Wilson Alexandria XLF Measurements "Quite Poor"

[A.wayne]

In-room measurements are much more important than "just" speaker measurements (as I have found out)!

No one knows how the XLF will measure in their own room until they've tried it!

Hows that , in room measurement is the room effect plus any speaker non-linearities , you can tune the room to be non-existent , speaker anomolies ...?

 

[A.wayne]

bad input (Poor measurement implementation or worse)=bad output (results)=useless measurements. It is really that simple.

Who are you referencing Christian , JA or HFNRR...?

 

[rockitman]

What are you referencing Christisn , JA or HFNR...?

The fact that with big speakers, like the XLF, they are not able to set up a measurement test that correlates accurately with what they are trying to measure. Just one example.

On another note, What is the purpose of this thread's misleading title ? No Alexandria series has been measured on this website. Is the op another Wilson troll with an axe to grind ? Perhaps the mods should edit the completely misleading title.

 

[Bruce B]

Hows that , in room measurement is the room effect plus any speaker non-linearities , you can tune the room to be non-existent , speaker anomolies ...?

That's right..... you can tune it any way you like it. That's why you should worry less about speaker measurements.

 

[A.wayne]

What transformer tap were you using, 4ohm ....?

My system is mainly Audio Research - CD8 , REF Anniversary 40 and REF Phono 2. Several power amplifiers having been landing in my room, but this affair is not yet settled. The one I liked more was the REF150, but the Aida's seemed to ask for more power. I am using a DartZeel NH108 with the X-2, a very good friend borrowed the REF150, as he wanted to listen to a well burn-in unit. Next time I will keep silent about the big difference after 600 hours.

One of the reasons I am listening to the X-2 is that I really loved the REF150 and the Aida's are 89 dB/W and the X-2 94.5 dB/W. But the decision is not yet taken.

 

[andromedaaudio]

The more neutral -better balanced the speaker , the easier to tune the system in my opinion .
Micro , just tell him the tubes last until a 1000 hours optimum

 

[A.wayne]

That's right..... you can tune it any way you like it. That's why you should worry less about speaker measurements.

Thats why you should be concerned Bruce , broadband coloration cannot be tuned away ...

 

[flez007]

Who cares what they measure? What they sound like should be the deciding factor!! Sounds like an Audacity Cowboy....

+2 (the Peso is over-valued now so it counts!)

 

[MylesBAstor]

bad input (Poor measurement implementation or worse)=bad output (results)=useless measurements. It is really that simple.

The question that begs asking is given the conditions, why even do the measurements at all?

 

[A.wayne]

The more neutral -better balanced the speaker , the easier to tune the system in my opinion .
Micro , just tell him the tubes last until a 1000 hours optimum

Tubes last along time unfortunately their sonic degradation starts much earlier in their life , 600 hrs sounds like new tubes are in need ..

 

[A.wayne]

Agree , The national enquirer title was meant to insight ...

While i would have like to have seen a full GP measurement the results still had enuff info , the FR anomaly was confirmed by the impedance mag/ phase graph, this correlation confirms the measured response , other words even if he did not do an FR measurement , we could have predicted some sort of issue in that region , there is no way to muck up that test ...

The fact that with big speakers, like the XLF, they are not able to set up a measurement test that correlates accurately with what they are trying to measure. Just one example.

On another note, What is the purpose of this thread's misleading title ? No Alexandria series has been measured on this website. Is the op another Wilson troll with an axe to grind ? Perhaps the mods should edit the completely misleading title.

 

[treitz3]

The question that begs asking is given the conditions, why even do the measurements at all?

As an insight to what.....why do I get the feeling you know the answer to this question already?

Tom

 

[LL21]

@Lloyd

I think imaging is not a matter of speaker size but of the way it deals with the wavelaunch. Pardon the big word but it means that the sound from the speakers reach the listener with a minimum amount of diffraction .. The X-2 does this extremely well. IT will go from smallish.. say a solo voice in a dry environment, to the huge sound of a concert hall. I have repeated this experience for a while but there was cut by Boz scags in an acoustic setting and clearly a small venue and close miked... The darn man was there Spooky to an extent I have rarely head from any system... Then we heard a larger piece, from RR Recording I believe, don't remember .. The venue grew to big, very, very big .. Small monitors don't do that, they usually can't do that. They will be nice on small and continue to be small when the venue change and not only small monitors but also many speakers that image well .. They cannot grow to fill the soundstage with sound .. THe X-2 do it with a midrange that will make people with Quad marvel but with a dynamic I am not sure the Quads that I have heard (several) can.. Not anything against the X-1 but it is not as pure and neutral as the X-2.

I am not looking for speakers in that "price range'. I have had a change of philosophy concerning speakers I may open a thread on it. But at such a level I require neutrality, purity and an absence of coloration. I think it is a lot to pay for colorations however nice they may be. I consider a system to be just like the post office. Please deliver me the mail don;t add anything to the message. I wouldn't be too lenient on a speaker that put its patina on everything I listen to , I would like it to get out of the way and try to replicate the sound on the medium, if possible...




I heard them with Wilson XS and then Gotham. The XS IMO (Sorry Steve ) wasn't placed at the best position to strut its stuff and I came with the impression that beter placement would have made a serious difference, Steve if I remember correctly ended up not using it for 2-ch that much... The Gotham are another story .. First they were optimized in term of placement , settings and even room treatment. Second there were two of them . Third, One is superior to the XS , With 2 ... Need I say anything. Now I actually believe the X-2 more so than many speakers in its price range, requires a sub. The FR is is said to go below 20 Hz the speaker doesn't seem to go that low the way say speakers in this class (The Big JM Labs, The Big Rockports, the Dunleavy V and many others) ... They are not bass shy ... Faaaaar from it, simply they don't seem to plumb the depth below 30 Hz as well as they do everything over 30 Hz... The kind of low bass you feel as a dry , I-am-there-and-I-am-potent kind of looow bass... From 30 Hz to 500 Hz they match what one hears in real life and with accuracy. Few speakers are so at ease as well as the X-2 in that region .. They provide in that region a realistic energy that gives music a solid foundation that gives music a realism missing in many speakers ... Still to get the best of them IMHO they require subs more so than many in their price range, to repeat myself... I believe the best reproduction is attained by using subwoofers, as in multiple subwoofers regardless of the speakers ... The myths about speakers too fast to be mated with a "slow" subwoofers needs to be dispelled.. X-2 with good subwooferS (there are may out there) takes you to another level, which interestingly enough highlights the qualities of the speakers, and these are numerous ... In my book I would have used X-2 with gob of power. The cleaner the better but lot of power nonetheless

On the surface the difference between the X-2 and the rest of the Wilson line doesn't seem that much say the Maxx3 and the X-2 . A comparison with Live music will let you know how more neutral and true to the medium they are. They have, to me, the least amount of a "house" sound than the other Wilson speakers I have heard. And they are chameleon that works well with any amplifier you throw at them ... Tubes, SS or Class D I think they sound good (Not that I have heard them with Clas D ) ...I sincerely believe they'd sound good with a decent AVR ... Ouch !! The Heresy

Thanks for that...good read. BTW, i totally agree that the X1/X2 both respond well with subs in my experience, and many of the owners of these speakers i know end up with one (or two). Of the few i have spoken to, the majority have subs...generally cut off around 38hz+/-.

 

[Revel Salon 2]

The fact that with big speakers, like the XLF, they are not able to set up a measurement test that correlates accurately with what they are trying to measure. Just one example.

On another note, What is the purpose of this thread's misleading title ? No Alexandria series has been measured on this website. Is the op another Wilson troll with an axe to grind ? Perhaps the mods should edit the completely misleading title.

I ain't no troll...

Guy;-)

 

[rockitman]

I ain't no troll...

Guy;-)

Then why don't you edit your erroneous title of the thread ?

 

[treitz3]

Let's not get personal, guys. Come on, it's a new year in a matter of hours now. As Mr. Marley would say.....

? Don't worry, be Happy! ?

Tom

 

[Revel Salon 2]

Then why don't you edit your erroneous title of the thread ?

it's the title of the letter sent to Soudstage network...did you read it ? link is at the beginning of this thread...why change the title? they measure bad....OEM drivers no anechoic chamber...'voiced' by ear...you get the point.

 

[microstrip]

Thanks for that...good read. BTW, i totally agree that the X1/X2 both respond well with subs in my experience, and many of the owners of these speakers i know end up with one (or two). Of the few i have spoken to, the majority have subs...generally cut off around 38hz+/-.

As far as I see now in my room (31 feet long) the main problem is not the speaker but the listener and speaker placement in the room. Due to difference in distance between the speaker plane - front wall and the listener - back wall , the difference in the paths between speaker - front wall - listener and speaker - back wall - listener causes a cancel in bass at zone between 30 and 40 Hz. A room with rigid walls that does not absorb bass is this range will enhance this null zone. Placing the speakers and listener according to the rule of the thirds makes both paths similar and minimizes it. Perhaps - I have not simulated it - having a port on the back, as the XLF now has, can also help this aspect, as the speaker is really very deep and paths from speaker and port get different .

However, placing a sub in a plane distant from the main speaker plane will fill this null. And yes, most of the time they are not needed over 38 Hz with full range speakers.

 

[rockitman]

it's the title of the letter sent to Soudstage network...did you read it ? link is at the beginning of this thread...why change the title? they measure bad....OEM drivers no anechoic chamber...'voiced' by ear...you get the point.

The link did not bring me to that page last night. It did now and I have read the bunk.

That opinion isn't worth the feeble bandwidth it occupies on the web...nor are the measurements JA apparently took. Clearly an opinion from someone with a Wilson axe to grind.

 

[Revel Salon 2]

The link did not bring me to that page last night. It did now and I have read the bunk.

That opinion isn't worth the feeble bandwidth it occupies on the web...nor are the measurements JA apparently took. Clearly an opinion from someone with a Wilson axe to grind.

no hard feeling Christian...I respect your taste and opinion...by the way I had a look at your system...very nice set-up!! some serious money there...the Pass are amazing !!

Regard

Guy La Rue