Is Wilson losing their marketing edge?

[andromedaaudio]

Dealers/ importers usually demonstrate overhere with the whole brand so lets say ARC pre power , not ARC Boulder/Krell or whatever.
THere has been a shift the last decades moving from class A to AB , gryphon , plinius are the ones that spring to mind that are an exeption , but i would like to hear it someday
I found the neutral tube pre i like And i will probably upgrade to a legend someday , i might buy more pre s in the future different day /different flavour.
Dynamics/transientresponse have a lot to do with powersupply i think mine have already 4000 VA per channel how much has the gryphon??
Best thing about highend audio is when you cranck up the volume and the music starts glowing /flowing ful of control clarity , i am quite satisfied

Another wish would be A zanden 3000 / Krell 600 /900 system

If you can hear a good, transparent tube preamp with very pure tonality and can combine it with enormous SS CLass A, i would definitely recommend you at least listen to the combination. For me, it combines the tonal purity which i value highest above all...with effortless and unlimited dynamics (both micro and macro)...which gives me shading, detail, decay and also effortless delivery of power, slam but also string attack, etc.

 

[nirodha]

Let me explain in "maths" way :
Magico Q5: rating = +++++++++
MAXX: rating +++++++ plus slam
and this is a guess: JBL: rating + plus slam haha

Don't think you need to feel sorry for him. Not everyone is looking for SLAM when listening to a cello. BTW, a $2000 JBL will have more SLAM then Magico, no need to spend $60K on a boom box

 

[andromedaaudio]

Well i actually miss the chance to hear the maxx 3 in holland there is a show overhere peter mc grath is there as well .
I cant go i am on factory repair call service again this week, i have my own business i cant say no

with the new ARC 250 monos .

http://www.hifi.nl/nieuws/44499/Chattelin-presenteert-Wilson-Audio-Maxx-3.html

 

[nirodha]

That's the one I've been to. Pretty packed room.

Well i actually miss the chance to hear the maxx 3 in holland there is a show overhere peter mc grath is there as well .
I cant go i am on factory repair call service again this week, i have my own business i cant say no

with the new ARC 250 monos .

http://www.hifi.nl/nieuws/44499/Chattelin-presenteert-Wilson-Audio-Maxx-3.html

 

[andromedaaudio]

Its a small world , i only saw it this morning , kind of a shame , i would have arranged something at work otherwise.

 

[LL21]

Dealers/ importers usually demonstrate overhere with the whole brand so lets say ARC pre power , not ARC Boulder/Krell or whatever.
THere has been a shift the last decades moving from class A to AB , gryphon , plinius are the ones that spring to mind that are an exeption , but i would like to hear it someday
I found the neutral tube pre i like And i will probably upgrade to a legend someday , i might buy more pre s in the future different day /different flavour.
Dynamics/transientresponse have a lot to do with powersupply i think mine have already 4000 VA per channel how much has the gryphon??
Best thing about highend audio is when you cranck up the volume and the music starts glowing /flowing ful of control clarity , i am quite satisfied

Another wish would be A zanden 3000 / Krell 600 /900 system

Hi Andromda,

From Jeff Fritz's review of the Gryphon Colosseum:

"The Colosseum’s output is rated at 160Wpc into 8 ohms, 320Wpc into 4 ohms, or 640Wpc into 2 ohms. While 160Wpc may not seem like that much these days, when 1000W from ten-pound class-D designs is common, consider the nature of linear, analog power amplifiers: those 160W are supported by a total of 24 output devices per channel, 340,000µF of power-supply capacitance, and two huge, shielded, 1325W Holmgren power transformers that weigh 30 pounds apiece. According to Gryphon, the Colosseum is actually capable of producing short bursts of a ground-shaking 5400W into a single channel. This amplifier should have no problem powering any competently designed loudspeaker."

 

[LL21]

For those without an unlimited budget, I think this is a very sensible approach! I do the same, except (of course) I've gone down the vinyl-only path (for serious listening).

For sure! I think though even if i did have an unlimited budget, i would not go for multiple sources. As much as i obsess about my system (like most of us), i also like it to integrate into my lifestyle and not the other way around. I think having too much equipment, too much cabling, too many different sources...would be too much (for me). I also have the system in the living room, and enjoy working while the system is playing. So it must look beautiful, have no clutter, no extra cd cases lying around. If i can ever do it someday, i would hide all the cables and equipment and have simply 2 speakers, sub and the transport or server control...with no cables anywhere and the equipment behind smoked glass doors. (plus with the equipment no longer between the speakers, it might actually improve the sound a bit.)

 

[Randall Smith]

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/wilson-audio-alexandria-x-2-series-2-amazing-alexandria

this will certainly drive the price of used x-2's down quite a bit. with a 10/10 rating, in any color, from a Wilson authorized dealer, this could be great for people who want a brand new X-2 at 50% of list.

 

[rockitman]

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/wilson-audio-alexandria-x-2-series-2-amazing-alexandria

this will certainly drive the price of used x-2's down quite a bit. with a 10/10 rating, in any color, from a Wilson authorized dealer, this could be great for people who want a brand new X-2 at 50% of list.

while still very expensive, this is an incredible deal. To bad my room is too small for these babies...

 

[LL21]

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/wilson-audio-alexandria-x-2-series-2-amazing-alexandria

this will certainly drive the price of used x-2's down quite a bit. with a 10/10 rating, in any color, from a Wilson authorized dealer, this could be great for people who want a brand new X-2 at 50% of list.

I have spoken with dealers about this...there will be a short-term 'glut' on the market while owners sell to upgrade to XLF...but once those get bought, they will likely not come back on the market for a while.

 

[caesar]

I have spoken with dealers about this...there will be a short-term 'glut' on the market while owners sell to upgrade to XLF...but once those get bought, they will likely not come back on the market for a while.

There are a couple of ways to look at this. One way is to view the used X2's that will be hitting the market as competition to new X2's. This could hurt both Wilson and their dealers as the sales of new speakers are cannibalized. But another way to look at this is that is that there are two distinct types of buyers: some purchase only new gear, while others are quite happy to buy used gear. As a result, the used market does not have a big impact in terms of lost sales in the new market.

I don't have any numbers, but my gut tells me that only a fairly small number of new sales is cannibalized due to the 2 distinct types of buyers at this high level of luxury. Furthermore, those who buy new are happy to have an Internet enabled used market to help them sell their gear when they are done with it and are ready to upgrade to the latest speaker, the XLF in this case.

 

[Tonepub]

Honestly, I think the sales that will be lost are Maxx 3 sales. I know if my choice for 50-60k was a new pair of Maxx 3's or a gently used pair of X2's (and my room would support the speakers) I'd go for the used X2's in a heartbeat.

I think Caesar's comment about two types of buyers is spot on. I love Porsches but I can only afford used ones!

 

[LL21]

I think the real cannibalization is new XLF to new X2...if you have the money to buy X2 Series 2...i imagine many would elect to go for the XLF?

 

[Bruce B]

I think the real cannibalization is new XLF to new X2...if you have the money to buy X2 Series 2...i imagine many would elect to go for the XLF?

Yeah, look what happened to the M5 !

 

[caesar]

I think the real cannibalization is new XLF to new X2...if you have the money to buy X2 Series 2...i imagine many would elect to go for the XLF?

The only reason I can think of is for someone to slowly climb up to the peak. Enjoy the journey. In one scenario, the X2 with Wilson subs for a couple of years, before going to the XLF, may be a good option.

 

[caesar]

Yeah, look what happened to the M5 !

Yeah, I wonder how many Magico lovers chose to buy a new $40K Q3 over the M5's, which are arguably better and can be had for low thirties.

 

[LL21]

The only reason I can think of is for someone to slowly climb up to the peak. Enjoy the journey. In one scenario, the X2 with Wilson subs for a couple of years, before going to the XLF, may be a good option.

I heard the XLFs last nite for the first time. (Posted in more detail under the XLF thread.) FWIW, i believe i recognized a slightly greater fluidity and liquidity from the treble....but i could not say for certain, and further, i do feel in my gut that the assoicated equipmenh would have a far greater impact on treble than the delta between XLF and X2. You could easily 'tweak' equipment very sublty and end up with prefrence flipping the other way. However, on bass side, X2 Series 2 with well setup subs vs XLF alone would not, imho, be at all comparable. The X2 with subs would easily win.

 

[audioguy]

However, on bass side, X2 Series 2 with well setup subs vs XLF alone would not, imho, be at all comparable. The X2 with subs would easily win.

If you "add properly placed and integrated", I would totally agree. I have yet to be in a room where the perfect place for mids/highs was also the perfect place for bass. In my opinion, however, getting proper integration (in most cases) is only possible with something like the TacT or one of the newer equivalent products.

The best example, to me, of this was Marty's system (a friend of Steve). He owns Pipedreams with Gothams. Prior to that experience, I thought the Pipedreams were the most over-hyped and grossly overpriced speaker I had ever heard. I had heard it in homes and in five different venues at CES's. But in his room with his TacT, it was stupendous!

Conclusion: if I were of the net worth to afford this kind of product, it would be X2's with separate subs.

 

[Steve Williams]

it would be X2's with separate subs

me too

 

[vinylphilemag]

Just playing Devil's advocate here, but why is there all this comparison of X2 + subs vs XLF? Why not X2 + subs vs XLF + subs?