as I know it´s just these two that were fiddled with, the rest is all Albini.