Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX First Impressions

I just spent over six hours today listening to my friend's new Wilson Audio Chronosonic XVX loudspeakers. Consistent with being blown away by the Master Chronosonic + Master Subsonic system at Maier Shadi's demo in Santa Monica, and consistent with a couple of reports by people who auditioned at Maier's both the Master Chronosonic and later the XVX and preferred the XVX, I am here to report officially that I think the XVX is now my favorite conventional cone driver speaker system. I think I prefer the XVX even to my longtime favorite dynamic driver loudspeaker, the mighty Rockport Arrakis.

Prior to the XVX, my friend had the Alexx. The height alone of the XVX over the Alexx affords the system the height and scale and grandeur I always notice and appreciate from very tall loudspeakers.

I don't know why the XVX is an order of magnitude better -- next level better -- than the Alexx. But I am certain that it is.

I think the XVX is the first dynamic driver speaker of which I was very aware that you can hear seemingly almost everything at fairly low listening volumes. It doesn't need to be played loudly to be heard comfortably.

In much the same way that people like to applaud their digital playback systems by saying "it sounds like analog," dynamic driver loudspeaker aficionados like to say their cone speakers have "electrostatic-like transparency." Believe me, if most dynamic driver speakers had "electrostatic-like transparency" we would not need electrostatic speakers.

As somebody who loves electrostatic speakers I have always been aware that speakers of other topologies are one or two steps less transparent than electrostatic speakers. I feel like the XVX truly has "electrostatic-like transparency" -- at least credibly so, and more so than any other cone speaker I've ever heard.

Just like I felt about the Master Chronosonic the XVX gives one the sense of unlimited dynamic capability. There is a limitlessness and an effortlessness to the sound that I do not hear from other box speakers. Other heroically inert box speakers sound tightly wrapped or button-downed by comparison -- like some portion of the sound is trapped in the box and having trouble freeing itself. The XVX sounds open somehow -- a sonic presentation I associate with planar speakers, not with big box speakers.

I know, I know, I know. I am thinking and saying the same things you are: these are meaningless statements as you can't compare loudspeakers in different systems from fault-prone memory; you will never be able to hear an XVX versus a Rockport Arrakis, or an XVX versus a VSA Ultra 11, in the same room with the same associated components at the same time, etc., etc. I know, and I agree with you.

All I am saying is that if you put a gun to my head and told me I had to buy a dynamic driver loudspeaker system for my personal system and cost was not a factor. . . I would say take the gun away from my head. Then I would tell you I will order XVX + Master Subsonics.

Without intending to be coy, I couch this is terms of "the XVX is the box speaker I would I buy if I had to buy a box speaker for myself" rather than "the XVX is the best box speaker I've ever heard," because I cannot hear the Von Schweikert Audio Ultra 11 and the Evolution Acoustics MM7 and the Rockport Arrakis and the YG XV in the same room in the same system as the XVX + Subsonics. So it just does not make any sense to declare, and it is analytically defective to declare, that the XVX is the best speaker I have ever heard.

My view that if I had to buy a box speaker I would buy the XVX + Subsonics is a combination of what I heard from the XVX, what I vaguely remember from hearing these other other speakers in other systems, and my slight prejudice against ceramic drivers which I would be worried I might find uncomfortable over a long period of time. (I would worry the same about beryllium drivers and about diamond encrusted drivers.)

I have owned only planar loudspeakers my entire life. I literally couldn't bear to listen to Wilson Audio speakers with metal dome tweeters. I have never been a big fan of Wilson Audio speakers in general. But I thought I heard magic from Maier's demo of the Master Chronosonic, and my experience today proves that that inkling was correct.

I don't know how or what Daryl Wilson did to achieve it, but I am reporting that to my ears the XVX is a very, very special speaker. It is a stunning achievement in dynamic driver loudspeaker design specifically, and in loudspeaker design in general.

PS: Assuming they physically fit in Michael Fremer's listening room, I have no doubt that Michael will upgrade his Alexx to XVX. He might go in not wanting to upgrade, but after hearing these there is no way he's going to be happy without the XVX.

 

How many 16ohm speakers do you know that can take 100+ watts? Usually its like 35w or less.

We are drifting away form the main subject - that it is not possible to make a 100W amplifier sounding like a good low power SET. I am just suggesting ways to get it.

But remember our host Steve connects his Lamm ML3 to Wilson Audio X2 using the 8 ohms taps - probably we could easily connect a 8 ohm well behaved speaker to a 16 ohm tap.

Anyway, such 16 ohm speakers exist or can easily be built ...

 

You should try the Kharmas with an all Lamm system fed by a proper analog front end, you might change your mind.
(...)

david

I tried to get the impedance modulus and phase plot of the Kharma Exquisite midi from the manufacturer, but the only information I got was "4 ohm". Considering they are a 90dB/W speaker no one will take the risk without proper listening.

 

Was that with neodio digital? thank you.

I worked that show and vaguely recall it was a CD. The Neodio Origine was the player in his room. Analog was an early Kronos, ZYX cartridge.

 

I tried to get the impedance modulus and phase plot of the Kharma Exquisite midi from the manufacturer, but the only information I got was "4 ohm". Considering they are a 90dB/W speaker no one will take the risk without proper listening.

People have bought them to use with ML3 and I’ve done the installation myself. It’s a far better match to the Lamm than any Max or Alexandria system I’ve heard and unlike the Wilsons that I find borderline at best in this application there’s plenty of dynamics and beautiful natural bass without any lag.

david

 

People have bought them to use with ML3 and I’ve done the installation myself. It’s a far better match to the Lamm than any Max or Alexandria system I’ve heard and unlike the Wilsons that I find borderline at best in this application there’s plenty of dynamics and beautiful natural bass without any lag.

david

my Kharma Exquisite's with my 75 watt Tenor OTL's were wonderful. awesome. and 32 Lamm SET watts are likely equal or better than 75 Tenor OTL watts considering the transformers.

as an added bonus the Lamm's don't explode regularly.

 

People have bought them to use with ML3 and I’ve done the installation myself. It’s a far better match to the Lamm than any Max or Alexandria system I’ve heard and unlike the Wilsons that I find borderline at best in this application there’s plenty of dynamics and beautiful natural bass without any lag.

david

It was why I requested the impedance information.

 

I tried to get the impedance modulus and phase plot of the Kharma Exquisite midi from the manufacturer, but the only information I got was "4 ohm". Considering they are a 90dB/W speaker no one will take the risk without proper listening.

I have found that a better substitute for what the book might say is what it actually sounds like.

 

I have found that a better substitute for what the book might say is what it actually sounds like.

Well, if a brand has a decent distribution and dealers usually it is the best way - nothing beat an home demo. But we are addressing Lamm and Kharma, two very particular brands in this aspect.

Considering that there is currently a large offer of excellent quality gear and we can't listen to everything doing the homework with proper technical data can help. Surely some people prefer magic and wizards. Surely sometimes living in technical ignorance is much more restful.

 

The best amplifier I’ve ever heard on a Magico speaker was the hybrid Lamm M1.1. It was on my difficult to drive Magico Q3.

Best amps I ever heard on the 1 Ohm Apogee Scintillas was the hybrid Lamm M1.1

 

Well, if a brand has a decent distribution and dealers usually it is the best way - nothing beat an home demo. But we are addressing Lamm and Kharma, two very particular brands in this aspect.

Considering that there is currently a large offer of excellent quality gear and we can't listen to everything doing the homework with proper technical data can help. Surely some people prefer magic and wizards. Surely sometimes living in technical ignorance is much more restful.

When Vladimir Lamm was asked what’s a good speaker for his ML2, he said an early version of the Vitavox CN191. I now live with that combination and hear it every day.

I sleep well not needing to worry about the reasons the pairing sounds so good. I listened and I knew.

 

When Vladimir Lamm was asked what’s a good speaker for his ML2, he said an early version of the Vitavox CN191. I now live with that combination and hear it every day.

I sleep well not needing to worry about the reasons the pairing sounds so good. I listened and I knew.

I had forgotten the brand and model of your speakers. I also didn't know that about Lamm's taste. I guess you and the late Mr. Lamm share an affinity for vintage sound.

 

I had forgotten the brand and model of your speakers. I also didn't know that about Lamm's taste. I guess you and the late Mr. Lamm share an affinity for vintage sound.

Usually electronics manufacturers avoid endorsing formally brands of speakers in order to avoid conflicts with distributors and dealers. However considering this a thread on Wilson speakers I suggest you try to read what Vladimir Lamm wrote about Wilson Audio speakers and David Wilson.

 

I had forgotten the brand and model of your speakers. I also didn't know that about Lamm's taste. I guess you and the late Mr. Lamm share an affinity for vintage sound.

I don’t know what vintage sound means. Mr. Lamm referred to his gear as sounding natural and real.

My old system sounded very different from what he was describing.

 

Usually electronics manufacturers avoid endorsing formally brands of speakers in order to avoid conflicts with distributors and dealers. However considering this a thread on Wilson speakers I suggest you try to read what Vladimir Lamm wrote about Wilson Audio speakers and David Wilson.

Below is a post from Steve in 2010! Video interviewing among others Vladimir Lamm speaking about Wilson speakers as Steve says...

Here are some behind the scenes video at CES 2010 showing setup of Wilson speakers by John Giolas and Peter McGrath of Wilson Audio. It also shows other manufacturers demoing their wares with Wilson speakers.

Here are some behind the scenes video at CES 2010 showing setup of Wilson speakers by John Giolas and Peter McGrath of Wilson Audio. It also shows other manufacturers demoing their wares with Wilson speakers. What I found interesting was Vladimir Lamm's comments that he didn't like Wilson speakers until they were paired with Lamm electronics. It also shows the Lamm ML3's with Wilson MAXX3's

It also shows the Lamm ML3's with Wilson MAXX3's

 

I don’t know what vintage sound means. Mr. Lamm referred to his gear as sounding natural and real.

My old system sounded very different from what he was describing.

For me, vintage means an overly romantic sound. Pleasant but unnatural. The sonic equivalent of photographic filters used by young people today on social media. I would never categorize it as sounding real.

I thought your old system could sound somewhat natural at times (despite the electronics) depending on the cartridge situation.

 

Ron, I apologize for my role in taking the thread off topic. Back to the Wilson XVX speaker which you like so much.

 

For me, vintage means an overly romantic sound. Pleasant but unnatural. The sonic equivalent of photographic filters used by young people today on social media. I would never categorize it as sounding real.

I thought your old system could sound somewhat natural at times (despite the electronics) depending on the cartridge situation.

Vintage is the age of something, no? Peter’s Speakers are vintage because they are nearly 70 years old. His Lamms are still perhaps a wee bit too young to be vintage.

 

Thank you, Tim. I did not set out to like them as much as I do, or to find them as remarkable as I do, or to find reasons to write such an enthusiastic report. But I like to think I go into auditions relatively bias-free. I like to think I am open-minded (except, admittedly, about listening to all-analog high-end audio systems on smartphones and computers through youtube videos).

Wilson Audio is not a brand I personally have cottoned to generally over the years. Dynamic driver speakers in general are not my favorite speaker topology (especially for my musical genre preference of solo vocalist with simple acoustic instrument accompaniment). I have never owned high-end cones-in-boxes speakers. Non-D'Appolito driver array cone speakers are not my favorite design within the dynamic driver speaker category.

Yet, I was blown away by Maier's original Master Chronosonic demonstration (and, interestingly, more so even than some Wilson Audio owners who were there, but maybe they were value-adjusting the price of the system in their heads), and I found my friend's speakers to be similarly remarkable.

Wilson marketing literature aside the XVX does not look to me to be a radically new design for Wilson (midranges and tweeters are still above woofers on movable platforms for time alignment in inert boxes made of fancy resins), nor is Wilson using radically new drivers, nor does anything else about the XVX appear to be radically new.

It all looks evolutionary to me, not revolutionary. Yet, somehow, the whole thing together doesn't sound like any Wilson speaker I've ever heard (other than the earlier Master Chronosonic, of course).

Have you heard the Master or the XVX yet?

My friend has a variety of amplifiers. He has two elaborate and completely separate systems, including six turntables and two open reel tape machines. I call his listening room "The Laboratory."

Last night we used the Einstein Silver Bullet OTL and the McIntosh MC611. Sonically I much preferred the Einstein, but it ran out of power except on low-demand music.

Hi Ron, replying to your 2+ year old post specifically about the Einstein Silver Bullet OTL. I have been doing some research on OTL's, can you elaborate how the Einsteins ran out of gas? Volumes levels you experienced it, program material, any other info? Also, how do you think they perform with a Fyne F1-10 or F1-12?

 

Hi Ron, replying to your 2+ year old post specifically about the Einstein Silver Bullet OTL. I have been doing some research on OTL's, can you elaborate how the Einsteins ran out of gas? Volumes levels you experienced it, program material, any other info? Also, how do you think they perform with a Fyne F1-10 or F1-12?

Hi Darrell,

Unfortunately, with respect to the Einstein OTL on XVX I don’t remember any details. I just concluded that for myself generally it doesn’t work. I think if you limited the musical repertoire to girl with guitar you would be fine.

I think that amplifier very likely would be wonderful on those Fynes!

The OTLs I have heard exhibit a leanness that I’m not sure I could live with full-time. But if that doesn’t bother you, their crystalline transparency is wonderful.

 

Hi Darrell,

Unfortunately, with respect to the Einstein OTL on XVX I don’t remember any details. I just concluded that for myself generally it doesn’t work. I think if you limited the musical repertoire to girl with guitar you would be fine.

I think that amplifier very likely would be wonderful on those Fynes!

The OTLs I have heard exhibit a leanness that I’m not sure I could live with full-time. But if that doesn’t bother you, their crystalline transparency is wonderful.

Thanks for the reply Ron.

Do you have any experience with the Graaf GM20 OTL, and if so did you find that leanness there as well?