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Don Richard

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Awesomely ugly and overpriced but, surprisingly it probably sounds pretty good.  Dialing it in, though, that another story altogether.

 

Buy me one and I'll let you know how it sounds.

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1 hour ago, Don Richard said:

When I look at these the word that comes to mind is "monstrosity". When I look at the price the word that come to mind is "ripoff".

 

In the "ripoff" department, I believe that Dunlavy and Duntech (i.e., John Dunlavy's companies) probably did that much better:

 

Your example, above:

wamm.png.648x460_q85.png

 

vs. Duntech Sovereign

8a0284e5_vbattach214882.jpeg

 

vs. Dunlavy SC-VI

 

2a5806ba_vbattach241294.jpeg

 

The price was a lot nicer ($25K/pair), and I believe that the buyer was only paying perhaps 2x -3x of cost to produce a pair.  Phase coherence and controlled vertical directivity of the Dunlavy produced models was apparently outstanding--which means you'd probably be getting imaging and neutral tonal balance like nothing else before it. 

 

It seems that many "high-end" loudspeakers are huge.  When I compare to multiple-entry designs that are available today (notably Danley Sound Labs), one can see that a much of that huge size is really unnecessary--but they're still a little larger than Bose cubes on a stick....:D

 

Chris

 

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No phase shifts...requires more ways and more careful attention to detail.  Passes square waves and has almost perfect step response.

 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/dunlavy-audio-labs-signature-sc-vi-loudspeaker-measurements

 

Yes.

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4 hours ago, Don Richard said:

The best part - they only cost $685,000.:o

 

When I look at these the word that comes to mind is "monstrosity". When I look at the price the word that come to mind is "ripoff".

 

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/first-listen-to-the-new-wilson-audio-modular-monitor-wamm/

 

Yeah but they did not mention it transforms into a pair of 2015 Camaro SS.  So, that's a value added feature.  

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22 hours ago, Chris A said:

It seems that many "high-end" loudspeakers are huge.  When I compare to multiple-entry designs that are available today (notably Danley Sound Labs), one can see that a much of that huge size is really unnecessary--but they're still a little larger than Bose cubes on a stick....:D

 

 

One thing that I learned at a high-end show a long time ago is that, "You can't get big sound from small speakers." Of course, the definition of "big" is in the eye of the beholder.

 

At one time I was part of the Audio Society of Minnesota, and with them was allowed to audition a set of Wilson loudspeakers (WAMM, if I remember correctly) with Audio Research equipment. Audio Research is in the Minneapolis area, so we got to listen in their dedicated room. This was quite a long time ago, so the Wilsons only cost $75,000/pair. I remember thinking to myself that they sounded very much like my Legacy Focus, which at the time retailed for "only" $4800/pair.

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Went to listen to these the other day   Magico M6....a total of $84K

 

$75K for the speakers...$9K for the feet....

 

Walked out of there thinking WTF.....What makes ANY speaker cost this much.

 

They did sound nice...... Sure

 

I paid $750.00 for a pair of Chorus II's....(my expensive pair)......the M6's did not sound 100 X better.

 

George

WP_20180301_002 (Medium).jpg

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A friend had the MAXX speakers and all VTL gear and set up right, room treatment and all dialed in.  He id it right and they did exactly what they were supposed to do and had great imaging, bass, etc. 

 

I can only describe it as stripping away all distortion and colorations, even distortion that you did not know was there.  But the sound was unusual and I can't say that I liked it or would want to listen to it all of the time. I did not sell my speakers and go down that path, the end result was just different.  I would say the exact opposite of a Sonus Faber.

 

If you ever get a chance to hear them properly set up, do it, but don't expect to hear them at their best (or the way that they are intended) at a show. 

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Around 1982 when Dave Wilson first premiered the Wilson WAMM (Series 2) speakers at CES I managed to secure a seat (right in the sweet spot) at one of their invitation-only demos (limited to around a dozen people at a time). After a lengthy spiel about the speakers, Dave played one of their Wilson Audiophile recordings through the system. As the rest of the audience reacted to the sound by seeming to acknowledge the coming of the Audio Messiah, all I could think to myself was "What the f**k have these people been smoking?" To put it plainly, the speakers sounded like huge... (wait for it)... speakers. At no time did they produce an illusion that real human beings were playing and singing (the recording featured Dave's wife on vocals) in the room with us. It was simply a giant stereo system. My most charitable explanation for what I experienced was that Dave Wilson and the rest of those attendees were seeking (and satisfied by) a very different audio illusion than I am.

 

I have no doubt that I would be similarly underwhelmed by the current incarnation of the WAMM. (The cost of which has evolved to be equivalent to the current value of my home.)

 

Just ridiculous. If you have to spend nearly three-quarters of a million dollars to find a satisfying audio illusion you really need to re-evaluate your life's priorities.

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On 3/12/2018 at 1:29 PM, NOSValves said:

First things that come to mind..............Butt ugly and way beyond diminishing return... 

And your Avatar

 

                                             :pwk_bs:

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