YG Acoustics Sonja XV,, Wilson Audio Wamm Master Chronosonic, Raidho D -1.1

[microstrip]

FYI, the WAMM article covered the same number of pages (5) as the full Sonja XV review, both one more page than the full Raidho D1.1 review.

Thanks - I will then try to read it!

 

[adyc]

I went to YG dealer to listen to Sonja XV for about two hours last week. The pair is around 2 months old and may not be fully broken in. The room is around 5m x 5.6m. It is full of speakers from different brands. XV is driven by top line of Soulution. The music covers from rock, drum, chamber as well as orchestral.

XV is four towers but the bass towers are not active. So the amps have to drive four woofers per channel. The main towers are about 1.80m tall. The tweeters are way about ear level. So the main towers are tilted forward to point to the ear level. First impression is that the sound is completely lack of boxiness. Speakers just disappear. I think YG cabinet resonances control is top notch. XV performs equally well for all type of music. However, I think the bass is a bit of lacking. They lack slam and impact despite of four woofers per channel. SPL of this listening session is around 90+ dBa as measured by my iPhone. For bass heavy tracks, I cannot feel the bass is hitting my face. This is very different from real life experience. If one attends any band session, one can feel the bass from the drums hit your body. I do not know whether it is characteristic of sealed bass. I do not have much experience of sealed bass. My previous speakers are ported bass or bass from panels. My current speaker is bass horn. These types of bass deliver much greater slam. I have listened to Magico M3 before. The bass is also lacking of any slam although the room maybe too big for M3. I guess sealed bass is not my cup of tea. Anyway, it is a very enjoyable session. XV is a great speaker.

 

[asiufy]

Perhaps you should ask the dealer to try a different amp? I see that Gryphon there, may be a better fit.
But I wouldn't discount you not liking sealed bass too


cheers,
alex

 

[DaveyF]

Perhaps you should ask the dealer to try a different amp? I see that Gryphon there, may be a better fit.
But I wouldn't discount you not liking sealed bass too


cheers,
alex

That room looks like it has numerous ways to absorb bass. Way too many speakers etc., Not surprising that the bass response would be impacted, IMO

 

[adyc]

That room looks like it has numerous ways to absorb bass. Way too many speakers etc., Not surprising that the bass response would be impacted, IMO

Maybe it is true. However, I have listened to Sonja 1.3 before with no other speakers in the room. The bass is really lacking.

 

[asiufy]

There are WBF members who have heard our Sonjas, both 1.3 in the previous location, and now 2.2 in the new store. You can get more/less bass, depending on the amps used, and even I think we could use a tad more bass in our current (big) room, with just 2.2, but "lacking" seems more a preference than a statement of fact... As I said, nothing wrong in preferring ported bass.

Do you mind sharing where/who is that dealer you've been to?


cheers,
alex

 

[adyc]

There are WBF members who have heard our Sonjas, both 1.3 in the previous location, and now 2.2 in the new store. You can get more/less bass, depending on the amps used, and even I think we could use a tad more bass in our current (big) room, with just 2.2, but "lacking" seems more a preference than a statement of fact... As I said, nothing wrong in preferring ported bass.

Do you mind sharing where/who is that dealer you've been to?


cheers,
alex

You maybe correct. Sonja 1.3 and XV in both sessions are driven by Soulution. I never like Soulution as I found them thin sounding. So YG maybe doing an honest job of portraying the sound of Soulution.

 

[DaveyF]

I am one of the people who have heard the YG's at Alma's...I certainly wouldn't say that the YG's were missing anything in the bass. In fact, I would say the opposite; the YG's were always producing great bass and were very accurate in that department, IMO. I certainly think that if you thought YG's ( Sonja's) were lacking in bass ability that this would indicate a mismatch at the amp end. ( and/or possibly with the room, as i posted above)

 

[adyc]

I am one of the people who have heard the YG's at Alma's...I certainly wouldn't say that the YG's were missing anything in the bass. In fact, I would say the opposite; the YG's were always producing great bass and were very accurate in that department, IMO. I certainly think that if you thought YG's ( Sonja's) were lacking in bass ability that this would indicate a mismatch at the amp end. ( and/or possibly with the room, as i posted above)

What amp do you hear with YG?

 

[asiufy]

In our store, we've had many amps with the YG, among them:

D'Agostino Momentum Integrated
D'Agostino Momentum M400 monoblocks
Air Tight ATM-2001 stereo
Audio Research GS150 stereo
Audio Research REF75SE
darTZeel CTH-8550 integrated
Audionet MAX
Mola Mola Kaluga
Audiopax M100 Monoblocks

Dave might've heard a good portion of those...

 

[bonzo75]

What amp do you hear with YG?

YG Hailey is one of my favorite speakers. I never heard the Sonja outside off a show. Most of the times I have heard YG I don't like the set up as it sounds metallic and bright. But get it right and it creates beautiful mids and decay and a stage, like stats but with more bass and weight. Outside off a show I have heard the Hailey with boulder 2160, burmester 911, plinius, Nagra, burmester 909, viola symphony, and Luxman m900u. It was the best with the Luxman. I can see it being very good with the bigger Vitus, dagostino, symphonic line, FM. I would like to hear it with AR 250se to see if that works. There was another user here, Dallasjustice who owned them and tried them with various amps including the Soulution and preferred the Luxman.

That said, it is not a bass and slam powerhouse. It does just enough to not let you miss it. If you have a bigger room you will need subs. But for normal living rooms it should be sufficient...a bit like Sonus Faber, whose focus unlike focal is more musicality, while focal will do better in bass and slam. Dallasjustice was using subs too. I understand why but personally I would not bother for the kind of rooms I live in

 

[Tango]

I had Sonja 1.3 ran with two pairs of Audionet Max. These speakers like a lot of power. Also tried with Soulution 701s. Double pair of Max was cheaper and better with Sonja. Great transparency, resolution, whiplash speed and dynamic. The kind of sound that get people excited easily. But the presentation was always like the music is behind a big glass window and never had a density near horn with SET. Changed the amp to Ayon SET 60W and flowers started to blossom..more alive...but no grunt..lost effortlessness and control. Almost went for the XVs but destiny striked with Cessaro and never look back until this thread.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[DaveyF]

What amp do you hear with YG?

All of the ones that Alex mentioned above, except for the Mola Mola's. ( which i didn't like much whenever I have heard them).
The Air Tight's and ARC's were superb with the Sonja's....and since these are a tube amp one might expect a lack of deep bass there; no such thing.

Tango, did you ever hear the YG XV's....I would suspect you would have changed your mind regarding the Cessaro's if you had. Assuming of course that you had the room for them. I think the XV's require an enormous room. Which is another reason why I believe anyone who doesn't like them would be probably listening in a room that doesn't do them justice, size wise.

 

[Tango]

Also auditioned raidho 1.1 and 3.1 with Luxman Mono but not in my own system two times because D5 was under my radar but didnt have for audition. Both times I didnt understand what the fuzz was all about on Raidho. I blamed it on the dealer poor setup. Most impressive box speakers I heard were Zellaton.

Tang

 

[adyc]

Also auditioned raidho 1.1 and 3.1 with Luxman Mono but not in my own system two times because D5 was under my radar but didnt have for audition. Both times I didnt understand what the fuzz was all about on Raidho. I blamed it on the dealer poor setup. Most impressive box speakers I heard were Zellaton.

Tang

I agree with you on Raidho. I have listened to them in two different dealers’ showrooms driven with different amps. They are so poor on bass and midrange. So muddy. I won’t take it even if one gives me free.

 

[bonzo75]

If someone has a raidho I don't go there to compare another component because I am convinced I won't be able to tell what's doing what. I am with you two on this.

 

[Tango]

All of the ones that Alex mentioned above, except for the Mola Mola's. ( which i didn't like much whenever I have heard them).
The Air Tight's and ARC's were superb with the Sonja's....and since these are a tube amp one might expect a lack of deep bass there; no such thing.

Tango, did you ever hear the YG XV's....I would suspect you would have changed your mind regarding the Cessaro's if you had. Assuming of course that you had the room for them. I think the XV's require an enormous room. Which is another reason why I believe anyone who doesn't like them would be probably listening in a room that doesn't do them justice, size wise.

HiDaveyF,

I never heard the XV. My agent tried to get me to be the very first pair. Now with Cessaro, XV not even tiny bit interest me. They talked about how big Sonja disappeared in the review. I lived with them and I know what they talk about. But What they dont know is what I am talking about when I say my multiple times larger in size GammaII not just disappear but completely vanish in comparison to the Sonja. Other hifi aspects? Lets just say GammaII fit my preferences better. I can understand there is a big market segment that is a fan of this type of sound. You give me any box speaker I want for free, even the new WAMM, and I will take the Zellaton.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[awsmone]

Spent a day with Lois Desjardins of Kronos trying to tune a pair of Sonya XV

All Soulution system with 701 755 and 725

I am sorry but in the many hours we were there I can conclusively say I never heard anything “special”

Lois thought the hailey was a much easier speaker to set up....

 

[LL21]

Spent a day with Lois Desjardins of Kronos trying to tune a pair of Sonya XV

All Soulution system with 701 755 and 725

I am sorry but in the many hours we were there I can conclusively say I never heard anything “special”

Lois thought the hailey was a much easier speaker to set up....

Interesting...i would have hoped that with 4 tower speakers, at least it should have tremendous scale, greater than the big 2-speaker references, Focal Grande, etc. Does it?

 

[andromedaaudio]

Why not try a different amp brand , its a bit quick to judge a speaker like that wont you think