YG Acoustics Announces Sonja XV Loudspeaker

[DaveC]

I generally see 4-tower speakers setup symmetrically, if you compare this to a distributed subwoofer setup it's obviously a lot more limited, so the room has to be more of a consideration. As Mike says above, purpose-built room > full integration > fully coherent. If you're going to invest in a 6-figure 4-tower speaker setup putting effort into the room or using a purpose built room seems logical, if not then YMMV for sure. You can't separate bass performance from the room.

 

[Rhapsody]

The Sonja XV price to performance ratio is off the charts when compared to the Wilson (XVX and WAMM) Magico M9 respective flagships

Surely, a matter of taste and personal preference. All things considered and system synergy playing a big part as what one is subjectively "better"

However, YG's Dual Coherent crossover is most likely the reason that this 4 tower monster sounds so cohesive and disappears in the room.

I heard it once powered by 4 Audionet Heisenberg mono blocks.

A transcendent audio experience for sure.

Where did you hear the M9s? Just curious as I know you wouldn't make comparisons without hearing something, right?

 

[andromedaaudio]

If you divide the 20 -20 khz freq range up in lets say a 5 way system and you want it also to have a high efficiency you end up with a large stack of drivers .
Adding sufficient bass drivers to that would be way to much to handle in one piece plus height would starting to be a concern.
So 2 towers is both practical soundwise and handling wise.
The top systems these days limit the freq band per driver which is quit the opposite of the one driver can do it all aproach without a crossover.

I agree with mike that SOTA sound doesnt have to cost 400 K

 

[Ron Resnick]

Where did you hear the M9s? Just curious as I know you wouldn't make comparisons without hearing something, right?

+1 - the sarcasm

 

[Rhapsody]

+1 - the sarcasm

I will humbly apologize for the sarcasm if he has heard the M9s.

 

[PeterA]

I generally see 4-tower speakers setup symmetrically, if you compare this to a distributed subwoofer setup it's obviously a lot more limited, so the room has to be more of a consideration. As Mike says above, purpose-built room > full integration > fully coherent. If you're going to invest in a 6-figure 4-tower speaker setup putting effort into the room or using a purpose built room seems logical, if not then YMMV for sure. You can't separate bass performance from the room.

Dave and Mike, Is a room’s influence on the overall sound greater or lesser when one listens in the near field as Mike does in his purpose built room to his four tower system?

Do you think a distributed subwoofer system would provide more or less performance in a room and speaker system like Mike has with the MM7?

 

[PeterA]

I will humbly apologize for the sarcasm if he has heard the M9s.

It was a good question. I think few people have had the opportunity to listen to the M9. Having not done so one would think that a value assessment cannot be made especially relative to the other speakers with which it competes.

 

[Rhapsody]

It was a good question. I think few people have had the opportunity to listen to the M9. Having not done so one would think that a value assessment cannot be made especially relative to the other speakers with which it competes.

That is my only point. What IF once someone actually heard a speaker and it did something above and beyond what they have heard from other speakers, regardless of price. I would think this would add a heightened perceived value to this speaker.

 

[KeithR]

don't need Ferrari money, just Turbo Porsche.

but there is no replacement for displacement......of air that is.

in a purpose built room twin tower cones fit fine, and offer driver surface in the mid bass 'almost' any single cone tower can only dream about. and if that twin tower is fully integrated then it can be fully coherent.......and go deeper than any music recorded might go.

the word is effortless. it's why you go to the trouble.

I'd rather have the GT3

That's all fine and dandy - but my guess is manufacturers want a broader audience and one that doesn't require large, dedicated rooms. hence why 4 column systems aren't as popular nor historically successful. I'm curious how the Devore O Reference will do considering it has 4, wide baffle components.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Singer Porsche 911, early 70s-mid 80s, thanks.

 

[Carlos269]

I generally see 4-tower speakers setup symmetrically, if you compare this to a distributed subwoofer setup it's obviously a lot more limited, so the room has to be more of a consideration. As Mike says above, purpose-built room > full integration > fully coherent. If you're going to invest in a 6-figure 4-tower speaker setup putting effort into the room or using a purpose built room seems logical, if not then YMMV for sure. You can't separate bass performance from the room.

Let me be quite clear, you do not need a purpose-built room to achieve great sound with 4 tower, 6 tower or any speaker set-up. In most cases, these purpose-built rooms are about vanity and nothing else. I speak from experience. I’m trying not to be pedantic, but very basic knowledge and understanding of the laws of physics will get you a long ways to proper system set up and optimizations. I sure hope that people are not buying into this purpose-built room nonsense. As an example look at those that have had purpose built rooms designed and built by acousticians and experts only to end up undoing and changing the design to their “personal preferences” or based on comments from guest. Knowledge is power.

If you on the other hand just want to connect a bunch of high-dollar expensive equipment together and poof! expect it to sound great in any room then yes, you better get some help. My experience in this hobby has shown that there are many participants with deep pockets that simply do not have a clue about what is really going on, either electrically or acoustically; this is a great invitation to the purpose-built rooms and other unnecessary excesses that unfortunately permeate our great hobby.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Carlos usually i try to find something in every post with which i agree .
But in yours i find nothing im sorry .

 

[Carlos269]

Carlos usually i try to find something in every post with which i agree .
But in yours i find nothing im sorry .

As I said, knowledge is power.

 

[DaveC]

Let me be quite clear, you do not need a purpose-built room to achieve great sound with 4 tower, 6 tower or any speaker set-up. In most cases, these purpose-built rooms are about vanity and nothing else. I speak from experience. I’m trying not to be pedantic, but very basic knowledge and understanding of the laws of physics will get you a long ways to proper system set up and optimizations. I sure hope that people are not buying into this purpose-built room nonsense. As an example look at those that have had purposes built rooms designed and built by acousticians and experts only to end up undoing and changing the design to their “personal preferences” or based on comments from guest. Knowledge is power.

If you on the other hand just want to connect a bunch of high-dollar expensive equipment together and poof! expect it to sound great in any room then yes, you better get some help. My experience in this hobby has shown that there are many participants with deep pockets that simply do not have a clue about what is really going on, either electrically or acoustically; this is a great invitation to the purpose-built rooms and other unnecessary excesses that unfortunately permeate our great hobby.

Sorry but your post is pure BS. No other way to say it.

Yeah, crazy that some folks want good sound without a degree in acoustical engineering. People also buy and drive cars without understanding every technical detail. We live in houses without knowing about plumbing or electrical too!

While great results are certainly possible in most any room, a symmetric 4-tower setup introduces more constraints, that's all I'm saying. And the thought that dedicated rooms are only about vanity is ridiculous.

Your "knowledge is power" statement is pure irony, lol... EDIT: and now you've said it twice! Thanks, needed a laugh this morning.

EDIT #2: Now I see your sig line, "Greatest fool of all is the one who fools himself." This is amazing, thank you.

 

[Carlos269]

Sorry but your post is pure BS. No other way to say it.

Yeah, crazy that some folks want good sound without a degree in acoustical engineering. People also buy and drive cars without understanding every technical detail. We live in houses without knowing about plumbing or electrical too!

While great results are certainly possible in most any room, a symmetric 4-tower setup introduces more constraints, that's all I'm saying. And the thought that dedicated rooms are only about vanity is ridiculous.

Your "knowledge is power" statement is pure irony, lol... EDIT: and now you've said it twice! Thanks, needed a laugh this morning.

I do believe that I did mentioned in my post that some people do need help correct?

 

[Ron Resnick]

My room is not a purpose built room, and I do not think a purpose built room is a necessary prerequisite to achieving great sound. On the other hand, I think the systems of audiophiles who do not have purpose built rooms and who have worked on and refined and optimized their systems for years may be what I call "room limited," meaning that they have taken their current components in their current rooms as far as they can go towards achieving realistic sound reproduction, and only the removal of the entire system to a larger room or otherwise better room or a purpose built room would enable them to improve upon their sound reproduction.

 

[Mdp632]

Where did you hear the M9s? Just curious as I know you wouldn't make comparisons without hearing something, right?

@Rhapsody I didn't. I edited my post and removed all references to other brands. Didn't mean to derail this thread.

 

[PeterA]

My room is not a purpose built room, and I do not think a purpose built room is a necessary prerequisite to achieving great sound. On the other hand, I think the systems of audiophiles who do not have purpose built rooms and who have worked on and refined and optimized their systems for years may be what I call "room limited," meaning that they have taken their current components in their current rooms as far as they can go towards achieving realistic sound reproduction, and only the removal of the entire system to a larger room or otherwise better room or a purpose built room would enable them to improve upon their sound reproduction.

Ron, that is indeed what I had thought until I began to reexamine everything besides components and the room. I had been working for years on optimizing my system until someone suggested a different approach. Taking a fresh look at my supports, acoustic treatments, isolation, and now power delivery, and also further set up experiments like zero toe-in, have all improved the sound I now experience. Components and room can certainly be improved, and one can believe he has fully explored set up, but I have learned that the subject can be much more involved than is commonly suggested.

I guess the question is this: how does one truly know if he has exhausted the possibilities and really optimized his system? I think people simply presume they have and then they upgrade or think about a new room believing those will be what is needed to deliver better sound. I think it is more complicated and people upgrade gear and rooms for all sorts of reasons, not simply because they have exhausted efforts to optimize their sound.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Ron, that is indeed what I had thought until I began to reexamine everything besides components and the room. I had been working for years on optimizing my system until someone suggested a different approach. Taking a fresh look at my supports, acoustic treatments, isolation, and now power delivery, and also further set up experiments like zero toe-in, have all improved the sound I now experience. Components and room can certainly be improved, and one can believe he has fully explored set up, but I have learned that the subject can be much more involved than is commonly suggested.

I guess the question is this: how does one truly know if he has exhausted the possibilities and really optimized his system? I think people simply presume they have and then they upgrade or think about a new room believing those will be what is needed to deliver better sound. I think it is more complicated and people upgrade gear and rooms for all sorts of reasons, not simply because they have exhausted efforts to optimize their sound.

I understand, and I agree with you. You are questioning how an audiophile can know his system is finally optimized. But that point is different than the point I'm making.

I am saying hypothetically that once a system is optimized it is then what I call "room limited," and can be improved upon only by moving the whole system to a better room.

Your system is probably now room limited. Jeff T's system is probably now room limited. (That is why I am so excited for him to move the existing system into a purpose built room!)

 

[microstrip]

Let me be quite clear, you do not need a purpose-built room to achieve great sound with 4 tower, 6 tower or any speaker set-up. In most cases, these purpose-built rooms are about vanity and nothing else. I speak from experience. I’m trying not to be pedantic, but very basic knowledge and understanding of the laws of physics will get you a long ways to proper system set up and optimizations. I sure hope that people are not buying into this purpose-built room nonsense. As an example look at those that have had purpose built rooms designed and built by acousticians and experts only to end up undoing and changing the design to their “personal preferences” or based on comments from guest. Knowledge is power.

If you on the other hand just want to connect a bunch of high-dollar expensive equipment together and poof! expect it to sound great in any room then yes, you better get some help. My experience in this hobby has shown that there are many participants with deep pockets that simply do not have a clue about what is really going on, either electrically or acoustically; this is a great invitation to the purpose-built rooms and other unnecessary excesses that unfortunately permeate our great hobby.

A couple of interesting ideas, worth being debated, presented in a condescending and insulting style that precludes any further discussion about such subjects in WBF in the future. IMHO moderators should care about this type of posts - these provocative flaming posts only prepare the field for duels, not for debates. All IMHO, YMMV.