After being used for some years as main speakers, the Wilson Audio XLF's have left. Although I consider them without any doubt the best speaker I have ever listened, an impatient and envious audiophile made an irresistible offer and after a lot of parliamentary talk with my distributor and the few usual advisers I accepted to sell what I considered my final speaker ... 
. However, it would be unwise not to take the opportunity - it is now an almost seven years old model, and a little bird from the other side of the sea told me that a replacement model is coming.
The good news is that while waiting for the XLF mk2, I am re-listening to SoundLab A1 PX again. No, the A1 PX are not comparable to the XLF. But, once we tune a system for them they are great speakers, and in my room they have large scale - I do not feel my music shrink, although it is less realistic than it was before.
Simply replacing the XLFs by the Soundlab's was not an immediate success, although they had been burning-in for two weeks. The cj GAT2 and the ART sounded powerful and room filling, but too generous and uncontrolled in the bass. David (DDK) had told me in the past that my Lamm M1.2 would be a good candidate for the SoundLabs. Used with the GAT2 it improved things, but it was not a seamless mix, as I had found with the ARC REF40. Although loud, it seemed to lack drive and power. Changing cables looms improved but did not solve the issue. Fortunately after a long wait I had been to find a mint used Lamm L2 ref and it arrived in the proper moment. Driven by the L2 the M1.2 gained a life-ness and "joie de vivre" , an absence of electronics and simultaneously were a perfect drive of the SoundLabs. As usually I have calibrated and checked power and sound levels and even the electrical match it is perfect with Vivaldi DAC at 2V - at loud levels I get no more than 23V RMS (66 W at 8 ohms) peaks at 12 o´clock volume position. (The SoundLab have the torroid II upgrade that increased efficiency and sound quality). The bass cut-off of the L2 with the M1.2 is at the exact point for Soundlabs, preventing panel over-excursion at bass peaks and creating slam in the bass.
Although quite different what both the current and old system have is the capability of recreating the atmospheric detail and grandiosity of a symphonic orchestra playing complex music - the continuity of music spreading along sections. Jazz and ancient music also passed the test. And I know which recordings I should avoid ...
I should add that all this was possible after the four large (2'x4'x1.5') tuned bass traps were taken out from the room. They were calculated to be matched to the XLF and completely killed the SoundLabs. The RPG abfusors were also returned to their place in the front wall corners. Still considering to connect the JLAudio F113's to the system.
All IMHO and in my room and system, surely!
. However, it would be unwise not to take the opportunity - it is now an almost seven years old model, and a little bird from the other side of the sea told me that a replacement model is coming. The good news is that while waiting for the XLF mk2,
I am re-listening to SoundLab A1 PX again. No, the A1 PX are not comparable to the XLF. But, once we tune a system for them they are great speakers, and in my room they have large scale - I do not feel my music shrink, although it is less realistic than it was before.Simply replacing the XLFs by the Soundlab's was not an immediate success, although they had been burning-in for two weeks. The cj GAT2 and the ART sounded powerful and room filling, but too generous and uncontrolled in the bass. David (DDK) had told me in the past that my Lamm M1.2 would be a good candidate for the SoundLabs. Used with the GAT2 it improved things, but it was not a seamless mix, as I had found with the ARC REF40. Although loud, it seemed to lack drive and power. Changing cables looms improved but did not solve the issue. Fortunately after a long wait I had been to find a mint used Lamm L2 ref and it arrived in the proper moment. Driven by the L2 the M1.2 gained a life-ness and "joie de vivre" , an absence of electronics and simultaneously were a perfect drive of the SoundLabs. As usually I have calibrated and checked power and sound levels and even the electrical match it is perfect with Vivaldi DAC at 2V - at loud levels I get no more than 23V RMS (66 W at 8 ohms) peaks at 12 o´clock volume position. (The SoundLab have the torroid II upgrade that increased efficiency and sound quality). The bass cut-off of the L2 with the M1.2 is at the exact point for Soundlabs, preventing panel over-excursion at bass peaks and creating slam in the bass.
Although quite different what both the current and old system have is the capability of recreating the atmospheric detail and grandiosity of a symphonic orchestra playing complex music - the continuity of music spreading along sections. Jazz and ancient music also passed the test. And I know which recordings I should avoid ...
I should add that all this was possible after the four large (2'x4'x1.5') tuned bass traps were taken out from the room. They were calculated to be matched to the XLF and completely killed the SoundLabs. The RPG abfusors were also returned to their place in the front wall corners. Still considering to connect the JLAudio F113's to the system.
All IMHO and in my room and system, surely!
