My new article on the WAMM Master Chronosonic Demo

[Lee]

Several have asked me what I thought about the WAMM demo. The article is finally out so I thought I would share it here:

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018/05/28/precision-in-provo-wilson-audio-wamm-master-chronosonic/

 

[Steve Williams]

Fabulous review Lee

Thanks.

 

[Elliot G.]

Several have asked me what I thought about the WAMM demo. The article is finally out so I thought I would share it here:

https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018/05/28/precision-in-provo-wilson-audio-wamm-master-chronosonic/

Nice article Lee!

 

[microstrip]

Great article, Lee. By far the most informative review I have read of the WAMM's - although they are beyond my reach it is good to know about the best! Much appreciated, thanks!

Did you learn if Wilson people create the tables for different amplifiers by listening or using measurements?

 

[LL21]

Thanks for posting! Great read.

 

[Narayan]

Thanks for posting Lee I enjoyed reading about your experience.

 

[Lee]

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

 

[Lee]

Great article, Lee. By far the most informative review I have read of the WAMM's - although they are beyond my reach it is good to know about the best! Much appreciated, thanks!

Did you learn if Wilson people create the tables for different amplifiers by listening or using measurements?

i believe it is a combination of both, but I will try to get some information on that for you.

 

[metaphacts]

Great article, Lee. By far the most informative review I have read of the WAMM's - although they are beyond my reach it is good to know about the best! Much appreciated, thanks!

Did you learn if Wilson people create the tables for different amplifiers by listening or using measurements?

i believe it is a combination of both, but I will try to get some information on that for you.

As one would expect, Dave developed a precise measurement process for this.

One thing that may not be clear in Lee's article is that there are baseline settings for the distances in the listening setup. That baseline position typically sounds better than when the WAMM's settings have been adjusted for one amp and you switch to different amp. That is, when switching to the Siegfrieds using D'Ag settings, you get the sound Lee described.

If one were to have used the baseline settings, the sound would have been better than the D'Ag settings on the Siegfried. But at the end, the difference when using the measured, precise settings for the Siegfried is a large improvement in the area Lee describes over even the baseline settings.

 

[Sharp 1080]

Thank you for explaining that Bill!

 

[Ron Resnick]

This is a wonderful and interesting report, Lee! Thank you for posting the link here!

Your enthusiasm for the Chronosonic is infectious!

Did you learn any details about the new three driver subwoofers? Is each driver 15" in diameter?

Was there any explanation of why the new subwoofer is designed with three drivers, rather than the two drivers of Thor's Hammer?

Is this new subwoofer basically a Thor's Hammer but with another driver added?

 

[metaphacts]

This is a wonderful and interesting report, Lee! Thank you for posting the link here!

Your enthusiasm for the Chronosonic is infectious!

Did you learn any details about the new three driver subwoofers? Is each driver 15" in diameter?

Was there any explanation of why the new subwoofer is designed with three drivers, rather than the two drivers of Thor's Hammer?

Is this new subwoofer basically a Thor's Hammer but with another driver added?

The WAMM Master Subsonic was designed from the ground up to match the WAMM Master Chronosonic.

The driver's are 12", not 15". This gives similar surface area as 2 15" drivers but with more controlled acceleration and stop. The Master Subsonic is meant to augment the Master Chronosonic below 20Hz. The WAMM in the Music Room has the same output level at 23Hz as it does at 1000Hz.

 

[Ron Resnick]

The WAMM Master Subsonic was designed from the ground up to match the WAMM Master Chronosonic.

The driver's are 12", not 15". This gives similar surface area as 2 15" drivers but with more controlled acceleration and stop. The Master Subsonic is meant to augment the Master Chronosonic below 20Hz. The WAMM in the Music Room has the same output level at 23Hz as it does at 1000Hz.

Thank you very much for your detailed reply!

What amplifiers are you using to drive the Master Subsonics?

Are you at liberty to tell us the frequency response of the Master Subsonic? (I would guess something like 7Hz to 25Hz, -3dB?)

 

[metaphacts]

Thank you very much for your detailed reply!

What amplifiers are you using to drive the Master Subsonics?

Are you at liberty to tell us the frequency response of the Master Subsonic? (I would guess something like 7Hz to 25Hz, -3dB?)

We are using Parasound Halos.

I looked in the manual and do not see a frequency response spec listed. I do know that when Dave played the WAMM for visitors, he used some content that was rich in 10Hz-20Hz content at high level.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

The WAMM Master Subsonic was designed from the ground up to match the WAMM Master Chronosonic.

The driver's are 12", not 15". This gives similar surface area as 2 15" drivers but with more controlled acceleration and stop. The Master Subsonic is meant to augment the Master Chronosonic below 20Hz. The WAMM in the Music Room has the same output level at 23Hz as it does at 1000Hz.

curious if the WAMM Chronosonic is rolled off in some specific way when matting it with the Master Chronosonic? in other words are the bottom octave settings different compared to when it's used by itself? or is it always the same regardless?

apologize if this has been discussed already.

 

[Ron Resnick]

curious if the WAMM Chronosonic is rolled off in some specific way when matting it with the Master Chronosonic? in other words are the bottom octave settings different compared to when it's used by itself? or is it always the same regardless?

apologize if this has been discussed already.

I think the same regardless. The Watch Controller does not route anything to the main speakers, I believe.

 

[microstrip]

Yesterday it was my time to climb a new step in the discovery of the best of sound reproduction - I was invited to the official presentation of the WAMM in Europe, that took place at the large showroom of our local Wilson Audio distributor in Lisbon - Imacustica.

The WAMM with the Wilson Audio Master Subsonic Subwoofers were amplified with the D'Agostino Relentless Monoblock and D400 Momemtum's with their preamplfier, the source was DCS Vivaldi One.

Peter McGrath made a short presentation of the WAMM project and speaker characteristics, followed by a few CD tracks and his choice of files, including some of his recordings. As many others I can only report that what we listened was in most aspects superior and more realistic than any previous experience I had with sound reproduction - timbre, dynamics, easiness, micro resolution, all those aspects that people have previously said much better before me.




During a break Peter McGrath kindly allowed me play my Savall SACD of "Les routes de l'esclavage" - he admires the work of Savall and knew the recording fairly well - and I really enjoyed the energy and complexity of this great recording played in the WAMMs. At the end of the afternoon I managed to listen to another of my recordings ("Venezia Millenaria", final track) and a few jazz tracks in the company of the editor of the Audio Magazine.

We learned that all WAMM customers except one got the subs and this isolated case was just because of space ... After a long day we ended the evening having diner with Peter McGrath - an extremely kind and knowledgeable person, it was a great opportunity for me to discuss several of the subjects we often debate here in WBF with someone with such large experience.

We can see part of his presentation at the Imacustica listening room in this video by JVH

 

[Ron Resnick]

So . . . how did it sound?

 

[microstrip]

So . . . how did it sound?

Just fabulous! What else can we say?

 

[marty]

Francisco,
Can you tell us how the subs were set-up? Are the WAMMs run full range and the the subs run in parallel with a second amp crossing in below X Hz using their crossover? If so, how do they allow for time alignment using a set-up such as that?

Also, did they go all D'Agostino or do they still use the VTL 7.5III preamp?