Sorry to hear about David Wilson-


He passed away a few days ago- my condolences to his family, associates at the company, and his friends.  He certainly made a lot of people sit up and notice how good a loudspeaker could get, and never settled for compromises other companies made to hit "price-points".  Unfortunately I could never afford his speakers and could never catch up to his latest improvements either.  This was frustrating as the main local dealer in my area always had his newest and best products on display.  Every time I got to hear them I thought the sound was remarkable in so many ways.  Plus the build-quality was so impeccable as well- boy was I jealous of all the people that would show up to buy the latest model.  I had to "settle" for B&W speakers and the like- often 2nd-hand.  I still wouldn't turn down a pair of Alexx's if someone wanted to offer them to me in a trade for what I have! Just kidding- I have learned how to be happy after 35 years of trying out new gear.  But DW and I are soul-brothers in a way, seeking the best method of making re-produced music delightful to listen to.
french_fries
I was particularly saddened to hear the news about Dave Wilson. He genuinely  seemed to be one of the most sincere and earnest characters in audio. He made no bones about what he was after regardless of price, and what he was after seems to please a lot of people. No surprise many feel a sharing of a kindred spirit.

He could almost have been a counterpart to Harbeth's Alan Shaw in that his attention to all aspects of loudspeaker design was diligently scrutinized until he was finally satisfied with his design enough to take it to the market. It's also interesting that he and Alan Shaw arrived at different destinations in landscape of the high end having travelled via a slightly different set of compromises, mostly choice of cone materials.

Although definitely in the high end camp of excellence it was refreshing to see somewhat more affordable (fingers crossed) models such as the Sabrina and the Duette appear in more recent times.

Thanks again Dave.

One of the reasons I visit this forum is to find out who recently passed away. Whether it’s a musician (or audio pioneer), no one gets out of here alive. It’s all very sad, but also inevitable!