ARCAM + WILSON Sophia review

I just bought a pair of Wilson Sophia 1s that replaced my B&W CDM-NT1s + Yamaha SW315 10" powered subwoofer combo. My problem with the previous setup (had it for 2 years) was that the system was overly bright, and the instrumentation was constrained. I say this because I listen to a wide variety of music, but my ultimate goal is to get symphonic/orchestral pieces sounding like a live performance.

I listened to the Sophias from 7pm - 11pm straight. I could not stop listening! Instead of being bright, the speakers really projected music naturally, I don't know how else to put it. It was as if I was listening to the performance live... there was space between the instrumentation, a fullness to the sound, imaging. The speakers drew me in, rather than being neutral-to-slightly standoffish, as was the case with the B&Ws. I know it's probably not fair to compare a 7k loudspeaker with a 1k loudspeaker, but such is life. I wish I would have made the move sooner.

The equipment is very reasonable:

Arcam A85 Solid State Integrated
Arcam DV27A DVD player
Audioquest Jaguar interconnects
Van Hybrid speaker cables

I never thought the Arcam could sound so well, and it powers the Wilsons just fine with plenty of reserve and bass. I tend to listen to music louder than most, simply because I often-times like to feel the music when I'm listening.

For anyone that is thinking of plunking down massive amounts of cash on source equipment/cables, please consider spending the bulk on the speakers... it'll make all the difference!