I auditioned the A3s (associated electronics were Lyngdorf integrated and very high end cables) in my search for a new pair of speakers. I found them to sound dark, closed in, lacking air and sense of space, with boomy bass. They lacked life and I just couldn’t get into the music. When pushed hard I could hear the artifacts of that sealed aluminum cabinet. At first they reminded me of the original Sonus Faber Cremona (I remember those sounding warm but seductive) where the A3s just ended up being dark, lacking engagement factor and unnatural. Not much life in their presentation and once you hear the cabinet artifacts you can’t unhear it.
I ended up buying a pair of Wilson Sabrina original not X.
I drive them with a Pass Labs XA30.8 amplifier.
The Sabrinas required weeks of listening and playing with placement. I had them on furniture sliders and listened to them in one particular placement for days before changing their position. They’re by far the most difficult speakers I ever had when it comes to set up and are super sensitive to room acoustics and upstream components. They’re really a clear lens that lets you see all the faults elsewhere in your system and room. But once everything gels they reward all your hard work with a very satisfying listening experience. Plenty of Wilson Audio haters out there but every time I read their comments I wonder if they actually had an opportunity to audition a properly set up pair, had they even owned a pair of Wilsons paired with proper electronics and room? In most cases the answer is probably no.
