WestminsterLab Quest preamp and Rei mono power amps
Apogee Duetta
The Rei’s also sound absolutely fantastic with the Apogee Duetta Signatures, exerting superb grip on their bass foils and making them sing with even more expression and conviction. Again, it’s remarkable how the Rei’s combine control and definition with grace and fluidity, and increase the realism. Even more so than the Magicos, the Duettas are an open window on the upstream components, but even so, there was simply no faulting the Rei’s in any way. Oh, yes, I could live with these amplifiers so very easily!
Apogee Centaur
The Apogee Centaurs (the mid model between the Centaur Minor and Major) are perhaps not the best Apogees, but they are extremely revealing and even more critical than the Duettas or Divas. Their ribbons are the most open of all Apogees I have heard, and the treble can be ear-piercing if you use the wrong cables or equipment. But, you guessed it, the Centaurs absolutely sang with the Rei’s. Yes, the sound was immaculately clean, open, and precise, but no, there was zero edge or aggression, let alone any audible crossover distortion. Evidently, the iBias system works flawlessly!
As amazing as their midrange/tweeter foils are, the Centaurs are ultimately compromised by a cheap Vifa bass driver in a relatively simple enclosure. Even after having re-tightened the woofer screws and all the screws that attach the bass cabinet to the front panel, they produce a somewhat boxy and lumpy bass that can become a distraction in a non-ideal marriage. But again, while the Rei’s did nothing to hide this aspect, as a smooth-sounding amplifier would, they did not exacerbate it. In fact, despite the speakers’ shortcomings, the combination sang so purely and intimately that I continued playing music with this combination for the remainder of the evening.
Other amplifiers
One might ask what is the point of a super-duper neutral power amplifier at this price point, if we can also have an Analog Domain M75P for 10.000 Euro less, or a Bryston 4B Cubed power amp, or a Bi-200 integrated for a third of the Rei’s price. After all, neutral = neutral, right?
Well, yes, to some extent, it is, and the aforementioned amplifiers are indeed very good. However, and this is a big one, neutrality is only one of many desirable sonic aspects that combine to create the complete experience. It may be hard to imagine without having heard these amplifiers side by side but having done so using very revealing speakers, I can confirm the aforementioned amplifiers are similar only in terms of neutrality and lack of coloration. Otherwise, the differences are substantial and apparent in every conceivable audiophile parameter.
What it boils down to, ultimately, is that the WestminsterLab Rei does not just reproduce music, but it makes everything you play sound hugely realistic. And that, dear friends, is what I think the audio hobby is all about.
Listening – Rei power amplifiers + Quest preamplifier
Now that I had a complete understanding of the Rei’s performance, I decided to add the Quest preamplifier. With audio equipment this transparent, I feel that it is essential to investigate all variables. Thus, even though the HRS EXR rack has a very different impact on the sound than the Artesania Exoteryc (where the CH preamp is placed), I still wanted to start with the Quest on the HRS rack. This way, I could observe whether the Quest responds to a rack the same way as the Rei amplifiers.
To start off, I connected the Quest preamplifier with a Belden power cable. This is another deviation, as I typically power the CH L1 preamp with a GigaWatt PowerSync Ultra. Alas, I have only one of these cables, hence the Belden. I will address this later, but first, let’s dive in.
The Quest has only two switches: one for power and one for the grounding method. I started with the ground switch in the default position (mode I, handle to the right). Rather than listening to the Quest while cold, I allowed it plenty of time to warm up and kept it powered on between listening sessions.
To my surprise, the preamplifier’s sonic presentation proved quite different from the Rei power amplifiers, appearing rather smoother, sweeter, and more relaxed than the L1 preamp, and arguably less strictly neutral, or in other words, more characterful, than the Rei monos. However, the Quest also has an immediately beguiling organic nature reminiscent of what tube amplifiers typically do so well. However, as lush and impressively “non-transistor-y” as it performed, I found the sound too rounded, laidback, and lacking excitement.
Nevertheless, despite the added lushness, the Quest remains very neutral, and, importantly, it retains 100% of the resolution. There is no coloration or congestion here.
Ground Switch
As soon as I toggled the ground switch to the left (mode II), everything popped into focus. The sound became a little less soothing and romantic than with the switch in the default position, but the bass became faster, tighter, and more articulate, and the excitement and involvement increased. Meanwhile, the sound was still beautifully fluid and refined, and the treble remained liquid and deliciously delicate. At this point, I was reminded of the Spectral DMC-30SV for offering a similar combination of lushness and sweetness with superb resolution.
Now, we were more closely approaching the neutrality of the Rei monos, but just falling short of equalling them in this respect. Coming from the L1, the Quest was not as fast, articulate, and direct, and slightly less airy. I could not help feeling that the preamp still reduced the amazing tightness, openness, and expression of the Rei’s.
Now, it was time to eliminate the variables and get to the core of the Quest’s performance. First, I aligned the power cables. Because I do not have a second GigaWatt PowerSync Ultra, I decided to use the same Belden 19364 with Bals schuko and Oyaide C-004 IEC for the CH preamp as I used for the Quest. This made the L1 sound comparatively leaner and less organic, but it did not otherwise change the relation between the two preamplifiers. The CH remained airier, more fluid, and more spacious. After this, I tried two other power cables, but that still did not change the reciprocal differences.
Lastly, I needed to address the matter of support. To more closely align the circumstances for the two preamplifiers, I placed the Quest on top of the CH C1.2 DAC. This may seem a bit crude or unfair, but I should mention that this component is built extremely sturdily, and it has proven to work very well as a support base for a wide range of components, passing on the properties of the rack it sits on without adding anything other than a feeling of a little more substance. I used thin paper underneath the Quest’s metal footers to protect the CH DAC’s surface. I will accept that the paper is probably still not 100% sonically inaudible, but the effect sure is negligible.
The support change had a noticeable impact, and just as it happened with the Rei and the A1.5, this brought the two preamplifiers closer to one another. However, they do not come quite as close to one another as the two power amplifiers did.
Before I give the impression of being underwhelmed by the Quest, I should add that I am describing how it deviates from the Rei monos and the L1 preamplifier. Musically, however, the Quest is an impressive preamp that eschews any transistor-like qualities and even offers certain qualities that are typically reserved for tube amplifiers. Despite its lushness, the Quest remains very neutral, and, importantly, it retains 100% of the resolution. Additionally, it produces a large soundstage that extends as much behind the speakers as in front, and possesses a beautiful room-filling aura. The L1, in comparison, sounds quite a bit flatter and more down-to-earth. The Quest’s arguably most alluring quality is that it makes everything sound realistic, sometimes even more so than the L1. With small ensembles using real acoustic instruments, for instance, where vocals and string instruments appeared particularly natural and credible.
However, the Quest remains a little soft and round in the bass, less articulate and controlled, and overall a little less explicit than the CH L1, and its treble, while easily as delicate and refined, is slightly less open and airy. On the other hand, the Quest is easily as revealing as the L1 and every bit as agile, expressive, and dynamic, and timbrally as well as texturally, the Quest can be even more convincing.
Naturally, these products should ultimately not be dissected separately but judged as a combo. As such, I feel the Quest takes away a little from the Rei monos’ crispness and directness. On the other hand, the Quest could also be considered the ideal companion to lend more smoothness, body, and soul to the Rei monos. The Quest-Rei combo is ideal for those who seek not just to “Experience music as it is” as the company motto successfully embodies, but also prefer to have it presented in a lush and relaxed manner, with a touch of romance.
Next: Sidenotes and Conclusion
