Wilson Audio WAMM - Need help!

Lildebs888 · Mar 18, 2014

CALLING ALL AUDIOPHILES!! If you know someone who OWNS a WAMM system, or previously owned a WAMM system - would you please have them email me at debby@wilsonaudio.com ?

I have been working on Wilson Audio's history for a long time (I am Wilson Audio's unofficial historian ). I have tried over the years to keep track of WHERE they all are, and if they are still in use. Interesting to hear that a couple have been destroyed over the years (one by wood ants because of the owners lack of care), and then 1 or 2 are still in crates in storage

Help me find out what has happened to these legends over the years! Any help would be very helpful. Thank you!!

still-one · Mar 29, 2014

Debbie

Contact Larry Marcus. He had a pair in his home for a bit until he sold them for his personal pair of XLF's. He should be back from Italy this coming week.

Lildebs888 · Apr 1, 2014

still-one said:
Debbie

Contact Larry Marcus. He had a pair in his home for a bit until he sold them for his personal pair of XLF's. He should be back from Italy this coming week.

Yup, I have that one updated already. It has been cleaned up, and tested, and is ready to head off to Asia soon. His was SN 6, and was a Rosewood finish.

Thank you for your help! I really do appreciate it

LL21 · Apr 2, 2014

still-one said:
Debbie

Contact Larry Marcus. He had a pair in his home for a bit until he sold them for his personal pair of XLF's. He should be back from Italy this coming week.

That's interesting. is there a consensus that the Wamm has been surpassed in performance by the XLF? I recall some feeling they preferred the original Wamm over the X2s. I have also recently heard from a dealer he felt the XLF sounds much more similar to the original Wamms than the X2s and preferred the XLF for it.

MylesBAstor · Apr 2, 2014

Lildebs888 said:
CALLING ALL AUDIOPHILES!! If you know someone who OWNS a WAMM system, or previously owned a WAMM system - would you please have them email me at debby@wilsonaudio.com ?

I have been working on Wilson Audio's history for a long time (I am Wilson Audio's unofficial historian ). I have tried over the years to keep track of WHERE they all are, and if they are still in use. Interesting to hear that a couple have been destroyed over the years (one by wood ants because of the owners lack of care), and then 1 or 2 are still in crates in storage

Help me find out what has happened to these legends over the years! Any help would be very helpful. Thank you!!

View attachment 14783

Rudy at Definitive Audio up in Mamaroneck, NY (long closed) used to have a pair of WAMMs. Don't know what ever happened to that pair.

still-one · Apr 2, 2014

LL21 said:
That's interesting. is there a consensus that the Wamm has been surpassed in performance by the XLF? I recall some feeling they preferred the original Wamm over the X2s. I have also recently heard from a dealer he felt the XLF sounds much more similar to the original Wamms than the X2s and preferred the XLF for it.

I don't think you will find consensus in any area of this crazy hobby in which we participate. Since I don't remember his exact words as to why he made the change, I will give you my take what I have observed in his room. The WAMM's are a very difficult speaker to integrate into a listening room. Tweaking that crossover must be a challenge. The WAMM's sounded very nice especially in the mid-range but the XLF's are a better overall speaker from bottom to top. I think this can be attributed to the improvement of driver technology and simpilar crossovers.

The X2's and XLF's are much closer in sound than the XLF to the WAMM. I am probably one of the few who actually prefer the tweeter and top end of the X2's over the XLF's. That said I prefer the mid range and bass of the XLF's and agree that it is a better overall speaker.

ddk · Apr 2, 2014

LL21 said:
That's interesting. is there a consensus that the Wamm has been surpassed in performance by the XLF? I recall some feeling they preferred the original Wamm over the X2s. I have also recently heard from a dealer he felt the XLF sounds much more similar to the original Wamms than the X2s and preferred the XLF for it.

You can't have consensus on such a rare thing. So very few have seen one and even fewer have heard them in the right context. They are very different from every other speaker made by Dave Wilson and for my money still the best speaker he's made. The new line, excellent as it is has morphed into something else far from the Wamm, or at least my memory of it.

david

MRJAZZ · Apr 3, 2014

ddk said:
You can't have consensus on such a rare thing. So very few have seen one and even fewer have heard them in the right context. They are very different from every other speaker made by Dave Wilson and for my money still the best speaker he's made. The new line, excellent as it is has morphed into something else far from the Wamm, or at least my memory of it.

david

THE WAMM'S were a truly great speaker. I had a pair back in the day (SERIES 111)

CHEERS.............T.

LL21 · Apr 3, 2014

Thanks gents! Fascinating.

microstrip · Apr 3, 2014

ddk said:
(...) even fewer have heard them in the right context. (...)
david

Wise words about most of top high-end equipment we debate. The optimization of a system is a long and complex process, and unless we could have access to great private systems we can only dream about, we do not have the proper idea of the full capability of equipment.

IMHO, shops and shows only give us a pale idea of the potential of the equipment.

still-one · Apr 3, 2014

microstrip said:
Wise words about most of top high-end equipment we debate. The optimization of a system is a long and complex process, and unless we could have access to great private systems we can only dream about, we do not have the proper idea of the full capability of equipment.

IMHO, shops and shows only give us a pale idea of the potential of the equipment.

The times I spent with the WAMM"s were in a home and had been set-up and tweaked by Peter McGrath and Jerron from Wilson.

Lildebs888 · Apr 3, 2014

MRJAZZ said:
View attachment 15043

THE WAMM'S were a truly great speaker. I had a pair back in the day (SERIES 111)

CHEERS.............T.

Oh very cool!!

2 questions:

1) Do you remember what serial number your pair was? I Since it was a 3A (or III as you said), It would be a number between 1 and 14.

2) Is there any way you could email me those photos ? I would love to keep them with other photos I have of owner's WAMMs.

Thank you so much for sharing with us. I LOVE seeing photos of WAMMs from around the world. I have so many, and they are separated by what Serial Number that system is. The WAMM is like "my baby" - have always loved the product!

Lildebs888 · Apr 3, 2014

Yup! Rudy's WAMMs were Serial Number 17, and I have a question mark next to what series they were originally (I have "Series 6 (?)") I also don't have what finish that pair was.

That pair change owners 4 times as of 2001 (which was the last time I knew it's whereabouts). Last I knew about this system is that it had been upgraded to a series 7, and were sitting in storage (for many years, sadly!).

MRJAZZ · Apr 3, 2014

Lildebs888 said:
Oh very cool!!

2 questions:

1) Do you remember what serial number your pair was? I Since it was a 3A (or III as you said), It would be a number between 1 and 14.

2) Is there any way you could email me those photos ? I would love to keep them with other photos I have of owner's WAMMs.

Thank you so much for sharing with us. I LOVE seeing photos of WAMMs from around the world. I have so many, and they are separated by what Serial Number that system is. The WAMM is like "my baby" - have always loved the product!

You should be able to do a right click on your mouse and save the picture in the attachment. If I find some more pics I will try and send them to you...
CHEERS......T

Lildebs888 · Apr 3, 2014

MRJAZZ said:
View attachment 15043

So I forwarded these Images to my dad. He could tell just by looking at the wood that this was one of our famous WAMMs. We nicknamed this system "Connie". The original owner loved Condors/birds. We found this particular Bolvian Rosewood wood grain because it resembled a bird/condor.

So this system was Serial Number 8 and also 30. It exchanged hands a few times, and was in storage for a little while. Then it was then sent back to us where we refinished, upgraded to series 7, and re-serial tagged it to Serial Number 30.

Last I heard was it was in New York. Yet that was in the '90s. Would love to find where "Connie" is today!

Mr.Jazz - could you message me your name? I have 4 names for this systems (one with no last name). I would appreciate it

Thank you again for sharing with us!

Debby

Lildebs888 · Apr 3, 2014

Also, I mentioned the conversation here about how the WAMM compares to today's Wilson Audio products.

His comment was (and I love his car analogies):

"It is like comparing a Ferrari F-40 to the latest models. Yes, the newer Ferrari's are faster in a straight line, but many Ferrari enthusiast feel that the F-40 is the most exciting Ferrari ever built."

If I had enough room for them, I would pick a 7 series WAMM over an Alexandria. But that is just me. I grew up with WAMM'S in our home. I was 23 when my dad retired his WAMM's (they reside at Wilson Audio now). I was really sad to see them go...

Steve Williams · Apr 3, 2014

Lildebs888 said:
Also, I mentioned the conversation here about how the WAMM compares to today's Wilson Audio products.

His comment was (and I love his car analogies):

"It is like comparing a Ferrari F-40 to the latest models. Yes, the newer Ferrari's are faster in a straight line, but many Ferrari enthusiast feel that the F-40 is the most exciting Ferrari ever built."

If I had enough room for them, I would pick a 7 series WAMM over an Alexandria. But that is just me. I grew up with WAMM'S in our home. I was 23 when my dad retired his WAMM's (they reside at Wilson Audio now). I was really sad to see them go...

I saw those very speakers Deb when I visited several years ago

LL21 · Apr 3, 2014

Lildebs888 said:
Also, I mentioned the conversation here about how the WAMM compares to today's Wilson Audio products.

His comment was (and I love his car analogies):

"It is like comparing a Ferrari F-40 to the latest models. Yes, the newer Ferrari's are faster in a straight line, but many Ferrari enthusiast feel that the F-40 is the most exciting Ferrari ever built."

If I had enough room for them, I would pick a 7 series WAMM over an Alexandria. But that is just me. I grew up with WAMM'S in our home. I was 23 when my dad retired his WAMM's (they reside at Wilson Audio now). I was really sad to see them go...

Is the world ready for the return of the WAMM? The Series 8? A Wilson that takes us into unchartered territory?

Lildebs888 · Apr 7, 2014

LL21 said:
Is the world ready for the return of the WAMM? The Series 8? A Wilson that takes us into unchartered territory?

"Series 8 WAMM" - I wish!

Peter Breuninger · Apr 7, 2014

I am sure you could sell a new super WAMM. I would wish it be a four box system with a ribbon tweeter (of course that's a big challenge). Price it at $750,000.

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