Subwoofer Crossover Replacement for Wilson WHOW?

You were right the first time (insufficient power at 150W) A used Bryston 4B at 400W would really make that thing sit up and sing!!! IMHO

John, I used a Bryston 10B when my system was bi-amped. A very quiet and versatile unit, I can't recommend it highly enough. See if you can get one used, because like all Bryston equipment, it carries a transferrable 20 yr warranty. As for the amp, the bigger the better watts-wise, but you don't really need something with oustanding sonics across the frequency spectrum, so some of your choices (IMO) represent unnecessary capability you're gonna pay extra dollars for.

Puremusic, just to illustrat what I said in my previous post, I ran across this ad copy for a WHOW for sale right now on AgoN (a Levinson 331!, but that's a little overkill. A Bryston would be fine for bass):

This is an audiophile's low frequency dream. A Wilson Audio Whow Mk III subwoofer in gloss black. Extremely good condition but we do not have the original crate so shipping is NOT an option (unless you choose to have it picked up and crated). Unbelievably solid and musical bass response. The previous owner used a Levinson No. 331 to power it and said it was perfect. Echo Audio continually offers some of the best deals on used high end audio, check out our current inventory (updated daily) at www.echohifi.com. Call us toll free at 1-888-248-ECHO (3246). All credit cards accepted. No sales tax. Paypal users to pay %

Essentialaudio, I have no idea what you're talking about. The ad I referred to is not my ad and I mentioned it only to illustrate the kind of amp another person found satisfactory, that's all. Perhaps I should've edited out his identity, is that what you mean?

Puremusic, the reason I mentioned Bryston, is that new or used, they offer a lot of clean reliable (20 yr warranty) power for the buck -- especially in low frequency apps. I just thought that before you try other remedies, it would be easy to swap the amp you're using for a higher powered one. It doesn't even have to be what you would buy, an old SAE would do. That's a big woofer in the WHOW, and to get clean bass, it needs really good damping control, and that's one thing a high powered SS amp gives you. Even at low volumes, an amplifier is called upon to provide power peaks at each end of the cone travel in order to maintain good control over the cone when its direction of travel reverses.

In your post you said the bass was not as "quick, detailed, or transparent as the rest of the spectrum." So if everything else about it is alright (volume, freq. response, blending with the main speaker, etc.) then I'd put my money on the power issue and look to the amplifier first -- plus it's an easy thing to check without a lot of fuss. Just give it a 400W amp and see what happens, you can't hurt anything.

Yes Raul, but you are forgetting that the WHOW is a beautiful piece of furniture and makes a great coffee table, so maybe that's why John is trying to find a way to save it -- and I think he can.

John, you might want to consider one of the new Class D switching amps of the type Martin Logan (and others) are using in their subs and in the new ML Summit hybrid. You could put it right inside the WHOW cabinet.