leermakers
Active Member
Probably this has been discussed before but I cannot find a thread: has anyone have experience with Wilson Watt/Puppies fed by Naim amps?
Wilson Watt/Puppies with Naim
- Thread starter leermakers
- Start date
leermakers
Active Member
I wonder if it’s not a bit like trying to draw a world map in 2D: some compromise is involved to get it more or less right… Sonus Fabers (not exactly flat earth) driven by Naim sounds great for example.
yuckyamson
pfm Member
It doesn't work well unless you mean statement.
Wilson's need big, juicy, American power, either tube or Ss. High current, low powered British style amps just don't jive.
Perhaps Linn klimax solos would work, perhaps a 500 Dr, haven't tried either.
Wilson's need big, juicy, American power, either tube or Ss. High current, low powered British style amps just don't jive.
Perhaps Linn klimax solos would work, perhaps a 500 Dr, haven't tried either.
Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
Should be fine with any amp that's happy with a 4 Ohm load.
Blue Belle
pfm Member
oooooooooh, a lovely Krell ksa80 springs to mind, sorry, i digress.
leermakers
Active Member
I'm (still) into certain flat-earth religious dogmas, notably source-first-amp-next-loadspeakers-last, so I wouldn't dare pair those Wilsons with any thing else than 552/500 (Statement being out of reach). Now that s/h Watt/Puppies have become 'affordable' more or less, it seems tempting, but difficult to demo, so reading anyone having tried that would be nice.
yuckyamson
pfm Member
If you were in the US you'd have somewhere around one billion (+/- 100 million) options of used Wilsons to buy and try out. There's loads of them, it's really about what specific model (watt/puppy, alex, alexia, alexandria, sasha, etc.) and what vintage you want cause there's always a few options around.
I don't think the 552/500 would work nearly as well as, say, an Audio Research pre/power, or a Krell pre/power, Mark Levinson, Diagostino (even an integrated), etc. Wilsons really just work better with that kind of amplifier behind them.
I don't think the 552/500 would work nearly as well as, say, an Audio Research pre/power, or a Krell pre/power, Mark Levinson, Diagostino (even an integrated), etc. Wilsons really just work better with that kind of amplifier behind them.
Don Atkinson
pfm Member
I still have my Watt/Puppies. They have been driven by Naim 52/Supecap/135s very nicely indeed.
They were driven even better by a Krell 600 Power amp, still fed by the 52/Supercap.
They were driven even better by a Krell 600 Power amp, still fed by the 52/Supercap.
yuckyamson
pfm Member
^ good example.
Just hit me you know what would be a very good match, the new rotel michi stuff. It ticks the right boxes and Fremer just reviews the monos, on Wilson's, and loved them. It's a great option for a better value, high powered, brute force design that is elegant and has really good build quality.
Just hit me you know what would be a very good match, the new rotel michi stuff. It ticks the right boxes and Fremer just reviews the monos, on Wilson's, and loved them. It's a great option for a better value, high powered, brute force design that is elegant and has really good build quality.
Salamander
pfm Member
Wilson speakers with Audio Research amplification, the best match I've heard. The last couple of shows I've been to and it seems now they to want to pair Wilson's with Constellation or d'Agostino amplifiers, sound very impressive to start with, 30 minutes later couldn't wait to get out of the room.
There! Someone with actual experience of the matter instead of just mansplaining.
That was clearly the case at the last Windsor show where the ARC/Wilson room easily beat the Magico/Constellation/Jadis room.
yuckyamson
pfm Member
Ah yes. "mansplaining". Aka "I don't like what youre saying so I'll try to silence you with a woke label and shame."
Bravo. I take it youre ready to purge yourself of your privilege at the church of identity.
Hi,
Chicago’s Pro Musica kindly let me audition a Naim/Watt system several years ago. I think the Watts were series 7s, so there’ve been --what – thirty iterations since? The Naim models have been less ephemeral. It was my first lengthy exposure to both brands. The Naims drove the Wilsons to listening levels beyond my needs and the system readily revealed Naim’s particular strength: yes, PRaT. I’d not heard Debussy orchestral pieces delivered with such forward momentum or drive. However, to my ears, the sound was somewhat skeletal, bare of harmonic colour. This is not a knock on either brand as I’ve subsequently heard both perform winningly in other combinations. For what it’s worth, my concern would be less whether Naims can power Watts and more whether the resulting sound would suit.
yuckyamson
pfm Member
^ This is the typical result from such a pairing, well expressed. The wilsons need fat, american-style amps (either SS or Valve) to really fill out and sound rich.
Although, bear in mind, this is coming from a self-proclaimed "Mansplainer".
Now if you'll excuse me I have to head out to a gun rally where we shout bigoted expletives and try to pass laws that further step on women's rights. (As if they weren't enslaved enough as it is!)
leermakers
Active Member
^ This. Very helpful. Doesn't surprise me at all (does disappoint me, but that's just because I wanted to read something different). I think the 7s were the penultimate Watt/Puppies, with a better treble than the first iterations. So the Watt/Puppies need more texture/timbre/soundstage from amps than Naim amps (used to) give, if I understand correctly. That being said, I think the more recent Naims (DR power supplies, 500...) are more mainstream.
Actually, I lie. My initial encounter with Naim electronics was in the ‘70s when Naim’s first Canadian distributor brought a chrome bumper Nait to my place to audition with Magnaplaner Tympanies. If I dare paraphrase Woody Allen here, that was a marriage as happy and enduring as Eva Braun’s. Thankfully less lethal.
