Preamp done, Amp done... Source/DAC next. Esoteric??

[bonzo]

First of all Timm thank you for your wonderful thread from RMAF. I know how much work that was because I attend CES every year and at the end of each day I am exhausted. And I am not writing a report. Good Job.

Did I read this correctly, you like the Sonus Faber Stratavari ($40,000) and reasonably reviewed better the than the Wilson Audio Alexandria XLF ($200,000)? Or were you listening to the second in line the Wilson Audio Alexandria X-2 ($160,000)? I know we evaluate by SQ and not by price but these are both mainstream speaker companies and it would be extraordinary for a mainstream manufacturer to have a speaker that was 5 times cheaper than another well regarded manufacturer and for the cheaper one to have better SQ. I believe if you asked reviewers to state their five favorite speakers regardless of price some would say the Alexandria. If we were talking about appearance the Stratavari is beautiful but when I listen to the Alexandria's (with my eyes closed) they disappear and they sing. I would not fault anyone for buying the Strat IMHO there is $30,000 in musical value and $10,000 in aesthetics. I am very familiar with both brands and IMO the Alexandria's are light years ahead of the Stradivari. YMMV

Gary

Frankly, I do wish the Wilsons and such hefty price tags disappear - forever - and are never seen again

 

[MiTT]

First of all Timm thank you for your wonderful thread from RMAF. I know how much work that was because I attend CES every year and at the end of each day I am exhausted. And I am not writing a report. Good Job.

Gary

I think you may be confusing Timm and I (MiTT), unless Timm has a RMAF thread I have not read...

 

[GaryG]

I think you may be confusing Timm and I (MiTT), unless Timm has a RMAF thread I have not read...��

Confused certainly. Dyslexic perhaps. Sorry for error and good job Tim (MiTT).

 

[Joey_V]

Timm, Mitt... until I met Mitt personally, I'd get confused with either one as well.

LOL...

 

[slowGEEZR]

Frankly, I do wish the Wilsons and such hefty price tags disappear - forever - and are never seen again

What? Why would you say that? We all have our subjective listening preferences. To wish someone else's favorite speakers to disappear is shallow. I and many others think that Wilson's have one of the most accurate to life sounds of almost any speakers made. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it shouldn't exist.

 

[bonzo]

Just trying a joke

 

[slowGEEZR]

Ok. I'm better now.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Steve is absolutely correct.

Many very happy Wilson owners out there and that's not a coincidence.

Given their popularity, they are obviously doing many things right.

GG

 

[User211]

Ok. I'm better now.

They are just a pet hate with Kedar. Don't take it for anymore than that. He's a good chap, honest!

 

[timm]

Timm, Mitt... until I met Mitt personally, I'd get confused with either one as well.

LOL...

Mitt who? Timm.

 

[timm]

Tim!

Could be set up, brass not having bite? I can see that.... but man, I have not heard a more real sounding speaker than the Strads in a long time. I definitely enjoyed my time with them last week. I really tried to head back up to listen for a 2nd time to ensure I was hearing what I thought I was hearing, but alas, I was not able to make a 2nd visit to the audio dealer.

I heard the Aida right next room over from the Strads - I enjoyed the Strads more. Not to say that the Aidas were bad or anything, but after I heard the Strads, I knew I found something special.

Regarding the Alexandria - never heard one and frankly, after really trying to get into Wilsons the past year, I don't have as much of an itch as I did before.

Hooked up to the new ARC G150 amp and G series tube pre. Speakers were only about 1.5' off wall. All tube front end. I have read they seem to like SS. But I could buy room interaction and seating position. I don't want u to think I thought they were bad. On the contrary. I was still thinking about them today. Very seductive sound. I happen to like warmish and I thought they were on this side of warm and seemed to notice it.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Very seductive sound. I happen to like warmish and I thought they were on this side of warm and seemed to notice it.

That's the big caveat with the SF's.

If one likes that's particular "flavor", then go for it. But be advised you will hear it on every type of music.

 

[timm]

GaryG. I listened to the XLF. This is the third time and I stand by what I said. I have heard them hooked to d'agostino amp. & pre w the DCS stack in a very nice room. They are clear clean and to me uninvolving. If I wanted to rock the house at concert levels playing techno or create the home theater from hell - those Wilson's are so freaking clear and dynamic - yes they are built to crumble foundations. That in itself is impressive. But, when I listen to them I just don't get into the music. They sound more akin to digital - exacting, detailed, Dynamic, discrete but in the end the pieces never come together for me. I would pick the strads over them. And i like the look of the wilsons. They are engineering masterpieces so its not aesthetics for me. And this is nothing against Wilson lovers - just not for me. I have seen threads like this all over the net like this. As if they aren't something you really dig you have to be apologetic.

And as you said ymmv.

 

[timm]

That's the big caveat with the SF's.

If one likes that's particular "flavor", then go for it. But be advised you will hear it on every type of music.

Thank you Gordon. I was simply trying to say it as I heard it. From my perspective I loved em. But know they bring something to the party.

 

[slowGEEZR]

They are just a pet hate with Kedar. Don't take it for anymore than that. He's a good chap, honest!

Lol, I know he didn't mean any ill will. All is ok in my book. Sometimes, when trying to make a joke, it doesn't come across the same way as it would face to face. Kedar, if you ever make it over to my neck of the woods, you're welcome to come over for a listen and crack some jokes about my system and drink some of my beer.

 

[Joey_V]

Hooked up to the new ARC G150 amp and G series tube pre. Speakers were only about 1.5' off wall. All tube front end. I have read they seem to like SS. But I could buy room interaction and seating position. I don't want u to think I thought they were bad. On the contrary. I was still thinking about them today. Very seductive sound. I happen to like warmish and I thought they were on this side of warm and seemed to notice it.

I expected the Strads to sound "warmer" based on all the reports on the net but when I listened to them, I felt as if they weren't as warm as I expected. The tweeter still has some sizzle to it, detail was there. I think what I found was rather than an overtly warm coloration, there was "meat" in the music and that's what I enjoy.

The tone of the presentation was actually pretty similar to what I'm used to with my summits but it had more meat or so I thought. Vocal tone was closer to BW Diamonds rather than the Wilson Alexia or Sasha 2. And I listened nearly back to back to back.

Phenomenal speaker. Looking to audition Rockports in a couple days... Will see what is what.