Alexx Review - Stereophile

chuck

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Dec 19, 2011
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Interesting review. I own XLFs because of their ability to recreate the grand scale of music like no other speaker I have heard. All Dave Wilson's loitering in the Musicverein etc. paid off. I very much doubt the Alexx's can accomplish the same feat -- I have heard them at shows and it did not seem like they could (but hotels are not the best venue to judge). MF's review says as much, that the XLFs create bigger/taller sound pictures. I expect that we will soon see an XLF 2, that does everything the Alexx does and more.
 

mauidan

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Interesting review. I own XLFs because of their ability to recreate the grand scale of music like no other speaker I have heard. All Dave Wilson's loitering in the Musicverein etc. paid off. I very much doubt the Alexx's can accomplish the same feat -- I have heard them at shows and it did not seem like they could (but hotels are not the best venue to judge). MF's review says as much, that the XLFs create bigger/taller sound pictures. I expect that we will soon see an XLF 2, that does everything the Alexx does and more.

On WA's FB page today:

Monday...

BTW- MF told people at Axpona that he's planning on purchasing the Alexx to replace his XLFs.
 

microstrip

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Interesting review. I own XLFs because of their ability to recreate the grand scale of music like no other speaker I have heard. All Dave Wilson's loitering in the Musicverein etc. paid off. I very much doubt the Alexx's can accomplish the same feat -- I have heard them at shows and it did not seem like they could (but hotels are not the best venue to judge). MF's review says as much, that the XLFs create bigger/taller sound pictures. I expect that we will soon see an XLF 2, that does everything the Alexx does and more.

I extensively listened to the Alexx before getting the XLF - for my preferences there was no comparison. It is like comparing a siberian tiger with a guepard ... :)

We also have to consider the feline cage and diet - Fremer listens at 85 " from the tweeters and uses the dart 458 monoblocks that can deliver 1000W at 2 ohm , I listen at around 130-140" from tweeters and do not consider such powerful amplifiers.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I extensively listened to the Alexx before getting the XLF - for my preferences there was no comparison. It is like comparing a siberian tiger with a guepard ... :)

We also have to consider the feline cage and diet - Fremer listens at 85 " from the tweeters and uses the dart 458 monoblocks that can deliver 1000W at 2 ohm , I listen at around 130-140" from tweeters and do not consider such powerful amplifiers.


I hear you :)

it is a matter of taste. Both fabulous speakers. Having said that I would bet there will be an XLF Mk ll with the Alex technology. Perhaps metaphacts can correct me if I misstate but the Alexx has more current technology than the XLF and the drivers are set differently on the Alexx. The Alexx has some WAMM technology so IMO the best of all worlds short of owning a WAMM would be an XLF Mk ll
 

microstrip

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I hear you :)

it is a matter of taste. Both fabulous speakers. Having said that I would bet there will be an XLF Mk ll with the Alex technology. Perhaps metaphacts can correct me if I misstate but the Alexx has more current technology than the XLF and the drivers are set differently on the Alexx. The Alexx has some WAMM technology so IMO the best of all worlds short of owning a WAMM would be an XLF Mk ll

Remember that the Alexx would not even meow with your Lamm's! :D The WAMMalso seems to be less efficient than the X2 or the XLF.
 

bonzo75

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I extensively listened to the Alexx before getting the XLF - for my preferences there was no comparison. It is like comparing a siberian tiger with a guepard ... :)

We also have to consider the feline cage and diet - Fremer listens at 85 " from the tweeters and uses the dart 458 monoblocks that can deliver 1000W at 2 ohm , I listen at around 130-140" from tweeters and do not consider such powerful amplifiers.

How much distance do you have between them and behind them?
 

microstrip

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110" tweeter to tweeter and something between 75" and 120" behind them. Still not definitively positioned. The room is 31 feet long.
 

bonzo75

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And room is 16 feet wide? That is same size as innovative audio in N.Y. who have the XLF
 

MadFloyd

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110" tweeter to tweeter and something between 75" and 120" behind them. Still not definitively positioned. The room is 31 feet long.

You guys are in Europe. Should you be measuring in centimeters or meters? :D
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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I extensively listened to the Alexx before getting the XLF - for my preferences there was no comparison. It is like comparing a siberian tiger with a guepard ... :)

We also have to consider the feline cage and diet - Fremer listens at 85 " from the tweeters and uses the dart 458 monoblocks that can deliver 1000W at 2 ohm , I listen at around 130-140" from tweeters and do not consider such powerful amplifiers.

are you sure about MF listening only 85" from the speakers ? That is 7' away. Even the Wilson propagation tables don't go down to 7'. My tables say 8' for X-2.2 at a minimum. If he listens that close, he is not getting the best out of XLF. Getting a smaller speaker for his small space makes sense.
 

microstrip

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You guys are in Europe. Should you be measuring in centimeters or meters? :D

Yes. But since the NASA decided to stick to imperial units and the famous ISS incident due to two parts that did not screw because the european side used 2.5cm and not the correct 2.54cm for an inch in the thread side, technical people must also think in imperial units!

In Europe pipes still use the imperial system - we have stainless steel 3mm and 1/8" tubing in the labs, a real nightmare sometimes ...
 

microstrip

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are you sure about MF listening only 85" from the speakers ? That is 7' away. Even the Wilson propagation tables don't go down to 7'. My tables say 8' for X-2.2 at a minimum. If he listens that close, he is not getting the best out of XLF. Getting a smaller speaker for his small space makes sense.

JA says so in the Alexx review :

" Wilson's Peter McGrath had adjusted the Alexx's tweeter and midrange modules so that their axes converged on the positions of Michael's ears in his listening room, which were 36" from the floor and 85" from the tweeter modules."


It is is why it is important to read the measurements section and the small print!
 

microstrip

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And room is 16 feet wide? That is same size as innovative audio in N.Y. who have the XLF

I would appreciate the extra foot - the room is 15 feet wide in the speaker zone , 14 or 13 elsewhere.
 

rockitman

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JA says so in the Alexx review :

" Wilson's Peter McGrath had adjusted the Alexx's tweeter and midrange modules so that their axes converged on the positions of Michael's ears in his listening room, which were 36" from the floor and 85" from the tweeter modules."


It is is why it is important to read the measurements section and the small print!

Like I said...good thing he is changing speakers. I find it hard to believe he got seamless time coherent top to bottom sound sitting that close to XLF.
 

metaphacts

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Feb 1, 2011
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are you sure about MF listening only 85" from the speakers ? That is 7' away. Even the Wilson propagation tables don't go down to 7'. My tables say 8' for X-2.2 at a minimum. If he listens that close, he is not getting the best out of XLF. Getting a smaller speaker for his small space makes sense.

While the published Nomographs do not go below 8', custom calculations can be done for a 7' distance. This was done for Michael's set up.

MF is not the only one who listens to XLF or Alexx at an under 8' distance.
 

rockitman

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While the published Nomographs do not go below 8', custom calculations can be done for a 7' distance. This was done for Michael's set up.

MF is not the only one who listens to XLF or Alexx at an under 8' distance.

that males sense. Still not ideal...but you have to deal with your space hand dealt.
 

metaphacts

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Feb 1, 2011
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I hear you :)

it is a matter of taste. Both fabulous speakers. Having said that I would bet there will be an XLF Mk ll with the Alex technology. Perhaps metaphacts can correct me if I misstate but the Alexx has more current technology than the XLF and the drivers are set differently on the Alexx. The Alexx has some WAMM technology so IMO the best of all worlds short of owning a WAMM would be an XLF Mk ll

It's hard to say exactly what will happen Steve. Nothing currently on the drawing board.
 

mauidan

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Now that metaphacts has weighed in on a "XLF Mk II," I think there are three possibilities for tomorrow's announcement:

The Alexia is getting long in the tooth, so it might be a Alexia Series 2.

There are two large price gaps in the current WA line, Alexia to Alexx and Alexx to XLF, so we might see new models in those gaps.
 

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