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If you don’t have a big bank account but have platinum ears then the R8 is your dream come true. I have been lucky and grew up listening to very good tube amps, including the Marantz 8 8b, McIntosh MC240 and MC275 (from 60’s vintage to present versions) tube amps. I always loved the sweet sounding MC240 but I don’t particularly like MC275, especially the modern versions. So when I decided to try the Willsenton R8, my expectations were very high. So how do I rank the R8? To me, the R8 sounds like a bridge between the older MC240 and the newer MC275. The R8 has the sweetness of the MC240 and the dynamics of the MC275 (especially in the bass region). I ordered the R8 with the upgraded Psvane KT88-TII power tubes and the upgraded Psvane CV181-TII pre-amp tubes. Maybe I got lucky but the R8 is one of the sweetest and smoothest sounding tube amplifier I have listened to in a while. It sounds a lot more expensive than the USD$1,252 that I paid ($1,527 including 3-day DHL shipping). Does it sound like a McIntosh MC240? Not really because the R8 has its own tonal qualities which I happen to love very much. Music front the R8 is extremely sweet sounding and the bass is tight and refine. My system consists of the R8, a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 speakers and a pair of Rythmik Audio L12 subs. The subs added audio dimension that only a very expensive pair of tower speakers can duplicate (e.g., Joseph Audio Perspective2 Graphene). Also it is not possible to deliver strong tight bass with a low power tube amplifier. Subs to me add another musical dimension that just sounds good to me. I actually hooked the R8 to a pair of Joseph Audio Perspective speakers and in a blind test, sounded just as good as his restored MC240. People who spent a lot of money for their McIntosh MC240 might disagree with me but for me, the R8 is every bit just as enjoyable.
Date Added: 04/17/2021 by Ga** **o
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