Wilson Audio Alexx V floorstanders are powered here by a CH Precision M1.1 stereo amplifier, with the rest of the electronics also coming from the Swiss maker. An L1 line stage sits between sources and amplifier, a C10 converter handles digital, and a P10 phono stage takes the signal from a TechDAS Air Force V Premium air-bearing turntable. The core of this six-box chain is a Swiss class A design set against a large, low-impedance Utah loudspeaker.
The system at a glance
Six components make up two sources, a separate line stage, a stereo amplifier and the speakers, with no cables or power conditioning listed. Each Alexx V weighs more than 200 kg, so a large, solid room is assumed. The build suits a listener who gives records and files equal weight, with four of the six boxes from one maker and a single control logic across the chain.
Why these components work together
Wilson specifies the Alexx V at 92 dB at 1 W, 1 m with a 4 ohm nominal impedance, a lowest point of 2.0 ohm near 250 Hz and a recommended minimum of 50 W per channel. The M1.1 offers 2 x 200 W into 8 ohm from fully discrete circuitry, its driver section in pure class A, backed by a 2,200 VA transformer and a 250,000 microfarad reservoir, which is the kind of supply that keeps current flowing through that dip. The speaker itself is built from a bass enclosure with 26 cm and 31 cm woofers and three upper boxes held in an open frame on two side brackets, and the horizontal position of each upper module can be shifted so that arrivals from all drivers line up at the seat. The L1 is a discrete, balanced, dual-mono preamplifier with heavily filtered supplies and wide bandwidth, keeping the signal balanced all the way into the M1.1. The C10 uses sixteen PCM1704 R-2R chips, arranged as a sequential, dual differential DSQ array, behind PEtER oversampling. On the analogue side the P10 is a dual-mono phono stage split over two chassis, fed by an Air Force V Premium whose platter assembly reaches a moment of inertia of 734 kg/cm2 on an air bearing.
How it sounds
With the amplifier holding control around the 250 Hz dip, the upper bass and lower midrange stay clean and the woofers stop and start on cue. Once the upper modules are aligned, voices and solo instruments sit in clear positions across a broad stage, and orchestral peaks stay unforced.
Considering a similar setup
The amplifier choice decides the result. Any substitute for the M1.1 must keep supplying current near 2 ohm, and a CH Precision M10 is the step up within the same range. The digital and phono sections can move down to the 1 Series, provided the phono stage still suits the chosen cartridge.
6 components
- Floorstanding loudspeakers
Alexx V
by Wilson Audio
Wilson Audio Alexx V - floorstanding loudspeaker. One Alexx V speaker weighs more than 200 kg and consists of four housings. The base is a bass module with two drivers with a diameter of 26 and 31 cm. It has a system of three boxes mounted in an open "skeleton" mount on two side brackets. It allows you to synchronize the sound of the modules by changing their horizontal displacement.
- Turntables
Air Force V Premium
by TechDAS
With total moment of inertia 734 kg/cm2 this air-bearing turntable achives extraordinary sound.
- Power amplifiers stereo
M1.1
by CH Precision
CH Precision is an M1.1. 2 x 200 W 8 Ohm power supply, the operation of the driver part is, of course, in pure class A, a fully discrete element base, a 2,200 VA transformer, a 250,000 UF capacitor bank – it can take a long time to list.
- DACs
C10
by CH Precision
The next generation reference-class digital-to-analog converter uses PEtER oversampling algorithm, and 16 x PCM 1704 R2R DACs in a dual differential, sequential DSQ Phase Array topology.
- Phonostages
P10
by CH Precision
Dual monaural twin-chassis High End class phonostage - the latest introduction to CH Precision flagship 10 Series.
- Preamplifiers
L1
by CH Precision
Fully discrete, balanced Dual Monaural line-stage (preamplifier) with heavily regulated and filtered power supplies and extreme wide-bandwidth frequency responses.