Wells Audio Majestic Integrated Amp....The Real Giant Killer of Giant Killers!

dr k

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It's nice to see reasonably priced gear get praise. However, the reviewer never claimed this integrated to be "The Real Giant Killer of Giant Killers". In fact the reviewer, as far as I can tell, doesn't own or has reviewed any "Giants" such as darTZeel, Pass, Audio Research, CJ, etc. I take it that is your assessment of the integrated. If so, I would like to know which amps you have compared this integrated to and what qualities makes this a giant killer. Thanks.
 

slowGEEZR

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Sep 20, 2010
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I haven't heard this integrated, but they said it has about 85% of the sound of the Inamorata, if the Inamorata has a very good preamp. I have listened to the Inamorata on many occasions and would definitely say it is a giant killer of an amp.
 

dr k

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I haven't heard this integrated, but they said it has about 85% of the sound of the Inamorata, if the Inamorata has a very good preamp. I have listened to the Inamorata on many occasions and would definitely say it is a giant killer of an amp.

Hi, can you tell me what you have compared the Inamorata to? I've heard good things about Wells Audio.
 

slowGEEZR

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Sep 20, 2010
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At this stage in my audio life, I have heard and listened to many many amplifiers. When I heard the Inamorata, I was amazed at how good it was. It easily played in the realm of much more expensive amplifiers that I have heard. My own amps are Pass Labs XA100.5s.
 

heihei

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Inamorata is very good for the money, comparing favourably with something like a Vitus at a much higher cost. It can be beaten on clarity, timbre etc. but will require more to be spent.
 

dr k

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Aug 4, 2016
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At this stage in my audio life, I have heard and listened to many many amplifiers. When I heard the Inamorata, I was amazed at how good it was. It easily played in the realm of much more expensive amplifiers that I have heard. My own amps are Pass Labs XA100.5s.

Nice. If it competes wither the Pass XA100.5, it's a special amp.
 

Empirical Audio

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Oct 12, 2017
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I've been auditioning amps at trade shows for 15 years. There are only a couple of stand-out SS amps I have heard in the last 6 years: D'angostino monoblocks and Wells Audio amps. Good choice. I would be happy with either. I do SET tubes however.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 

sbo6

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May 18, 2014
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I have a Wells Audio Innamorata and I think it's very good, especially for the $. Check out AVShowrooms review and other reviews. It compares favorably to Lamm hybrid amps reviewed at an audio show a year or so back on my dream speakers TAD Ref 1s. I'd love to get a second one and biamp...
 

Empirical Audio

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I have a Wells Audio Innamorata and I think it's very good, especially for the $. Check out AVShowrooms review and other reviews. It compares favorably to Lamm hybrid amps reviewed at an audio show a year or so back on my dream speakers TAD Ref 1s. I'd love to get a second one and biamp...

Had TAD ref speakers in my room at Newport show one year. Very good, but the Vapor Audio Nimbus I have now are better.

Vapor Nimbus1.jpg
 

sbo6

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Had TAD ref speakers in my room at Newport show one year. Very good, but the Vapor Audio Nimbus I have now are better.

View attachment 36464

Wow, that's a bold statement. I heard the Nimbus at RMAF a few years back and thought they were quite dynamic and good, but for mid - tweeter integration and detail retrieval I felt the TAD Evolution at the same show were more to my liking. The TAD Ref ones are ~$80K and the nimbus are, what $20K? I wouldn't put them in the same league but to each his own... :)
 

BruceD

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Dec 13, 2013
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Wow, that's a bold statement. I heard the Nimbus at RMAF a few years back and thought they were quite dynamic and good, but for mid - tweeter integration and detail retrieval I felt the TAD Evolution at the same show were more to my liking. The TAD Ref ones are ~$80K and the nimbus are, what $20K? I wouldn't put them in the same league but to each his own... :)

I tend to agree with you on the Vapor speaker presentation--I and two friends heard a demo at an RMAF off site-as pictured below awhile back and felt they came across as rather veiled and

the entire sonics had a annoying digital hardness which we all found fatiguing--we left after few minutes. I've tried to find the Speakers lately to listen again and possibly be impressed , but to no avail.

BruceD

Vapor Antipodes.JPG
 

Empirical Audio

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Oct 12, 2017
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Wow, that's a bold statement. I heard the Nimbus at RMAF a few years back and thought they were quite dynamic and good, but for mid - tweeter integration and detail retrieval I felt the TAD Evolution at the same show were more to my liking. The TAD Ref ones are ~$80K and the nimbus are, what $20K? I wouldn't put them in the same league but to each his own... :)

Like I said, I had both in my rooms at shows. Its a system thing though. Depends on amps and front-ends. Usually apples to oranges. In my room it was apples to apples because I used the same gear. Besides, I have the latest Nimbus which is improved even more with new custom midrange drivers. The Nimbus are $24K now, and a bargain at that price.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 

DaveC

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Nov 16, 2014
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Wow, that's a bold statement. I heard the Nimbus at RMAF a few years back and thought they were quite dynamic and good, but for mid - tweeter integration and detail retrieval I felt the TAD Evolution at the same show were more to my liking. The TAD Ref ones are ~$80K and the nimbus are, what $20K? I wouldn't put them in the same league but to each his own... :)

Exactly... I've heard Nimbi and they are GREAT speakers but I don't think the mid/tweeter is on the level of the TAD Refs for just those reasons. I'd take them over the Evo towers though, mostly because the bass is much better on the Nimbus. It's too bad the Ref 1s are the only TADs with good bass but that seems to be the case with a lot of high-$ speaker lines.

TAD is also very sensitive to electronics, there's no way you can compare the TAD Refs to a Nimbus using a SET amp, the TADs will sound like crap. I wouldn't use ANY tube amp on the TADs in fact, I've never heard that sound ok.

Some of this I base on shows, some on my own Pioneer S-1EX which use the same mid/tweet as the TAD Evos. They are picky about amp pairing for sure!
 

sbo6

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May 18, 2014
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Exactly... I've heard Nimbi and they are GREAT speakers but I don't think the mid/tweeter is on the level of the TAD Refs for just those reasons. I'd take them over the Evo towers though, mostly because the bass is much better on the Nimbus. It's too bad the Ref 1s are the only TADs with good bass but that seems to be the case with a lot of high-$ speaker lines.

TAD is also very sensitive to electronics, there's no way you can compare the TAD Refs to a Nimbus using a SET amp, the TADs will sound like crap. I wouldn't use ANY tube amp on the TADs in fact, I've never heard that sound ok.

Some of this I base on shows, some on my own Pioneer S-1EX which use the same mid/tweet as the TAD Evos. They are picky about amp pairing for sure!

To me, the ideal combination which provides the Ref 1s bass impact and clarity with the TAD coincident beryllium driver is TAD CR1s + JL Audio CR1 external xover + a pair of JL Audio F112 or F113s. You'd get effortless and deeper bottom end, a reduced the load on the CR1s 8" woofer (cut off at ~80Hz) and flexible low frequency positioning for better room integration for $30K less than the Ref 1s.
 

sbo6

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Like I said, I had both in my rooms at shows. Its a system thing though. Depends on amps and front-ends. Usually apples to oranges. In my room it was apples to apples because I used the same gear. Besides, I have the latest Nimbus which is improved even more with new custom midrange drivers. The Nimbus are $24K now, and a bargain at that price.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

I love the look of them and for the $ I agree what a bargain. I put my Usher BE20D in the same spot (great bang for your $). Even though the Nimbus are 92dB efficient, I think, I'd be curious to hear them with some serious power. I bet they wake up nicely with that huge 15" woofer...
 
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DaveC

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Nov 16, 2014
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I love the look of them and for the $ I agree what a bargain. I put my Usher BE20D in the same spot (great bang for your $). Even thought the Nimbus are 92dB efficient, I think, I'd be curious to hear them with some serious power. I bet they wake up nicely with that huge 15" woofer...

The woofer is one of the best on the planet, I'm using the "+" version with larger VC and motor right now. It puts my S-1s to shame in the bass department...
 

Empirical Audio

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Oct 12, 2017
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Exactly... I've heard Nimbi and they are GREAT speakers but I don't think the mid/tweeter is on the level of the TAD Refs for just those reasons. I'd take them over the Evo towers though, mostly because the bass is much better on the Nimbus. It's too bad the Ref 1s are the only TADs with good bass but that seems to be the case with a lot of high-$ speaker lines.

TAD is also very sensitive to electronics, there's no way you can compare the TAD Refs to a Nimbus using a SET amp, the TADs will sound like crap. I wouldn't use ANY tube amp on the TADs in fact, I've never heard that sound ok.

Some of this I base on shows, some on my own Pioneer S-1EX which use the same mid/tweet as the TAD Evos. They are picky about amp pairing for sure!

I did not use a SET amp with the TAD. I used the modded Halo JC-1 monoblocks. About 800W per channel and low output impedance.

That is another reason that I bought the Nimbus, because I can drive it with tubes. In fact, a 30W SET amp beats my old JC-1's for bass when driving the Nimbus. I believe it's the best full-range high-efficiency speaker available.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 

Empirical Audio

Industry Expert
Oct 12, 2017
1,169
207
150
Great Pacific Northwest
www.empiricalaudio.com
I love the look of them and for the $ I agree what a bargain. I put my Usher BE20D in the same spot (great bang for your $). Even thought the Nimbus are 92dB efficient, I think, I'd be curious to hear them with some serious power. I bet they wake up nicely with that huge 15" woofer...

I heard the Nimbus at a show several years ago powered from 1KW monoblocks. I think they were ML, but can't remember. Sounded great, but SS is not my cup of tea...

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
 

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