To Mr Nelson Pass, XA160.5 with Wilson Sashas?

[keysersoze311]

Dear Mr Pass,

If you could perhaps answer a couple of questions I have, I would be incredibly grateful. I am about to buy my first ever 'proper' hifi, and have been researching for a long long time. I am finally about to make the plunge, and was wondering if you think your XA160.5 amplifiers offer enough power to drive Wilson's Sasha speakers, which are apparently quite demanding because of a "1.8 ohm impedance dip around 92Hz".

P.S. I am also interested in Mcintosh MC2301 hybrid 300 watt tube amplifiers, spec sheet here http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/download...s/MC2301_1.pdf and I was wondering if you could offer me some impartial advice, though I obviously understand your position is difficult because you own Pass Labs. It would be incredibly kind of you.
Do you think these tube amps can drive Wilson Sashas adequately, indeed awesomely, based on the specs of the speakers and amps? A man with your considerable experience must have a pretty good idea based on spec sheets. I was told the issue is that tube amps have lower current, which may present problems with the Sashas 1.8ohm impedance dip, but the MC2301s are hybrids as I understand it, and high wattage, so am I safe to consider them? P.S. I like tight, punchy bass!

If anyone else can chime in with any advice, that would also be fantastic!

Many thanks!

Keyser

[WithTarragon]

Has the manufacturer (Wilson) given any advice, recommendations or guidance?
Other Wilson owners might be helpful also.

[Zen Mod]

1R8 at 92Hz

that's some construction ......

[Nelson Pass]

I don't see any problem - there's enough hardware to do it.

[keysersoze311]

Thanks everyone who has responded.

Hi Nelson, thanks for your input, just to clarify, were you referring to both the XA160.5 and the Mcintosh amps? In that both would be great?

[Zen Mod]

who am I to dispute Mighty Papa .....

anyway - I'm still not able to see what's charming in insane dropouts .......

every problematic ( impedance-vise ) speaker I have opportunity to hear was just another fifi-speaker ( NB - not that I hear them in quantity ..... I'm not Hi End expert in any meaning ) ......

give me A7 or KH any day , any time .....

btw. 08.00 , lurking at DIyA .... nice way for starting a day

[Nelson Pass]

Originally Posted by keysersoze311

Do you think these tube amps can drive Wilson Sashas adequately, indeed awesomely, based on the specs of the speakers and amps?

I have no way of saying, however if you are spending this
much money on speakers and amplifiers, you owe yourself
a listen first, and any dealer trying to make a sale this
large should be able to arrange a demo.

[keysersoze311]

Originally Posted by Nelson Pass

I have no way of saying, however if you are spending this
much money on speakers and amplifiers, you owe yourself
a listen first, and any dealer trying to make a sale this
large should be able to arrange a demo.

Thanks Nelson, and you're obviously right, but the problem is I'm in the UK, and finding a dealer who sells both Wilson and Mcintosh gear is oddly proving a nightmare.

Online I've not come across anyone who's tried this pairing of equipment, I guess I just hoped the specs might offer something an insight. One guy, actually who works at Wilson, said he drove the Sashas very nicely with a 75 wpc Mcintosh MC 275 stereo tube amp, but that the grip on the bass wasn't the same as with a decent solid state amp. Obviously the MC2301's 300 watts per channel is a fair increase on 75, but there are so many other factors that are meaningless to a person with my limited understanding!

[Zen Mod]

in that case - just ask Papa which Papamp will make Sasha sweat ;

dilemma solved , case closed

(btw. - I'm Sasha , too .... but I'm usually not dropping below 4R )

[keysersoze311]

I did see a review where the guy used an XA100.5 to drive the Sashas, to superb effect, so I was guessing that I'd be good with the XA160.5s, which is what Nelson seems to be saying.