Wilson Audio paint problems

Thanks for all feedback. I'm just try to make up my mind if I get it fixed is it worth the 2000usd that it will cost to fix it end to end. If the cost was only 500 I wouldnt even think twice. But at 2000 to 3000 it's another story. As I mentioned I was hope wilson would split the cost with me or something. As I purchase this set of speakers because they matched the room color and style. If you look at my virtual system pictures you will see that. As I'm sure this will not be the last Wilson speakers that I will purchase. I thought it would be good for the manufacture to keep the customer happy and wow them with their service. I know that is very important in the service business. I run two very big 5 star golf course for my family business. I known bad feedback get spread to 10 people. We do absolutely everything we can to keep the golfers happy. Anyway i think I will get the local distributor to make a visit to see how much it will cost for shipping.

Jtimothya,
I got to a crack in the cabinet at the joint because earlier in the thread someone mentioned that this is an issue with the glue manufacturer. The flat panels that make up the cabinet I believe are glued together. That implies to me that it is the cabinet and not the paint that first moved. That is understandable considering the pressures that are inside these cabinets. That movement caused the crack along the joint in the paint. At least I see this as one possible scenario.

Regarding the sonic effect: If one can't hear it, then HE can't detect it. However, others MAY be able to. People have heard things in my system and I in theirs that the other does not detect. Lots of possible reasons for that outcome. One being the quality of a person's hearing. Another is knowing what to listen for. Clearly, in this case, it is not an obvious sonic effect. But it may be subtle. I'm just saying that just because the OP can't hear it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Someone else might hear it and there is the possibility that it might get worse with time.

I agree with you that a buyer can only expect so much service depending on many factors. And one's expectations should be no different for Magico, B&W, or other well -established brands. There are many variables and factors involved.

This is a long thread and seems not to be a unique issue. I don't know what is meant my a "slippery slope". The OP is just asking for opinions and advice. He is getting some. I hope he can resolve this to his satisfaction.

jtimothya makes good sense. It is an unfortunate situation but if you buy used or gray-market it's one you have to anticipate is likely to happen, if you need a repair. If the paint crack indicates a problem w the underlying cabinet, then I think that this would result in a big hit on re-sale value.

I spoke with Trent workman already very nice guy I offered to take to dinner the next time he is in Bangkok. But still he wasn't willing to contribute more to my situation. I was hoping that they might pay for the repair at least or if going the extra mile pay for the return shipping. I think it's pretty fair that I would pickup the tab for the shipping back to the factory.

>>That doesn't mean there is no sonic effect, just that you can't hear it. <<

Peter: How would you detect a sonic effect you cannot hear? How did you get to a crack in the cabinet from what is described as a crack in the paint?

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This thread is a bit of a slippery slope.

The issue is probably no different for any molded speakers such as those from Vivid or Rockport - the facilities for repair may be limited to the factory. What would you do if you found a crack in the paint of your B&W Nautilus and you lived in Tiera del Fuego?

If after 37 months you found a crack in the aluminum of your now expired warranty Magico Q5 that you bought as a demo from an overseas seller via an on-line ad, what should happen? Its easy to create scenarios when one has no stake in the issue.

Shipping cost is a fact of life for purchases one chooses to make from a distance - I don't see how this enters into the equation.

Based on what I know about their customer service, if the speaker head is returned to Wilson there is a very high probability they will send back a unit indistinguishable from new. I suggest calling Wilson and talking to them (not e-mail) - you may be surprised.

Peter

You are right, there is no way I would know if there is any minor effect to the sound. The reason why i'm putting the post on this site is to get input from different people who has had this problem or know of someone who has had this problem. Obviously I'm worried about the the resell value as well. But as I mentioned at the beginning I have to pay for shipping to and from Thailand and pay for the repair which is expensive so i'm thinking about what I should do.

Mw_chen,
With all due respect, how do you know there is "absolutely no sonic effect"? If the cabinet is cracked, the joint must have moved, and pressure inside the unit may be compromised. I don't believe your cabinets are sealed, but if this were a sealed design, I would expect some sonic change. I don't know about a ported design.

If it was not cracked when you bought it, and it is now cracked, then I gather you didn't notice a change. That doesn't mean there is no sonic effect, just that you can't hear it. The perception of an effect, real or not, is enough to effect the resale value. I certainly don't know, but I would consider the possibility that the issue is not just cosmetic. The forces in these enclosures can be huge. I suppose that is why it cracked in the first place.

No dog in this fight but would suggest to OP that if you want to upgrade in future, Wilson should do right by you and give you full trade in value w/o consideration of cosmetic "defect".

Thanks for your input and I would absolutely agree with that. I can't really see it from more then a foot away. Have absolutely no sonic effect. Only issue would be if I wanted to sell it to upgrade at a later date. Thanks for your input.

I've read this thread (and others over the years on the very same topic) from top to bottom, so far, and my conclusion is that if you buy this brand of speaker you are at risk of having finish problems down the road. To date, no other speaker manufacture seems to stand out with such finish issues. Whether this risk is important to you (think resale value) or underweighs whatever sonic advantages they may provide, finish quality must be taken into consideration when choosing to purchase, or not. It has to do mainly with retention of value of the item.

Yes I have already been in contact with them. I have to send the units back to the US to the factory to get it repaired. I'm just deciding on what is the next best course of action. Right now it is only on one speaker but the i can see the line at the joint on the other speaker but its not cracked yet.

Sorry to hear there is a problem - is it on both speakers? If you are in Thailand and you purchased the speakers from the US, are they considered 'grey market'? Do you have a local Wilson dealer?

I have to say the comments are all valid. I too feel angry and upset about the whole thing but not really sure who to blame. But certainly I also feel the manufacture should have some responsibility regardless. In this case 5 years 3weeks. Anyway I'll have to try to live with it or get it fixed. Thanks for your comments. Anyone else actually have this problem I only hear of one?

Mw_chen

No speaker, car, or any manufacture will warranty their product forever. You should discount most of what people say on Audiogon. I agree they should at least meet you half-way, but what Tmsorosk suggests isn't realistic.

Finish issues are well docummented on this site as well as others,nothing new.

Mw_chen ,,, I think I will side with your wife on this one . Why would you even consider a speaker from the same manufacturer ? Even the warranty is questionable , the problem was there before the speakers even left the factory , they should take care of the problem regardless of age , in fact they could have recalled all the speakers built with the problem glue , rather then do nothing and hope most were off warranty before problems occurred .
I saw your system link , very , very nice , thanks for showing us your music chamber .

Ya, I know! I'm pretty upset about it all. My wife said to me that after letting me purchase the speakers which cost more then most high-end cars, I don't expect this kind of problem. Its like buying a Porsche and the door doesn't close properly. I told her that I'm thinking about upgrading to the Maxx 3 as I can't sand the crack in the speakers. She just said NO WAY. Anyway, such as life, unfortunately i'm still trying to decide on what to do about it. I just wanted to see if there were more people out there with the same problem.

Wow! Sorry to hear they won't make some kind of deal with you. Wilson Audio has provided top notch customer service to me. That being said, if I spent that much money on a pair of speakers I would expect more.I would be very upset.

Unfortunately it is no longer under warranty 5 years and 3 weeks. Moreover I bought it from the US, not locally in Thailand so Wilson is not legally required to warranty anything. I have already sent pictures to them and they have said they would be able to repair them. However I have to pay for the shipping both ways and also for the repair work. As you can imaging shipping the upper module of the maxx 2 to and from the US is not cheap. I wanted to see if there were many people with the same problem or i'm the sucker who had the bad luck.

Mw_chen

It's actually a problem with the glue supplier. I had the same issue with Sophia 2s and yes it was at the joint. Are your Maxx 2s still under warranty? Wilson Audio was more than good to me and promptly resolved my issue. My advise is to take pictures and send them to Wilson Audio.

In spite of all those pro Wilson people, I've heard of these problems many times...too many for a product that professes to be perfection.

While Wilson speakers may sound stellar, I just couldn't live with something that looks like a trash receptacle in a high school gym. Just my opinion, nothing more.

Obviously from this thread it seems like that a few people has had issues with the Wilson paint. I own a pair of Maxx 2 which were purchased as a demo unit from this website from a deal in the US and shipped to Bangkok Thailand. It has been in my custom build room for about 1.5 years now. A few week ago the paint along the joint near the tweeter cracked. I wanted to see if people who have had this paint problem with the Wilsons had the same problem at the joint area? Moreover does anyone have the problem in Asia, as it is pretty humid in Bangkok. I'm pretty heartbroken at the moment, as you invest this kind of money in a pair of speakers you don't expect this kind of problems.

But when i hear consistent issues...

I believe that is a stretch.

Ricred 1 .. I did not recommend to others to avoid Wilsons . Only that I would avoid them . Dave Wilson has impeccable taste and I will not try and destain his reputation . But when i hear consistent issues it makes this old man weary. I did not mean to offend . If you love your speakers don,t worry about what others think .

Tmsorosk
One person’s medicine is another’s poison. Wilsons aren't for everyone, but saying that you will avoid them at all cost implies that something is drastically wrong with them. I don't know why people degrade companies on Audiogon that they don't seem to have any experience with? After all, I've had a home audition of some of the components that you currently own and thought they offered horrible value, but I would never tell anyone to avoid them at all cost. I believe everyone should listen with their own ears and make their own conclusions. I submit that Wilson Audio owners are happy with the sound, quality, and first rate customer service of Wilson.

Thanks for that input, I will avoid them at all cost .

Budt,

They really did, because I was having problems getting the local dealer to let me evaluate the cables at home.

Stringreen,

Wilson Audio paint problems had nothing to do with shipping. They had a bad batch of glue that was causing problems. I know, because my Sophia IIs developed a slight crack. Wilson went above and beyond what I expected. They arranged to have the speakers picked-up and return to them free of charge. In addition, they allowed me to upgrade to Wilson Sophia IIIs at a very reasonable cost and shipped them free of charge. My dealer of 20 years has told me stories of Wilson going above and beyond many times. No, they aren't for everyone, but from my perspective their customer service is more than commendable.

I've heard others complain of paint issues on their Wilson speakers... Wilson knows that their speakers will be shipped...why don't they have a shipping container that will not damage the speaker? I've had my Vandersteens shipped twice across the country, and the finish is as gorgeous as it was when it left the factory.

Did Wilson really put you in touch with a cable manufacture company? That is simply above and beyond.

Wilson Audio customer service is outstanding! I've owned Sophia 2s and now Sophia 3s and I couldn't be happier with the built quality, sound, and outstanding support I receive from Wilson. Recently, Wilson put me in touch with a cable manufacture to help me decide on the best cables for my system.

I will definately to my research before I purchase a wilson product.D.

Wow !

I myself have noticed how much negative comments are floating around about Wilson speakers.

Hearing about defective paint is not surprising, transporting will almost guarantee some kind of issue , not to mention the difficulty in preparing and preventing faults that tend to show up months later.

2 months turn around for a painted custom finish would not be considered unusual and is about right as the paint has to cure to make sure there will be no shrinkage that would lead to further cracking before transporting . Also i can see Wilson holding the speaker a bit longer to make sure all was good , before shipping knowing any faults here would be very irritating due to it being a re-do .

A custom color would add time , as WA would not setup just to paint one Pr of speaker, you would naturally do the larger run first .

I would hope the O/P would chime in to let us all know how this ended .

Regards,

Addendum to my above post.

My Maxx3's arrived perfect except one corner on one of the woofer grilles had a very small tear due to the shipping stress (Wilson ships them attached to the speakers to protect the drivers).

Delivery and setup was on Monday....Wilson had a new grille in my hand by Thursday. Great customer service.

I can't believe all this negative vibe about Wilson Audio quality.

Took delivery on a pair of Maxx3's today. They are superbly finished in EVERY way!

The paint is an upgraded metal-flake Macadamia color. I am an exotic car hobbyist and own 3 of them....also, own and fly German-built custom racing sailplanes...and the finish on my new Maxx3's rival the depth of the paint finishes on any of the cars, and also the precision of the sailplane airfoils which have mirror like smooth surfaces that don't distort reflections.

It is obvious how well-finished the external surfaces are because, yes, you can examine the areas that are painted but will not show when fully assembled and compare them to, say, the front and sides of the speaker. While still very good, the surfaces are not quite as perfect. Once fully assembled all you can see are superb, luscious, deep paint finished to perfection!

This is not my first set of Wilson speakers, either....I owned the Maxx2's and they were also superb.

Are you guys just 'dissin a great USA company out of spite or something? If so, suggest you go put a nice Charlie Daniel's CD in and turn up that Boze Wave.

Wilson Audio and their products are fantastic. (in my opinion)

John Bojack

Found this old thread searching on a watch center and wanted to chime in....

My Sophia 2's are black and the paint looks like my dogs rear end!

I was under the impression the paint would be super nice since Wilson touts the paint as well as the speaker.

Well, they have really bad spider webs! I know about paint, been buffing, waxing, washing and polishing paint since I was 12 YO and there is no excuse for this, even if its black.

Also, when I was moving residence, I noticed a paint run (drip/whatever) that was sanded down, but not all the way! They shot clear right over it and it looked like cheet man! I should have marked it (the sun was shining on it) because now I can't find it.

I too have called wilson. Called about their rules for warranty (I was late sending card in since I wasn't aware of the rules) and during business hours, couldn't reach anyone.

To Elizabeth, the importance of having the dealer install the speakers is very real. They are trained to set the speakers in a certain way. Then after break-in, the dealer comes back and tightens the screws and re-positions them. When my dealer did the re-positioning, it was sounding soooo much better!

Wilsons need to be setup PERFECTLY, otherwise they don't sound as good. So if Joe Shmoe installs the speaker(s) w/out training, the sound is not as good then the "Wilson" speaker is at fault (wrongly so).

I owned Sophia II and Duettes. The Sophia II's paint was imaculate. The Duettes I had issues with, as the paint on the external crossovers was very poor. The finish was not smooth. When I questioned it Wilsons response was "the crossovers are not finished to the same level as the actual speakers" I found that crazy for what is a very expensive monitor. I ended up up trading them in for a amp/preamp and dont miss them. Great dynamics, but lacking in texture, tone and emotion. I also got sick of hearing all the negative talk about Wilsons.

Thank you.

Regards,

I am not aware of any customers that have contacted Wilson Audio and not received a call back. If you have a finish problem with any Wilson Audio product, we will address it. Please feel free to call or e-mail me and I will personally respond to your concern.
Trent Workman
Wilson Audio Specialties
801-377-2233
trent@wilsonaudio.com

Ozzy, I appreciate your sentiments and concern that I had to wait a couple of months. As I acknowledged in my earlier post, I really am borderline O/C and I wavered back and forth about whether or not I wanted silver or black trim and ports, and was given a pretty quick build date, as I am sure there were already orders in the system for people that did not have their speakers at all. I did have a perfectly great sounding pair of speakers and was in no hurry. Being totally honest, and to show how accommodating Wilson was, they had already started production on my replacement black speakers when I decided I wanted to change to Macadamia Metallic. In all honesty they should have told me tough luck, your black speakers are already under way, but they graciously told me that would be more than happy to build and paint a set of custom speakers and would surely sell the black ones due to their popularity. Since the Wilson Gloss paint system does not come out of a can of Krylon (no offense to Krylon) and makes automotive paint pale in comparison, it does take a while for the speakers to make it through their production and shipping process. They had to ship them to my dealer which is in Tennessee and set up a date and time to deliver and set them up for me in Kentucky. My sales counselor was out of town at CES or CEDIA or somewhere when they received them and one of the employees at HiFi Buys was kind enough to crack one of the crates to tell me how amazing they looked.

As far as swirl marks, nicks, chips, dings, or anything of that nature, I feel absolutely certain that paint just doesn't fly off of speakers, cars, or anything else with no reason. How can anybody expect any kind of finish to hold up if it is bumped into, knocked around, or whatever? When you hit the paint on a car there is some give with the sheet metal (or fiberglass), but with a material as rigid as M or X material there is no give at all and if the paint is struck it is going to chip or sustains some damage. It's inevitable.

I am not on the Wilson payroll, I have no special ties, or allegiance to the brand. I just think that they offer an incredible product, with incredible sound (according to my ears), and they have treated me very well.

I have yet to see a person being led into a store at gunpoint and forced to buy Wilson Audio speakers. if they are like me, chances are they went in with the intent to buy something totally different but after a good old fashioned A/B test they opted for the Wilsons.

Can anybody here on this forum name any brand or product that hasn't had some kind of problem, recall, or issue of some sort at one time or another? It's not about the company making an error or having a defective product, it's how they go about dealing with the problem at hand. I can't speak for everyone, but I can say that Wilson has exceeded my expectations in every way.

krupski,

Did you contact Wilson yourself yet? For me that is the big deal. What did they say to you. Not the dealer or a different dealer.

Dgad, Still it seems 2 months for a custom paint job???

Come on. They put his order in the back of the line so they could sell product before getting to his warranty repair.

Dgad - to be honest, I would pay for the shipping. The thought of dismantling them and takingthem to a paint shop and doing all that stuff is just nuts.

Not to be a Wilson fan, but the custom paint color takes time. So it makes sense. I think the Wilson service has always been top notch. Too much negative talk here for no reason. Wilson has some of the best service in the industry and answer phone calls with ease. Unfortunately some other comopanies are having a difficult time and have cut customer service.

They also support their dealer network very strongly. If I had every customer coming to me rather than working with my salespeople I wouldn't be able to give good service. Wilson is doing the right thing. They support their dealers (as few companies do) and deliver top notch service. The only thing is you do pay more for it. For me it is worth it. Unfortunately to many Audigoners are looking for something for nothing.

Also, if you live abroad and don't want to pay for shipping then taking the speakers to a car dealership is a great solution.

Brianmgrarcom , 2 months is simply too long to make a customer wait for something that was paid for that turned out to be defective.

Perhaps the custom color was an issue, but they also still charged him for that.

We'll simply agree to disagree Ozzy. Remember that he wanted a specific (extra cost) color, something not common. Even if it was common, I can't fathom being outraged as you are; the company gave him brand new speakers, his old speakers worked just fine in the mean time.

Maybe you have $20,000+ to wait for 2 months for a replacement , but I do not!

This makes no sense to me in this situation.

Brian

Brianmgrarcom , Give the man who purchased the defective speakers a break!
The cost of Wilson speakers is very high, thier claim to fame is thier high tech finish!

Are you saying that Wilson Audio with all there dealer network connections could not have found a suitable new replacement quicker than 2 months !

Maybe you have $20,000+ to wait for 2 months for a replacement , but I do not!

Thanks Richard. Will do. If you see Dave Wilson, sure have a word.

a previous poster mentioned jerron from wilson and i would like to support his comments. i have had several email exchanges with jerron about a number of topics and he has been first rate.

as a wilson owner, i will admit there are quirks with the finish, most notably the black. i have a black watch center and black wp 7 purchased at different times and both have the spiderweb type marks you see in black auto finishes. i have tried all the recommended techniques by wilson and emailed them to discuss and no success. i also have cashmere beige which have no issues. i did not pursue it with wilson but often think of doing so. i am going to a presentation by dave wilson this week ironically. maybe i will ask him directly.