what if this savant is wrong?

suri

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we tread different paths - all depends on our psyche, genetics, and what we learn - but, should we be influenced by this?-

"Well return to this and other aspects of the X-2s sound, but lets first consider the loudspeaker itself. The Alexandria X-2 is so named because it represents designer David Wilsons accumulated knowledge of loudspeaker design, just as the great library at Alexandria was the repository of all knowledge in the ancient world. This is Wilson Audios statement productthe best loudspeaker it knows how to build without regard to cost. And that cost is a considerable $148,000 per pair, a staggering sum for a loudspeaker of any kind. However, the design, build-quality, execution, and finish are commensurately staggering; they dont get any better than this. Ive looked closely at several other speakers costing north of a hundred large and discovered that theyre often simply larger versions of the companys lesser speakers. That is, they are scaled up in cabinet size and driver count, but not in technology, design innovation, or build-quality." - from the wilson audio site.
 
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Scratch, scratch ( on the head ! )...
What exactly's on your mind, Suri

hi kamal,

the reviewer assumes that david wilson is on the right path and that all his accumulated knowledge has resulted in the creation of that (alexandria) loudspeaker -

david wilson is a well regarded designer, and the alexandria could well be another step on the right path for him.

on the other hand, if you have followed the designs of alon wolf (magico), you will see that he took a detour on the path to insanity and brain-shutdown when he designed and actually produced the Magico Ultimate - the man wants people to buy this expensive piece of aluminium.

when i wrote "what if this savant is wrong?" - it could happen that the designer loses touch with reality - what happens then? - and among the popular speaker brands that populate the world, which have suffered at the hands of a designer choosing a wrong path?

i read, with interest, audioengrs post regarding the evolution of B&W speakers, and from this it can be seen that they have moved away from their original stance.

regards, suri
 
What if he is right? All will acclaim him. If he is wrong - no one [actually some still will] will buy his speakers. The world will still go on. Another failed product. He is not the first and will certainly not be the last.
IMO, he has the gumption to build something that in HIS opinion is right - for that alone he is worth applauding. So - :clapping:
 
What if he is right? All will acclaim him. If he is wrong - no one [actually some still will] will buy his speakers. The world will still go on. Another failed product. He is not the first and will certainly not be the last.
IMO, he has the gumption to build something that in HIS opinion is right - for that alone he is worth applauding. So - :clapping:

actually keith, i think i would want to know what went wrong with a failed loudspeaker - from a manufacturer with other successful loudspeakers.

there is, probably, a lot to be learned from this analysis than from dissecting the success of successful loudspeakers.

the problem with these uber loudspeakers ,which cost north of $100,000, is that not very many are sold and critical and honest reviews of a failure cannot be expected - at these prices such speakers are probably acquired just because they cost that much, and even if they are comparative failures (compared to the ones they replaced), there will not be many people able to analyze this failure - and like i said - probably a lot of info can be gleaned.

apart from that, yes, all these guys are to be applauded for their focus and their gumption!
 
Suri, actually from what I've read abt the Alexandria, its more evolutionary than revolutionary, a progression of Wilson speakers that came before.
The text that you quoted is more marketing hype & enlisting reviewers to write nice stuff is not unknown.
While I've not had the pleasure of listening to Wilson speakers, SKR, who possessed a Watt/puppy said he found the sound dry.
Among the B&W speakers, I've heard the Nautilus 801 & the 603S3.
I found the sonic signature pretty neutral which can be a problem if you have a lifelong passion for, as I have, old hindi film songs with their iffy recording quality-they sounded pretty horrible but well recorded stuff came across nicely.
Perhaps the Alexandria don't deliver acc to the hype?
Even well heeled people don't blindly throw money(else they would'nt have become well heeled)
 
trust some of us have seen/heard of/heard the Siltech SC1, that uses the Cadence ES panel? 68k Euros. also, the Cadence and Finolex people are part owners/stake holders of Siltech, to the best of common understanding.
 
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Suri, actually from what I've read abt the Alexandria, its more evolutionary than revolutionary, a progression of Wilson speakers that came before.
The text that you quoted is more marketing hype & enlisting reviewers to write nice stuff is not unknown.
While I've not had the pleasure of listening to Wilson speakers, SKR, who possessed a Watt/puppy said he found the sound dry.
Among the B&W speakers, I've heard the Nautilus 801 & the 603S3.
I found the sonic signature pretty neutral which can be a problem if you have a lifelong passion for, as I have, old hindi film songs with their iffy recording quality-they sounded pretty horrible but well recorded stuff came across nicely.
Perhaps the Alexandria don't deliver acc to the hype?
Even well heeled people don't blindly throw money(else they would'nt have become well heeled)

hi kamal,

thanks for that info-

re well-heeled people - of those, and out of them who blindly threw money, mike tyson is one name that comes to my mind - dhoni and bhajji are known for this trait - there should be very many people in the sports arena and the entertainment industry who live for the moment and throw money blindly for material (and sometimes spiritual) goods!:)
 
Rubbish,garbage and Junk..these snob speakers help people with lots of wealth to squander.and Mr Wilson is sitting there to accumulate it.

A Speaker System built with the best component/ module in this world cannot cost so much.its blasphemy!!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
Rubbish,garbage and Junk..these snob speakers help people with lots of wealth to squander.and Mr Wilson is sitting there to accumulate it.

A Speaker System built with the best component/ module in this world cannot cost so much.its blasphemy!!

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

hi deba,

the people who work at wilson audio are reported to be handsomely paid, and for last year wilson audio reportedly made a profit of $300,000 on overall sales of $70,00,000.

sales worth $ 70,00,000 translates to roughly 250 pairs of loudspeakers - and this is for a whole year.

and anyway, wilson speakers are aspirational, and if Mr. Wilson lowered the prices on his speakers (which, like you pointed out, he could easily do), he would run the risk of losing his entire market, because then he would be competing against competent players.
 
the people who work at wilson audio are reported to be handsomely paid, and for last year wilson audio reportedly made a profit of $300,000 on overall sales of $70,00,000.

This cannot be right. No company can survive on 4.28% profits - gross or otherwise. It does not make ant economic sense whatsoever. Mr. Wilson will get more money by just keeping some money in a bank. Irrespective of passion, unless an organisation makes sense, it's shareholders will just get it shut down.



Cheers
 
This cannot be right. No company can survive on 4.28% profits - gross or otherwise. It does not make ant economic sense whatsoever. Mr. Wilson will get more money by just keeping some money in a bank. Irrespective of passion, unless an organisation makes sense, it's shareholders will just get it shut down. Cheers

hi venkatcr,

true, but read this article -

Beyond Bose WHO WOULD PAY $125,000 FOR STEREO SPEAKERS? WHO WOULD MAKE THEM? - July 1, 2003

in 2002, and then the profit margin seems to be 4.28%. - perhaps the company is paying Mr. Wilson too much?:)

regards, suri
 
Completely crazy. But I like his philosophy - "to build products that are so good that our competition is rendered irrelevant". This is unbeatable logic if you have the money.

Cheers
 
Well I have a lot of respect for Wilson Audio speakers. They maybe overpriced, but they sound exceptional and maybe to many who can afford them, that is all what matters. I had auditioned the Duette bookshelf a couple of years ago and I couldn't find a single fault in the way it sounded. It made the B&W N804 sound like a tin can with exactly the same electronics chain.
 
I heard the Wilson Audio Sophia side by side the Sonus Faber Cermona Auditor Bookshelf..easily would pick the Sonus Faber over the Wilson Audio. Just so much more involving and class to the Italian speaker..
 
others kindly disregard this philistine intrusion...but Suri what is it with you and the word 'savant' ?
 
others kindly disregard this philistine intrusion...but Suri what is it with you and the word 'savant' ?

since you ask moktan -

my father was/is an idiot savant - a man who was academically lucifer - first in india, first throughout the british isles- graduating with "summa cum laude" at loughborough-things like that.

but - the man was an idiot - incapable of looking after himself - in youth he was looked after by parents/servants, when he came of age, it was my mother's misfortune to have married him and to have to look after him, and when she died, had to be looked after by his children.

a man i dislike intensely - yet, thoughts of him sometimes occupied an inordinate proportion of my day.

many years ago, his treating doctor referred to him as a savant -
and since then the word has stuck in my mind.

when i use the word, i imply - "idiot- genius-who -will-not- fit- into- society-and-therefore-should-be-euthanised!:)

thanks for asking moktan - that is a load off my shoulders!:)
 
since you ask moktan -

my father was/is an idiot savant - a man who was academically lucifer - first in india, first throughout the british isles- graduating with "summa cum laude" at loughborough-things like that.

but - the man was an idiot - incapable of looking after himself - in youth he was looked after by parents/servants, when he came of age, it was my mother's misfortune to have married him and to have to look after him, and when she died, had to be looked after by his children.

a man i dislike intensely - yet, thoughts of him sometimes occupied an inordinate proportion of my day.

many years ago, his treating doctor referred to him as a savant -
and since then the word has stuck in my mind.

when i use the word, i imply - "idiot- genius-who -will-not- fit- into- society-and-therefore-should-be-euthanised!:)

thanks for asking moktan - that is a load off my shoulders!:)

I was visualizing 'Wilson' similar to the charactars in "Aviator" and "Rain man".
never imagined.
 
This cannot be right. No company can survive on 4.28% profits - gross or otherwise. It does not make ant economic sense whatsoever. Mr. Wilson will get more money by just keeping some money in a bank. Irrespective of passion, unless an organisation makes sense, it's shareholders will just get it shut down.



Cheers

Venkatcr, Wilson audio is a Private company owned by Mr wilson himself ! so he is the shareholder.

And he is making 4% Net profit after handosmly paying himself and staff...and the perks could include Stay ,lodging etc and all other expenses... looking at it that way 4% is very lucrative in the US market where interest rates are around 1-2% !
 
I heard the Wilson Audio Sophia side by side the Sonus Faber Cermona Auditor Bookshelf..easily would pick the Sonus Faber over the Wilson Audio. Just so much more involving and class to the Italian speaker..


they follow absolutely opposite philosophies of design so liking or disliking would result on what you prefer to hear !

Wilson Audio: As accurate and neutral as possible so all the upstream components can be seen for what they are. enclosures to be as inert as possible
Sonus Faber: the speaker as a musical instrument and will enhance the musicality ..eg via specially treated resonant enclosures etc

..and most italian speakers (Chari, SF, Opera etc) roll of the highs and round the bass..so much that Krell amplifiers start to sound regular and regular amplifiers as euphonic;)
 
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