Wilson Alexia 20x15 Room

If Michael Fremer can squeeze Wilsons in a small room, you probably can too.

Shakey

My room is 33x15 ft using Alexia driven by ARC Ref250. The bass can be too heavy sometimes but can be managed with tuning devices like stillpoints and more forward speaker placement.

It is not a matter whether you can use an Alexia or not. You certainly can but I think you will have a easier time tuning your system with Sasha II. The only difference between Alexia and Sasha II is the reduced bass performance and lower sound stage.

While your room isn't small, my Revel Studio 2's sound much larger in my 17x21x10 room than they did in my old one which was 14x18x9. If the Vandy has a restriction in height I can see the vertical stage getting bigger, but I'm not really sure a speaker change is warranted solely because you desire a bigger soundstage. If you have a 10' ceiling or more, perhaps so.

I see this similar to Tli. The Sasha II would likely work just as well in your room as the Alexia. Still, the only way to know is to hear the speaker in your room with your stuff. Which is awfully nice! I can see the dealers point of view on a home addition. Delivery and set up on the chance you might buy is a material risk/cost to a dealer. Still, you ought to be able to get the dealer to give you a home addition of the Sasha II for a fee. I'm sure they must have a pair on the floor, is $500, credited toward a purchase, for a weekend audition worth it to you? It would be to me.

If you can come to terms for a demo of the Sasha II you could also try this. Tell the dealer, in advance, that if you decide to buy the Sasha II you'd also like to hear the Alexia. Tell them you'll pay for the Sasha II upfront. They then give you a demo of the Alexia. If you decide to get the Alexia, you pay the difference. If they have floor demo pairs I suspect they'd do it.

If the Wilson dealer won't play ball, perhaps the Magico dealer would. Finally, the Vandy 7's?

The newer Wilson are better in smaller rooms, but still not easy. In the past I visit many Wilson owners. Almost all had acoustic problems. Even in a bigger room. When you spend this kind of money you need to be very sure if it will be a succes. Don't take any risk!!

The one thing about Vandersteen that most people don't get, even some of the people who own them, is how transparent they are.

Don't trust your ears? All you Vandersteen owners GOT that?

But you shouldn't take my word on something like this.

OK.