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ICE Amps for classical music?

I listen to classical orchestral music at heavy volume. I detest reproduced music for always sounding more or less electronic and not acoustic. Real music is beautiful in a way reproduced music--so far at least-- never is. I have become curious about Wyred4sound amps because of low price and high watts. I am wondering if any of you "mostly classical" listeners have heard these amps and feel they do no more damage to music than amps which are NOT ICE amps. I am using a Plinius SA100 now and have used a VAC 100/100,
a Bedini Classic 100/100, a Music Reference RM-9, and other tube and solid state amps. They all had their pluses and minuses, of course, but for least electronic, clearly the Bedini was the winner. So what about ICE amps?
rpfef
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
ICE amps sound as diverse as class A SS amps, or any other type. I have not heard WiredFor Sound, but have experience with JRDG 312 and Bel Canto Ref 1000 Mk.2. . . . I am mostly a classical music lover. . . lots of chamber to be exact. . . and love these particular amps. . . a few other ICE amps I am somewhat less particular about. Guido
curriemt11
220 posts
 
Interesting that you should mention the Wyred 4 Sound amps. With curiousity having gotten the better of me, I recently acquired a used pair of the 250 monoblocks (more like monobricks, actually) to try out on my SoundLabs. The little amps drove them suprisingly well in spite of the difficult load. They definitely sound more forward than my Ayre monos, with a touch of brightness that I found to be just a touch irritating after a while. The single largest difference compared with the Ayres is a very definite shortening of the soundstage (i.e. front to back).

Keep in mind that these comments are 1) comparing what is in my opinion one of the world's finest amps to something that retails for roughly 10% of their cost, and 2) they were driving an extremely difficult load.

On balance, I would say that anyone looking for a high power, high efficiency amp and is on a budget would be very well served in auditioning these.
stereo
147 posts
 
If you are interested in class D why not UCD amps like the Chanel Island D-200? I prefer the UCD technology over the ICE.
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
An ICE amp has to mount a great speaker to convey reality.

I have been working to harness the ICE amp wild pony for years. Now we are riding over hill and dale. The question is not only which ICE amp to buy, it is what you have to do to make them sound the way you want to too.

I love full orchestra. An ICE amp will morph into any different markings depending what you coral it with. If you desire just the clear sounds of players, then you need to whittle down the electronics and wires, so they don't spook the amp.
ait
480 posts
 
Interesting metaphor, Muralman,

I have the Gilmore Raptor ICE-based monoblocks, and I have found that what they sound like depends on what you feed them and what your speakers are. I find that a good tube preamp between the source and amp will make them sound more tube-like, while a direct connection from source to amp will make them sound more analytical, or "icy". My Zu Druids are VERY revealing and detailed with these amps, while my Kef 104aB speakers sound much more mellow and smooth. In my opinion, they are much more the "straight wire with gain" amplifier than any sort of sound-shaper.
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