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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

Showing 11 responses by springbok10

springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
Thank you, Kleech and Albert. I feel like a kid before Christmas Day. Tomorrow I un-pack the Atmas and hook them up. Cant wait. Will keep you posted, Kleech, count on it!!
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
By the way, the title of this post was "Are Wilson Speakers Musical/Engaging?" I guess it was too long......... Oh, and please include B & W speakers in suggestions, as there is a local dealer I have just found who carries them.
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
You are a mind-reader!! That's exactly what I am in the process of doing........big job, though, as the whole sytem has to moved, including source and stands...........(RCAs downstairs, XLRs in big rig)
Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
Maybe I just have the disease we audionuts get - after all, it's been 14 years that I've been living with Krells/WWPs - and got revved up by hearing the tubes/Totems in my little rig..........so my main rig didn't ring my bells any longer or make me want to listen to music on it and gravitated to the small study with the tubes. I just spoke to a "pro" who has been with all the tubes/speakers one can think of and settled on an Atma-sphere/Utopia combination. That's what I'm looking at to re-ring the bells and energize the soul...if my wife would agree to electrostatics in the living room (she won't) I'd have the Quad 989 and Wolcotts in a heartbeat.
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
Anybody compared the Verity Parsifals and JM Lab Utopias?
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
I think you are right. I tried the little Totem Signature 1s in the large room with the KMA 160s and they did sound surprisingly good for baby boxes in a large room - and warmer - so I think it is the speakers rather than the amp and the front-end and room acoustics..........
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
Please give more details of Dali MS 5speakers. I will try to find some reviews.
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
Thanks, Cmk. I read it. Very impressive.
Any experience anyone, given Michael Fremer's trashing of the Kharma midi Grande's bass in Stereophile and the rave review by Frank Peraio on the same speakers in Stereotimes, of the Midi Grande's vs 3.2?
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
The hunt - and torture to all of you and my wife is over - Atma-sphere MA-2.2's and Kharma 3.2s it is. The Kharmas are playing right now - burning in with Jolida mod 502Bs - while waiting for the big tube amps to arrive.
Gorgeous, coherent, musical detailed sound from them, at low volumes with the little 60 WPC tube amps. They are still just out of the box but are warm, detailed and throw a huge sound-stage. If I had to choose one word to identify their sound I would use "coherent" - just seamless and flawless down to 35 Hz. Thank you all for your input. What a great, great group! (A'goners)
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
By reading reviews, speaking to many who have had both in their homes and living with WWPs for 12 years. Decided that the Kharmas would provide me with a more "musical", warmer, "less lean" sound, particularly with an OTL amp........
I guess it was an intuitive, gut-feeling decision based on what I've been told and read. Also, it was not possible to try both in my room.
springbok10 OP
711 posts
 
Yes, I am spending all my free time listening to music, but since you were all kind enough to take time to help me make a decison, the least I can do is leave feedback:) The Atma-Spheres and Kharma 3.2s make great music. I changed amps and speakers almost simultaneously (I know, very unscientific) but after 13 years, I think I knew what sound I wanted and didnt want, so I cant tell how much is Amps and how much speakers. The combination, though, gives a coherent, seamlessness to the music, with better detail, crisper imaging, depth, soundstaging and smoother highs, more luscious midrange and a grabbing presence and beat that defines to me, the "musicality" of the sound that I seek.........it certainly requires both an amp and speaker synergy to do this, and believe me, they do. The background is also pitch black and the dynamics amazing.......
Now, if the tubed preamp that is being loaned to me makes it even more so (compared with that classic of the ss age - the Mark Levinson 32 that I use,) I will post again!
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