I'm really close to buying a W-8, and giving up my W-5. The neat thing about the Sim sound, and the Classe sound, is that these two great companies strive to achieve the hardest, most elusive goal out there: to reproduce sound the way it was recorded. Nothing added, nothing taken away. This is in contrast to the VAST majority of other manufacturers, especially the small ones, which aim for what they call a "musical" sound, which means, euphonically colored to sound pleasant and musical, but that is NOT what is etched onto the CD that is playing. You see, when you set an alternate sound goal that you can control (such as to achieve a "soft", "rhythmic" or "round" kind of sound), this involves variables that can be determined, quantified and controlled in the design stages. So, you get a nice, homogenized sound, but one that is NOT true to the original signal. Now, if you play a musical instrument, and therefore know what "real" sound is all about, you know what I am talking about. This is why I cannot listen to products like MF, Ayre, and (sorry tube fans) pretty much the vast majority of tube gear. It does not sound like the real thing, and measurements will prove that. Sure, it can sound nice and pleasant, but not "real". Technology today allows for the design of very high performance systems, systems that can closely recreate the thrill of a live performance. Lifelike. That's why I like Sim and Classe so much - and I prefer the Sim because it seems, to my ears, that they are closer to that ideal than Classe, especially with the new Evolution stuff. Plus the fact that Sim is probably a smaller company, now that Classe is owned by the people that do B&W and Rotel, and Classe has started to subcontract a lot of parts in China, yet their prices are still very high. What I mean is that when a company gets big, the bean counters come in and control too much. That doesn't seem to be the case with Sim, and my experience with their products, talking with their staff, and seeing them at shows has so far supported my opinions. So go for the Sim, plus they've been around for more than a quarter of a century (a bit longer than Classe), so when they give a 10-year warranty, it is credible.
I am an electrical engineer and an audiophile, and I appreciate what some companies are doing - i.e. the likes of Sim, Classe and Levinson - a true push forward to the elusive goal of perfect sound. I will never buy a product from a company that says that single-ended is better than balanced, for example. It is simply not true. Balanced is ALWAYS better, when done right: good parts, good design and truly balanced (as opposed to that fake quasi-balanced we see so much on even expensive gear). I know the Sim and Classe gear is balanced when they use XLR connectors. Most, like ALL Rotel, even many Krells (not all though), are not. The only reason why a company would tell you that their S/E designs are the best is because they won't spend the money to do it right - balanced is always expensive as it requires a much more formidable power supply and twice the parts, as well as a larger chassis to fit it all in.
There - I've vented.
So, if any of all of this revealing info makes sense, my recommendation to you is to go and spend your money on a product from a company that doesn't practice marketing and voodoo. Get the Sim or Classe, my preference strongly towards the Sim but that's personal opinion.
