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Old 01-30-2020, 02:38 PM
Charles Charles is offline
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Default Enjoyable Listening Session with XVX

About 2 years ago I received a call from an old friend totally unexpectedly. I was at a car dealership waiting on my sons car.

He had sold me my Mac XRT30's. He's about 17 years my younger. Extremely knowledgeable with high end. Both he and his wife are young well to do professionals, very successful.

There's a million dollar system with an XLF installed by PM somewhere in the south at a university. He was present at the installation and has heard the system often. It's in some special room.

So he came over yesterday at 4 pm for a listen. He thought I had Alexxes. He streams exclusively and has Pipe Dreams specially built for him by its designer, Mike Shields. Pipe Dreams were HP of tas favorite loudspeaker.

With a break for dinner of about 90 min we listened from about 4-10:30. At dinner we had an intense discussion of the high end especially speakers, but also Mac. It was extremely enjoyable. I learned a lot. Two things at dinner: He told me about how to circumvent/eliminate all the problems with bass and sealed systems which I did not understand at all. Had to do with crossover design called "pole something". He said he did not particularly like ported bass. Currently his PD's are not operational because he is re-building his room. He is only going to use the line array and build his own subs. Probably sealed and 4 of them using 12 and 15 inch drivers.

So what did he think? I played some harsh bright music trying my best to make the XVX sound as bad as possible. Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder. Not much bass but tremendous pace and energy and you gotta hear the mids of the XVX on this type music to believe it. But I really love this album and music and the sound.

Next I played the final two movements of Mahler's 6th. Dynamic range from .12 to 200 watts. Volume set at 75%. On the very softest notes the wonderful SN ratio was so obvious. Total blackness and quiet. On the 100 + decibel climaxes no sense of strain or harshness.

Next some fun music Dukes of Dixieland which he said was fun and nice.

He has album of CD's of about 100 audiophile that he kept when he sold high end equipment. He put on Stevie Ray Vaughn.

The one I remember the most was his Burmester demo CD he received at a show upon entering the Burmester room. The Chinese drum solo was amazing. Never heard anything like it. He said I had the best integrated sub system he has ever heard. Why? He couldn't hear the sub which he said was incredible.

Finally, we heard Trittico (RF-0052) Reference Recordings Dallas Wind Symphony and then the Saint Saens Organ (SACD Ode 1094-S Ondine). The latter was the only time you heard the Thor but the notes were so low they had no pitch, which is OK.

About three fourths of the way thru the session with the lights out he turned to me and said, "The ceiling is too low the speakers too close to the side walls it shouldn't sound this good. I can't hear the room I can't hear the speakers all I hear is the music."

He also said my system sounded considerably better than the million dollar XLF University System.

For a fellow that only streams, he had the best CD collection I've ever seen.

He just called and we talked for about an hour. He's going to get his system up and running by April and I'm going over to have a listen. It was a very enjoyable evening. It confirmed what I suspected, that I have achieved a very good sound in a very unlikely space.
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Old 01-30-2020, 02:53 PM
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audioguy3107 audioguy3107 is offline
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Charles, the University system you're talking about is the listening library located at the University of the South in Sewanee Tennessee south of Nashville. I visited there a few years ago and made a thread here on AA about is, maybe do a search....I posted a some pictures. The had a pair of Alexandria XLFs. I was there for about an hour and a half.....It sounded pretty good but nowhere near the cost of what it could achieve in someone's home properly setup. It was a cool idea to have in a library though.

- Buck
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Library: Speakers: Avalon Acoustics Isis, Subwoofers: (2) REL Acoustics 212SE Amplification: D’agostino Momentum preamplifier, D’agostino S250 stereo amplifier Digital: dCS Rossini CD/SACD transport, dCS Rossini DAC/streamer/master clock. Analog: Brinkmann Taurus table, Lyra Etna Lambda, Audio Research Ref. Phono 3
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Old 01-30-2020, 04:14 PM
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bart bart is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audioguy3107 View Post
Charles, the University system you're talking about is the listening library located at the University of the South in Sewanee Tennessee south of Nashville. I visited there a few years ago and made a thread here on AA about is, maybe do a search....I posted a some pictures. The had a pair of Alexandria XLFs. I was there for about an hour and a half.....It sounded pretty good but nowhere near the cost of what it could achieve in someone's home properly setup. It was a cool idea to have in a library though.

- Buck

@ Charles: thank you for sharing! It feels good when you know you've achieved a top level, doesn't it?

@Buck: I was in Sewanee also, in 2015. Together with Julian, and my wife. The sound was grand, but indeed not as good as we expected. The instruments and singers were unrealistically big.
Julian told us it sounded much better before, with the Ayre mono blocks, than with the huge, new pbn mono blocks.
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AV: Hegel C-53, Marantz AV8802A, Oppo BDP-203EU, Pioneer Kuro 60", Vivid Audio C1 & V1w's, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse, SE & E
Second system (veranda): Halgorythme preamp and monoblocks, Burmester 061, Avalon Avatar, Sharkwire & Wireworld cables
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  #4  
Old 01-30-2020, 09:01 PM
Charles Charles is offline
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Default Some pics of room

Some pics of room:

Hopefully, Ivan will rotate. Then I will make some comments.



Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20200130_163037.jpg (87.4 KB, 93 views)
File Type: jpg 20200130_163122.jpg (83.4 KB, 87 views)

Last edited by Masterlu; 01-31-2020 at 01:55 PM.
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  #5  
Old 01-30-2020, 10:49 PM
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DesW DesW is offline
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Here tis-
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File Type: jpg 20200130_163037 v2.jpg (82.8 KB, 490 views)
File Type: jpg 20200130_163122 v1.jpg (81.6 KB, 493 views)
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  #6  
Old 01-31-2020, 06:31 AM
Charles Charles is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DesW View Post
Here tis-
Bart and Buck, thank you so much! It really was an enjoyable time. The reason for the over 2 year lapse of time is the health of my wife. She suffered a severe illness and was recovering during that time. She continues to recover. Although she still requires some care, not nearly as much as then. It was all I could do to get the Alexx installed and paid for. No time or ability for guests at that time. Now things are much more relaxed and stable. I plan to have my young friend over again in about a month. It's nice to find a younger person that wants to befriend an older person, and he does and has the time. This makes me happy. He's also a health nut and I know a lot of metabolism, to say the least.

My Project is also going full speed. It has been going on now for over 15 years. It will go on long after I am dead. It is a historical architectural structure of very exact and massive dimensions realized inside a Maya computer program. That's all I can say or will say. Someday you may hear of it, I don't know.

DesW, thank you so much. One of the things I was happy about during the listening session was how good the sound was off axis. The vocal was moved over to the right some but the soundstage held up remarkably well. It was quite enjoyable.

The room treatments are Room Tunes by Michael Green. There is no slap echo in my room. A-Frame rooms work very well. My dealer thinks at least as well as a conventional ceiling. As most of you know, I don't employ any equalization (other than passive) of any kind and would never have a pre with a tone control. A lot of thought and trial and error went into these room treatments. It's the reason the soundstage holds together at quite high sound levels.

While some folks may want a really large look in a speaker, I don't. I like the understated look. The XVX comes in at about 6', very narrow and deep, very compact, very "together" as a design. If it will fit and perform well in my room, I think it portends good results in many different shapes and sizes of rooms.

Charles

Charles Updated System
Most recent updates: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic
Amps: McIntosh 1.25KW’s (3) set on floor on custom made cultured marble slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCD1100 SACD player, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 23)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie and Wilson Watch Controller (abbr: WC)
Cables main system: Audioquest Wel Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); Wel Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for BR player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for tuner; cables for DVD player not listed
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from WC to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to WC; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes enough to turn the room into a virtual anechoic chamber if desired; however, at present my room is significantly reflective giving me a bright, vibrant, dynamic, highly resolving, smooth sound free of harshness and grain and perfect for my taste; zero slap echo; gorgeous midrange
AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.
Room (mancave): 40’L x 15.5’W A-frame; max ceiling height 8’ min 5’; wall within wall construction built of 2 x 6’s; built over garage with custom hardwood floor with gym seal with over 40 Lowes stiffened wooden I-beams supporting floor; complete isolation from rest of house

Last edited by Charles; 01-31-2020 at 06:58 AM.
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  #7  
Old 02-24-2020, 02:35 PM
Charles Charles is offline
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Default

It's been about a month of continuous listening to the XVX since the last post.

I can say that I am totally pleased with my investment.

Right now listening to Time Out Dave Brubeck Quartet. I never thought this Jazz CD anything remarkable, just an enjoyable CD.

The XVX has this amazing ability to turn an enjoyable CD into an unforgettable listening experience.

There are many sonic qualities like imaging, sound stage, pace, etc.

Also, things like dynamic range, resolution, etc.

But then there's just the bass. How good it it?

How good is the treble, the midrange?

I've never heard anything like this speaker. It's simply the best by far in all categories I have ever heard, period.

The punch of the bass on this particular CD and the overall presentation must be heard to be believed.

Charles
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  #8  
Old 02-24-2020, 06:00 PM
jpspock jpspock is offline
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Congrats Charles and Manu thanks for sharing
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  #9  
Old 02-24-2020, 08:36 PM
clpetersen clpetersen is offline
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Been following your adventures -
Congratulations!
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Main - Roon on Synology/Sonos Port/SoTM Neo endpoints; Chord Qutest, Bryston BP-17 cubed with phono option; EAT C-sharp with Ortofon Bronze MM, Bryston cubed Amplifier; Revel F126Be on custom Atocha stands; interconnects by WireWorld, furniture by Atocha Design 'Phones Audeze LCD-3, Bryston BHA-1; Office: Sonos/Roon; OPPO HA-1, Naim NAP100 and PSB Mini-C. Media Room:, Samsung QLED QN90 series, Sonos, OPPO 205, ATI N-core driving KEF LS-50's with REL subs; furniture by Glassisimo; Kids - U-turn for vinyl, Sonos Play5; Summer Shack - Sonos, vintage Pioneer, Dynaudio Special 40's.

Last edited by clpetersen; 02-24-2020 at 08:39 PM.
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  #10  
Old 02-25-2020, 12:24 PM
Charles Charles is offline
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Default Few more pics

Here are a few more pics of XVX.













The first pic shows the low spike arrangement/configuration I worked so hard to obtain. It saves a much needed inch in height and allowed us to achieve a really good tweeter separation of about 108" or 9'. My sitting distance is 11'.

The next couple of pics show exactly what I see from my sofa listening position. One of the physical qualities I like most about the XVX is the unimposing presence/nature of the speaker. It in no way overwhelms my room. It is quite muscular and yet very compact at the same time. Zero wasted space. Very put together. Concise. When I was a kid my dad had Bozak Concert Grands. One of the real problems was the sound never got beyond the cabinet, even though it was terrific. With the XVX it is almost like the speaker isn't there with it's narrow compact profile/footprint that you see from the listening spot. The Alexx seemed wider in comparison for want of a better word.

The fourth pic is the fantastic QuadraMag mid. The fifth the Mk 5 tweeter, certainly the best treble I've ever experienced by far. The sixth the upper mid which is a modified version of the one used in the WAMM.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 20200225_095119.jpg (90.5 KB, 325 views)
File Type: jpg 20200225_095135.jpg (93.8 KB, 330 views)
File Type: jpg 20200225_095309.jpg (93.8 KB, 332 views)
File Type: jpg 20200225_095545.jpg (88.7 KB, 334 views)
File Type: jpg 20200225_100046.jpg (94.1 KB, 326 views)
File Type: jpg 20200224_125720.jpg (84.3 KB, 307 views)

Last edited by Masterlu; 02-26-2020 at 01:00 PM.
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