Anyone: Wilson X1Grand Slamm/ Lamm ML2's

Hi Jonathan,

Actually you're wrong, you forget that the Slamms are 96db sensitive and a relatively benign load even one pair of ML2s can easily drive the Grand Slamms, with two pairs you have unlimited power. I know this from first hand experience having sold and set up a couple of systems with this combination. ML2 & X1 is a natural pairing, the best amplifier on the market with one of the best speakers ever, you just have to know how to set them up properly and the results are INCREDIBLE!!!!

Don't ,

Hi Mike,

>>in a small room with an emphasis on intimate accoustical type music i would think that this combo could be 'incredible'.....as David writes<<

This isn't what I meant nor what I wrote, and you also know that I judge everything playing classical music. The ML2/X1 combo plays full orchestral music in pretty decent sized rooms, at live volumes, with ease, jazz and rock is a sinch. You need to experience two pairs of ML2s and an X-1 then you'll realize what I mean by virtually unlimited power. I'm not talking theoretical here, its real power.

>>if a person can financially consider 2 pairs of ML2's, there are other speaker or amp combos that might work better than this particular one for large spaces.<<

There's nothing that can touch the ML2 on purity of sound and naturalness, you've never experienced real live bass reproduced properly until you hear the ML2s; and in combination with the X-1 you have a foundation that nothing I've heard can even begin to approach; unless you add an XS. I know you had the Watt/Puppy but they're not the X-1 and Puppies need a lot more power to play loud. There's a lot to a great high end system and playing at realistic levels is only one of them, the X-1s are phenomenal speakers sometimes given a bad rap due to bad setup and weak ancillary equipment, otherwise they have detail, speed, realism and a sound stage way ahead of most other speakers in their price point and higher. The only other speaker I know of equal quality is the JM Labs Grand Utopia, I can't comment on the Alexandria since I never heard them in a familiar environment.

I'm not sure what you mean by large spaces, one of the systems we set up was in a 35' x 60' x 13'.6" room and there was no shortage of power there. Of course one of our vintage horn systems with a pair of ML2s can play louder but that's a totally different story.

>>i have heard the ML2's on Kharmas in fairly large spaces.....where you might have felt they had plenty of dynamics i thought they were underpowered.<<

Please define fairly large spaces, for me a 30' x 60' x13' is fairly large. I know you've heard the Exqusites at our large exhibits but the Kharmas aren't the Grand Slamm and as many attributes as the Kharmas may have, playing loud is not one of them. The Exquisites will never play loud and in reality they don't work well in large spaces either; I should know!

Forget about all the other attributes, ML2s and Grand Slamm can play extremely loud and have incredible dynamics, I know that you've never heard this combination and you'll be very surprised when you hear it. In two instances we replaced fairly large SS amps with the ML2s and not only there was no loss of dynamics there actually was a lot more! This is a combination that you have to hear before judging.

Well Jonathan I guess one of is wrong then!

Over the years I've heard the Slamms with many different amps including the Levnison 33s when I owned them and I still maintain that two pairs of ML2s can easily drive them to very high levels.

I wouldn't call the Exquisite/ML2 combination laughable but I agree that its borderline acceptable and only in standard to small listening rooms. I never claimed that Exquisite/ML2 was a match made in heaven, in fact we used two pairs of Lamm M1.1s when we exhibited the 1a last. Still, we had enough Exquisite clients who opted for the ML2's naturalness over more power from another amp!