Wilson Alexia - what's the competition

Do you people know anyone selling an EA MM3 for a good price? Thanks.

Give the Shelby+Kroll Reference Standard Monitor 1.0 and Reference Woofer Monitor 1.0 a serious look.
Bruce Brown of Puget Sound Studios has recently published a review on Stereo Mojo and compared them to the Alexia.
Here is a quote from the review:

" In the middle of the review I took delivery of the new Wilson Alexia’s. Shelby+Kroll boasts great things about their speakers and they had the temerity to ask me to compare them to my new $50,000 speakers. Heck, their website compares their speakers to $100,000+ models!

FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY...

Like Muhammad Ali and Deion Sanders, it ain’t trash talkin’ if you got the skills to back it up! Let me tell you folks, the Shelby+Krolls speakers got SKILLS! The system didn’t run with its tail between its legs; no, it stood there toe to toe with the best. Granted, the Alexia’s weren’t fully broken in, nor were they in their final position and spiked, but the Shelby+Kroll speakers didn’t get embarrassed. I could easily live with these speakers and that’s is not something I say often. I am very picky! I’m a professional audio engineer. Speakers are not just a hobby for me.

They may not be quite as dynamic or play as loud as a full range tour de force, but played within their limitations which are minor, you can’t get any better… Period."

You can check out the full review here:

http://stereomojo.com/SHELBYKROLLReferenceStandardMonitor1.0andReferenceWooferMonitor1.0.htm/SHELBYKROLLReferenceStandardMonitor1.0andReferenceWooferMonitor1.0.htm

Disclaimer : I am in no way affiliated with Shelby+Kroll loudspeakers, just a very enthusiastic owner answering a thread.

Enjoy

(((Audioconnection, Do you mean Transparent cables are laid back and dark sounding in an absolute sense)))
Yes in an absolute sense..
But that doesn't mean what you have found to work in your system isn't a good fit for you.
Best JohnnyR

Jfrech,

I really don't understand why you feel the need to question what I hear. It's pretty simple, you have your preference and I have my preference. You say many people don't describe Rocport's they way I do. I submit many people on blogs have never heard most of what they talk about. In addition, I believe many people jump on bandwagons and describe speakers exactly like everyone else. Speaker X are "Natural", they "slowly draw you into the music." Speaker X is forward sounding. I draw conclusions based on what I hear, I could care less what brand speaker I'm listening to. Again, it's great you love Rockports, but my opinion is just as valid as yours.

ricred1, hey i don't want to argue with what you heard or how you describe it...we're all entitled to our opinions and to be able to express them (i am saying this sincerely)

However, not a lot of folks describe Rockport's as "dark side of neutral." I don't hear it that way for sure. Now I do agree with you that the Wilson's and Rockport's sound different.

I'll kindly submit you were hearing the information presented in a different way. The wilson's more up front in perspective and the Rockports deliver in their resolution in a more relaxed way. Which is right...well we'd have to have a few musicians in that same room and compare to the real thing.

Personally, after owning several pairs of Wilson's, I really appreciate the way Rockport's deliver their information, to me is seems more transparent, more resolute and more natural.

I'd love to hear the Alexia's or the XLF using Wilson's new tweeter one day soon!

I recently heard a pair of Focal Grand Utopia's EM's. They were about a week old and still breaking in...however I could hear a similar quality with the Rockports...very high resolution...but delivered in a very appealing way (to my ears anyway). Maybe it's a quality on these beryllium tweeters they both use (but different tweeter mgr's). Anyway the Focal's are clearly another GREAT speaker like the Wilson's and Rockport's...

I've heard those Rockport Avior's vs the Wilson Sasha's in that same room as you...both are great, but I came to the opposite conclusion and much preferred the Rockports...again...we all hear and value things differently.

Appreciate everyone allowing me to express my thoughts...Thanks

Audioconnection,

I always include the phrase: there are no absolutes in Audio...everyone has a preference! I think it's funny that your quick to connect the "dark sound" to Transparent cables. I'm not suggesting "dark sound" is bad, it's just not my preference. I submit that some like Rockport speakers because they interpret "dark sound" as "neutral" and/or natural. Dealers want people to believe there are absolutes, but I think that arguments does all audiophiles a disservice.

Audioconnection, Do you mean Transparent cables are laid back and dark sounding in an absolute sense or in a given system context?

In my system, I actually found that Transparent Cables sounded more neutral than either Harmonic Technology (a bit laid back and dark) or MIT (a bit bright with emphasized highs and lows and recessed mids).

Rockport and Wilson speakers use Transparent cables internally.

((That being said, I know there are no absolutes in Audio and with the right equipment some may prefer Aviors.))

That being said Its nice that you mention the no absolute observations.
The Aviors would perform much better with a neutral cable like an AudioQuest where a Transparent by comparison is a more laid back and darker sounding wire.
Use it on a neutral speaker and thats what you get.
This in itself would explain your observations.
My choice for the Rockports would be Audioquest
Best JohnnyR

Soix,

My wife and I listened to Aviors connected to Nagra electronics, DCS stack, and Transparent speaker cable. In the context of that system and that room Avior's sound on the dark side of neutral. My wife and I submit Sasha's are neutral in comparison...they disappear better, better tonality, better layering of instruments. That being said, I know there are no absolutes in Audio and with the right equipment some may prefer Aviors.

Ricred, out of curiosity what did you prefer about the Sashas over the Aviors? Do you remember what electronics were in front of them? Thanks for thoughts.

Everyone hears differently and I haven't heard the Alexia's, but I've heard Rockport Aviors and Sashas in the same room. I preferred Sashas and I've heard Alexia's sound better than Sasha's.

I also agree that Vandy 7's, Vivid G3's, Rockport Aviors all deserve a listen.

I'm not a huge Wilson fan, but I heard the Alexia at the NYC show a month ago and I was very impressed -- moreso than with any other Wilson demo I've heard. I actually preferred the sound in that room to the MAXX3s, but they were in different rooms with different equipment so fwiw.

That said, at their $48k asking price I'd make damn sure to hear several other contenders -- even if I had to fly somewhere to do it -- as there are a ton of great speakers in that price range. Specifically, for almost $20k less(!!!) I'd give the Joseph Audio Pearl 3s (also sounded great at the show) and Rockport Aviors a serious listen. I also got to hear the Vivid G3 which was another best of show contender for me, and that clocks in around $8k less than the Alexias if you can handle their looks (which I found to be pretty cool in person, and I'm usually pretty conservative). And for $10k less the Magico Q3 would be on my list as well. Closer to the Alexia's price range the Vandy 7s would be a must hear for me, and I'd give the Raidho 3.1s a shot too (the 2.1s also sounded great at the show, again one of the best for me).

Man, going through all these great options made me wish I was in your position (sigh). Have fun and best of luck, and I'd really like to hear what you find along your journey.

Would love to demo the Vandy7 + Alexia.

I would certainly listen to the Tidal Piano Diacera speakers or if you have a little more $ the Contriva Diacera -se Tidal speakers. IMO they are much better then the Wilson's..

The Vandersteen 7 is lower distortion, therefore much purer sounding. Lower grain, less "spit", less coarseness in the mids, clearer bass.

That's without mentioning infinitely more room tunable due to the very adjustable bass EQ. One of the greatest speakers ever made.

Disclosure: though I have had pretty extensive experience with them I am not a dealer, do not own them, and have no financial connection. I owned several state of the art speakers already before I heard what the 7s could do.

Either the Vandersteen 7s are way underpriced or all the $100k+ speakers are overpriced.

I would also include any of the YG Acoustics speakers. To me, they out perform the Wilsons and Magicos in there price ranges. Would like to hear the Vandy 5a carbon, I really like the 7.

I also like the Vandersteen 7 over the Wilson speakers. I haven't heard the Alexia but I have heard all the others. I'm really surprised more people don't buy the Vandersteens over the Wilsons.

I would also include the Vandersteen 7's in that list. When set up properly they disappear like no other speaker I have heard. I have not heard the Alexia but I have heard the Sasha and while it is a nice speaker I personally prefer the Vandersteen 7's or the 5A's to any Wilson I have heard. You also don't need to break the bank to power them. The new Ayre AX-5 integrated with a QB-9 and your computer make a killer system.

I replaced my EA MM3's with the Alexia's. The other speakers I've heard and compared them to are the Focal Maestro, Q5, ISIS, Rockport and G1 Giya.
I felt the Alexia's were the best of all with the least compromises.
One of the reasons I chose Alexia was Peter McGrath played some of the masterings I did for him. That sold me!

I would certainly listen to Rockport, Tannoy or the Magico Q3 for comparison. I
did hear the Wilson Alexia at the recent NYC Audio Show and they had
Transparent Ref XL cables which cost less than the speakers. The Wilson Sasha
in the next room had Transparent Opus cables which cost much more than the
$45K. The Alexia was driven by D'Agostino electronics and digital only. The
whole system was unfamiliar to me, so I can't really say how the speakers
sounded.

I good friend of mine compared his Sasha with the Alexia, and he told me that
the Alexia is a very big improvement. This was a direct comparison in the same
room with only the speakers changing. He is keeping the Alexia.

It's a pretty new speaker, so I would not think that many people have had a
chance to listen to it in their own systems or even compared it to others at
dealerships.