Impressed with recent Wilson XVX audition - is there anythings that presents that kind of detail without sounding analytical?

[leyenda]

Any speakers at or around any Wilson model's price point must have something to offer otherwise they will not sell.

 

[Al M.]

That must've been the fault of the associated components or the room or both, because that just is not how Lyras sound.

Agreed. I have heard the Lyras with great sound, far from cold or sterile. That was at Goodwin's High End.

 

[andromedaaudio]

I think the big Wilson benesch and big Vivid Ls , Kroma Ls are also definetively worth hearing .
Its like Mike says a good LS is one you don t hear / doesnt distract.

 

[marty]

The center vocal image was way up in height, what seemed like floating 8 feet in the air.

This observation can only mean one thing. The XVX were simply not set up properly for you. It is well known that the Wilsons are exquisitely sensitive to the ear height of the listener. Wilson's set-up instructions are exceedingly precise for this important parameter. That is why larger Wilsons often elicit a broad range of reactions at a show; and can range from "wowza" to "they suck". The greatest reason for this disparity is incorrect set up and failure of the speakers to match the ear height of the listener. There is no way a properly set pair of XVX will render an image of vocals coming from someplace in the stratosphere. Something is very wrong if that was your experience. Too bad. If you have the opportunity to visit a dealer who might be motivated and willing, try to see if they might invest in the time to set up the speaker modules for you specifically. It might well be worth the trouble and could be mutually productive.

 

[Elliot G.]

certainly plenty of visitors, but the MM7's are a victim of seamless sound without parts drawing attention. is it the room? is it the amps? is it the sources? the tweaks?

can't be these huge speakers i've never heard of. nothing fun about that to talk about. people just don't relate to 3000 pounds of not sexy twin towers.

it's just music.

fully mature sorted out systems are like that. the system disappears.

Having heard Mikes System and the XVX with subs at Robert Harleys as well as my own Divin Noblesse with and without the Divin Sovereigns I would only advise someone who is considering a system of this caliber to listen to whatever they think can work for them. I have to say that IMO the Wilson's are and seem to be from the varied reactions and comments a complicated kettle of fish to make work properly.
I know i am jaded ( lol) even when I am trying to be totally fair but IMO what we heard at RH there really wasn't much of a comparison. I am always told well they werent set up correctly but IMHO that schtick runs out when it happens too often. If they werent set up at RH properly then where would they be???
I have never set up the speakers Mike and a few others have but I will say that Mike's system is really excellent and it does not take more than a few seconds to forget about it and just relax and listen. I spent a few days there and i really enjoyed it.
If one has to constantly make excuses I don't see that nor constantly fiddling to be happy something I would like to own.
One last thing for better or for worse Bending Wave and Gobel High End show at all the shows so that people can hear them, maybe not in a perfect envirionment , but we don't hide from the challenges. The Divin Noblesse with 2 Divin Sovereigns will be at Axpona for anyone and everyone to see and listen to.
NO FEAR!

 

[Nuprin]

View attachment 106801

I heard the smaller Gobel at the 2021 CAF, with Parasound Amps - again, at a show, so room conditions may not have been optimal but they were a little underwhelming. Same thing for the Tidal room. They of coursed sounded "good" but nothing that really impressed me or identified with life-like music.

 

[Elliot G.]

I heard the smaller Gobel at the 2021 CAF, with Parasound Amps - again, at a show, so room conditions may not have been optimal but they were a little underwhelming. Same thing for the Tidal room. They of coursed sounded "good" but nothing that really impressed me or identified with life-like music.

Real great sound requires time , a show is a hotel room. I dont know where you are located but if your able to come listen in our showrroom in Florida or in Munich I think you can get a real good idea of what they can do. We will be at Axpona in ten days and again a show but we will have the larger speaker the Noblesse there which was just reviewed by RH after we removed the XVX.

I d be happy to show you what they are capable off in either the two permanent locations and rooms

 

[Nuprin]

my Evolution Acoustics MM7's can do all of these things. only more with deeper bass. but no one knows them and you will never hear them at a show or at a dealer.

I'm at least a little familiar with Evolution Acoustics as the MicroOnes I have (with subs) sound better than most speakers I've hear under $20k. The vocals were marginally better on the XVXs compared to my MicroOnes.

Unfortunately I've only experienced a small sample of what's currently out there in flagship or near the top of the line speakers, in properly set up rooms. From the systems and brands I have heard throughout the years, few have sounded great but occasionally I hear something that just sounds "right" or jumps out at you in a realistic, musical way. The experience with the XVX was one of those moments with a wood instrument. To give a little context here, a number of years back, I heard the Wilson Alexandria at Transparent HQ in their expensively treated room and did not come away with anything that blew me away (I think the room was to dead honestly).

My knowledge is limited but this was just one of those experiences where you say, "In the future, when I am able to purchase it, my system must be able to do that". Between what I've heard with the Kharma Exquisite Midi in a 24ft x 40ft room - amazing soundstage depth and width just to name one aspect of that particular speakers/system and the XVXs for making me hear/see an actual Bass in front of me, what I do know so far is that I need to start with a purpose built room, properly treated and in some sense the right size for the type of speaker, full range - meaning down to the single digits in frequency response and to properly replicate the size and scope of say, Duke Ellington Band or Count Basie Orchestra, the real presence of instruments and so on an so forth.

 

[Nuprin]

This observation can only mean one thing. The XVX were simply not set up properly for you. It is well known that the Wilsons are exquisitely sensitive to the ear height of the listener. Wilson's set-up instructions are exceedingly precise for this important parameter. That is why larger Wilsons often elicit a broad range of reactions at a show; and can range from "wowza" to "they suck". The greatest reason for this disparity is incorrect set up and failure of the speakers to match the ear height of the listener. There is no way a properly set pair of XVX will render an image of vocals coming from someplace in the stratosphere. Something is very wrong if that was your experience. Too bad. If you have the opportunity to visit a dealer who might be motivated and willing, try to see if they might invest in the time to set up the speaker modules for you specifically. It might well be worth the trouble and could be mutually productive.

I agree Marty, my gut feeling was that the XVXs could sound so much better if properly set up.

The seating position for the demo was "moved" from another listening position, meaning eyeballed, when I got to the store. No where near accurate considering the level of detail for importance of time alignment Wilson talks about. The chair was also too low. If I were to guess, my ears were probably 3=4 inches lower than the average listening height and that could have certainly contributed to the 8 foot high vocals.

 

[Nuprin]

Real great sound requires time , a show is a hotel room. I dont know where you are located but if your able to come listen in our showrroom in Florida or in Munich I think you can get a real good idea of what they can do. We will be at Axpona in ten days and again a show but we will have the larger speaker the Noblesse there which was just reviewed by RH after we removed the XVX.

I d be happy to show you what they are capable off in either the two permanent locations and rooms

I would love to hear them in a properly set up room, if only my work would allow me to get away these days. It's a Catch-22 right now, can't really get away to travel to dealers and shows around the country or visit other awesome audiophile rooms so all I can do is stay home and listen to what I have.

 

[Elliot G.]

which speaker are you interested in? Are you in the big speaker market like the Noblesse or are you looking for something smaller and more affordable? XXV are a majot purchase for sure.
I usually have the Marquis set up with two divin sovereign subs and I love that system .
If sometime later this year you want to come to Florida any day ( as long asa we make a time) Ill do my best to accommodate you.
Im going to try my best at Axpona to make the big system rock but its a process LOL
This year and for the future drapes i every room at every show to try to control the reverb and glare. I think it will be pretty good but never like a mature system in a good room, that's just not possible in a hotel room with about 4 or five hours of play time to get it right.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I'm at least a little familiar with Evolution Acoustics as the MicroOnes I have (with subs) sound better than most speakers I've hear under $20k. The vocals were marginally better on the XVXs compared to my MicroOnes.

Unfortunately I've only experienced a small sample of what's currently out there in flagship or near the top of the line speakers, in properly set up rooms. From the systems and brands I have heard throughout the years, few have sounded great but occasionally I hear something that just sounds "right" or jumps out at you in a realistic, musical way. The experience with the XVX was one of those moments with a wood instrument. To give a little context here, a number of years back, I heard the Wilson Alexandria at Transparent HQ in their expensively treated room and did not come away with anything that blew me away (I think the room was to dead honestly).

My knowledge is limited but this was just one of those experiences where you say, "In the future, when I am able to purchase it, my system must be able to do that". Between what I've heard with the Kharma Exquisite Midi in a 24ft x 40ft room - amazing soundstage depth and width just to name one aspect of that particular speakers/system and the XVXs for making me hear/see an actual Bass in front of me, what I do know so far is that I need to start with a purpose built room, properly treated and in some sense the right size for the type of speaker, full range - meaning down to the single digits in frequency response and to properly replicate the size and scope of say, Duke Ellington Band or Count Basie Orchestra, the real presence of instruments and so on an so forth.

i have a set of pristine EA MicroOne's in my hallway outside my room. were owned by my now deceased brother in law. back a few years, i set EA MicroOne's up at a couple of shows for the manufacturer. remarkable speaker value. they do more right than many much more expensive speakers. i'm sure they do great for you.

it would be fun for me to demonstrate to you how the MM7 level of Evolution Acoustics can do rendering a realistic Double Bass or Cello. my favorite music to listen to is string quartet vinyl. prior to owning Evolutions i owned, among others, Kharma Exquisite 1D's. they could do justice to great recordings too. but not on the scale of the MM7's. my room is 21' x 29' x 11'. and it can scale. yet intimate music stays intimate. soundstage and instrument size depends on the recording, in my room it's not everything big or small. the room is big enough that any size can be created. there are a number of very life like recordings where the realism pushes the suspension of disbelief with the MM7's.

my very strong opinion is that when you get to the MM7----XVX----big Gobel level of speakers (there are other suspects for sure)............the room, the system, the set-up and sweat equity put into system tuning, are much larger factors than which speaker you choose. you hear the vision of the person behind the room. and some large speakers are almost prohibitively challenging to set up. you buy the guy who sells it to you as much as the speaker. unless you know how to do it yourself. or are willing to take a decade or so to learn how to do it.

not sure how you heard the XVX's. at a show? at a dealer? at a friends?

i've only heard them one time so far, early on a Friday at Axpona a couple of years ago, with D'Ag electronics and on that day at that hour they were a mess. so i dismissed any sort of judgement about that system. got caught up in other rooms and never made it back to that room. they likely sorted it out somehow later i would expect. enough people are impressed that there has to be quality.

not sure where you live, but if you are ever in the Seattle area you are welcome to hear my MM7's.

 

[Nuprin]

which speaker are you interested in? Are you in the big speaker market like the Noblesse or are you looking for something smaller and more affordable? XXV are a majot purchase for sure.
I usually have the Marquis set up with two divin sovereign subs and I love that system .
If sometime later this year you want to come to Florida any day ( as long asa we make a time) Ill do my best to accommodate you.
Im going to try my best at Axpona to make the big system rock but its a process LOL
This year and for the future drapes i every room at every show to try to control the reverb and glare. I think it will be pretty good but never like a mature system in a good room, that's just not possible in a hotel room with about 4 or five hours of play time to get it right.

The idea is to upgrade to something bigger than my standmounts in my current room which is 20x15x10 feet and then remodel the bonus room down the road that is about 50% bigger with 12' foot ceilings. But I need to hear some reference system to know what to look for, try to get as close to those qualities I value in the meantime, until I'm able to move to a bigger speaker/system.

 

[gleeds]

Consider adding the Von Scheweikert Ultra 7's to your short list. Gorgeous for factor with end-game performance. When you go to your larger room simply add VSA Hurricane subs. Leif and Damon will surely come and set them up anywhere in the world.

I also dig the EA MM-7s and have a great deal of experience with them. I'm sure with enough planning Jonathan and Kevin will come and do the set-up for you. Elliot and Oliver Goebel would do the same for their outstanding loudspeakers!

In my experience buying from highly regarded, smaller firms crushes buying from the big boys who cannot match this level of service. How can you go wrong having the speakers designer and the most knowledgeable people in the world come spend a few days with you to make sure your experience is unforgettable.

Most of all enjoy the ride and have tons of fun!

 

[Bobvin]

If you visit Mike in Seattle, come on down to Portland where I can offer you some time listening to Alsyvox Botticelli and Bayz Counterpoint, even Diesis Roma. A good sampling in one location of several outstanding speakers, all a bit different could be ear-opening experience to broaden your exposure. Also Pilium electronics IMHO much more liquid and musical sounding than Dagostino.

 

[chuck]

.

So my question is, for those that have heard that speaker, is there anything else on the market that comes close to that realistic instrument detail/tone/dimensionality without sounding cold and analytical?

YG Sonja XVi. I have heard the Wilson Chronosonic XVX at JS Audio in Bethesda, MD and at Audio Salon, Santa Monica, CA.

 

[Sampajanna]

I have found all of Marten’s higher tier speakers to be resolving without ever being cold or fatiguing. They need juice, but are forgiving of electronics as well and seem to pair with most anything. They are always smooth, yet highly detailed. I have heard all the models from Parker Diamond up and found them to share this amazing quality.

 

[Al M.]

I have found all of Marten’s higher tier speakers to be resolving without ever being cold or fatiguing. They need juice, but are forgiving of electronics as well and seem to pair with most anything. They are always smooth, yet highly detailed. I have heard all the models from Parker Diamond up and found them to share this amazing quality.

I don't see how a highly resolving speaker can be forgiving -- of electronics, room acoustics or otherwise. The high resolution will almost by definition also expose flaws in the system.

 

[Elliot G.]

I don't see how a highly resolving speaker can be forgiving -- of electronics, room acoustics or otherwise. The high resolution will almost by definition also expose flaws in the system.

THe best speakers should absolutely show the listener what is happening with the gear in front of it and the listening space and position.
If one can't hear the difference between say two different amplifiers I don't believe the speaker is very resolving. This is however a complex issue as if the speakers are not optimised for their best one will hear differences still but those might be highly influenced by the room interactions.

 

[Elliot G.]

.

YG Sonja XVi. I have heard the Wilson Chronosonic XVX at JS Audio in Bethesda, MD and at Audio Salon, Santa Monica, CA.

out of curiousity did you like them at both or either? Was the gear different?