Sashas described as "gorgeous...breathtakingly so"

[daveneumann]

Things have been slow on this site lately so I thought a new thread was in order. In the latest TAS, Jonathan Valin writes about his RMAF listening impressions.

In one room the Sashas were shown with VTL electronics and fed by McGrath's recordings. He says, "The speakers themselves were gorgeous. Breathtakingly so. Indeed if I gave an award for sheer beauty of sound, they would've won...But, to me, they were fundamentally a good deal prettier than life..." He goes on with further comments and an analogy to a martini with a cherry and umbrella (?).

In another room with Dolshi electronics, he describes the Sashas as "staggering lovely (it may have been a coloration, but it sure was a voluptuous one.)"

I wouldn't describe the Sashas as beautiful, pretty, or voluptuous. In fact, I think they are quite neutral. Maybe it was the electronics or maybe Valin has been listening to his CLX's too much!

What do you think? Would you describe Sashas the same as Valin, or do you hear them as being more on the neutral side of things?

[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.

[chessman]

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.

Interesting. My Sophia 2's have never sounded forward to me. But I do have tubes in the preamp.

[Still-One]

I think I could have been he spent too much time in the Magico Room which was next door to the Doshi/Sasha room. I questioned him about what he heard at RMAF since Mr. Valin waxes poetically about the Q5's on the TAS website. At least in that environment I was not impressed by the Q5's and thought they were bettered by speakers in several others rooms and told him so.

Jim

[soundslikemusic]

Wilson speakers are neutral so basically the speakers are just revealing the true character of the electronics behind them.

[jdandy]

All speakers reveal the true character of the electronics behind them. Some just do it more clearly than others. Which speakers are the most revealing is determined by listener's opinions. There are far more opinions than there are speaker manufacturers.

[JSCC]

Originally Posted by jdandy

All speakers reveal the true character of the electronics behind them. Some just do it more clearly than others. Which speakers are the most revealing is determined by listener's opinions. There are far more opinions than there are speaker manufacturers.

Totally agree!

Where once I loved the WP (6 & the 7), my taste went to the XRT30's. In a frenzy, I went to do the Plasma-Ion Acapella MKIV but in the end found bliss and happiness with the Meridian DSP8000's.

My friends who came over still preferred the McIntosh XRT30's and said they miss them. Well, I did not apart from their imposing presence.

So, its all a matter of preference, taste and even room environment that will alter or sway one's like for the particular speakers.

[PHC1]

Between Sasha and Sophia 3 in my own place and the dealers, I must have heard them with at least a dozen different supporting gear combos... They always sound different enough for me to think they are rather neutral... Some of the combos were stunningly gorgeous in sound and a pleasure to listen to if not absolutely neutral at that point. Whatever sounds good to your ears is what's most important IMHO...

[TMcD]

I would describe the sound of the Sophia 3s I am listening to right now as gorgeous. It sounds like Lou Reed is in the room. the Sacha's must be just sensational.

[Uberbrown]

I have heard Sophia II (which can be a bit lean in the mid with certain gear, but this is a sin of omission) with Transparent Audio Super and above cables from front to back, and with ARC, Levinson, Ayre, McIntosh, and Krell as an amp or pre and all were amazing.

With ARC, the Sophia IIs are very rich, full bodied, and absolutly bloom. With Levinson they are very sweet, with a tad darker tone that adds sooo much drama to the music. With Ayre, they are very polite, and almost neutral. Surprisingly, I found McIntosh to sound the most neutral with them, very liquid, very natural.

But with Krell, oh man! The mid is a bit lean, but with good recordings, the highs are sweet and extended, the mids are very good, and the bass. Oh the bass! The Sophia IIs are known to be fun in the bass, and Krell is known to be a tractor pull when it comes to bass, but the bass is spot on and diggs through every recording. Also, with Krell and Wilson, the dynamic transients (the speed at which the speaker can transverse its dynamic range) are unbelievable. Sometimes it is frightening. 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.