The $27,900 disappointment? Wilson Audio Watt Puppy 8 issues.

I’m new to this site - is it common practice to be skeptical of someones intentions when they defend Wilson speakers?

If thats the case then I should be suspect one. I actually joined the site just to comment on this thread 😂

I felt I had to because when youtube personalities throw out content than raises more question than it provides answers, and spawns a litany of comments (youtube comments) that are so off base and misguided that it makes my head hurt… then its the responsibility of those with actual experience to try to set the record straight (or at least provide some real world examples. )

Its funny - I’ve read time and time again about Wilson’s lack of efficiency and low impedance. Hence requiring high quality amps to drive them. And when they are driven by the proper amp most people seem to agree that they sound very good.

here’s the thing, I’ve never heard a Wilson owner complain about this. I think thats because most Wilson owners have no intention of buying anything but a high quality amp.

Would I, or any other Wilson owner, prefer they improve their design to be more efficient? Speaking for myself I say no. Because theres a possibility the sound I get from my setup is a result of the relationship between the speaker and the amp. And I would never spend the $$ on Wilsons with the intent of connecting them to an underpowered amp.

Personally this lack of efficiency in design is irrelevant, except to those who wouldnt buy or own them in the first place.

Am I unique in feeling this way - or are there Wilson owners that listen to their speakers and say “damn, yeah it sounds good… but the impedance inefficiency is driving me nuts!”

Low impedance is immaterial when speakers are paired with amplifiers that are right for them.

Lots of folks out there under-power their speakers.

Some speakers, especially vintage ones, will react to this indignity by either sounding like garbage or by frying the offending amp.

Other speakers will still sound pretty good, yet withhold their best. 

At the end of the day the vast majority of speakers, polite ones included, benefit sonically from high-power / high-current amplification.

fyi, Here is the Stereophile measurements of most of the Wilson Watt/Puppy and related line of speakers in order of release. Probably covers almost 3 decades of Wilson Speakers - Impedance, Phase, Frequency. It shows a pattern and trend that is obviously part of the Wilson philosophy. I do not see that the W/P 8 is any different or special from the rest of the line. If I am reading it right, it seems the only obvious change was with the Shasha DAW and Shasha V where two low freq. (15hz, 45 hz) impedance peak higher and sync up better with the phase ? is that correct ?