I am driving ESL-63s (and SVS 3000 Micro sub) with a Wiim Amp Ultra. It has yet to complain about the load, but I don't try to play it especially loud. I have bass management in the WAU configured as a crossover set to 80 Hz (it's a 4th order LR crossover). Keeping the lowest octaves out of the Quads lets them play louder and improves lack of "dynamics" that some subjective reviewers slag them for. The sub provides low bass the Quads could never deliver.
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Cheap and cheerful class D comparison (CCCDC)
- Thread starter RandomEar
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The 63 is a very different beast than the 57.
Seems like FiiO is preparing to launch their first stereo amplifier products, just having teased them on their Instagram.
First up: the Level 1 pure Class D amplifier (to be launched before May). Nice retro design and given the indications at the front, I think it'll come with built-in DAC as well.
No pictures of the back yet. Hopefully there's a 12v trig option & the power supply will be built-in.
First up: the Level 1 pure Class D amplifier (to be launched before May). Nice retro design and given the indications at the front, I think it'll come with built-in DAC as well.
No pictures of the back yet. Hopefully there's a 12v trig option & the power supply will be built-in.
Vladimir Filevski
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Excellent comparison table, but I suggest that you include one more column with info about voltage and amperage of the power supplies used when the amps were measured.
Well, I ended up ordering an A7 with the 15% off at Amazon.
It's coping really well with my ESL57s (one pair, not stacked). Have reduced the Wiim Ultra output to max 500mVrms with the A7 in low gain mode and volume bypass, controlling volume with the Wiim. 50% volume is around my normal listening level and confident enough I wouldn't arc anything if it gets turned up accidentally.
Wiim RoomFit show that the 10db rolloff between 4-16khz I was getting with my SET amp is largely gone, so the A7 seems happy enough with the low impedance at higher frequencies.
Bass still rolls off hard below 70hz but that's just my aging panels. Time for a sub, haha.
A7 doesn't look as cool though
It's coping really well with my ESL57s (one pair, not stacked). Have reduced the Wiim Ultra output to max 500mVrms with the A7 in low gain mode and volume bypass, controlling volume with the Wiim. 50% volume is around my normal listening level and confident enough I wouldn't arc anything if it gets turned up accidentally.
Wiim RoomFit show that the 10db rolloff between 4-16khz I was getting with my SET amp is largely gone, so the A7 seems happy enough with the low impedance at higher frequencies.
Bass still rolls off hard below 70hz but that's just my aging panels. Time for a sub, haha.
A7 doesn't look as cool though
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harkpabst
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If they roll off steeply anyway, it might be a good idea to enable the subwoofer output on the WiiM Ultra and set the crossover frequency to something between 35 and 50 Hz, even if you don't intend to use a subwoofer, yet. The resulting 4th order Linkwitz-Riley high pass filter will relieve the bass panels from further stress and also reduce thermal stress for the amp.
Personally I think it does but that's a matter of personal taste.A7 doesn't look as cool though
Yeah I've got the sub crossover set somewhere around 40hz, can't remember exactly.If they roll off steeply anyway, it might be a good idea to enable the subwoofer output on the WiiM Ultra and set the crossover frequency to something between 35 and 50 Hz, even if you don't intend to use a subwoofer, yet. The resulting 4th order Linkwitz-Riley high pass filter will relieve the bass panels from further stress and also reduce thermal stress for the amp.
Personally I think it does but that's a matter of personal taste.
A7 doesn't look bad exactly, just a bit black and a bit utilitarian.
If I didn't already have the Ultra I'd definitely have considered the Amp Ultra. The low impedance performance numbers on the A7 looked pretty solid though and yes, easy enough to hide if I want to.
I'm thinking the Wiim Amp Ultra is a good unit as "just a power amp" given the DSP - custom per-pair PEQ, HPF tuning especially.
Fed by a Wiim Ultra (non Amp).
If you ever break up the system, lots of flexibility, especially multi-room options, or easy resale.
Fed by a Wiim Ultra (non Amp).
If you ever break up the system, lots of flexibility, especially multi-room options, or easy resale.
perceptionist
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Now it's Topping's turn to make a real competitor to A7, the official successor to PA7. Mini 500 or Mini 600?
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