Wilson speakers

[admin]

The two subs in a stereo setup makes sense as the audio is inherently encoded for two separate channels of bass output. In a multichannel home theater, the sub channel, X.1 truly is not directional by intent. You can place the sub in the front, back, side,... and it should not matter as long as volume is uniform in the seating positions. I have one sub in my home theater setup but I had tried two in the past. There was no appreciable improvement. I did have to turn the amplitude down on each in the dual setup compared to single.

[AnotherJohnson]

We talked about my room a bit.

My sense is that the Alexx level would be my absolute maximum size, but Bill thought that the room, with its 10’ ceilings and 5000+ ft3 total volume could support even their largest speakers.

Since returning home yesterday, I’ve played through all the demo material.

I can hear differences in favor of the more expensive demo systems on some cuts. But on others, differences don’t seem to stand out.

To my ears, my system represents good budget driven compromises.

For example, I listened to Jacintha’s “Her Name is Jacintha” album this afternoon. It sounds incredible here … as good as my audio memory can recall. But on Bob Dylan’s “Oh Mercy” album, he is such a mumbler, the differences are more clear once you’re cued in on them.

[AnotherJohnson]

The actual Jacintha album is here.

https://www.nativedsd.com/product/grv10 ... -her-name/

I got the title wrong.

She is quite good, as are the backing ensemble and recording. I’m streaming it Qobuz/Roon/Rossini. It sounds as good on the Sasha D A Ws as in the $500k demo system where I heard it first.

[Big Dog RJ]

Yep, that sounds about right. Once you've found what you're after, and have carefully put together a system that delivers all the custom elements that you're looking for, you've achieved it! To push further beyond this point is merely pointless for several reasons:

1. You're just re-inventing the wheel.
2. You're spending an awful lot more just for the same thing on a slightly different level but within the same performance quality.
3. Once you've achieved all the right elements, to surpass any of it by 40% is a huge task... it involves an entire overhaul including room dimensions. It's probably not even worth it unless you really must spend more.
4 Everything remains the same pretty much at most levels, with only marginal improvements in terms of scale and complexity. Liveliness, and soundstage realism are the same once you've achieved a certain level.

That's the sole reason why I haven't upgraded on anything since Feb last year. Nor did the ARC Ref160M's impress either simply because that would be a complete overhaul and i didn't want to go there for certain reasons.

I wouldn't bother any further AJ, just enjoy those fine tunes!
Cheers, RJ

[AnotherJohnson]

Wilson, like ARC, uses power resistors rather than fuses to protect more valuable components. They both claim that their resistors sound better than fuses. Obviously when a power resistor blows, it is a bigger deal to fix it compared to replacing a fuse. In Wilson’s case, no solder is required. They are clamped in place, and also accessible without a major disassembly.

I recently ran across an old post from the Wilson’s daughter (who at one time worked for the company) in which she recommended replacing the resistors once or twice a year as routine maintenance. She said that the sound can degrade over time if you don’t do this. There is no mention of it in any of the Wilson literature.

Curious, this afternoon I made an inquiry about the official Wilson position on this recommendation. A couple of hours later I had the response.

Basically if you play your speakers at very high volumes, the resistors heat up. And if you really play at high levels, you may notice some degradation of the sound over time, even if the resistors don’t blow.

If this happens, replace the resistors for the tweeters and mid range drivers, and you should recover the original sound quality.

He gave an example where a pair of SabrinaXs were recently played so loudly that the driving amp shut down. The SabrinaXs still played, but some the magic was gone. Replacing the resistors brought them back up to snuff.

[wspohn]

Just noticed this thread.

I run a pair of Wilson Maxx 2 with a Premier 11a and the speakers are efficient enough to not need more than the 11a's 70 watts - in fact it will drive them to levels that you'd never listen at without distortion.

[AnotherJohnson]

Just noticed this thread.

I run a pair of Wilson Maxx 2 with a Premier 11a and the speakers are efficient enough to not need more than the 11a's 70 watts - in fact it will drive them to levels that you'd never listen at without distortion.

Yes, David thought that the amp didn’t have to be huge.

After running my Sasha DAWs for five months on a pair of ARC Ref 250SEs, I switched over to my Ref 75 SE last week, and I love it. People say that Wilson speakers are hard to drive. I don’t think so, and neither did David.

[admin]

I think the reason why people may suggest using high power amps with Wilsons is that they may have never heard them with low power amps. Every showroom exhibition that I have ever seen with Wilsons have been with expensive (and thus typically) high powered amps. You just don't see them ever coupled with a 50 watt amp in a showroom. Perhaps because there are simply not a lot of sub 100 watt amps in the below $10k figure and the audio shops won't pair anything less than top models with Wilsons? Of course this does not mean that a lower powered amp would not be capable of driving their speakers.

[Joe Appierto]

Yep, what Admin said. I've heard Wilson speakers only twice in my life and both were times in two rooms at a NY Audio show held a number of years ago. In both cases the preamps and amps were D'Agostino (I think Momentum but I couldn't swear to it). As we know that stuff ain't cheap and the amps plenty powerful.

[audiobill]

What was the one track with a bell or something worth multiple tens of thousands to hear? I look forward to hearing it on my McIntosh and Kef Blades revealed in all its glory....

[AnotherJohnson]

Obviously your McIntosh suits you. Good match. Who knows? It may be your best match on the planet. No kidding.

No one thinks thousands should be spent just to hear a tiny tinkle.

It is clearly present, even using very simple and inexpensive gear. I’m not exactly sure what the guy at the Sasha V demo heard, either at home or at the demo. The tinkle has been present on any gear I’ve tried. The interesting thing is that its exact character varies from one system to the next. The best one you’ve heard will be the one you think is “all its glory.” But until you’ve heard the best one, the best one you’ve heard is your reference.

Little details like this help you sort out gear. They’re useless for anything else. If the guy at the demo hadn’t gotten curious about this tinkle, I would never have even noticed it. It is completely disconnected from the music of this performance.

[audiobill]

And what was the by which gear should be evaluated?

[AnotherJohnson]

And what was the by which gear should be evaluated?

I have no clue about what comprises the perfectly accurate system. I have not heard yours, for example. I haven’t heard a nearly infinite number of great systems. That’s why it’s good to have choices … and so far, in my experience, the more natural the musical line, the more realistic the tinkle. FWIW, this Pat Barber Tinkle is the only evaluative cut I use where I do not like the music well enough to start at zero and run to the finish. I cue it up at 2:10 and move on at 2:25. Life’s too short for “If this isn’t jazz.” The ”Use Me” bass line is worthy to me of that cut’s full play.

Talking about McIntosh and KEF Blade pairing, I seem to remember that Harry Weisfeld remarked on such a combination as “Excellent!” They maybe even had a room set up with McIntosh and KEF Blades at the VPI House pre-COVID.

I am at the point where all I can say with certainty is that we live in a Golden Age for two channel. There seems to be no end to the advances. And just as Thomas Edison got people to think he had an orchestra behind the curtain, at every level it is easy to convince yourself that “wow, this sounds really good.” And you will always be right because, as Roberto says “Your ears, your system.”

The point where you are satisfied is the point where you have the epiphany that “Enough is enough.”

On that theme, in the world of decision theory there is a strategy called “Satisficing.” It comes from an old quote by some ancient guy (whose name I may look up later) who noted that “Enough is as good as a feast.” Feast your ears my friends!”

[Joe Appierto]

Origin of Enough is as Good as a Feast:

This idiom first appeared in print in the year 1660, by James Howell, in an English-French-Italian-Spanish dictionary titled Lexicon Tetraglotton. The only explanation that accompanies its entry is that it is an English proverb.

This proverb may date back to ancient times -- I don't know. In more modern times it's been quoted by Sir Thomas Mallory and in the movie Mary Poppins.

[AnotherJohnson]

Origin of Enough is as Good as a Feast:

This idiom first appeared in print in the year 1660, by James Howell, in an English-French-Italian-Spanish dictionary titled Lexicon Tetraglotton. The only explanation that accompanies its entry is that it is an English proverb.

This proverb may date back to ancient times -- I don't know. In more modern times it's been quoted by Sir Thomas Mallory and in the movie Mary Poppins.

Thanks!

I missed it in Mary Poppins. I picked it up from Douglass Wilde, a good friend who has now “gone on” in the Dumbledorian sense.

[AnotherJohnson]

What was the one track with a bell or something worth multiple tens of thousands to hear? I look forward to hearing it on my McIntosh and Kef Blades revealed in all its glory....

Just for fun, since this tinkle of glass has been audible on every system I've played the track on, I played it on my MacBook Air, and off my phone using Qobuz in the truck. It is always clearly there. I think the fellow on the PS Audio forum was probably surprised by something about the character of the tinkle (which does change from system to system and stream to stream) rather than just the presence of the tinkle.

One thing I've noticed over the years is that sometimes you just notice something that you've not noticed before. And it might not be because it is really clearer ... it might be just because you were listening more intently at that point than usual, and it jumped out. Of course once you've heard it, you can go back and find it again and again.

I do think these kinds of little nuances are helpful in evaluating gear though. This glass event is definitely a sort of microdynamic that shows off how well your gear can render details in small details.

There is no best system. Unless it's the system that you're presently enjoying. In the motorcycle world, "the best bike is your next bike." You can interpret that two ways. One way is that you are going to buy the best bike extant when you buy your next bike, whatever that might be. But another way to interpret it is that the best bike for you is the next one you choose to buy. I like this latter idea better than the former. It keeps you moving, trying new things, never stagnating, always experiencing something new.

Spouses often want you to be satisfied with the guitars you have, or the motorcycles you have, or the cars that you have, or the camera gear that you have, or the firearms that you have, or the audio systems that you have. If you are, the hobby money stream can trickle down, and perhaps stop. I think I am a collector of collections. Others might be described as collectors of travel experiences. Or collectors of specific artifacts.

And as for audio systems, it is always good advice to "love the one you're with." But keep your ears open.

[AnotherJohnson]

Another Wilson anecdote, this time about their speaker driver protection.

I’ve mentioned before that they use resistors instead of fuses. I’ve also mentioned that the resistor prices make the CJ parts prices look like bargain bin.

Today I decided that I ought to stock the resistors. Especially since Debbie Wilson recommended that you replace them every once in a while.

It was disconcerting to have to go to the Sasha DAWs as legacy products, but I got over that.

The resistors, midrange and tweeter, for two speakers are priced at $320. So that’s $80 per resistor.

But on top of that they added a $5 handling charge and $17+ for shipping. And, they aren’t committing to a shipping date.

CJ pricing looks pretty good from the Wilson page.

[admin]

All I can say is wow.

Out of curiosity, are they some kind of special resistor?

[AnotherJohnson]

They’re selected by Wilson. They may buy 100 and bin 75 of them, I don’t know.

The woofer resisters are fairly high power and aren’t typically replaced.

I may measure the new ones and see what they are. They may have markings too.

[AnotherJohnson]

Latest Sasha V news

https://www.wilsonaudio.com/media/1481/ ... asha-V.pdf