Wilson Alexx V vs Rockport Orion

[andromedaaudio]

Imv the one to buy / best bang for buck in the wilson line up is the Wilson Sasha and for Magico the S3 mk2
These are well balanced designs .
Bigger wilsons and magicos have integration issues.
Bigger speaker / more bass / more potential integration issues .
M7 i heard on relentless which was relentlesly boring.
M6 on Soulution ( which was indeed a soul less solution )
Wilson / Magico tubes please

 

[JiminGa]

Andromeda I actually think the Sabrina X with dual Locke subs is the best/smartest Wilson set up. Hard to beat for the money. Agree on Sasha. The problem for me with XVX and Alexx V is the tweeter height as well as the superstructure containing boxes over boxes. Each one is a continual potential source of error and resonance. They do have an impressive sound though and it’s easy to understand people gravitating towards them. They are “fun” to listen to. I would love to hear the latest versions of the S3 and S5.

 

[Audiohertz2]

Imv the one to buy / best bang for buck in the wilson line up is the Wilson Sasha and for Magico the S3 mk2
These are well balanced designs .
Bigger wilsons and magicos have integration issues.
Bigger speaker / more bass / more potential integration issues .
M7 i heard on relentless which was relentlesly boring.
M6 on Soulution ( which was indeed a soul less solution )
Wilson / Magico tubes please

Magico M3 on VAC’s worked for me as best sweet spot of that lineup ....

Never Heard the Rockports or XVX , the WA by design is a sweet spot setup the Rockports less so , the WA requires extensive adjustment setups for best results , very difficult for load too , saved by it’s high sensitivity , technically not best or suited for Toobs, subjectively some would like , hard to discount without doing the deep dive on it all ...

The Rockport is a much easier plant and play design ..

 

[andromedaaudio]

The problem for me with XVX and Alexx V is the tweeter height as well as the superstructure containing boxes over boxes. Each one is a continual potential source of error and resonance.

Kind of the same thoughts here .
Kharma is a monocoque so is LYRA ( and mine )

 

[mtemur]

I know , just dont say i ever invited you .

FYI , i m working overtime at mc donalds currently to be able to afford a pair of Altecs and a SET

Glad to hear you're saving up for a SET amp, but working overtime at McDonald's might not cut it. You’ll need some musical taste to truly appreciate what SETs bring to the table. Sadly, no amount of overtime can give you that if you don’t have it already! But hey, look on the bright side—if SETs don’t win you over, you can always resell it to someone who’ll appreciate with minimal loss and maybe grab a second-hand Gryphon for a third of the retail price.

 

[Sunny]

I own an XVX. I wouldn't remotely consider any Rockport speaker over it. Robert Harley Editor of TAS removed the Lyra and replaced it with his XVX which he currently still uses as his reference. He recently reviewed the Orion but he did not even compare it to his XVX, which will surpass either the Lyra or Orion in every sonic category. Neither speaker is in the same league as an XVX. He has heard all three speakers in his custom built listening room for months of extensive listening and is a friend of AP of Rockport. I trust his ears and evaluations. The Orion is a 3-way speaker. I would place it in the class as the Alexia V. Since his Orion review he has reviewed numerous extremely expensive statement level loud speakers and the XVX remains his reference. There is a reason for this. The XVX has the ability to make almost any recording sound good. It is an extremely musical loudspeaker. It wants to please the listener unlike many loudspeakers yet it remains incredibly resolving and its dynamic ability is simply incredible. I It sounds good with tubes and SS gear. It is a reviewer's ideal loudspeaker and is also Michael Fremer's long standing reference. It reproduces live performances at totally realistic SP levels without a hint of strain. The XVX is -6dB at 11 Hz and will produce 110dB bass tone at 24 Hz with 1.5% distortion. Distortion measurements at reasonable sound pressure levels are inaudible 20 cycles to 20 thousand cycles. Demos are notoriously unreliable for judging a speaker. Volume 15 / Number 3 July - Sept 2021 MC extensive review HFC.

I just received my Lyra loudspeakers. It's easily the best sound I have heard in my store. They match very well with the CH Precision 10 series and Wadax DACs. I am in the process of setting them up. We all listen to different elements. For example, our minds can compensate for a bit of Bass, but the resolution is either there or NOT. The resolution, sweetness, and, most of all, the silence between notes make me very happy. I am not a reviewer but a dealer who has to put his hard-earned money where his mouth is. We bring in products with consideration of who the designer is and what their track record is. Are they flexible in their designs? Do they monetize the service as an income stream, or is this service related? I am passionate about the team more so than just their products. Their motto is to live with the pair you purchase. Their products are not commodities but hand-crafted works of art. I have not seen a better paint finish ANYWHERE. We brought in 2 crates, set them up, and played within 35 minutes with three people. Every aspect of the loudspeaker is perfect. The feet are also expertly designed. I shall post pictures soon.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Glad to hear you're saving up for a SET amp, but working overtime at McDonald's might not cut it.

I work both drive through and dine in simultaneously , 2 shifts / 7 days a week

SET .... been there done that , 12 years ago already

 

[Elliot G.]

I trust his ears and evaluations.

Thats great but others may not. Have you ever been to RH and listened to his system? Fremer? If not then how would you have any idea what it sounds like? People argue here all the time over reviews which is mostly who agrees with you and then they like them. Im not saying anything against RH or Fremer or any one else but many of us want to hear for ourselves and question any and all reviewers and pundants,
Some of us have actually heard some or many of these and made different choices, some of us realize that the playing field is not level, some of us think that demo's and shows only scratch the surface of what's possible. some of us doubt the expertise of many in the industry to actually set up a system properly for maximum results. If you trust him and are happy that's great for you but your reasoning may be very faulty to others for a variety of reasons.
By the way I have been there and heard XVX. I have also heard the Lyra and all the other Rockports. In fact I head the Lyra and the XVX set up in custom rooms set up by the same person, Stirling Trayle and I think that is a more valid way of choosing than one persons opinion.

WBF is interesting in that way in that the methodology varies depending on the desired outcome and the persons choice. Interesting social experiment.

 

[andromedaaudio]

My cost no Object system would be Kharma exquisite Classique / Rockport Lyra / Gryphon Apex / Wadax Atlantis

Ps ( and a Full FM acoustics set up / incl the sub but thats more pricey ).

But i think a 200 kg amp will be a bit to much probably

 

[Charles S]

I think you are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, it proves nothing. I think you like the Rockport sound better than the Wilson sound. To your ears the Lyra and Orion sound better and to a few others. In general, however, the worldwide consensus is most definitely on the side of the Wilson XVX, AlexxV, and AlexiaV, which next to Focal is the largest seller by far. You just say you like the Rockport's" better". Will they play lower, do they image better, are they more resolved, do they have a wider dynamic range and frequency range, etc.? Be sure and post some pics of all this gear present in one house in or show room. I would really enjoy seeing them. And of course your impressions of the gear including the speakers. I know that many others will be also quite interested also.

Robert Harley is not just another "fellow" or a "guy" like me or you. He spends several months with every speaker that he reviews. His reviews are published and widely read and respected by thousands of high end aficionados. He has reviewed the Lyra, Orion, and XVX and the Alexia V and published these reviews for anyone to read. I have read them and trust them. I have no doubt that he has many of his staff and many of his friends hear the XVX, Lyra, Orion, and Alexia V during the course of his reviewing time with each speaker who renders their opinions also. Might I ask where your reviews are published or the reviews of the folks that you are visiting are published so that I may read them, especially your/their comparisons of the XVX/Alexx V /Alexia V vs the Lyra/Orion?

The Orion is a much more expensive speaker than an Alexia V, roughly twice as expensive, and it is a very fine speaker. I would certainly perfer it to an Alexia V but not an Alexx V. I think that you extended the discussion of the asked question to express a firm conclusion that it sounded "better" than an XVX. You should know that such a conclusion cannot be supported by anecdotal experiences/evidence and sure to be challenged, because it is an incorrect conclusion.

 

[andromedaaudio]

I think you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

Thank you

Might I ask where your reviews are published or the reviews of the folks that you are visiting are published so that I may read them, especially your/their comparisons of the XVX/Alexx V /Alexia V vs the Lyra/Orion?

No, not yet
I m still trying to sell my reviews but i have nt got a buyer yet.
If you know one let me know lol

because it is an incorrect conclusion.

See there you go , no respect for my opinion .... as usual lol


FYI everything in the US is basically lobbied/ sponsored / bought and paid for so why would hifi be any diffferent .

 

[andromedaaudio]

Oh and another one i forgot .
And i would buy directly over the XVX and have the change for the WADAX combo .

AV Trio G3 I tron with 2 bass modules

 

[JiminGa]

Charles, to Elliot’s point you have to listen for yourself under similar conditions including the set up guys. Believe it or not having someone like Stirling set up your system makes more difference to your final sound than any difference's between Lyra and XVX. My crew flew to my house and spent 3 8 hour days fine tuning everything .If you don’t correct for every variable you can’t do a valid comparison. As to RH, Fremer etc. They are just guys. They have particular tastes which do not coincide with everyone else’s. So many people try to conform to them like wine people do Robert Parker. They are great at useful descriptions which give you an idea but only you can decide what makes you happiest. You and I don’t have to agree or try to get each other to change are minds. There is no “best”. Each of us should seek our own pleasures not submit to someone else’s. We love what we love. Since you do value RH Robert explicitly said that Lyra and Orion are two of the five best speakers he’s had. I actually like the XVX but after listening to Orion under identical conditions I preferred Orion because I value its traits more as did almost everyone else that heard the comparison in Omaha. YMMV

 

[Elliot G.]

Charles, to Elliot’s point you have to listen for yourself under similar conditions including the set up guys. Believe it or not having someone like Stirling set up your system makes more difference to your final sound than any difference's between Lyra and XVX. My crew flew to my house and spent 3 8 hour days fine tuning everything .If you don’t correct for every variable you can’t do a valid comparison. As to RH, Fremer etc. They are just guys. They have particular tastes which do not coincide with everyone else’s. So many people try to conform to them like wine people do Robert Parker. They are great at useful descriptions which give you an idea but only you can decide what makes you happiest. You and I don’t have to agree or try to get each other to change are minds. There is no “best”. Each of us should seek our own pleasures not submit to someone else’s. We love what we love. Since you do value RH Robert explicitly said that Lyra and Orion are two of the five best speakers he’s had. I actually like the XVX but after listening to Orion under identical conditions I preferred Orion because I value its traits more as did almost everyone else that heard the comparison in Omaha. YMMV

When someone seems to make thei r decisions based on others opinions and how much they cost and how popular the brand is to me represents everything that is opposite to what I believe in. I am a music lover and I want to get the most involving and natural sounding system that transports me into the music and I can get lost in it. If one brand sells more or has a reviewer that likes it are not proof of anything.
We have discussed reviews and long term loans and factory incentives for reviewers in other threads. Those who fail to take such information into account do so at their own peril. The product along with the setup which involves the listening space and other gear is a complex organism.
I can understand reading to get opinions that may be more experienced than yours to get some direction. One can use this information to perhaps narrow the field of choices that makes perfect sense. However beyond that there are a myriad of factors and skills that come into play to make a "system" sing. We listen to systems not products. No speaker does anything wiothout the stuff in front of it and without the interface with the space. One last thought and one which many may not like, is that all our experiences and expertise are not the same. Listening is a skill not a gift. It is a skill that can be honed and sharpened but it takes time and in many cases a teacher to help you move foward. You dont know what you dont know.
If you want to say you bought what you like and what you want thats perfect trying to rationalize it that I don't get. If you donm't like what I like thats cool by me.

 

[nirodha]

I think you are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, it proves nothing. I think you like the Rockport sound better than the Wilson sound. To your ears the Lyra and Orion sound better and to a few others. In general, however, the worldwide consensus is most definitely on the side of the Wilson XVX, AlexxV, and AlexiaV, which next to Focal is the largest seller by far. You just say you like the Rockport's" better". Will they play lower, do they image better, are they more resolved, do they have a wider dynamic range and frequency range, etc.? Be sure and post some pics of all this gear present in one house in or show room. I would really enjoy seeing them. And of course your impressions of the gear including the speakers. I know that many others will be also quite interested also.

Robert Harley is not just another "fellow" or a "guy" like me or you. He spends several months with every speaker that he reviews. His reviews are published and widely read and respected by thousands of high end aficionados. He has reviewed the Lyra, Orion, and XVX and the Alexia V and published these reviews for anyone to read. I have read them and trust them. I have no doubt that he has many of his staff and many of his friends hear the XVX, Lyra, Orion, and Alexia V during the course of his reviewing time with each speaker who renders their opinions also. Might I ask where your reviews are published or the reviews of the folks that you are visiting are published so that I may read them, especially your/their comparisons of the XVX/Alexx V /Alexia V vs the Lyra/Orion?

The Orion is a much more expensive speaker than an Alexia V, roughly twice as expensive, and it is a very fine speaker. I would certainly perfer it to an Alexia V but not an Alexx V. I think that you extended the discussion of the asked question to express a firm conclusion that it sounded "better" than an XVX. You should know that such a conclusion cannot be supported by anecdotal experiences/evidence and sure to be challenged, because it is an incorrect conclusion.

I love groupies

 

[JiminGa]

Elliot, I will go further. Not only are our experiences not the same but neither are our goals or the skills necessary to attain them. You have a very complex goal: a complete suspension of disbelief and a "natural" sound which is as close to live music as humanly possible. As a minimum the skills you will need to attain this is a firm understanding of what real live music actually sounds like and an ability to discern any micro distortions which detract from that. Then you have to be able to identify what is causing the distortions and have a way to minimize them without screwing up something else. As you say everything is connected.This is the absolute hardest journey to get right. Someone with a goal of extreme bass slam or of warming up poorly recorded pop music to make it sound better will need far fewer skills. Neither is right or wrong per se. We are talking about the joy we receive from our systems in this hobby. It's easy to assume everyone wants what we want but this is actually rarely the case. Having read a number of your posts I can tell you and I are similar. I totally agree about herd mentality especially with respect to price. The most ridiculous article I have ever read regarding audio was about the "myth of diminishing returns" I'm certain a whole lot of our far east colleagues agree with this. People buy because it is more expensive. I won't name names but we both know a lot of uber expensive darlings that are actually noticeably inferior to products half their price. It starts the same. A "review" or a first listen at a show about an amazing new product. Suddenly posts on forums (this and others) from people verifying how amazing the product is appear and for a period of time this product is considered among the best of the best. Reviewers fawn. A deep look at this product shows nothing unique. Off the shelf drivers. Mediocre measurements. Etc. There is not, nor will there ever be, a substitute for going and listening for yourself and deciding for yourself. You will need a good dedicated dealer to do this who pays extreme attention to set up.
f

 

[Lee]

Imv the one to buy / best bang for buck in the wilson line up is the Wilson Sasha and for Magico the S3 mk2
These are well balanced designs .
Bigger wilsons and magicos have integration issues.
Bigger speaker / more bass / more potential integration issues .
M7 i heard on relentless which was relentlesly boring.
M6 on Soulution ( which was indeed a soul less solution )
Wilson / Magico tubes please

Based on what I have heard at my local dealer I would say the Watt Puppy 50th is the best all around value simply due to two things: how big and realistic the bass response is and the clarity from using the new V technology.

 

[Lee]

Andromeda I actually think the Sabrina X with dual Locke subs is the best/smartest Wilson set up. Hard to beat for the money. Agree on Sasha. The problem for me with XVX and Alexx V is the tweeter height as well as the superstructure containing boxes over boxes. Each one is a continual potential source of error and resonance. They do have an impressive sound though and it’s easy to understand people gravitating towards them. They are “fun” to listen to. I would love to hear the latest versions of the S3 and S5.

As a Wilson user and fan, I would say that the structures are beneficial as they create better time and phase alignment which creates a more natural sound on playback. Having these fully "adaptable drivers" adjusted to the exact listener's ear height and distance from speaker has significant advantages.

 

[Lee]

When someone seems to make thei r decisions based on others opinions and how much they cost and how popular the brand is to me represents everything that is opposite to what I believe in. I am a music lover and I want to get the most involving and natural sounding system that transports me into the music and I can get lost in it. If one brand sells more or has a reviewer that likes it are not proof of anything.
We have discussed reviews and long term loans and factory incentives for reviewers in other threads. Those who fail to take such information into account do so at their own peril. The product along with the setup which involves the listening space and other gear is a complex organism.
I can understand reading to get opinions that may be more experienced than yours to get some direction. One can use this information to perhaps narrow the field of choices that makes perfect sense. However beyond that there are a myriad of factors and skills that come into play to make a "system" sing. We listen to systems not products. No speaker does anything wiothout the stuff in front of it and without the interface with the space. One last thought and one which many may not like, is that all our experiences and expertise are not the same. Listening is a skill not a gift. It is a skill that can be honed and sharpened but it takes time and in many cases a teacher to help you move foward. You dont know what you dont know.
If you want to say you bought what you like and what you want thats perfect trying to rationalize it that I don't get. If you donm't like what I like thats cool by me.

I think herein is a good point. We really should be listening to different systems. I thought I had things more or less figured out before I became a reviewer but after hearing many expensive systems, I changed my mind on many brands and certain models in particular. I only changed my mind though after hearing similar things across many rooms and various electronics. This experience also underscored the importance of having refined setup, something that Elliot and Stirling are excellent at. As one example, I would point to poor sound in several systems at Axpona. So often I hear, "we got a bad room this year." No, sorry a good setup guy can overcome that. Things like Dave Malekpour taming the soffits for TAD at FLAX for great sound or Aldo doing similar treatments at Axpona for the Estelon room come to mind.

 

[Lee]

I think you are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, it proves nothing. I think you like the Rockport sound better than the Wilson sound. To your ears the Lyra and Orion sound better and to a few others. In general, however, the worldwide consensus is most definitely on the side of the Wilson XVX, AlexxV, and AlexiaV, which next to Focal is the largest seller by far. You just say you like the Rockport's" better". Will they play lower, do they image better, are they more resolved, do they have a wider dynamic range and frequency range, etc.? Be sure and post some pics of all this gear present in one house in or show room. I would really enjoy seeing them. And of course your impressions of the gear including the speakers. I know that many others will be also quite interested also.

Robert Harley is not just another "fellow" or a "guy" like me or you. He spends several months with every speaker that he reviews. His reviews are published and widely read and respected by thousands of high end aficionados. He has reviewed the Lyra, Orion, and XVX and the Alexia V and published these reviews for anyone to read. I have read them and trust them. I have no doubt that he has many of his staff and many of his friends hear the XVX, Lyra, Orion, and Alexia V during the course of his reviewing time with each speaker who renders their opinions also. Might I ask where your reviews are published or the reviews of the folks that you are visiting are published so that I may read them, especially your/their comparisons of the XVX/Alexx V /Alexia V vs the Lyra/Orion?

The Orion is a much more expensive speaker than an Alexia V, roughly twice as expensive, and it is a very fine speaker. I would certainly perfer it to an Alexia V but not an Alexx V. I think that you extended the discussion of the asked question to express a firm conclusion that it sounded "better" than an XVX. You should know that such a conclusion cannot be supported by anecdotal experiences/evidence and sure to be challenged, because it is an incorrect conclusion.

I love my Alexia Vs but Rockport speakers are excellent. Both have exceptional build quality and engineering. But perhaps the real difference here is that Charles prefers one kind of sound and Jim prefers another. Maybe certain sound characteristics are prioritized differently.

In other words, Charles and I may prefer cookies and cream ice cream and Jim prefers chocolate.

I would argue it's not very helpful to say, "Cookies and Cream ice cream is the best!"