[Jay Decker]

New to the audio game and trying to put together a music lover’s system.  To make a long story short I decided to jump in with the X-LS speakers, found this site, and would like to access the experience and wisdom here on suggestions for selecting the appropriate electronics to power these speakers well.  Here are some of my thoughts and biases to inform your suggestions:

• Music Over Gear - looking for great sound and don’t care about impressing anyone with the gear
• US and Smaller Company Bias - would love to purchase equipment built in the US and/or by a smaller company
• The Music - listen to almost everything, classical, jazz, classic rock, blues, country - not into hiphop or rap
• Budget - could spend a lot, but don’t feel compelled to, and would like to find something appropriate to the speakers
• Source - have a lot of CDs, but started hi-resolution steaming with my 90s vintage system really like the convenience of streaming
• Room - medium sized living and dinning room, 9 ft ceilings, leather furniture, rugs on a hardwood floor

Thank you for any suggestions!

[subsonic1050]

This is such a wide open question that it's hard to know where to start. I think we'll need to know at least a few more pieces of basic information first.

1.) Cost - Are you wanting to spend $500 for everything or 100k for everything? You say you could spend "a lot" - what does that mean? Or better yet, what are you looking to spend as you said you'd like to keep the price commensurate with the speakers.

2.) Do you have a preference towards separates vs integrated?

3.) Do you want to go with solid state, tube amp - or open to anything?

4.) Do you prefer a sound that is highly resolving and detailed - potentially bright, or do you like something that is more laid back - a bit easier to listen to?

To give it a shot in the dark, I'll say that I don't have the X-LS, but I did just build a pair of X-Statik's which use the same drivers - just more of them and some in an open baffle configuration. I have found my tube amp to be sublime with them. My current tube amp is a PrimaLuna Evo 300 integrated amp, which I have paired with an RME ADI-2 FS DAC, and I'm using a Bluesound Node 2i to stream Tidal to the DAC. That front end would cost around 6k - if you're looking to spend less then maybe a Willsenton R8 (never heard it but it has excellent reviews) would be a great choice if you're interesed in tubes - and you could use the DAC in the Bluesound without a separate DAC. That would get you in around 2k.

If you're looking for something solid state and an all around decent option, you could look at the NAD M10 which is an all in one amp/streamer/dac that you could get for around $2500.

Let us know more about what your preferences are and price and we'll be able to dial you in a bit better.

[mlundy57]

Two US companies I can think of at two ends of the price spectrum are Schiit Audio and PS Audio.

[EdwardT]

I found that low power tube amps like my Decware SE34I did not have enough power to produce satisfactory results. That amp maxes out at 6.5 watts and the Encore really wants 30 or more to perform at its best. Have a look at Cambridge Audio CXA81, it has features that fit into your listening habits and it’s been well reviewed.

[Jay Decker]

1.) Cost - Are you wanting to spend $500 for everything or 100k for everything? You say you could spend "a lot" - what does that mean? Or better yet, what are you looking to spend as you said you'd like to keep the price commensurate with the speakers.

To get great sound I’m expecting to spend at least few thousand dollars to get the performance out of the speakers.   What I don’t know is if that is $2,000, $5,000, or more.  And, I do have a sensibility that would keep me from spending more than a new Porsche on electronics for these speakers.

2.) Do you have a preference towards separates vs integrated?

I don’t have a preference, I prefer simplicity and if there is great sounding integrated solution - I’d do it, but I have been expecting to hear that these speakers perform well enough to merit separates.

3.) Do you want to go with solid state, tube amp - or open to anything?

I’m open to anything.  Recently heard a tube preamp with two mono block amps hooked up to similar looking speakers, I think the speaker brand was Elan - have no clue what the preamp and amp were and I’m no longer dating his sister.  The mids and highs were amazing and the owner said that was due to tube preamp.  It was listening to his system (Stevie Ray Vaughan never sounded so good) and always wanting to put together a set of speakers that brought me here. 

4.) Do you prefer a sound that is highly resolving and detailed - potentially bright, or do you like something that is more laid back - a bit easier to listen to?

I’m not sure that I know how to articulate the terminology correctly, but like clarity and richness with subtle detail, probably a little on the warmer side and easy to listen to.

Thanks for the good clarifying questions.

[subsonic1050]

That's a good starting point for sure. I did forget in my recommendations that you're hoping for US made. None of the amps I suggested are made in the US. Primaluna is sort of an American company, but the amps are made in China. The willsenton is also made in china. RME is a german company and Bluesound is, I believe, made in Canada.

The suggestion that Mike made regarding Schiit products would be a great option for you.

Another good option for tube amps made in the US is Rogue. Their avian series would be a good choice as well.

[mlundy57]

For tubes, another option is Raven Audio. Their Avian series integrated amps would work well.

With PS Audio their Stellar series has both integrated and separates. The BHK signature series is their top models. I have a BHK preamp and a pair of the Stellar M1200 monoblocks. These are Hybrids with tube input stage and solid state output stage

[Jay Decker]

Two US companies I can think of at two ends of the price spectrum are Schiit Audio and PS Audio.

Thanks for these suggestions.  A great sound system that I listened to (that I mentioned in a response above) was powered by the Schiit Freya+ and Aegir or Vidar mono blocks (your post helped ID the manufacture of the components). To my uneducated ears, the system sounded amazing. 

[VinceT]

I can tell you when I went from 70 watts SS to 125, there was a big difference. These seems to like power to open up, at least with my gear...room ...etc.

[subsonic1050]

For tubes, another option is Raven Audio. Their Avian series integrated amps would work well.

With PS Audio their Stellar series has both integrated and separates. The BHK signature series is their top models. I have a BHK preamp and a pair of the Stellar M1200 monoblocks. These are Hybrids with tube input stage and solid state output stage

Haha, Raven is what I meant above. I've been looking at weight lifting equipment too much lately. 

[Jay Decker]

… maybe a Willsenton R8 (never heard it but it has excellent reviews) would be a great choice if you're interesed in tubes - and you could use the DAC in the Bluesound without a separate DAC. That would get you in around 2k.

Have couple a questions…

• Necessary Power - Read multiple times that the X-LSs perform better with more power.  And, I’m thinking that I’m game to try a tube amp.  Do you think the Willsenton R8 has sufficient power for normal listing in a small to medium room? If the R8 has sufficient grunt, the R8 seems like a no brainer for a guy who wants to try a tube amp.  Or, is the Willsenton R-800i the wise move?
• Bluesound Node DAC Upgrade - got into this music system upgrade, because I love how my vintage 90’s receiver system sounds with the Node with the convenience of streaming.  Is a DAC a significant upgrade with a tube amp type system?

[mlundy57]

Have couple a questions…

• Necessary Power - Read multiple times that the X-LSs perform better with more power.  And, I’m thinking that I’m game to try a tube amp.  Do you think the Willsenton R8 has sufficient power for normal listing in a small to medium room? If the R8 has sufficient grunt, the R8 seems like a no brainer for a guy who wants to try a tube amp.  Or, is the Willsenton R-800i the wise move?
• Bluesound Node DAC Upgrade - got into this music system upgrade, because I love how my vintage 90’s receiver system sounds with the Node with the convenience of streaming.  Is a DAC a significant upgrade with a tube amp type system?

I find two versions of that amp depending on whether it has 845 or 805 power tubes. The 845 version is rated at 23 wpc while the 805 is rated at 48 wpc. The problem is the specs don’t say whether that rating is at 4 ohm or 8 ohm.  If they are rated at 8 ohm, either version will work. If the rating is at 4 ohm I’d go with the 805 version.

As far as the DAC is concerned, how much of an upgrade it would be depends entirely on the New DAC compared to your receiver. Generally a current quality DAC should outperform a vintage one that is part of a receiver. That said, all current DACs, even ones with the same DAC chip, do not sound the same so if at all possible, if  buying new, get it from a company that will let you try it out in your system and take it back if you don’t like it

[corndog71]

The R8 will work well. 

A good quality external dac can definitely sound better than built-in ones.  Yes, even with tube gear.

[Jay Decker]

I find two versions of that amp depending on whether it has 845 or 805 power tubes. The 845 version is rated at 23 wpc while the 805 is rated at 48 wpc. The problem is the specs don’t say whether that rating is at 4 ohm or 8 ohm.  If they are rated at 8 ohm, either version will work. If the rating is at 4 ohm I’d go with the 805 version.

Good comments. 

Regarding the Willsenton R8, it is my understanding that this amp has two sets of output connectors, one for 8 ohm speakers and one for 4 ohm speakers, and the output is 25 wpc for either set of connectors in the generally preferred “Triac” mode.

The Willsenton R-800i model I’m referring to is the 48 wpc 805 version.  It is my understanding that this amp also has two sets of output connectors, one for 8 ohm speakers and one for 4 ohm speakers, and the output is 48 wpc for either set of connectors.

[subsonic1050]

Yes, the Willsenton r8 will have enough power for the XLS. The wattage of a tube amp is not really comparable to the wattage of a solid state amp. My PrimaLuna is 42W/channel in ultralinear and 24w/channel in triode mode and it has more than enough power to play the X-Statik's. The X-Statik is 91dB efficient, and the XLS is only 87dB efficient, but it should still be plenty powerful enough. I also looked at the Willsenton r800i when I was looking to purchase an amp. There aren't a lot of reviews out there about it and also a lack of reputable dealers to purchase it from but I suspect it is excellent.

The DAC in the bluesound node 2i is pretty good, especially considering the $500 price point. Performance definitely goes up if you use a separate DAC, but I'm not really sure how much difference you'd notice with the XLS - having not heard that actual speaker myself. I'd personally recommend spending additional money on the amp first before upgrading the DAC.

[Speaker Challenged]

Yes, the Willsenton r8 will have enough power for the XLS. The wattage of a tube amp is not really comparable to the wattage of a solid state amp. My PrimaLuna is 42W/channel in ultralinear and 24w/channel in triode mode and it has more than enough power to play the X-Statik's. The X-Statik is 91dB efficient, and the XLS is only 87dB efficient, but it should still be plenty powerful enough. I also looked at the Willsenton r800i when I was looking to purchase an amp. There aren't a lot of reviews out there about it and also a lack of reputable dealers to purchase it from but I suspect it is excellent.

The DAC in the bluesound node 2i is pretty good, especially considering the $500 price point. Performance definitely goes up if you use a separate DAC, but I'm not really sure how much difference you'd notice with the XLS - having not heard that actual speaker myself. I'd personally recommend spending additional money on the amp first before upgrading the DAC.

I can attest that the R8 is more then enough and then some. Mine does a great job with the encores and in my small room I can only get to 10 o'clock position. I can do 12 if no one else is home. 

[opnly bafld]

I can only get to 10 o'clock position. I can do 12 if no one else is home.

Volume control position doesn't reflect how much power is being used or how much is left in the tank.

[Speaker Challenged]

Volume control position doesn't reflect how much power is being used or how much is left in the tank.

OH I couldn't agree more. It has more to give as I have pushed it without distortion. But in my little room it's too much and I don't want any clipping close to full volume.

Cheers
SC

[opnly bafld]

OH I couldn't agree more. It has more to give as I have pushed it without distortion. But in my little room it's too much and I don't want any clipping close to full volume.

With an input sensitivity of 0.38v it will reach clipping with most modern sources way before the volume control is anywhere near "full volume". Many people don't hear distortion in tube amps until it is very high.

[Jay Decker]

Two US companies I can think of at two ends of the price spectrum are Schiit Audio and PS Audio.

The decision appears to be narrowing down to something I’ve heard, really liked, and is from a US based company, the Schiit Freya+ and a couple Schiit Vidar mono block A+B solid state power amps, and just taking a flyer and trying the Willsenton R8 (even though it is a non-US company amp that was not originally intended to be considered) for the fun of it.

Any considerations that you think might be relevant at this juncture?