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Are Wilson speakers

I have posted under the Amp thread the fact that my Krell KMA 160s are too "mean, lean and sterile" in my sytem and have blamed everything but the speakers. I am currently deciding between a number of tube amps (Atma-sphere, VTL-450, Wolcott, etc - they must have balanced inputs and fill a 23 X 15 room with high resonance. Then I assembled a baby system in a 12X12 room - Jolida 302B (mod Underwood HiFi) and Totem Sig 1's, Naim CD 5, Nordost interconnects and Poeima! speaker wire) and it sounds magical, musical, engaging and glorious. So I blamed the amp only. Now, after listening again and again, and running upstairs and downstairs, to compare, a horrible thought struck me: Maybe it is the Wilson WP 3:2's that are not musical and engaging, rather than all the associated front end and power.........obviously, this is a reluctant conclusion, given all the positives written everywhere about the Wilson speakers and the expense in getting not only a new amp, but new speakers as well - let alone wife factor. So I will change the amp - since it seems to be a universal consensus that the Krell KMA 160s are "lean and clinical" (every dealer I speak to says so and I must have spoken to dozens this last month)and listen to the Wilsons with an Atma-sphere or VTL-450.
I cannot get a Sound Labs or Quad 989 because of wife factor and need the same/similar footprint as the Wilsons - I have seen the thread of someone looking for a pair of speakers under $15K, so will look at those 4 speakers - or try to hear them.
I dont want to bash Wilsons, as I believe they are a wonderful company (I will tell a Dave Wilson story on another thread that confirms what a great guy he is..........) but need A'goners help/input again to sort out my musical non-bliss with this expensive system so that I get the same musicality, involvement and engagement that I dont feel with it, but do with a baby system, costing a tenth or less, in my main listening room.
Thanks in advance for your comments on attaining musical improvement - this and a warm, engagement with reduction of the clinical, sterile sound is the goal.......

System:
Mark Levinson Ref 32
Esoteric DV-50
Krell KMA 160
WWP 3:2
PAD Dominus, Poiema!, PAD Venustas cables
BMI Shark, Michael Wolf PCs
PS HO/HC
springbok10
rbstehno
916 posts
 
i upgraded my totem model 1's to the totem mani-2's. if you like your model 1's, you will love the mani-2's. from what i rememeber about the sound of an older pair of wwp's, i like the totem sound better. the new wwp 7's are very nice speakers for $22k, i heard them at he2003. for your size room, try out the mani's before the utopia's.
weiserb's avatar
weiserb
469 posts
 
You have a great sysem, maybe too great. Sometimes more detail is not better to listen to. I think you may prefer a tube system. I am using an ARC SP 16 with Conrad Johnson Premier 12's. The VTL-MB 450's are also awesome. This combination is detailed yet very smooth.
downunder
1,328 posts
 
Try listening to Vienna Acoustic Mahler speakers approx 10k new. These are full range speakers with a bit of warmth and very musical sounding.
WAF is very good - these speakers take up a smallish footprint and are furniture quality finish. Should go well with your SS amps.

cheers shane
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
As a Watt/puppy 6 owner, I can say they are a very difficult speaker to get right. Part of the problem is they are so damned revealing of everything. Placement and room treatment being a very big issue. Part of what you are hearing is like resolution in vision. Far away she looks great, up close and umm..revealing, she may give you a different opinion. Your Wilson's are giving you more information than you may want, without proper set up.

A tube amp might help, might change some things, but before you blow a lot of $$'s, really focus on placement and room treatment. Maybe spending some $$'s with Rives Audio or a similar service is your best choice. If you decide the Wilson's are the issue, the room treatment will still benefit what ever you choose...
dog_lover
23 posts
 
You must be willing to spend a lot of time with speaker location experimentation with the 3/2's to make them sound their best. And I mean as little as a 1/8" difference in toe in (comb filtering) or placement of the Watt on the Puppy. FYI, setting the Watt back about 1/8" from the lip of the Puppy for instance (time alignment) can make a big difference in tonal balance and in all areas of musical presentation of the Watt 3 Puppy 2. Also the Transparent 5.1 Puppy tail is a big improvement over the stock MIT Puppy Tail. Likewise, the Puppy Paws upgrade in regards to bass presentation is a big improvement as well. I would exhaust all of these relatively inexpensive options before buying any new components or cables otherwise you will NEVER get this speaker right.
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