Wilson Audio or JM Lab

I don't have experience with the top-end models of either brand but I do know the smaller models of both. It seems to me that Wilson and JM Lab have very different presentations and are hard to compare. I would say the Wilsons are more "hifi" and the JM Lab are more "musical" FWIW. I prefer the JM Lab style myself. I auditioned the Sophias at length (with Spectral electronics and Wadia source) and didn't care for the mechanical nature of detail reproduction. Maybe it was the amps...I don't know. The JM Lab Diva (same price as Sophia) was much more interesting sounding and favored microdynmaics more which I feel is the most important and the soundstage was a lot more 3 dimensional - although the electronics were different so I don't want to compare too much. Don't know if it helps but this is my 2 cents.

There is a little confusion here. You mention Utopia many times but BE once. If your refering to the Jm Labs Nova BE they cost 40% more than the Watt Puppy 7's and not a fair comparison. I currently own the older Utopias, non BE with the 13 inch woofer using MBL gear and agree with body and bass. No other speaker Ive tried has filled my room with such a full sound. The inverted titanium tweeter is on the hot side however so your room and accompanying electronics will have a huge affect. These speakers love tubes, the are fairly efficient at 94dbs with a 4 ohm load. Ive heard Sophias, 7's, owned the Alto BE and IMHO the Utopia was a clean winner. The Nova is in another league alltogther and will probably cost more used than a new WP7. The speakers you mention including the non BE Utopia are in the 9 to 14 K range used...the JM Lab Nova and Maxx of course at another level and should be compared respectively. Good luck

The Maxx ll is Wilson Audio's best kept secret as it has much of the X-2 technology at 1/3 the price. They are so good that Wilson Audio is discontinuing the higher priced X-1's.

For a 400 sq ft room (20 x 20 ) my bet is they will work just fine. I have owned just about every Wilson speaker and now own the X-2 but I must say that had the Maxx llbeen available before I bought the X-2's I would have probably sold my X-1 for the Maxx ll and not the X-2 (although IMO the X-2 is the finest speaker that I have ever owned)

If you have concerns for room size I would call Wilson Audio. I am sure they will give you an honest answer

Familiarity does not breed contempt. I don't own the Utopias but the midlevel Electras. If it really is bass you seek so shall ye find. The Utopias have faster, cleaner bass yet. The Wilsons in my limited experience are more clinical. That doesn't make them a poor choice. It took me some time to grow to enjoy the bass in my speakers. Stick with what you like keep listening because you and only you know what you like.

Hi Velo62,

I am from Europe and there the WP7 is actually more expensive than the JM lab Utopia BE. The Utopia BE as a list price of 30.000 euro but is sold around 22000 euro. The WP7 has the same list price and is sold around 24000 euro.

The second hand price of the Utopia is probably correct. The comparison I did was the Utopia BE and the WP7. The dealer, my friend and I preferred the WP7 for some music and the Utopia for other music.

The Maxx is in Europe second hand around 15000 euro, the Utopia around 12000, so the difference is not that big.

The shop that played the WP7 and the Utopia had tube amps and it might be that the Utopia plays better with a good solid state amp like Krell 700CX.

Kiking

I am quite familiar with the sound of both Wilson and JM Lab Utopias. I currently own a pair of 946 Electras but regularly hear both products at local dealers. IMO the Wilson speakers I have heard, WP 5, WP 7 and X1 Grand Slam are more Hi Fi like, leaner sounding with a slightly more forward sound while the JM Lab Utopias and Electras are fuller sounding with more weight in the bass and IMO are slightly more musical. The Be models are better yet but the Be tweeter needs many hours of breakin to smooth out. Also I find the Wilson products more revealing and less tolerant of poorer quality recordings and components while the Utopias are slightly more tolerant in this regard. Both speakers are GREAT products and I would not say one is better than the other, just a little different. Personaly I prefer the slightly warmer musical traits of the JM Lab products. If ultimate accuracy is desired over warmth and musicality then I would have to say overall that the Wilsons have the edge here. I have not had the chance to hear the Maxx yet but from my experience with some of the other Wilson products and the rave reviews the Maxx has gotten I imagine they would be truly superb.

possibly your phono section is not giving as much as you want, I enjoy my wilson 6's with van den hul colibri cartridge on my walker tt. I recently got 8 vintage tubes for my phono section and the bass is more than enough any more would be too much. My room is 15 X 30. I was thinking prior to the new rca tubes that my phono was getting rather close to the sound of my electrocompaniet cd player, after the new tubes I have not played a cd in 3 months. I really have heard the jm lab speakers with krell amps and it was not for me. I can tell you wilson speakers are very revealing and a warm front end is a must but the final reward is great with bass that is tight with impact. Have fun and enjoy your audio remember at some point new expensive componets are not always better just a different sound, and you may have to mess with the rest of your system to compensate.