2013 RMAF must see/hear Products and your Fab Five?

[microstrip]

FWIW my absolute Best In Show was the Wilson XLF Thor demo in the large room at the Hyatt. It was IMHO the very best audio demo I have ever heard and then to come back later in the day to a packed house of the Wilson Owners Group in the same room and to meet amongst others John Curl was an experience I won't ever forget. Simply put it was beyond anything I have ever heard.

Kudos also to Debbie Wilson for taking me and my good friend Carl who goes by cjfrbw here up to Dave Wilson's suite in the Hyatt for a half hour one on one with Dave Wilson. To hear his history in this hobby was wonderful. He is truly a pioneer in the industry. I won't forget that close up and personal and getting an insight into the philosophy behind Wilson Audio.
Dave is an absolute gentleman and scholar.

I also remain tight in my comments about Nick Doshi's room with all of his new electronics. It was simply beautiful to listen to. Much warmer than the big Wilson display and his room was my sentimental favorite. I was in that room 10-12 times over the weekend and it needs to be heard to be believed. IMO Nick is an absolute genius in what he created and I wish him and Larry from Paragon the absolute best. If anyone has a chance to hear his electronics I'd say run,don't walk

Steve,
Great to read your first opinions - particularly now that I am biased part of the Wilson Owners Group.
Looking for the pictures and more detailed findings.

 

[audioline]

Must have been a great experiance to visit the Wilson room, and also have a chat with Dave himself.

//Kim

 

[Steve Williams]

Must have been a great experiance to visit the Wilson room, and also have a chat with Dave himself.

//Kim

It truly was. I've chatted with him several times over the years and have been to his house at a time when I had X1 series lll's and the X2 series one was just launched. I heRd the two side by side in his living room. I went home'sild my X1's and bought the new X2 series one and presently own the X2 series ll. I've heard the XLF several times but yesterday has given me pause for thought once again.

 

[MasterChief]

FWIW my absolute Best In Show was the Wilson XLF Thor demo in the large room at the Hyatt. It was IMHO the very best audio demo I have ever heard and then to come back later in the day to a packed house of the Wilson Owners Group in the same room and to meet amongst others John Curl was an experience I won't ever forget. Simply put it was beyond anything I have ever heard.

Kudos also to Debbie Wilson for taking me and my good friend Carl who goes by cjfrbw here up to Dave Wilson's suite in the Hyatt for a half hour one on one with Dave Wilson. To hear his history in this hobby was wonderful. He is truly a pioneer in the industry. I won't forget that close up and personal and getting an insight into the philosophy behind Wilson Audio.
Dave is an absolute gentleman and scholar.

I also remain tight in my comments about Nick Doshi's room with all of his new electronics. It was simply beautiful to listen to. Much warmer than the big Wilson display and his room was my sentimental favorite. I was in that room 10-12 times over the weekend and it needs to be heard to be believed. IMO Nick is an absolute genius in what he created and I wish him and Larry from Paragon the absolute best. If anyone has a chance to hear his electronics I'd say run,don't walk

Wow, that sounds like an amazing experience! Dave Wilson truly is a living legend. Here in Sweden we always have the pleasure to meet Peter McGrath but I still hope Mr. Wilson some day founds his way to the arctic region of Europe

 

[cjfrbw]

Not a Wilson owner, but yes, the Wilson XLF demo was top in show for me.

It seems that David Wilson took up a demo that said "They are all doing THAT, I am doing THIS, and no horn will out do my dynamics, no stat will out finesse my imaging, and no woofer will out perform my scale." The demo was really something. I would have preferred less Rolls Royce chatty salesman stuff and more music, but it was what it was.

That being said I agree with mep (Mark) that imaging could have been more constrained.

Also, if I had the grandiose accommodations for such beasts, for home use I think I still preferred the Wilson Maxx/Spectral/Aesthetix setup from a couple of years ago at CAS 2011. I also like Steve's Lamm ML3's overall for dimensionality and tone. I also much prefer the larger Wilsons (Maxx/Alexandria)to the smaller ones.

Steve was kind enough to allow me to tag along on his coattails to his conversation with Dave Wilson. Dave Wilson is a courtly and gracious gentleman.

 

[Steve Williams]

I'd like to thank everyone for attending dinner with the group last night. There were 32 of us. It was a veritable who's who in the industry
Gary Koh
Steve McCormick
George Sadurni
Mark Seaton
Darren (fork)
Myles
Win Tinnon and his team
Jonathan Horwich


It was good as always to see old friends.

 

[mep]

I will have more to say later. I'm sitting on the plane waiting for everyone to board. I have Lot's of pictures as well.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I will have more to say later. I'm sitting on the plane waiting for everyone to board. I have Lot's of pictures as well.

That my friend I never had any doubt of!

 

[mauidan]

I see a mic setup in the middle of the audience...is there any way a recording of these XLFs playing can be posted here? Its the closest some of us will come to hearing RMAF! I have heard the XLFs on a number of occasions and like the video recordings from Peter of the XLFs with VTL and a big Thor...but hearing this one too would be fun as well if possible.

There's a short video clip on Wilson's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/?sk=welcom...6387992656&set=vb.297880472655&type=2&theater

 

[Lildebs888]

Was wonderful to spend some time with you, Steve and Carl! I hope you enjoyed yourself at the Wilson Owners Event last night (yes, I took that pic, and yes that is Steve). Hope to see you again soon, my friend!

 

[LL21]

There's a short video clip on Wilson's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/?sk=welcom...6387992656&set=vb.297880472655&type=2&theater

thanks!

 

[LL21]

Steve,
Great to read your first opinions - particularly now that I am biased part of the Wilson Owners Group.
Looking for the pictures and more detailed findings.

Hang on...I just read this. Congratulations are in order, Microstrip. Last I checked, you ran SF Aidas. What has changed?

 

[LL21]

FWIW my absolute Best In Show was the Wilson XLF Thor demo in the large room at the Hyatt. It was IMHO the very best audio demo I have ever heard and then to come back later in the day to a packed house of the Wilson Owners Group in the same room and to meet amongst others John Curl was an experience I won't ever forget. Simply put it was beyond anything I have ever heard.

Kudos also to Debbie Wilson for taking me and my good friend Carl who goes by cjfrbw here up to Dave Wilson's suite in the Hyatt for a half hour one on one with Dave Wilson. To hear his history in this hobby was wonderful. He is truly a pioneer in the industry. I won't forget that close up and personal and getting an insight into the philosophy behind Wilson Audio.
Dave is an absolute gentleman and scholar.

I also remain tight in my comments about Nick Doshi's room with all of his new electronics. It was simply beautiful to listen to. Much warmer than the big Wilson display and his room was my sentimental favorite. I was in that room 10-12 times over the weekend and it needs to be heard to be believed. IMO Nick is an absolute genius in what he created and I wish him and Larry from Paragon the absolute best. If anyone has a chance to hear his electronics I'd say run,don't walk

Great stuff Steve. I've spent more time with XLFs since posting my original comments about them many many moons ago. I really like them a lot, and have over the last few months been hankering to hear them live and in person with a really SOTA sub setup...does not have to be Thors but of course that would be great.

As for your other post about being given 'pause for thought'...I say, go for it. I don't think you'll regret it, particularly with a set of electronics like yours. As you probably know better than most of us including me, the XLFs are more quiet, much more in control and deliver with greater effortlessness and markedly more seamlessness/coherence. These, for me, are the greatest attributes of the XLF v X2, notwithstanding the new tweeter. I think your system, including now your special room, will really allow you to hear these special improvements of the XLFs like few others will...my two cents (and your 200K!)

 

[microstrip]

Hang on...I just read this. Congratulations are in order, Microstrip. Last I checked, you ran SF Aidas. What has changed?

Loyd,

Several listening sessions with the XLF's and the Alexia's persuaded me I should spend some time with the Alexia's ... They are now ending the first phase of burn-in. Can you guess the purpose of the objects shown in the photo?

 

[andromedaaudio]

You re talking to probably one of the most experienced audiophiles on the planet , the maxx 3 went for aida then soundlab and now alexia iirc

I shouldnt speak ahead but,,tw/mid protective foam?


[ QUOTE=LL21;224626]Hang on...I just read this. Congratulations are in order, Microstrip. Last I checked, you ran SF Aidas. What has changed? [/QUOTE]

 

[LL21]

Loyd,

Several listening sessions with the XLF's and the Alexia's persuaded me I should spend some time with the Alexia's ... They are now ending the first phase of burn-in. Can you guess the purpose of the objects shown in the photo?

Congrats!!! That is great news. And since you have ARC equipment, you have great equipment to be driving them. The ARC Ref 250s as I recall. Regarding the photo, I was going to guess the side panels of the speaker, but if they are already burning in, then it cant be...some kind of sound panel?

 

[microstrip]

Congrats!!! That is great news. And since you have ARC equipment, you have great equipment to be driving them. The ARC Ref 250s as I recall. Regarding the photo, I was going to guess the side panels of the speaker, but if they are already burning in, then it cant be...some kind of sound panel?

I will be trying them with the REF150. Contrary to many opinions I always preferred the sound of the REF150 to the REF250. As I do not listen too loud and my room is moderate size (40 square meters), it should be enough. The panels are just custom grilles made with sound absorption material that manage to lower the sound by about 25~30 dB - essential for an intensive burn-in.

 

[LL21]

Wow...interesting. It will be interesting to see if the Ref150s at moderate levels keep pace with the impedance load of the Alexias. You would understand that far better than I. When do you expect to finish burn-in?

 

[Bruce B]

My highlight of the Wilson demo was being approached by the conductor of "Liberty Fanfare" and him telling me how wonderful it was for him to have the same experience that he had when he was back on the podium years ago!

 

[cjfrbw]

We should probably get a consolidated RMAF 2013 impressions thread. To spare redundancy, I will probably just intersperse my material with the stuff that Steve and others eventually post.