What makes Wilson speakers so special?

[jax4736]

As my new Sophia 3's burn in, I'll mention some of my favorite attributes. I love their soundstaging, and bass extension. I think the cabinets must contribute a lot to the overall sound.

The DIY crowd may focus heavily on the drivers in custom speakers, but there's clearly something special going on with the Wilson speakers. I know this, having auditioned many different DIY and commercial speakers.

More than any other speaker, I just want to sit and listen to the music. I'm suddenly finding myself not listening analytically, but just letting the music take over. This is the way it should be.

[Jerome W]

Originally Posted by jax4736

As my new Sophia 3's burn in, I'll mention some of my favorite attributes. I love their soundstaging, and bass extension. I think the cabinets must contribute a lot to the overall sound.

The DIY crowd may focus heavily on the drivers in custom speakers, but there's clearly something special going on with the Wilson speakers. I know this, having auditioned many different DIY and commercial speakers.

More than any other speaker, I just want to sit and listen to the music. I'm suddenly finding myself not listening analytically, but just letting the music take over. This is the way it should be.

Well written.
To me, I would say Imaging, bass control but most of all, a sound which makes me closer to the real performance, either in the recording studio, in the street, in a jazz club, a concert hall or a stadium.
I get both the impression of "being there" and "having the musicians in my room". I never got both of these sensation with any other speaker.

[Amfibius]

What makes a Mercedes-Benz special? Same thing as Wilson. Nothing really fancy - just incredibly solid engineering with no shortcuts.

[Franklmu]

"it's a kind of magic"

Frank

[LordoftheRingsEE]

Must have some' to do with the thinkin' behind them speakers.

[jax4736]

I sometimes get into heated debates about Wilson speakers. I bought them simply because I never heard such realistic reproduction of orchestral music before.

I'm not a typical audiophile, because I actually read printed music as I listen, and have absolute pitch, and have been a musician since I was a young child.

I'll never forget the first Wilsons I heard (Sasha W/P). Although I was listening in a nearfield position, I could make out instruments as specific points all over a broad soundfield. I was listening to Mahler's first symphony, a recording by Pierre Boulez. The opening has something difficult for any sound system: low and soft sustained "A"'s spread over the string section. Then the woodwinds come in with this sighing figure (descending fourths). As the various instruments come in, they appear to be coming from center, slightly left of center, slightly right of center, etc.

As I listened to other speakers, I couldn't hear this level of soundstaging. And this wasn't on tubed equipment (I've heard this is good at creating soundstaging too).

My current system uses Ayre "5" series electronics, and the Wilson Sophia 3's. If I close my eyes, I can't figure out where the speakers are. I just hear a wide, deep, and tall mass of sound.

Another thing Wilson "gets right" for me is loud orchestral passages ("tutti" passages) where most of the instruments are playing. With Wilson speakers, on good recordings, I hear the component instruments rather than some big, composite sound. I think they get this right more than any other speaker I've heard. I heard it in the Sophia, Sasha, and MAXX. I've not yet heard the Alexandria (X2 or XLF).

It's amazing too, how they reveal the character of upstream components. I love the Ayre/Wilson combo, but was less than pleased with a Boulder/Sophia combination I heard. Everything else was the same. These speakers are chameleons....

[Volks]

Originally Posted by jax4736

I sometimes get into heated debates about Wilson speakers.

Most of the times i hear people debating about Wilson usually has more to do with their "Looks" then their sound...........seems people either love them or hate them looks wise.

[jdandy]

jax4736.......I can appreciate your enthusiasm for the Wilson Sophia 3 speakers. There are many happy and thoroughly satisfied Wilson owners for sure, but being "so special" is not a particular trait that is owned exclusively by Wilson. There are many wonderful loudspeakers from a number of other prestigious manufacturers that are thrilling their owners, too. Happy listening, no matter what your choice of loudspeaker may be.

[Amfibius]

Originally Posted by jax4736

I'm not a typical audiophile, because I actually read printed music as I listen, and have absolute pitch, and have been a musician since I was a young child.

Hey, I do that too Except that I don't have perfect pitch

[Dukester]

jax4736, I made the mistake of auditioning the S3's...now my current set-up's days are numbered. I too felt they 'disappeared' and seemed 'engulfed' by the imaging and depth of soundstage...wow. Hope to one day experience them in my home...congrats!