Toward a Better WBF…

[XV-1]

Wilson’s marketing campaign is so successful their customer helps them defend price increases to fellow audiophiles with technological advancements, raw material price increase etc etc…. Salute!

I am a Wilson customer. Seems I am the only one concerned with the ridiculous price increases they are charging.

It causes a downward spiral in sales, encouraging companies to raise prices again.

How about keeping prices sane and selling more quantities. That is generally how businesses stay in business.

 

[RCanelas]

Why lower prices?

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/veblen-good

 

[PYP]

Video interviews with Daryl Wilson appear to reveal an earnest young man who is motivated to both honor his father's legacy and to make his own mark. Both are powerful incentives to achieve success. Of course, that doesn't automatically result in financial success, but strong leadership is the foundation of success.

Given that, I don't see how he has a reason to try to raise prices arbitrarily or pass off shoddy design on an unsuspecting market. Hopefully, his financial staff is giving him good and actionable information. You might be skeptical of his "go big or go home" approach (big as in size of product, not necessarily size of market), but the company is his to lose.

 

[Amir]

In my opinion, not all products are better than vintage but most products are. The midrange of the XVX is better than the WAMM, for instance.

I mean new Wilson WAMM not the old one.

 

[Ron Resnick]

He’s assuming the Alexx V is the same product as the Maxx2 which is ludicrous as the Maxx 2 came out two decades ago in 2005 and there have literally been dozens of parts and cabinet improvements since then. Two different speaker designers as well. David > Daryl.

XV1: You pretended that two different models are actually one model?

This means you falsified the underlying fact in your Post #68 to improve your argument. Very dishonest!

 

[Mike Lavigne]

XV1: You pretended that two different models are actually one model?

This means you falsified the underlying fact in your Post #68 to improve your argument. Very dishonest!

Ron,

responding to Lee, but then addressing XV-1 and then saying 'dishonest' is a bit confusing and overblown, don't you think? equating the MAXX3 with the Alexx V is not entirely wrong. they occupy the same position in the Wilson hierarchy, 20 years apart. a case can be made.

agree it's a stretch, but not really dishonest.

using the term 'dishonest' get's a bit personal, which is not where this should be.

 

[bonzo75]

XV1: You pretended that two different models are actually one model?

This means you falsified the underlying fact in your Post #68 to improve your argument.Very dishonest!

He didn’t do that, I read it as not much difference between the two. I prefer the grand slam X1 to the XVX, so I disagree there is not much difference between the two

 

[XV-1]

XV1: You pretended that two different models are actually one model?

This means you falsified the underlying fact in your Post #68 to improve your argument. Very dishonest!

Ron

Do you have any idea what you are talking about or are you just listening to the Wilson schrill Lee?

Have a look at the Maxx3 and have a look at the Alexx V. They are essentially the same speaker updated over 15 years inflated by 300%.

It's not me that is dishonest, it is you actually writing this crap directly at me.

Poor form indeed Ron.

 

[Lee]

I mean new Wilson WAMM not the old one.


View attachment 114617

The newer WAMM was the one I was referring to.

 

[Lee]

Ron

Do you have any idea what you are talking about or are you just listening to the Wilson schrill Lee?

Have a look at the Maxx3 and have a look at the Alexx V. They are essentially the same speaker updated over 15 years inflated by 300%.

It's not me that is dishonest, it is you actually writing this crap directly at me.

Poor form indeed Ron.

Sorry but it’s ridiculous to compare an 18 year old Wilson design to one in 2023 and believe tthey are “essentially the same.”

 

[marty]

Have a look at the Maxx3 and have a look at the Alexx V. They are essentially the same speaker updated over 15 years ....

Surely you are kidding? I have no quarrel with your perspective, which you are certainly free to express. I just want to know one thing. Have you heard both the Maxx3 and the Alexx V running the same gear in the same room? No sensible audiophile would ever mistake them sonically as remotely close to each other. (Just FYI, I've owned both, with different gear of course). When unsubstantiated and ill-informed remarks like the one you made go unchallenged it serves nobody well. Why on god's green earth would you characterize them as "essentially the same speaker"? The driver's are totally different, the crossovers are different, the cabinet material is different, the driver alignment is different, the cabinet venting is different, etc. The list goes on. Is a 2023 Tesla essentially the same car as a 1934 Packard because they both have 4 tires and a steering wheel?

Regarding pricing, which you are so quick to condemn Wilson for, I would remind you that the Alexx V is universally considered to be a significantly better speaker than the Alexandria XLF (which I also owned) but it retails for about 60K less than its predecessor. Why not cite that as a meaningful and welcome real world value proposition from Wilson?

 

[Amir]

The newer WAMM was the one I was referring to.

In your idea the midrange of XVX is better than WAMM. As you know WAMM is three times more expensive than XVX. Please call Wilson and share your opinion to them , they may decrease the WAMM price under $300k.

In your opinion the Wilson speakers are time/phase coherent but the step response does not show/prove your claim.

In your idea there are many improvements in audio technology but after 40 years now the good Analog playback and some vintage loudspeakers are more musical than new digital technology.

 

[Joe Whip]

Is it time to move on yet from the Wilson tIt for tat.I am not a Wilson fan but this is getting a bit much.

 

[Audio_Karma]

Covid made all this happen and things may never be the same again...

 

[bonzo75]

Is it time to move on yet from the Wilson

That should take us toward a better WBF

 

[mtemur]

When I read 10 pages of discussion I reached to a conclusion that prices are low for the high end gear. It should be higher. When there are so many customers advocating and justifying high prices there is no way for me to think otherwise. Not just Wilson but almost all high end companies are simply ripping us off in order to continue their luxurious life.

 

[bonzo75]

When I read 10 pages of discussion I reached to a conclusion that prices are low for the high end gear. It should be higher. When there are so many customers advocating and justifying high prices there is no way for me to think otherwise. Not just Wilson but almost all high end companies are simply ripping us off in order to continue their luxurious life.

I have no problem with the companies. Just the consumers. If the consumers keep pulling them right, more companies will head in that direction. Kind of why current TTs and phonos and cartridges are good, even ignoring the very high priced ones.

 

[Lee]

In your idea the midrange of XVX is better than WAMM. As you know WAMM is three times more expensive than XVX. Please call Wilson and share your opinion to them , they may decrease the WAMM price under $300k.

In your opinion the Wilson speakers are time/phase coherent but the step response does not show/prove your claim.

In your idea there are many improvements in audio technology but after 40 years now the good Analog playback and some vintage loudspeakers are more musical than new digital technology.

Yes. The company continues to evolve its drivers. The new midrange for the XVX uses Alnico magnets and is an improvement on the already excellent WAMM.

John Atkinson responded to the time coherency question when he said the Wilsons measure well on that dimension.

I do think there are many improvements in audio technology. I did not make any claims herein on vintage speakers or good analog playback except. I did claim that, based on my current understanding from talking to de Paravicini, that analog tape has an uniquely dense amount of musical information.

 

[Lee]

When I read 10 pages of discussion I reached to a conclusion that prices are low for the high end gear. It should be higher. When there are so many customers advocating and justifying high prices there is no way for me to think otherwise. Not just Wilson but almost all high end companies are simply ripping us off in order to continue their luxurious life.

I think the posts herein are making the case for the higher prices. I don‘t see anyone claiming they are too low.

 

[mtemur]

I think the posts herein are making the case for the higher prices. I don‘t see anyone claiming they are too low.

I am claiming prices are too low after reading some comments justifying and advocating high prices. If high end companies had worked for improving their products as hard as they do for the persuasion of the prices we would have better products now.