Stax-i-nox
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 24, 2006
- Posts
- 195
- Likes
- 13
I finally received the first W5 production amp a few days ago, and it's my first ever 300b amp.
I should preface this mini review by saying I have never heard a 300b amp, so I had no idea what I was going to hear.
The 2 piece W5 was packed really well in the proprietary wooden crates. Despite that, the PSU unit arrived with it's power plug housing slightly damaged. It was still usable though! Jack feels FedEX dropped the crate, and I agree, as one corner of the box was dented. Jack has offered to repair it, but I am NOT letting the PSU unit go back yet.
I have the Siliver, and the fit and finish is tops!
I am completely blown away by the naturalness of the music, the realness of the sound. I listen to a lot of classical and jazz, especially small classical ensembles, piano, violin, cello, that type of music, and it is simply put, a fantastic sound coming from the W5. My K1000 have never sounded this smooth and enjoyable, with NO ear fatigue, no etched treble, and plenty of good clean bass. Not only do the K1000 sound great, but so do speakers on the W5! I have an old pair of Mission Cyrus 2 way's for my 2nd system, and the W5 makes these really sound so good. The W5 also has gobs of the 3D effect on both the K1000 and the speaker taps.
The word "magical" comes to mind when I am listening to the W5. It sounds as if I am there, live. It's really an uncanny feeling, as I have never heard anything quite like it before.
I have a lot of vintage Stax equipment, and this W5, to my ear, has them all beat. Such a smooth easy sound, and that's with only the stock tubes. I can't imagine what it would sound like with the WB300's and some of the other tubes as some of you have tried already.
In any case, those are my first impressions. Will write a bit more after it breaks in further.
Whoever buys the W5 will be one happy audiophile!
I should preface this mini review by saying I have never heard a 300b amp, so I had no idea what I was going to hear.
The 2 piece W5 was packed really well in the proprietary wooden crates. Despite that, the PSU unit arrived with it's power plug housing slightly damaged. It was still usable though! Jack feels FedEX dropped the crate, and I agree, as one corner of the box was dented. Jack has offered to repair it, but I am NOT letting the PSU unit go back yet.
I am completely blown away by the naturalness of the music, the realness of the sound. I listen to a lot of classical and jazz, especially small classical ensembles, piano, violin, cello, that type of music, and it is simply put, a fantastic sound coming from the W5. My K1000 have never sounded this smooth and enjoyable, with NO ear fatigue, no etched treble, and plenty of good clean bass. Not only do the K1000 sound great, but so do speakers on the W5! I have an old pair of Mission Cyrus 2 way's for my 2nd system, and the W5 makes these really sound so good. The W5 also has gobs of the 3D effect on both the K1000 and the speaker taps.
The word "magical" comes to mind when I am listening to the W5. It sounds as if I am there, live. It's really an uncanny feeling, as I have never heard anything quite like it before.
I have a lot of vintage Stax equipment, and this W5, to my ear, has them all beat. Such a smooth easy sound, and that's with only the stock tubes. I can't imagine what it would sound like with the WB300's and some of the other tubes as some of you have tried already.
In any case, those are my first impressions. Will write a bit more after it breaks in further.
Whoever buys the W5 will be one happy audiophile!