Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX First Impressions

I just spent over six hours today listening to my friend's new Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX loudspeakers. Consistent with being blown away by the Master Chronosonic + Master Subsonic system at Maier Shadi's demo in Santa Monica, and consistent with a couple of reports by people who auditioned at Maier's both the Master Chronosonic and later the XVX and preferred the XVX, I am here to report officially that I think the XVX is now my favorite conventional cone driver speaker system. I think I prefer the XVX even to my longtime favorite dynamic driver loudspeaker, the mighty Rockport Arrakis.

Prior to the XVX, my friend had the Alexx. The height alone of the XVX over the Alexx affords the system the height and scale and grandeur I always notice and appreciate from very tall loudspeakers.

I don't know why the XVX is an order of magnitude better -- next level better -- than the Alexx. But I am certain that it is.

I think the XVX is the first dynamic driver speaker of which I was very aware that you can hear seemingly almost everything at fairly low listening volumes. It doesn't need to be played loudly to be heard comfortably.

In much the same way that people like to applaud their digital playback systems by saying "it sounds like analog," dynamic driver loudspeaker aficionados like to say their cone speakers have "electrostatic-like transparency." Believe me, if most dynamic driver speakers had "electrostatic-like transparency" we would not need electrostatic speakers.

As somebody who loves electrostatic speakers I have always been aware that speakers of other topologies are one or two steps less transparent than electrostatic speakers. I feel like the XVX truly has "electrostatic-like transparency" -- at least credibly so, and more so than any other cone speaker I've ever heard.

Just like I felt about the Master Chronosonic the XVX gives one the sense of unlimited dynamic capability. There is a limitlessness and an effortlessness to the sound that I do not hear from other box speakers. Other heroically inert box speakers sound tightly wrapped or button-downed by comparison -- like some portion of the sound is trapped in the box and having trouble freeing itself. The XVX sounds open somehow -- a sonic presentation I associate with planar speakers, not with big box speakers.

I know, I know, I know. I am thinking and saying the same things you are: these are meaningless statements as you can't compare loudspeakers in different systems from fault-prone memory; you will never be able to hear an XVX versus a Rockport Arrakis, or an XVX versus a VSA Ultra 11, in the same room with the same associated components at the same time, etc., etc. I know, and I agree with you.

All I am saying is that if you put a gun to my head and told me I had to buy a dynamic driver loudspeaker system for my personal system and cost was not a factor. . . I would say take the gun away from my head. Then I would tell you I will order XVX + Master Subsonics.

Without intending to be coy, I couch this is terms of "the XVX is the box speaker I would I buy if I had to buy a box speaker for myself" rather than "the XVX is the best box speaker I've ever heard," because I cannot hear the Von Schweikert Audio Ultra 11 and the Evolution Acoustics MM7 and the Rockport Arrakis and the YG XV in the same room in the same system as the XVX + Subsonics. So it just does not make any sense to declare, and it is analytically defective to declare, that the XVX is the best speaker I have ever heard.

My view that if I had to buy a box speaker I would buy the XVX + Subsonics is a combination of what I heard from the XVX, what I vaguely remember from hearing these other other speakers in other systems, and my slight prejudice against ceramic drivers which I would be worried I might find uncomfortable over a long period of time. (I would worry the same about beryllium drivers and about diamond encrusted drivers.)

I have owned only planar loudspeakers my entire life. I literally couldn't bear to listen to Wilson Audio speakers with metal dome tweeters. I have never been a big fan of Wilson Audio speakers in general. But I thought I heard magic from Maier's demo of the Master Chronosonic, and my experience today proves that that inkling was correct.

I don't know how or what Daryl Wilson did to achieve it, but I am reporting that to my ears the XVX is a very, very special speaker. It is a stunning achievement in dynamic driver loudspeaker design specifically, and in loudspeaker design in general.

PS: Assuming they physically fit in Michael Fremer's listening room, I have no doubt that Michael will upgrade his Alexx to XVX. He might go in not wanting to upgrade, but after hearing these there is no way he's going to be happy without the XVX.

 

Couldn't you also say that if the bass region is up 10db, you could be at 0 down at 16Hz?
What would a system with such elevated bass will sound like?

Sorry i dont know exactly what you mean ?
I m merely saying its hard to say anything definitive below lets say 400 hz based on a in room graph
A + 10 db bass elevation in general would sound horrible .
It would basically almost sound as if you were listening with the mids / highs decoupled .

But coming back to the XVX it would be interesting to hear how the perfectioned time align system sounds
And also the mid freqs as they are spread out over more/ different mid ranges then previous models

 

Even vehement Wilson haters who visit would gladly empty their wallets could they afford these after hearing them in my room which looks way too small to accommodate these very large speakers yet they work incredibly well especially on bottom, which "looks" would tell you is unlikely.

I am a big fan of Wilson, primarily the big X1 which we owned, XLF which we now own)...and very much look forward to hearing the XVX. It sounds like you've got quite some experience with the XVX...how do they compare with their now 9-year old forerunners the XLF which I am only just getting to know well (and they have still not been finetuned/calibrated yet.)

 

Having heard first-hand the owner of Absolute Sounds wax lyrical about MC's purchase of a pair of S5's I have no doubt there is an element of hand in glove going on.

For the record, I like MC's reviews and subscribe to Hifi Critic, and have had a number of conversations with him over the years but am always aware of the potential conflicts of interest that exist in the rather claustrophobic environment of UK hifi!

You call it ‘claustrophobic’ I have another word, which I have first hand evidence of in regards a certain reviewer, that supposes far far worse.

 

Totally disagree with your comments about Martin Colloms. Have had private communications with Martin for several years.

Opinions are free

 

I'm well aware of the goings on....that said, these speakers (which I purchased) are as described by reviewers Harley, Collums, me and others.

The ‘goings on’ as you call them have been ‘going on’ far too bloomin long. This scenario goes back decades and some publishers and editors have been turning a blind eye for far far too long. Of course they are at times guilty of similar activity too so there’s that. One day someone in a position to be heard,with the balls, will do an expose. The HiFi fraternity deserves it. For too long the initiated have been scammed. Time to end it.

 

I am a big fan of Wilson, primarily the big X1 which we owned, XLF which we now own)...and very much look forward to hearing the XVX. It sounds like you've got quite some experience with the XVX...how do they compare with their now 9-year old forerunners the XLF which I am only just getting to know well (and they have still not been finetuned/calibrated yet.)

How come Pedro has not attended to this ?

 

How come Pedro has not attended to this ?

He is expected to come shortly, but we had Covid (where we had no visitors at all for several months), then a number of changes with the system since installation (Robert Koda K15EX, then Robert Koda K160)...and we did not want to calibrate the speakers to a sound that was continuing to evolve.

We literally just hit 500 hours on the Robert Koda K160s last week...and now we are moving the equipment around to fit better (we used to have Gryphon Mephisto stereo...but now with monos, the equipment rack needs to be reconfigured.) Should happen this week...and THEN Pedro can come and fine tune. So nearly there!!!

 

Oh and then I am supposed to hear the XVXs at their demo room...

 

Oh and then I am supposed to hear the XVXs at their demo room...

That could be dangerous!

 

The ‘goings on’ as you call them have been ‘going on’ far too bloomin long. This scenario goes back decades and some publishers and editors have been turning a blind eye for far far too long. Of course they are at times guilty of similar activity too so there’s that. One day someone in a position to be heard,with the balls, will do an expose. The HiFi fraternity deserves it. For too long the initiated have been scammed. Time to end it.

Could you be just a little more explicit as to what you’re referring to? No need to mention any names…

 

Here is a screen shot from the wilson site .
It states the little wilson sasha DAW will put out 20 hz -3 db .
RAR Room average response
There is no way in the world those 2 - 8 inch paper pulp woofers are gonna be able to do that - 3 db .
Probably more like 40 - 35 hz -3 db
First of all those woofers Fs would be somewhere in the high 20 s low 30 s , so everything below that will be reproduced out of phase ime.
My own XPE design which has the same official specifications will just smoke them .
Look wilson makes fine loudspeakers with excellent fit n finish , but LS specs in the bass region are in general overly optimistic ( i wouldnt go so far as calling it misleading ).

 

Could you be just a little more explicit as to what you’re referring to? No need to mention any names…

I thought I WAS being explicit. It’s rife from top to bottom

 

Here is a screen shot from the wilson site .
It states the little wilson sasha DAW will put out 20 hz -3 db .
RAR Room average response
There is no way in the world those 2 - 8 inch paper pulp woofers are gonna be able to do that - 3 db .
Probably more like 40 - 35 hz -3 db
First of all those woofers Fs would be somewhere in the high 20 s low 30 s , so everything below that will be reproduced out of phase ime.
My own XPE design which has the same official specifications will just smoke them .
Look wilson makes fine loudspeakers with excellent fit n finish , but LS specs in the bass region are in general overly optimistic ( i wouldnt go so far as calling it misleading ).

View attachment 83823View attachment 83823

The port is tuned to 23Hz . As explained by John Atkinson in his Stereophile review:

"With the low tuning frequency of the port, boundary reinforcement will give extension to 20Hz with typical low-frequency room gain."

Martin Colloms was less optimistic in his review " Typical in-room bass response -6dB 22Hz. "

Surely a RAR depends on room gain and should be taken with care - in my long room with very solid walls I need very large bass traps to reduce it.

 

The port is tuned to 23Hz . As explained by John Atkinson in his Stereophile review:

"With the low tuning frequency of the port, boundary reinforcement will give extension to 20Hz with typical low-frequency room gain."

Martin Colloms was less optimistic in his review " Typical in-room bass response -6dB 22Hz. "

Surely a RAR depends on room gain and should be taken with care - in my long room with very solid walls I need very large bass traps to reduce it.

Yeah right , wait till you hear my speakers then you ll hear what a real -3 db 20 hz tone sounds like
Until then keep adjusting those subs

 

To make it audible at 20hz you need more than 100dB sound pressure, in large rooms another 10dB more.30hz is enough for me to have a lot of fun

 

To make it audible at 20hz you need more than 100dB sound pressure, in large rooms another 10dB more.30hz is enough for me to have a lot of fun
View attachment 83841

Thats a complete nonsense graph .
A flat measuring loudspeaker with a 3 -4 db down slope from 20 -30 hz down to 16 -20 khz will be perceived as natural / neutral by the listener.
Many LS manufacturers / reviewers agree on that

The problem is a lot of speaker designs roll of far more in the bass then specified.

Unfortunately i live far away from new jersey , because i would have loved to take M fremer up on the offer and hear a top LP / dartzeel system with the XVX s ( and also very important a lot of good software )

 

Thats a complete nonsense graph .
A flat measuring loudspeaker with 3 -4 db down slope from 20 -30 hz down to 16 -20 khz will be perceived as natural / neutral by the listener

The problem is a lot of speaker designs roll of far more in the bass then specified

To perceive a 20hz tone as loud as the rest of the music you need at least 20dB above your hearing threshold. the physics of the human ear. I'm off

 

I hadnt looked on the scanspeak site for quit some time but they indeed make low Fs large woofers at the moment ( if wilson uses those since they stopped using focal )
28 cm , 32 cm .
They are also lower in efficiency then the focal woofers so that might be the reason the current wilsons are lower in eff. overall / harder to drive
They re paper sandwich cones and paper sandwich cones with foam .
Fs 18 hz , how many db down at that freq in room is another story and as said before its not easy to measure .
May be the best way is to use 20 hz test tones


t

 

I hadnt looked on the scanspeak site for quit some time but they indeed make low Fs large woofers at the moment ( if wilson uses those since they stopped using focal )
28 cm , 32 cm .
They re paper sandwich cones and paper sandwich cones with foam .
Fs 18 hz , how many db down at that freq in room is another story and as said before its not easy to measure .
May be the best way is to use 20 hz test tones


View attachment 84621t

Good choice , in a Süsskind ara plays phantastic.

ARA - Suesskind Audio

Back Next ARA 7 years ago a journey began which after many errors, confusion and coincidences led to our new reference loudspeaker ARA. We were even surprised by the cliffs we had to avoid to really reach the top of the pyramid. If you don't shy away from the enormous costs, you can actually...

suesskindaudio.de

 

Good choice , in a Süsskind ara plays phantastic.

ARA - Suesskind Audio

Back Next ARA 7 years ago a journey began which after many errors, confusion and coincidences led to our new reference loudspeaker ARA. We were even surprised by the cliffs we had to avoid to really reach the top of the pyramid. If you don't shy away from the enormous costs, you can actually...

suesskindaudio.de

Haha okay

But what has Dr kurt muller to do with it .
Guys and that counts for every manufacturer if scanspeak designed the unit at least give them the credit .
And dont pretend its your design