Is a "Review" of a Component in an Unfamiliar System in an Unfamiliar Room Really a Review?

[Mike Lavigne]

This system can scale up like no other cone design can .
Superfast risetime

maybe.

but dynamic driver rise time is related to driver surface, excursion, and amplifier headroom. maybe the FM lacks sufficient driver surface to compete with larger systems? or at least it would have to be much better to be able be on par. more driver surface and faster/lighter/stiffer cone materials that are more efficient have advantages. amps are less stressed and more linear.

saying no other cone design can compete is not really knowable.

 

[andromedaaudio]

maybe.

but dynamic driver rise time is related to driver surface, excursion, and amplifier headroom. maybe the FM lacks sufficient driver surface to compete with larger systems? or at least it would have to be much better to be able be on par. more driver surface and faster/lighter/stiffer cone materials that are more efficient have advantages. amps are less stressed and more linear.

saying no other cone design can compete is not really knowable.

But the difference is that FM acoustics is Active to my knowledge .
And an active system done right .....
Same with the AV I tron also active ..... and fast

 

[LL21]

This system can scale up like no other cone design can .
Superfast risetime

Fascinating...like other FM equipment which by reputation really needs to be utilized with other FM equipment...does this apply to their speakers?

How much are they?

 

[andromedaaudio]

Fascinating...like other FM equipment which by reputation really needs to be utilized with other FM equipment...does this apply to their speakers?

How much are they?

I dont know, but i reckon its at its best All FM and set up by manuel
Manuel said it was not an easy system to set up / adjust for the show
I hope he will be showing with SUB in the last year in munich .
I reckon no more Marriott shows when the MOC is no more

 

[LL21]

I dont know, but i reckon its at its best All FM and set up by manuel
Manuel said it was not an easy system to set up / adjust for the show
I hope he will be showing with SUB in the last year in munich .
I reckon no more Marriott shows when the MOC is no more

Thanks.

 

[microstrip]

(...) So for now, the XVX is truly an exceptional speaker but its not the quantum leap (for me) that inspires me to do the trade-in. Perhaps next time I hear it, I will be more inspired. (...)

As I said, I never listened to XVX. But having experience with the WAMM using the same digital source I use, playing my preferred the recordings and having read comparative opinions on the WAMM and the XVX, I feel I can speculate. The XVX is probably the Quantum leap when compared with the XLF - there is an order of magnitude information more available from the recording in the XLF. The capability of the WAMM to present small details in small instruments while others played loud, keeping the perfect spacial and dynamic of each section of a large number of diverse instruments was unique. At the time the XVX was presented I owned the XLF and only monetary reasons limited my inspiration - I was (and I am not) not prepared to spend such a sum in speakers.

And I am not addressing the better and more realistic tonality in voices ... BTW, I listened to the WAMM in the same room that I had listened to the XLF and motivated me to buy them.

 

[LL21]

As I said, I never listened to XVX. But having experience with the WAMM using the same digital source I use, playing my preferred the recordings and having read comparative opinions on the WAMM and the XVX, I feel I can speculate. The XVX is probably the Quantum leap when compared with the XLF - there is an order of magnitude information more available from the recording in the XLF. The capability of the WAMM to present small details in small instruments while others played loud, keeping the perfect spacial and dynamic of each section of a large number of diverse instruments was unique. At the time the XVX was presented I owned the XLF and only monetary reasons limited my inspiration - I was (and I am not) not prepared to spend such a sum in speakers.

And I am not addressing the better and more realistic tonality in voices ... BTW, I listened to the WAMM in the same room that I had listened to the XLF and motivated me to buy them.

Could be. It definitely felt like a much better speaker but not quantum leap for me. That said, I was intrigued enough that when that day comes when I want to make a quantum leap, I remember making a mental note that I would definitely go back to visit and/or seriously consider:

- XVX
- AG Trio G3
- Arrakis (if I can ever find one!...and to be semipractical, an older one which is not active crossover and demands double of everything)

And to learn, would also seek to investigate:
- panels (Clarysis Auditoriums, Alsyvox Raffaelo)
- horns (Living Voice Olympian, Destination Audio Vista, Acapella Hyperion horn/cone hybrid)
- cones (VS Ultra 11, Goebel Majestic)

From a practical perspective, family, aesthetic, household considerations included, I see Arrakis and XVX as the most likely candidates given their footprints, possibly VS Ultra 11.

 

[microstrip]

Could be. It definitely felt like a much better speaker but not quantum leap for me. That said, I was intrigued enough that when that day comes when I want to make a quantum leap, I remember making a mental note that I would definitely go back to visit and/or seriously consider:

- XVX
- AG Trio G3
- Arrakis (if I can ever find one!...and to be semipractical, an older one which is not active crossover and demands double of everything)

And to learn, would also seek to investigate:
- panels (Clarysis Auditoriums, Alsyvox Raffaelo)
- horns (Living Voice Olympian, Destination Audio Vista, Acapella Hyperion horn/cone hybrid)
- cones (VS Ultra 11, Goebel Majestic)

From a practical perspective, family, aesthetic, household considerations included, I see Arrakis and XVX as the most likely candidates given their footprints, possibly VS Ultra 11.

IMO, an important point when changing will be matching the Koda's sound signature. I have listened to the Koda set-up several times and I do not feel they would be an ideal amplifier to the Trio G3.

 

[tima]

Tim, there is a lot of great content here, but I politely differ. If know the system really well, then it doesn’t have to be at your house. In my view, it’s more about the number of critical listening hours.

Yes, I recognize that we have different views as do you. That's okay. I tried to be clear that my take was just that and not a universal prescription. For me listening hours is one aspect and living with and using the component is another. There is no set formula. Readers set expectations.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

But the difference is that FM acoustics is Active to my knowledge .
And an active system done right .....
Same with the AV I tron also active ..... and fast

in what way active? in the bass? visually those FM Acoustics speakers do not appear to be active. lots of amp chassis there. but i have no idea. my MM7's are active in the bass, and have much greater cone surface both active, and passive. and much easier amp loads. and -4- 11" mid bass ceramic matrix drivers per side. very low excursion, easy 97 db efficient, so very fast in the power range. not saying my speakers are the fastest cone speakers, but unlikely FM Acoustics is either.

and not sure active is the key for fast, but maybe. not heard a cone speaker as faster than mine, but not heard them all.

active with horns? sure. heard the AG i-tron G3 and it is blindingly fast......too fast? a matter of preference. under ideal circumstances maybe perfect.

 

[andromedaaudio]

in what way active?

No passive X over in the speaker . .... I think

 

[LL21]

IMO, an important point when changing will be matching the Koda's sound signature. I have listened to the Koda set-up several times and I do not feel they would be an ideal amplifier to the Trio G3.

Yes, always. That is why I would have to dig deeper. Interestingly, the Trio G3 are most often driven by Kondo...but when I heard them they were being driven by the Emm MTRX Ref Monos. Personally, I am intrigued by the Koda/AG combination. My sense from Jacob Heilbrunn is that they benefit from power even while they are sublime with lower powered, high current amplification.

What do you think would be ideal for the AG Trios?

As for the Arrakis, the original was NOT an active crossover which required 2 sets of amplification. It was a single speaker requiring one set of amplification.

 

[PeterA]

Isn't that up to the individual readers of the various types of writers of reviews to decide?

Yes, of course. I was just asking your opinion as one of the individual readers.

 

[Charles S]

King......
You haven t heard what this baby can do/ produce
This one can literally frighten you while watching movies when you open them up ( and yes i ve heard the XVX with SUBS)


View attachment 143954

Andromeda, I think that anyone in the market for a speaker in your price range should, if possible, consider your speakers. You are passionate about them, and I am sure that bass dynamics are one of their many strengths. When i said King of the Hill, I was referring to the Thor vs the XVX, meaning that at 40Hz the bass quality much more than the quantity is sightly different with my thor engaged. yes, there is slightly more bass from 40 Hz on down with my Thor engaged, and the 30 hz tone is considerably stronger, but for my ears, my bass blend is perfect. On jazz I prefer the bass with my Thor engaged over my XVX alone, though the output is similar either way. It's a slightly fatter, slower, rounder bass, still extremely quick and resolved. This is a matter of preference.

Now the XVX has tremendous bass dynamics, because as I have said, from 25 Hz and above, you will never see the woofers even move to the naked eye, and below 25 Hz it is impossible to overload, so it can be run full range with any set of subs, not matter how large. My Thor was as I have said, designed for mono as a replacement for the Wilson XS, which weighed 750 pounds, had dual 18" woofers, enormous dual ports, and was extremely difficult to ship, set up in the home, and return for repair. My Thor has more output than an XS. it is a very different animal than a Subsonic which is 6 dB less sensitive and meant for stereo. The Subsonic was designed for the XVX. It is quicker, more in tune with the speed of the XVX woofers. However, Wilson made me a custom plinth made of X-material and Acoustic Diodes. These diodes retail for around 4-5K and the plinth weighs in at probably 175 pounds. It is heavy. All subwoofers move back and forth a little which produced distortion. My Thor doesn't move at all, and it is specially made of 3rd generation X-material. It is my second Thor. When i bought my XVX, I bought a new custom-made Thor, especially for me.

Regarding this thread, I'm not exaggerating when I say that this critique of reviews, is very informative to read. As a layperson I take any review with a grain of salt, but reviews are extremely valuable. But take Mike Fremer's review of the VAC Statement amplifier. JA says that its failure to even remotely come close to meeting its specs regarding and wattage and S/N ratio are not important because he rarely needed over 40 watts.

That's very revealing concerning his SP listening level. I need 300 plus watts and Mike was using a Wilson Alexx at that time. There are so many variables and factors that a layperson like me must take into account when reading a review. But I still highly value your reviews and opinions highly. They are very entertaining reading for the most part, and most contain valuable information. Remember, you guys, the high end is just a hobby. Don't take yourselves too seriously. I love all of you because you are passionate about the high end.

Charles

 

[andromedaaudio]

I meant stand alone my design versus XVX without sub.
I have never heard the biggest wilson SUB yet . ( I think ,... although i might have in Munich )

 

[Tonari]

Any review is acceptable. You always learn something when someone write a long text on one equipment. Hopefully at least the price and the specs Of course, sometimes you feel that the reviewer doesn't know what he is talking about reminding you when you were a newbie in the hobby and that is OK, sometimes you feel like reading an advertisement and say to yourself it is a pity that the reviewer hasn't disclose it in a way or another but after some experience of knowing how to read such reviews that' s also OK. Still most of the time I appreciate all the efforts done by the reviewer to share as much info and knowledge as possible. And to me the best reviews remain the ones that contain comparaisons between equipments over a long period of time.