Chronosonic XVX.

[microstrip]

I think we should actually review a speaker we do not like. I mean review them sensibly in the same manner we review speakers we like. This will give buyers more perspective of both the speaker we like and not like. Also get to learn more about the preference of that reviewer consequently. The more info the better.

Although I agree such knowledge of reviewer preference would be useful for wise and knowledgeable readers it would be a foolish and dangerous game for the industry.

Besides we can never know for sure if we dislike a particular component because of its performance or because we were not able to assemble a system in a room that makes it perform to its designer full objectives.

You refer to "sensibly reviewing" - IMHO such thing is not possible if we dislike the component, the designer or even the quality of manufacture. Reviewers are humans and the high-end is an extremely subjective hobby, filled with biases. Except for those exposing evident objective failures I do not remember of any negative review I can consider fair and of use.

 

[microstrip]

I have been invited over to hear the XVX at Absolute Sounds who have an absolute killer set up with several sets of amplification and the AF Tech Zero. Need to find some time, but look forward to it!

If it was not for the mandatory Covid testing I would be very happy to fly and join you in such visit. Listening to the XVX's in proper conditions is on the top of my audiophile wish list, Ricardo is a good friend since long and I had great experiences in his listening room in Wimbledon.

Looking to read from you about your listening session.

 

[LL21]

That would indeed be fun! They also have one of your favorite sets of amplification there apparently...the Constellation Altair II and Hercules II! And no doubt Transparent Audio's Opus Magnus...

 

[ashandger]

Just FYI, I believe Martin Colloms is publishing a full report in the next issue of HiFi Critic on a listening session to the XVX at Absolute Sounds. Issue out later this month.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Just FYI, I believe Martin Colloms is publishing a full report in the next issue of HiFi Critic on a listening session to the XVX at Absolute Sounds. Issue out later this month.

That’s good news.I look forward to it.

 

[LL21]

Yes, I have spoken from time to time with Martin Colloms about the big Wilsons. Always incredibly generous with his guidance and insights.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Is this demo going to be part of the Lars tube amp demo that Guillaume has secured?

 

[dcathro]

Yes, I have spoken from time to time with Martin Colloms about the big Wilsons. Always incredibly generous with his guidance and insights.

Interesting that he went from Wilson to Magico and now to Fink. I like that he keeps a sense of perspective and is not seduced by the stupidly expensive stuff - he always pays for his kit, no indefinite loans.

I also appreciate that he is one of the few people who can describe a product for a range of possible people and not just for his taste.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Interesting that he went from Wilson to Magico and now to Fink. I like that he keeps a sense of perspective and is not seduced by the stupidly expensive stuff - he always pays for his kit, no indefinite loans.

I also appreciate that he is one of the few people who can describe a product for a range of possible people and not just for his taste.

martin colloms is a legend of a reviewer.

 

[LL21]

Agree.

 

[LL21]

Is this demo going to be part of the Lars tube amp demo that Guillaume has secured?

If you are referring to my own hearing the XVX, the answer is almost certainly no. If I hear the XVX, it will be at Absolute Sounds so their electronics and sources.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Ah, my bad. AS is not KJ L.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I have been invited over to hear the XVX at Absolute Sounds who have an absolute killer set up . . .

Does their set-up include the Master Subsonics? Those solve your desire to add subwoofers to Arrakis.

 

[LL21]

Does their set-up include the Master Subsonics? Those solve your desire to add subwoofers to Arrakis.

We shall find out!

 

[Addicted to hifi]

I would love to hear the chronosonic but I don’t think there will ever be a pair in Australia.i have only heard the Wilson maxx.

 

[docvale]

Right before the pandemic begun, I listened to them at the Innovative show-room in Manhattan.

Peter McGrath was running the show, this the big Wilson driven by D’Agostino preamp and monoblocks, Berkeley Ref 3 and Transparent cables.

needless to say, they sounded awesome.
But I also have to admit that the demo with Sasha DAW, the same monoblocks and the Linn Klimax DSM as DAC-pre was stunning as well. This to say that the “smaller” Wilson render a huge percentage of the 10x more expensive XVX

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Right before the pandemic begun, I listened to them at the Innovative show-room in Manhattan.

Peter McGrath was running the show, this the big Wilson driven by D’Agostino preamp and monoblocks, Berkeley Ref 3 and Transparent cables.

needless to say, they sounded awesome.
But I also have to admit that the demo with Sasha DAW, the same monoblocks and the Linn Klimax DSM as DAC-pre was stunning as well. This to say that the “smaller” Wilson render a huge percentage of the 10x more expensive XVX

That is good news.

 

[HughP3]

my wife, Lee scoggins (absolute sound) and i had a private demo of the XVX system with Larry Marcus of Paragon Site and Sound a few months back. Larry provided a very good room (13 foot ceilings) that did justice to such a grande system. We tried both d'agostino relentless and Burmester 909 mk5 monos. I personally preferred the 909. Front end was a full dCS Vivaldi stack, analog was a Clear Audio Statement tt.



the goal of the trip was to potentially experience a speaker system that i felt was superior to my coveted Gryphon Trident II and give me ideas for new path forward.

A quick skip forward, My ah hah moment came on Brian Bromberg’s album Wood first track The saga of harrison crabfeathers. Brian starts with a wonderful upright bass solo. The Wilson were amazing good , the instrument was rendered more realistic and pure than my Trident II by a fair margin. Each pluck held no resonance, nothing to cloud the wonderful illusion of the instrument in front of me. The Tridents are good at bass in fact most bass especially bass drum where they equal the Wilsons but this particular instrument was far better on the XVX system. Overall the Wilsons rendered the music with even more clarity and a bit more impact in the mid range.

I still prefer the Mundorf AMT tweeter of the Trident especially on piano but the soft dome Wilson tweeter is very good, much improved over the older metallic drivers. The lack of cabinet resonance and the time alignment of the drivers i am guessing give the Wilson about a 20 To 25% overall performance improvement over the Tridents (even more on the upright bass) but at twice the price. I do think its worth the jump tho.
Many thanks to Larry! What a wonderful host. He is true gentleman with extreme knowledge of his craft. i would feel very comfortable knowing his setup would be spot on and his after sale service exemplary.

Next speaker for me to audition is the Gryphon Kodo system. Looking forward to a trip to Denmark in the not too distant future with Joe Cali. Then its hard decisions time. Yes the Tridents can be improved upon but at an extreme cost.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

my wife, Lee scoggins (absolute sound) and i had a private demo of the XVX system with Larry Marcus of Paragon Site and Sound a few months back. Larry provided a very good room (13 foot ceilings) that did justice to such a grande system. We tried both d'agostino relentless and Burmester 909 mk5 monos. I personally preferred the 909. Front end was a full dCS Vivaldi stack, analog was a Clear Audio Statement tt.



the goal of the trip was to potentially experience a speaker system that i felt was superior to my coveted Gryphon Trident II and give me ideas for new path forward.



A quick skip forward, My ah hah moment came on Brian Bromberg’s album Wood first track The saga of harrison crabfeathers. Brian starts with a wonderful upright bass solo. The Wilson were amazing good , the instrument was rendered more realistic and pure than my Trident II by a fair margin. Each pluck held no resonance, nothing to cloud the wonderful illusion of the instrument in front of me. The Tridents are good at bass in fact most bass especially bass drum where they equal the Wilsons but this particular instrument was far better on the XVX system. Overall the Wilsons rendered the music with even more clarity and a bit more impact in the mid range.

I still prefer the Mundorf AMT tweeter of the Trident especially on piano but the soft dome Wilson tweeter is very good, much improved over the older metallic drivers. The lack of cabinet resonance and the time alignment of the drivers i am guessing give the Wilson about a 20 To 25% overall performance improvement over the Tridents (even more on the upright bass) but at twice the price. I do think its worth the jump tho.



Many thanks to Larry! What a wonderful host. He is true gentleman with extreme knowledgeable of his craft. i would feel very comfortable knowing his setup would be spot on and his after sale service exemplary.



Next speaker for me to audition is the Gryphon Kodo system. Looking forward to a trip to Denmark in the not too distant future with Joe Cali. Then its hard decisions time. Yes the Tridents can be improved upon but at an extreme cost.

Your very lucky to experience such an amazing system.congratulations on that.

 

[LL21]

my wife, Lee scoggins (absolute sound) and i had a private demo of the XVX system with Larry Marcus of Paragon Site and Sound a few months back. Larry provided a very good room (13 foot ceilings) that did justice to such a grande system. We tried both d'agostino relentless and Burmester 909 mk5 monos. I personally preferred the 909. Front end was a full dCS Vivaldi stack, analog was a Clear Audio Statement tt.



the goal of the trip was to potentially experience a speaker system that i felt was superior to my coveted Gryphon Trident II and give me ideas for new path forward.

A quick skip forward, My ah hah moment came on Brian Bromberg’s album Wood first track The saga of harrison crabfeathers. Brian starts with a wonderful upright bass solo. The Wilson were amazing good , the instrument was rendered more realistic and pure than my Trident II by a fair margin. Each pluck held no resonance, nothing to cloud the wonderful illusion of the instrument in front of me. The Tridents are good at bass in fact most bass especially bass drum where they equal the Wilsons but this particular instrument was far better on the XVX system. Overall the Wilsons rendered the music with even more clarity and a bit more impact in the mid range.

I still prefer the Mundorf AMT tweeter of the Trident especially on piano but the soft dome Wilson tweeter is very good, much improved over the older metallic drivers. The lack of cabinet resonance and the time alignment of the drivers i am guessing give the Wilson about a 20 To 25% overall performance improvement over the Tridents (even more on the upright bass) but at twice the price. I do think its worth the jump tho.
Many thanks to Larry! What a wonderful host. He is true gentleman with extreme knowledge of his craft. i would feel very comfortable knowing his setup would be spot on and his after sale service exemplary.

Next speaker for me to audition is the Gryphon Kodo system. Looking forward to a trip to Denmark in the not too distant future with Joe Cali. Then its hard decisions time. Yes the Tridents can be improved upon but at an extreme cost.

Great stuff!! You have a sensational system (and room by the looks of it) with great electronics. My personal experience is that Gryphon and Wilson work well together...the dynamic capability, sheer unbridled power and depth of tone suit the big Wilsons that can absorb and use high quality power. We lived happily with this combination for nearly 11 years and only very very recently have stepped away towards Robert Koda.

But we remain big fans of Wilson and ourselves are planning on hearing the XVX at some point this year when we have some time, perhaps next month.

Very much look forward to hearing what you think of the mighty 4-tower Kodo...and of course then there is the XVX plus its own tower subs the Subsonics!