Sashas described as "gorgeous...breathtakingly so"

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Uberbrown

Just ask Serge about the time he heard the Maxx 3 speakers with the EVO 600s and the dynamic transients in that demo!

Lets just say, the Sophia IIs are great speakers.

Actually Alexandria X2v2 with Evo 900's.... Yeah, dynamically it was a shocking combo.. Musically it left me a bit cold.

[Uberbrown]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Actually Alexandria X2v2 with Evo 900's.... Yeah, dynamically it was a shocking combo.. Musically it left me a bit cold.

Oh WOW. Alexandrias and 900s! I think I just fell over!

Yes, some say that they hear Krell to be cold and sterile. I remember you saying this was your impression of the demo.

[Cellindo]

My SASHA paired with CELLO amps are extremely revealing of the qualities of the CD recording/mix/mastering. This can be almost shocking some to rediscover in details the work done on the sound by the engineers.
Not always relaxing, but a joy to carefuly listen to various CDs.

Nevertheless, the musical emotion recoded during the take can also be a joy to listen to (Callas, great Jazz men, mythical pop-rock music)

[2BTubey]

The W/P 8's with Joule amps sound pretty spectacular and became even more so after adding base traps to my room. I'm listening to "The Lionel Hampton Quartet" LP as I post and I feel like I'm back at The Light House in Hermosa Beach, they're so fast and dynamic and reproduce what you feed them!!!

[Uberbrown]

Originally Posted by 2BTubey

The W/P 8's with Joule amps sound pretty spectacular . . .

I bet they do. I always had a soft spot for the VIIIs. Enjoy!

[z06gal]

Originally Posted by tonepub

I'd always rate Wilson speakers as kind of forward myself, but the only times I've heard them sound truly inviting have been in Dave Wilson's office, with tubed Nagra amps, Dave Wilson's house with big tubed VTL's and one other place (can't remember) with tubed Lamm amps. And they sounded awfully good at CJ with their ART amps (also tubes)

So, personally Dave, I think you have the magic combination!

Most of the time I hear Wilson speakers with big SS amps, cranked up way too loud. Doesn't do the speakers justice, personally.

I have just gotten, a few months ago, some wp 5.1's via audiogon. I had not heard any Wilson's prior to getting these and it has been very eye opening. I cannot get over how detailed they are and they are the most placement sensitive speakers I have ever seen. I have done room treatments, etc and feel like I'm getting close as they are sounding much better. I think the problem is that I have never had true high end speakers and I'm not accustomed to everything I am hearing. I do plan on adding a tube amp at some point though.

[chessman]

z06gal ... First, welcome aboard. Second, I am using a tube pre-amp and a solid state amp and am loving the sound. Third, a lot things can produce a forward sound. By forward do you mean that the highs are over-emphasized or that listening is fatiguing?

[z06gal]

Originally Posted by chessman

z06gal ... First, welcome aboard. Second, I am using a tube pre-amp and a solid state amp and am loving the sound. Third, a lot things can produce a forward sound. By forward do you mean that the highs are over-emphasized or that listening is fatiguing?

It is fatiguing if I try to turn the volume up which, fortunately, I do not do alot of. I listen to blues and jazz especially the xrcd's and on some of them, I would describe it as being a having a bite to it or something. I have a Levinson bpa3. a Cary SLP03 preamp, and an Oppo 95 bdp with the dedicated stereo xlr's. I have noticed that alot of folks use tube amps so I thought I'd go that route. I have done acoustic foam on the wall and bass traps, acoustic curtains and a thick carpet pad under my rug and it does sound much better. One thing that has definitely helped is not as much toe in but I will say this has been a real journey getting to this point. Thank you for your help.


Robin

[chessman]

Robin ... It sounds like you have already rounded up the usual suspects. Do you have lots of glass or low ceilings?

[z06gal]

Originally Posted by chessman

Robin ... It sounds like you have already rounded up the usual suspects. Do you have lots of glass or low ceilings?

My room was 18x18 but we had the wall behind the sitting area knocked out to open up into the kitchen. We have 9ft ceilings with one window, a fireplace, and the foyer area of the front door. I put up some acoustic blackout curtains over the window and the foyer area which has helped a good bit. I meant to tell you that I have Transparent ultra speaker cables and I plan to get some transparent balanced interconnects as well. Right now, I have some from Signal Cable. I wasn't sure what I would need with these speakers so I have been checking out forums to see what people are using.