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  #11  
Old 12-26-2020, 06:35 PM
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I never owned a Wilson speaker system, but in 1982 heard the initial iteration of the WAMM driven, IIRC, by Classé electronics at Garland Audio in San Jose. It impressed me at the time as a system capable of "big", detailed, and dynamic performance, but ultimately sterile in its communication of music. How much that had to do with the speaker system/electronics interface, I can't say.

I'd worked at Garland from 1977 to 1980 (John G. had hired me away from a labor relations job), and in 1979 took, at Dave Wilson's request, a pair of Maggie Tympani 1Ds to his home in Marin County's Terra Linda to demo them in a not-quite-large-enough living room that required a fair amount of panel twiddling to get them to "lock in." Dave and his wife listened intently to a number of recording tracks, and I recall that he was quite impressed with the 1Ds' midrange. But after the demo concluded, I returned to San Jose with the 1Ds in my station wagon. He was looking for more "whomp" in the low end...something that showed up in the WAMM when I heard it in 1982.
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  #12  
Old 12-26-2020, 07:09 PM
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Listened to a Wilson DAW paired with D’Agostino stereo amp with its pre-amp in a good room at JL Audio, Bethesda, MD. Beautiful music. Very detailed, holographic, precise, air, dynamic, tall/wide/deep soundstage, just a tad dry and analytic. A compelling experience.
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  #13  
Old 12-26-2020, 07:41 PM
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Reading some of the comments I am thinking what I remember about all the different Wilson’s I listened to is they were really good at imaging, detail, and slam. To me that says the have a lot of high end detail... a dangerous thing if not carefully matched with electronics. Women usually have better hearing and will pick up on harshness (not necessarily the speakers fault) than men. I gravitated to more integrated whole, rhythm and pace instead of detail at all costs. This is where taste comes in... what do you value? Wilson speakers are exceptional like Magico. But I have gone running from a room with Magico and so much detail (and high frequency noice) my ears were bleeding. I like being ever so slightly on the side warm and musical. Finding the right balance is the attraction and source of frustration of this pursuit.
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  #14  
Old 12-26-2020, 08:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by George Prentice View Post
Reading some of the comments I am thinking what I remember about all the different Wilson’s I listened to is they were really good at imaging, detail, and slam. To me that says the have a lot of high end detail... a dangerous thing if not carefully matched with electronics. Women usually have better hearing and will pick up on harshness (not necessarily the speakers fault) than men. I gravitated to more integrated whole, rhythm and pace instead of detail at all costs. This is where taste comes in... what do you value? Wilson speakers are exceptional like Magico. But I have gone running from a room with Magico and so much detail (and high frequency noice) my ears were bleeding. I like being ever so slightly on the side warm and musical. Finding the right balance is the attraction and source of frustration of this pursuit.
Wilson speakers are not Magico... Magico uses lots of stiff materials in their contruction. Metal cabinets, stiff, carbon reinforced cones, as well as Beryllium tweeters, etc... Magico speakers tend to sound, well, like METAL. Very accurate, fast, detailed and very sterile in the context of many, many rooms and systems. Good luck with that type of sound long term. It takes quite a bit of skill to put together a system that would be forgiving enough to listen to a broad range of music with Magico speakers.


Wilson uses non-resonant cabinets that push the resonance points lower and lower, near 2 hertz I heard lately? So the drivers are free to strut their stuff without coloration. What are the drivers? Paper Pulp woofers, Doped Paper Pulp mids, Doped Silk Fabric tweeters... Does any of that sound like metal?



Again, we all have our preferences and we hear different not only due to age but for physiological reasons.

It would be wise to sit and spend some time with Wilson speakers under conditions that allow for a fair and honest audition if one is interested in pursuing a magnificent sound that can be just about everything one asks for.

Or not...

Go and audition a dozen of other high end speakers and perhaps one of them will connect emotionally. Wilsons as well as some other speakers, in the context of proper synergy, more than speak to me and I can easily build a system around each and enjoy. Precisely what I did with the current system that is not Wilson based.
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  #15  
Old 12-26-2020, 09:02 PM
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I am very tempted to stay out of this minefield, but I just cannot. I have owned Wilson Sophia 2’s paired with BAT amplification for years. This matchup is effortless, natural, engaging, dynamic and emotionally satisfying. System integration and room treatments are the key elements regardless of brand. YMMV
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  #16  
Old 12-26-2020, 09:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chessman View Post
I am very tempted to stay out of this minefield, but I just cannot. I have owned Wilson Sophia 2’s paired with BAT amplification for years. This matchup is effortless, natural, engaging, dynamic and emotionally satisfying. System integration and room treatments are the key elements regardless of brand. YMMV
Having lived with BAT (although with Dynaudio not Wilson at that time) and Sophia 2's, that pairing would be more than satisfactory to my ears as well.
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  #17  
Old 12-26-2020, 10:10 PM
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I’ll chime in, and simply say after an extensive listening session conducted by Peter McGrath, and the great, late Dave Wilson in Boca Raton, FL.

Wilson Audio just isn’t for me. I listened to their finest at the time, with all very high end electronics.

It just proves different horses for courses; YMMV.
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  #18  
Old 12-26-2020, 11:14 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Puma Cat View Post
I never liked anything designed by Dave Wilson, and have some experiences where Wilsons have driven me out of the room in less than 5 minutes.

My understanding is that the newer models designed by Daryl Wilson (e.g. Sasha DAW) are significantly different and better-sounding.
Just as a point of clarification, every current Wilson Audio model save the WAMM Master Chronosonic was designed by Daryl Wilson. However, Daryl would be the first to tell you that learning from Dave and having almost 40 years of incredibly detailed design documentation that he is building upon that foundation that his father established.
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  #19  
Old 12-26-2020, 11:22 PM
cdobson cdobson is offline
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The approach to this thread seems a bit loaded...but I may be a snowflake. I started out with a pair of B&W 803D eight years ago. Found them to “polite” so added a JL Audio F212 for some heft. Had an opportunity to trade in for a pair of Sasha 2’s. Liked the sound profile more but still somewhat unfulfilled. Traded in for Sasha DAW. This was closer to what I was looking for. Two years later traded for Alexia 2 - and liking this change as well. I do not have any experience with Sonus Faber though lots of props for that line and many others in this forum. In my very finite experience- The Wilson sound has evolved noticeably since the Sasha 2 and I like the direction Daryl is taking things. Enjoy your choices...and hopefully your spouse does as well. :-)
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  #20  
Old 12-27-2020, 11:21 AM
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I had a pair of Sabrinas for an extended home loan. They were magical on vocals, but really insufficient on the low end. Between that and my wife opining that they looked like coffins, it was a short-lived affair.
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