I think it may be a little about placement and my likes. The dealer is authorized, and the speakers were placed within the tape marks. Interestingly, the B&Ws were haphazardly placed. Unfortunately, due to the intricacies of Wilson's placement criteria, they are not for me.
Auditioned Wilson Sabrina X vs B&W 803D4 and Shocked
I recently auditioned the Wilsons vs. B&Ws and am a little befuddled. I had money in hand and was ready to purchase the Wilsons, but after reading the stellar reviews of the Sabrina Xs, I didn't think anything could compare in that price range. The source equipment was the McIntosh MC611s and the MC12000, which closely replicated my equipment.
It was not even a close comparison; the B&Ws were clearly better in every aspect. The midrange was glorious, the highs were crisp, and the bass filled the room. The Wilsons were anemic with bass (roughly 14'x16'). The midrange was clinical, and the highs were nothing to write home about. I'm perplexed because Sabrina's bass output (per the reviews) belies its driver size. We even experimented with the 4 and 8-ohm outputs on the Macs.
Has anyone experienced something similar, or am I missing something (synergy, cabling, etc.)? I really wanted to love the Wilsons, but at $20K, I am not impressed. I know the B&Ws are $5K more, but I heard that Wilson is doing a price increase for 2025, which will level the price gap. I would love to hear about some experiences involving both brands or the discrepancies I heard in the presentations.
- ...
- 26 posts total
@willywonka I’ve heard the same exact feedback about the B&W tweeters from a few others. I also know some people that swear by them. There must be an element in that high range that affects people differently. |
- 26 posts total