Legacy Whisper XD and Audio Research Amps


Any users of Legacy Whispers with Audio Research amplifiers? I am considering the VS115 with the Whisper XD... the amp needs to drive the mid/top only (above 300Hz) since the bass drivers are self powered. Will this be a good match for a 14*23*10 room?
karsajid
I do not recall ever seeing a pairing of Audio Research amplification with Legacy Audio speakers. So, you may not get any response from users having such a rig.

Regarding the Whisper, you can read my recent article on the Whisper DSW on Dagogo.com. I have used Pathos, Jeff Rowland's Class D amps, Cambridge Audio, Moscode (and a couple brands under review) with them. If you have an interest in any of these amps feel free to email me.

Your room will not be a problem; my room is similar dimensions. The Audio Research VS115 is a bit underpowered for my tastes. I have used as little as 70wpc of the Pathos Classic One MkIII and as much as 1,000wpc of the Jeff Rowland 606 Multi-channel. The AR amp will work with the Whisper. You can make nearly any stereo amp work since it has an active crossover you can adjust the gain to match amps, and the speaker has higher sensitivity of 95dB into 4 Ohms.

There is, however, a pronounced difference in dynamics and soundstage which is attainable with a more powerful amp regardless of brand. The benefit of a more powerful amp, all other things equal, is heard throughout the frequency spectrum, not just on the low end. Your best results would be to have an amp on the mid/top with at least 200-300wpc.

A more powerful Audio Research might be fantastic sounding, and though I have not tried it I likely could get very good sound with that manufacturer's products. The good thing about this situation is that if you must stay with a more modestly powered amp, the internal 500wpc bass amp in the speaker will give you very clean low end. So, it's not a matter of poor vs. good performance, but of good vs. superb performance. :)

One last thought; I normally encourage systems to be built using one brand of cables until tweaking the sound at the end. I normally try to stay with one brand and not mix cables. Once in a while I will add a power cord or two, or one set of interconnects, or a different digital cable. But I do not slap together a bunch of different brands.

In the case of the Whisper having a different amp (possibly with different technology as well) inside you will want to find your best brand of cable, then try different models of interconnect or speaker cables from that line to find the perfect balance between the bass and mid/treble. If necessary, try mixing brands slightly to find a better result. I only recommend this as an aid to helping in case your selected amp for Mid/High does not match perfectly to your ear with the bass.

When you find the perfect match for an amp to use with the Whisper I believe you will have an easier time using only one brand of cables on the entire system. I would still try some experimenting on cables, however, because of the hybrid nature of the speakers. With diligence you should be able to attain even better sound than a traditional dynamic speaker.

It seems you are in Bangladesh and perhaps the closest AR dealer is in India. You will want to check into reliability of any amp you consider as any repairs/shipping could be costly. It looks like a lot of water near you, so perhaps you could consider a solid state amp if you do not have air conditioning or if you are near the Bay of Bengal. I'm not an authority on this point, but I'm thinking the climate there might be harsh on tubed gear, shorten tube life, etc. You will want to communicate with the amp manufacturer to seek answers about it.
Hello Douglas.

MANY thanks for you valuable advise and elaborate reply. I have read and enjoyed your reviews on the Ayon CD5, Focus, Whisper DSW and Helix. My purchase has also been influenced by you! I have the Ayon Skylla (same DAC/Pre as your CD5) as a source with a MacMini/Wavelength Wavelink HS as transport.

I intend to continue using the Skylla as a pre with the Whispers as I really want to preserve the Tube sound in the system.

I understand your advice on amp power and fully agree. I also use an Ayon Triton and Krell S-300i (with HT bypass for pure power amp application) and find much more punch/dynamics in the system with the SS amp, but the vocal are thinner and less dimensional.

What I'd really like to do is have the best possible of both tubes and ss in amps for the Whispers.

While the more powerful AR amps may do the job well, they are beyond my budget. So I am considering the Mac MC501 or the Parasound JC1 or Bryston 7BSST2 as options.

I have spoken to Doug Brown at Legacy who recommends Coda and McIntosh. But between them I prefer the Mac for resale value. Your valuable input on this will be greatly appreciated.

Also, how much of its own sonic signature does the Xilica processor put on the sound. Will it preserve the tubey signal coming into it?

Best,

Sajid
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.