Wilson Audio Haters

I hear you, why do some of our fellow audiophiles have such "strong" opinions?  Hey, if a speaker "floats your boat", good for you!

I bought my current speakers (Focal Sopra No2's) about a year ago.  The search took me to showrooms with many a fine speaker brand, including the Wilson's, but I just like the Focal's, for my hearing, they were more pleasing.

Having said that, I have friends who have Wilson's and love them.  My response, "good for them".

Ivan:  I agree;  you see the same thing with high end cars.  People with financial means can gain entry, but whether there is any ability to extract the best or appreciate it is another matter entirely.  I can think repeatedly of seeing fine high end sports cars being driven as family sedans, with no expectation of extracting an inkling of its potential.  The item is itself a status, nothing more.  I suspect audio is no different, and for those whom have been in audio for a while can appreciate, but not afford, the items others can afford but not appreciate.  I think part of it is that the "earning of the right" to own expensive gear is often not due to years of audio experience but financial prudence (however that is attained).  I think deep down a part of it is envy, but a lot of high end companies make gear explicitly for the well heeded, not necessarily the audiophile, and after a while, one develops a sense (to them) whom these companies are.  

I echo others' sentiments that if Wilson was not very successful, no one would hate them. Some people seem use Wilson as comparison to sound smarter as they "graduate" past the brand, which is social marketing issue not related to the product. The value of Wilson speakers is questionable as viewed as an opportunity cost and although there is a very distinct house sound, some models are better than others, imo. What I think the haters do not consider is that Wilson's competitors, i.e. other expensive box speakers, tend to fail in comparison in terms of dynamics and often scale and time alignment, especially Wilson's lack of dynamic compression for their sensitivity and form. 

Barfly & Ohlala, thanks for your input here. I suppose though, that my days of enjoying the 'envy of it all' in this hobby are likely behind me really, but I can certainly see your points. I was able to "graduate", if you prefer, past Wilson, et al, if, in my case, for no other reason than the fact that I was convinced that I'd never be able to afford them! And, while I did in fact end up finding my own "nirvana" (with a small "n") by learning to go a completely different sort of route, it only ended up taking me what, a few decades??...LOL! So if I were to begrudge any of it (which I don't), it would probly be that it just took me so darn long (ha,ha!), so I don't really mind other folks having more money to throw at it than me, that's just the way life is and I have certainly learned to take that sort of stuff in stride, I suppose...after all, what I've gotten from the experience in return, I have to say, has made me a happy man.

Cheers!
John

Audio is one of those hobbies where simply throwing money at the hobby will get you results, whereas with fly fishing, for example, if you cannot cast a fly with practice and effort, you get nowhere, despite any amount of money.  Money can get you any car, but not the experience and skill to drive them.  I think (and I freely admit this) that Wilson is one of the companies out there that targets the well-heeled directly.  The newest WAMM, for example, has 5 years of R+D....no new drivers, no new enclosure material, no new tweeter diaphragm material, no new crossover.....simply derivative not ground breaking.   At least Magico came out with aluminum cabinets, full CNC machined parts, Beryllium tweeter, Graphene woofer cones etc.....pushing the limit, at least showing some progress.  Wilson for the longest time used off the shelf Focal drivers...not original.   So I can see the "hate" thing, but it will be a while before I can actually afford any of the highest gear.

In fact, to me, in audio, finding the "diamonds in the rough" in terms of gear and speakers is the real thrill; the gear that is passed over or older etc that no one gives any time to or no longer has "relevance" that is superlative in sound quality and accessible, financially.  That takes talent and skill that no amount of money can buy.