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Wilson Sophia

I have been looking at stepping up from my B&W 704s and heard the 802Ds, the Naut 802s and the Wilson Sophias. I was all set to spend the 4500 on a pair of used 802s but then I heard the Wilsons. All I can say is that the Wilsons absolutely spoke to me. My problem is that this is a huge investment for me and I think that I must be crazy to even be thinking about this purchase. Even more so, because I live in an apartment building and cannot "crank up" my system to massive volume levels.

My question is-am I going to be able to truly appreciate these speakers with my McIntosh MA 6500 integrated and my Lector CD player? There is not going to be any money in my budget to even consider other changes for a long time. Wilson's were set up with mid level Naim gear.

Are there any risks with buying the units off the floor if I can get a deal?

As always thanks for your input.

John
jhorton19

Showing 3 responses by larryi

larryi
4,188 posts
 
I think that the way a speaker scales from soft to loud is MUCH more important than just how loud it plays. Most of the expensive speakers that I don't like fail the test, not because they can't play loud, but because they sound thin or lifeless or change character when they are playing softly. As I improved my system, I tended to listen at lower and lower volumes -- I do not need to listen at unnaturally high volume to resolve detail or feel the impact of the music.

I do not ever think it is a "waste" to buy really good speakers for a small room or for a system that will not be played loudly. I would listen to all contenders at the level I would normally listen to them and pick that which can deliver the goods at low volumes. I think too many buyers focus their attention at the wrong end of the dynamic spectrum.
larryi
4,188 posts
 
One of the reviewers in an audio magazine, I believe John Marks, had great advice on this subject. He said to buy the speaker that you fall in love with, even if you have to sacrifice in other areas for now, because that will determine the basic quality of the sound.

I would do the same. Buy the speakers you love. Then buy other parts that complement it. In particular, the speaker-amp interaction is so critical and hard to predict, so I cannot imaginge not selecting an amp for a specific speaker.
larryi
4,188 posts
 
Jhorton 19,

I heard the WP7 system set up with Halcro amps at CES this year. It was one of the worst sounding combinations at the show -- shockingly bad: tinny, harsh, brittle, and very mechanical sounding.

Having heard the WP7 in other systems, I suspect it has to do with the lack of synergy between the Halcro and Wilson speaker. On the other hand, a friend who has had more experience with the Halcro said it made him nostalgic; it sounded so much like Crown or Phase Linear (I can't remember which he said, but you get the picture).
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