A move from Harbeth to... Wilson?


Hi gang, hoping for some thoughts. 

I'm very happy at the moment with my system, but getting a slight itch for an upgrade. So many options and directions I could go, but the one I'm pondering at the moment is moving from my Harbeth C7ES-3 speakers to Wilson Sabrinas. (The Sabrina X is now out, which may bring the Sabrina down to my budget... maybe.)

My room is approx. 10'6" x 15'6" with the speakers along the short wall and my listening chair is about 2/3 back from said wall. The C7s plus their stands are just about the right size for this room, and the Sabrinas on their floor spikes are similar in "overall" size, though obviously the speakers themselves are bigger.

Current amp is a Pass Labs XA30.5 which doubles down at 4Ohms (plus lots of headroom) and comes just within Wilson's "recommended" amplifier power. The room is on the smaller side, and I don't listen loud; I've never "wanted" for more power with the C7s. (Though every once in a while I wonder what a pair of XA60.5s would sound like in here, but that's an entirely different thread.)

Eh? Any thoughts?
don_chisholm

Showing 5 responses by jjss49

@mijostyn 

haha

ok now i am completely confused as to what point you are making

but i still agree.... 😁🤣😂😆

@mijostyn 

i agree 100%

line source speakers, especially tall ones, have a real magic to them in how they fill the room with sound with a more real life scale

overdriven smaller drivers always sound like water being shot out of a high pressure hose... no bueno...

all excellent, well established, successful speakers are doing something very right

it just depends if their flavor of ’right’ matches your tastes and requirements

furthermore, ’live’ music comes in vastly different flavors too. .. mid hall at boston symphony vs grandstand at coldplay concert vs third row at village vanguard jazz show... substantially different sounding ’live performances’

completely different kettle of fish is right

although i will say that modern wilsons are smoother and easier to mate with ancillaries than older ones with the metal tweeters... those could exhibit much stridency and hardness/harshness with minimal provovation

Richard Vandersteen's designs are extremely good value and are one of audio's best kept secrets.

wow -- and porsches are the secret of the sports car world LOLOLOLOLOLOL