Wilson Alexandria XLF Measurements "Quite Poor"

[FrantzM]

Hi

I will not claim familiarity with the X-2 and have not yet heard the XLF. I have however heard the X-2 rather xtensively in two occasions. To my ears the X-2 was the most neutral Wilson speaker I have heard. I am not a Wilson fan. It is to me a great speaker, one I could live easily with for decades.

I also remember that there was in the back of the X-2 resistors that allow the tailoring of the sound so... This aberration could be caused by an improper resistor value ...
I would say this though: If that is the way the speaker is voiced, a term I don't particularly like, I would have preferred more linearity from a speaker at this price in a region where the ear is most sensitive, if I were buying.

 

[LL21]

...I also remember that there was in the back of the X-2 resistors that allow the tailoring of the sound so... This aberration could be caused by an improper resistor value ...

Before they setup my X1s...i nearly told them in the store not to bring them to my house...in-store when they arrived, i stopped by to listen to them and the treble nearly tore my ears off. I was virtually about to stop the installation until they 'fixed it'. The distributor said the Wilsons are the most adjustable speaker they've come across...and every speaker had to be tailored to the room (and to the listener's preferences)...and they were 100% confident of delivering that...or they would take them back out. They arrived later that week at my place.

Sure enough, they resoldered the reisistors (twice) on the tweeters and each time, the sound changed dramatically. As a second hand pair, the X1's tweeters had apparently been boosted 3db for disperion in a much larger room with high ceilings where the treble needed the boost to carry out 45+ feet. The second time they resoldered it, i remember thinking of how closely it matched my old SF Strads (whereas in all other regards...mids, bass, detail, soundstage, etc...it already far surpassed the Strads imho), and we left it.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Did they also measure the FR ??

 

[LL21]

Did they also measure the FR ??

They took measurements, but i did not ask to keep any of them.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Too bad , its always nice to have measurments taken from earheight at your listening spot , then you know whether what you hear is " correct " or not .

 

[microstrip]

Who cares what they measure? What they sound like should be the deciding factor!! Sounds like an Audacity Cowboy....

+1!

Unhappily the debate between what should be the optimum criteria for evaluating an excellent sounding speaker will surely turn in a personnel ugly fight between reviewers, each supporting their preferred manufacturers. Doug just did the starting kick, amusingly in an answer to a letter
from a poor indignant reader who just wanted to ask for a review of the little KEF LS50 ...

Disclaimer : I have listened only two times to the XLF, but after half an hour with it my enthusiasm was enough for accepting to host the X2 series 2 for some time. I am now biased by the excellent sound of the big Wilson's.

 

[microstrip]

Too bad , its always nice to have measurments taken from earheight at your listening spot , then you know whether what you hear is " correct " or not .

It is why I have several tens of files of measurements taken with REW in my audio folders. They are in room measurements, and are of no use to anyone else, but are of great help to me to evaluate the effect of the changes and optimize settings and placement. They are of great value as relative measurements, to compare different settings, but have little value as absolute measurements.

 

[microstrip]

Hi

I will not claim familiarity with the X-2 and have not yet heard the XLF. I have however heard the X-2 rather xtensively in two occasions. To my ears the X-2 was the most neutral Wilson speaker I have heard. I am not a Wilson fan. It is to me a great speaker, one I could live easily with for decades.

Frantz,

All I can tell at this moment is the Aida's measure much better than the X2's in my room ...
I enviously took note of your comment about living easily for decades. Are you referring to the auditions with tube equipment in Steve's room?

 

[andromedaaudio]

I dont agree , otherwise it would be impossible for a speakermanufacturer to sell LS to a wide variety of customers without FR optimalisation , like for example wilson does with the X series .
Magico doesnt do it , like most others , and i am sure the Q 7 for example will play extraordinairy in a lot of set ups /different rooms .

 

[FrantzM]

Frantz,

All I can tell at this moment is the Aida's measure much better than the X2's in my room ...
I enviously took note of your comment about living easily for decades. Are you referring to the auditions with tube equipment in Steve's room?

Yes

It was more than casual audition as I listened to the speakers for a few days in both cases. The X-2 are superior transducers IMO. I am not the type of person who changes equipment often. I tend to be attracted to designs with a long term approach. I buy very, very deliberately and I keep the gear for a long time. The X-2 would have remained in my system for a long time. Constant change is to me a sign of cottoning to market preferences shifts not trying to reach the goal of better reproduction. I also heard briefly the X-2 with SS and the character was the same.
One last thing about the X-2 is their uncanny imaging precision, as good as or better than the best small mini-monitor. I must say this is a growing trend with the better big speakers.

 

[microstrip]

I dont agree , otherwise it would be impossible for a speakermanufacturer to sell LS to a wide variety of customers without FR optimalisation , like for example wilson does with the X series .
Magico doesnt do it , like most others , and i am sure the Q 7 for example will play extraordinairy in a lot of set ups /different rooms .

Who cares what they measure? What they sound like should be the deciding factor!! Sounds like an Audacity Cowboy....

andromedaaudio,

Bruce comment must be read wisely and in context. We are in an audiophile forum, we know each others for long. No one is telling FR graphs should be banned...

 

[andromedaaudio]

Sure , microstrip i still look forward to read about the maxx 3 versus aida versus X2 comparison

hj

 

[LL21]

Sure , microstrip i still look forward to read about the maxx 3 versus aida versus X2 comparison

hj

+1!

 

[treitz3]

One last thing about the X-2 is their uncanny imaging precision, as good as or better than the best small mini-monitor. I must say this is a growing trend with the better big speakers.

Very nice! This has been something I have been hoping for. It's about time.

Tom

 

[LL21]

Yes

It was more than casual audition as I listened to the speakers for a few days in both cases. The X-2 are superior transducers IMO. I am not the type of person who changes equipment often. I tend to be attracted to designs with a long term approach. I buy very, very deliberately and I keep the gear for a long time. The X-2 would have remained in my system for a long time. Constant change is to me a sign of cottoning to market preferences shifts not trying to reach the goal of better reproduction. I also heard briefly the X-2 with SS and the character was the same.
One last thing about the X-2 is their uncanny imaging precision, as good as or better than the best small mini-monitor. I must say this is a growing trend with the better big speakers.

interesting...and generally agree about their imaging precision and obviously quite like X-series myself. What else do you like in this level of speaker? What do you use? Curious, thanks.

 

[theguesswho]

Originally Posted by Bruce B
Who cares what they measure? What they sound like should be the deciding factor!! Sounds like an Audacity Cowboy....

Thats right, Bruce figured that out when he attempted to measure his reference speakers. He did not get a "pretty" graph, but he still has increadible sounding speakers. Even if he had to change his room to accomandate them. And notice he never decided to screw up his sound with equalizers (Audacity cowboy... very funny) just to make a microphone happy!

Wendell

 

[microstrip]

Yes

It was more than casual audition as I listened to the speakers for a few days in both cases. The X-2 are superior transducers IMO. I am not the type of person who changes equipment often. I tend to be attracted to designs with a long term approach. I buy very, very deliberately and I keep the gear for a long time. The X-2 would have remained in my system for a long time. Constant change is to me a sign of cottoning to market preferences shifts not trying to reach the goal of better reproduction. I also heard briefly the X-2 with SS and the character was the same.
One last thing about the X-2 is their uncanny imaging precision, as good as or better than the best small mini-monitor. I must say this is a growing trend with the better big speakers.

Did Steve already own the Gotham's when you listened to them? Surprisingly I am finding that, in my room, the X-2 are asking more for subwoofers than the Aida's did.

 

[A.wayne]

Really ..., I'm shocked .....

A good friend heard the X2 with Pass gear (i have not heard them yet) a couple years ago and thought them to be the best setup he had ever heard and before all gets trampled, the OP discussion is about technical merits , no one said the speaker sounded bad, the discussion was never about its sound after careful setup...

Is the XLF a technically sound speaker , how does it compare to the Q7 which is considered a technically sound speaker , personal euphoria cant explain away technical short comings, in this regard the XLF is an enigma , where its strenghts are enough to overcome its weakness ..

Such is Audio ......

Congrats to Dave Wilson and his group ....!!!

 

[A.wayne]

Originally Posted by Bruce B
Who cares what they measure? What they sound like should be the deciding factor!! Sounds like an Audacity Cowboy....

Thats right, Bruce figured that out when he attempted to measure his reference speakers. He did not get a "pretty" graph, but he still has increadible sounding speakers. Even if he had to change his room to accomandate them. And notice he never decided to screw up his sound with equalizers (Audacity cowboy... very funny) just to make a microphone happy!

Wendell

Yes , Audacity Cowboy ....Lmao..

 

[Steve williams]

Did Steve already own the Gotham's when you listened to them? Surprisingly I am finding that, in my room, the X-2 are asking more for subwoofers than the Aida's did.

Frantz heard the system with twin Gotham subs. As for better bass with the Aida vs X2 I would strongly disagree as I had opportunity to a lengthy audition of the Aida and FWIW I am not a big fan of downward firing subs

As for my new room I will be using a pair of JL Audio Fathom F113's as the new room is smaller than my last.

I also agree with Frantz' comment that the X2's are keepers for a very long time