First listen to WAMM from TAS

[ddk]

I sold my 66' Jaguar 4.2 XKE Roadster for $2000 in 1973.

and there were a few others that I wish I still had.....like the 61' Austin Healey 100-6 I sold for $500 in 1971.

but those are cars, and lot's of people are into cars.

not so speakers or tt's. and while there are a few folks who place a relative high value in certain vintage audio gear, it's nothing even close to cars. and there are no current audio products that have any sort of projected multiples of market value like some new Ferrari's or Porsche's or even.....Fords.

so the car analogy with the WAMM is simply not relevant at all.

You're opening old wounds Mike, Lancia Stratos sold in 1980 for $11k and Merak SS for $5k in 1982, that was the market price back then. The Merak was a real POS, I think I pushed that car more than I ever got to drive it, sold the Dino to buy the Stratos then I couldn't afford the service and very hard to get parts for it.

david

 

[metaphacts]

.. Why is he is charging almost 700K for a speaker made almost made out of entirely wood.

FYI. There is no wood in the WAMM.

 

[Mdp632]

FYI. There is no wood in the WAMM.

His competitors are using aluminum and charging far less. IMHO this "WAMM" will start the transition from Wilson to aluminum cabinets across his product line.

 

[still-one]

His competitors are using aluminum and charging far less. IMHO this "WAMM" will start the transition from Wilson to aluminum cabinets across his product line.

Magico does not charge less for The Ultimate.

 

[Mdp632]

Magico does not charge less for The Ultimate.

That is correct. However, I'll clarify for the "dynamic driver models". This WAMM has hints of moving away from the cabinet ingredients of the past Wilsons. All I'm saying is I have a hunch that the nice sales of the WAMM will buy them a nice machine or due to build their cabinets out of aluminum. If they don't go all in you can bet we will see the "XLF" with hints of "aluminum" for "bracing support" around that cabinet.

 

[metaphacts]

His competitors are using aluminum and charging far less. IMHO this "WAMM" will start the transition from Wilson to aluminum cabinets across his product line.

Wilson has spent decades developing complex composites specifically for enclosure applications, most recently the W material developed for the WAMM. Why? These composites continue to push the envelope beyond anything else tested (including aluminum).

Aluminum is indeed used in the gantry of the WAMM (not the enclosures). The gantry is for precise adjustment, not "bracing support." Where it would affect enclosures, it is damped/decoupled with W material.

 

[Mdp632]

Wilson has spent decades developing complex composites specifically for enclosure applications, most recently the W material developed for the WAMM. Why? These composites continue to push the envelope beyond anything else tested (including aluminum).

Aluminum is indeed used in the gantry of the WAMM (not the enclosures). The gantry is for precise adjustment, not "bracing support." Where it would affect enclosures, it is damped/decoupled with W material.

Interesting and thanks for sharing. I do enjoy Wilson speakers and my favorite is actually the Sabrina. IMHO it's your most important and special speaker. Hopefully this WAMM technology you've described will trickle down to mere mortals.

 

[analog brother]

exactly.....it will never be like cars.

agreed.
cars are mass-market. even the expensive ones.
and those who can't afford them, will forever aspire to own one or more of them.
in my extended family of about 30 people, only one knows what a wilson is.
they all know what a ferrari is, even though no one owns one.
fellow family members call my modest system, 'a waste of money'.
they don't get it, and never will.
they could afford it if they wanted to, but the world offers much more attractive and cheaper entertainment for their simpler minds.
we audiophiles are different.
yes, we do fuss over tonearms, cables, isolation racks....things that a normal person would never, ever allow to cross their minds.
but that is the hobby, the obsession.
i don't think the wamm is priced too high. it is cheaper than i thought it would be.
if i had the money, i would buy the wamm mk2, but not a 488.
a 996 gt3 would be 'endgame' for me.

 

[RogerD]

I sold my 66' Jaguar 4.2 XKE Roadster for $2000 in 1973.

and there were a few others that I wish I still had.....like the 61' Austin Healey 100-6 I sold for $500 in 1971.

but those are cars, and lot's of people are into cars.

not so speakers or tt's. and while there are a few folks who place a relative high value in certain vintage audio gear, it's nothing even close to cars. and there are no current audio products that have any sort of projected multiples of market value like some new Ferrari's or Porsche's or even.....Fords.

so the car analogy with the WAMM is simply not relevant at all.

I feel your pain:

1967 split window Corvette $5000
1964 289 Cobra comp w/webers $3600
250GTE Ferrari $10,000
1967 275 GTB short nose $35,000

all offered and past on for various reasons

One must have his priorities....btw the Jag was one of my true car loves.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

agreed.
cars are mass-market. even the expensive ones.
and those who can't afford them, will forever aspire to own one or more of them.
in my extended family of about 30 people, only one knows what a wilson is.
they all know what a ferrari is, even though no one owns one.
fellow family members call my modest system, 'a waste of money'.
they don't get it, and never will.
they could afford it if they wanted to, but the world offers much more attractive and cheaper entertainment for their simpler minds.
we audiophiles are different.
yes, we do fuss over tonearms, cables, isolation racks....things that a normal person would never, ever allow to cross their minds.
but that is the hobby, the obsession.
i don't think the wamm is priced too high. it is cheaper than i thought it would be.
if i had the money, i would buy the wamm mk2, but not a 488.
a 996 gt3 would be 'endgame' for me.

and I'm very happy with my 991 CS2. it's finish quality is impeccable, the performance is beyond my fortitude, and my wife is comfortable in it.

 

[Barry2013]

The new top of the range YG at $250,000 (if my memory serves me correctly) seems a real steal compared to the WAMM

 

[still-one]

The new top of the range YG at $250,000 (if my memory serves me correctly) seems a real steal compared to the WAMM

And any $30k speaker seems like a steal compared to the YG's. What's your point?

 

[RogerD]

Wilson makes out regardless. He will sell all of his flagship speaker. The question is when will this technology filter down and at what price. If it takes 2 or 3 years and the economy remains static everybody loses because the new model will be 400k. I think Wilson should have made 100 and introduced the speaker @ $350,000...but what do I know.

 

[microstrip]

Of interest to those who enjoy more reading from people who have really listened to the WAMM than extrapolating or debating pseudo-economics:

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fidelity-magazin.de%2F2015%2F10%2F14%2Ffidelity-zu-besuch-bei-wilson-audio%2F&edit-text=

http://www.stereophile.com/content/...r-wamm-master-chronosonic#ke7ZSHwyojEkSG9k.97

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/ex...on-audio-specialties-wamm-master-chronosonic/

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/wilson_audio_wamm_mc_1.htm

http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/wilson_audio_wamm_mc_2.htm

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/art...new-wilson-audio-modular-monitor-wamm/?page=3

http://www.analogplanet.com/content...udspeaker-reaches-heavens#TtedwQZPVLTiwcgt.97

 

[Gregadd]

Surely we are not comparing Ferrari to a Wilson speaker. Let's get serious.

 

[Steve williams]

Surely we are not comparing Ferrari to a Wilson speaker. Let's get serious.

you're right Greg. Let's get serious. We're comparing 2 Ferraris to a Wilson speaker

 

[mauidan]

I feel your pain:

1967 split window Corvette $5000
1964 289 Cobra comp w/webers $3600
250GTE Ferrari $10,000
1967 275 GTB short nose $35,000

all offered and past on for various reasons

One must have his priorities....btw the Jag was one of my true car loves.

The 1967 Vet didn't have a "split window."



Only the 1963 had that feature.

Wilson makes out regardless. He will sell all of his flagship speaker. The question is when will this technology filter down and at what price. If it takes 2 or 3 years and the economy remains static everybody loses because the new model will be 400k. I think Wilson should have made 100 and introduced the speaker @ $350,000...but what do I know.

The technology has already filtered down to the $109K ALEXX

BTW, Stereophile's Michael Fremer, who's heard the WAMM and owns XLFs, will be reviewing the ALEXX.

http://www.analogplanet.com/content...udspeaker-reaches-heavens#XEH038VvH1cQuWcJ.97

 

[Gregadd]

you're right Greg. Let's get serious. We're comparing 2 Ferraris to a Wilson speaker

Very funny. Happy new year Steve. Been following your system lately. I did not think it get any better. Shows what I know.
In Formula one racing you what get for 2 Ferraris? A one, two finish.

 

[RogerD]

The 1967 Vet didn't have a "split window."

View attachment 30407

Only the 1963 had that feature.




The technology has already filtered down to the $109K Alexx.

BTW, Stereophile's Micheal Fremer, who's heard the WAMM, will be reviewing the Alexx.

Maybe it was a '63,the same as pictured.

Good,the high end needs some real innovation,price included.

 

[mauidan]

Maybe it was a '63,the same as pictured.

Good,the high end needs some real innovation,price included.

The picture is a 1967.