[John Y. Chao]

I just got the X2's into the showroom this past Friday and spent all of Saturday putting them together. Fit and finish is beyond reproach. The X-over's are just simply cool to look at.

Peter McGrath came into the showroom on Wednesday (along with Luke Manley of VTL) to set up the speakers.

The speakers are now running with VTL 7.5 preamp and the new Sigefried amplifiers, the full DCS stack and Opus MM cabling.

Of course the sounds in the back room is truly amazing. The X2's are resolving layers upon layers of texture that was never apparent before.

I believe that everybody should get a chance to audition such a system, just for sheer amazement. All of my old fraternity friends freak out when I play music for them... of course I tell them the price tag and they all about fall off of their beer kegs!


John Y. Chao

Sound Components

 

[Greg_R]

How would you compare the X2 system to the one you've listed here ?

 

[Bigus]

Of course the MAXX system now sounds like crap in comparison. Didn't you read... the X2's resolve layer upon layer that were never audible before. Man, we have been putting up with crappy speakers for decades!

 

[Randybes]

Sounds like an onion

 

[QQQ]

Quote:

Originally posted by Bigus Of course the MAXX system now sounds like crap in comparison. Didn't you read... the X2's resolve layer upon layer that were never audible before. Man, we have been putting up with crappy speakers for decades!

So which is better, "resolving layer upon layer that were never resolved before", or "when switching to the X2's it was as if a veil had been lifted from the music". Are layers better or worse than veils?


p.s. According to all the reports oneobgyn has heard, the X1's sounded broken next to the X2's. That means the Maxx's have to sound like complete crapola. I would almost be ashamed to own a pair.

 

[wvick]

I wonder how they sound after break in..... Sweet Onions? Seriously, I listened to the X-2's Saturday and they are awesome, as they should be for 125k.

 

[tzucc]

Geez... you are a dealer in Fla... that's pretty far away from San Jose.


I wonder if this means our local SF wilson dealers will get a pair to audition.

 

[oneobgyn]

perhaps "sour grapes" and not onions

 

[Randybes]

Grapes seem like they would be hard to peel-seriously, I am sure the speakers sound great-but you have to admit the hyperbole sometimes becomes a little over the top or maybe you don't think that. The phrases seem to be overused I guess because I have read too many magazine reviews. That is not to say they aren't the best speakers in the world, I am sure they probably are and I would love to hear them sometime.

 

[Bigus]

They're not just the best speakers in the world though... all other speakers are henceforth officially "broken."

 

[Randybes]

Should I fire sale mine?

 

[Greg_R]

Well my question was actually serious. John, what do think of the X2s vs. the prior system you listed?

 

[oneobgyn]

Bigus--if you are going to quote me, please do so correctly. My comment was that the X-1's sounded broken in comparison to the X-2's. What you and others don't understand is that for me this hobby over the last 30 years has been a journey and not a destination. For me it is always striving for perfection. Heretofore the X-1's pretty much got me there. The X-2's are a darn sight closer and no doubt that in the next several years there will be something different and better. So while you are in your room conducting all of your double blind objectivist testing I will be in mine listening to great music with a glass of Lafitte wine and a smile on my face. As to your other comments about knowing where to go to get opinions on obscure and high end speakers I can tell you that I have owned just about all of them and certainly all but one of those mentioned by me in a different thread. For now and for my ears and my enjoyment, the X-2's are as good as it gets. My offer to you still stands as it always has.

 

[Randybes]

People are pretty serious here. This has been my hobby for 30 years also (along with running) but should we really take ourselves quite this seriously? Oneobygn-seemed like quite a bit of venom there but there has been some fun made so perhaps I have some blame. I am not here to get in the way of anybodys enjoyment so I will cease and desist. Enjoy your hobby.

 

[oneobgyn]

Sorry for the feeling but indeed this is a serious passion of mine. Indeed I have owned almost every high end bit of gear as well as speakers out there. For the past 10 years I have found in Wilson speakers that which works for me, my system and my room. I will say again, this is a journey and not a destination. No doubt there will be again something better but for now the X-2's are about as close to live as I have ever heard.

 

[Randybes]

I am glad they work. I have never heard Wilson, and I am sure they are extraordinary. As I said before, enjoy.

 

[oneobgyn]

John Chao has the distinct honor of working for the biggest Wilson dealer in the USA. The owner used to be Dave Wilson's national sales mgr and the previous owner (Peter McGrath) is now Dave Wilson's National Sales Mgr--the point being is that Peter knows how to set up this as well as other Wilson speakers.

 

[Bigus]

Quote:

Originally posted by oneobgyn For the past 10 years I have found in Wilson speakers that which works for me, my system and my room.

Now see, that's a much more rational way of expressing your satisfaction. The point I was trying to make (in the other thread, not this one), is that it's pretty pointless to unequivocally state that the X-2 is the best speaker in the world, no questions, no doubts, no rebuttals, no discussion... period. Well, for you, in your room, with your ears and preferences, that may be the case. For others there may still be a dozen speakers which easily sound better. Who are you to judge their preferences for them?


Simple point... perhaps I didn't get it across well with the extended sarcasm. I'm honestly glad you liked the X-2's (I could only imagine the horror you'd have gone through at Dave's house had they truly sounded bad ), and I sincerely hope they bring you as much enjoyment as you expect they will. But you have a tendency to tell everyone point blank that what you have, or the way you have done something, is the one and only "best" there is. You've done it in the past, you've done it here (as expected), and no doubt you'll do it again. I hope you don't take this too strongly, but just maybe other people hear things a bit differently than you do. Example: Mr. Poindexter loves his IRS-V's, and I've seen others describe them in some pretty strong and horrid ways. People will never agree on the "best" sound there is, so there's no point in making such declarations.


BTW, occasionally I put down my calibrated mic, stop playing test tones, and actually listen to music as well... that is, when I'm not on stage performing.

 

[oneobgyn]

I apologize if your interpretation of my X-2 comments was that it is the best speaker made. Perhaps in my mind I find it unequalled. Certainly the Kharma Grand Exquisite reference is another $80K (but hey who's counting?) and the WAMM was $250K. My only point was what I was asked by tzucc--my impression of the audition-- and I gave him just that. I feel that I have as critical an ear as the next person and am able to easily comment on the X-1/ X-2 as it was as instantaneous A/B test. Don't get me wrong--the X-1's are magnificent speakers and certainly up there in the top 5 speakers made BUT the audition was so dramatic that my only comment again was that the X-2's seemed 3 dimensional and the X-1's 2 dimensional. Also with the X-1's it was as if I was dead center in row one of the orchestra listening (which is where I thought I was with the X-1'S) and now the X-1's are still dead center in the orchestra but at least 10 rows back. As I also said , there is no doubt in my mind that in the next few years there will be better still but for now this was as lifelike as anyhting I have ever heard. I will merely leave it at that and say that this speaker eclipses the Wilson WAMM

 

[tzucc]

I would take OB's opinion with some weight. Not only because he has been in this field for 30 years, but more for the fact that his system with X-1s sounds INCREDIBLE. You guys are all armchair reviewers of speakers, yet you don't take up OB on his incredibly generous (I have no clue why he does offer this to anyone!) offer to come listen to his system. I can tell you he has a FAR better setup than any Wilson dealer I have been to (three so far) and FAR FAR better sound.


Therefore it's safe to say that OB knows what the heck he is talking about, because he has managed to assemble one very very good sounding system. He is definitely no arm chair reviewer with JBL speakers and a Panasonic receiver... this guy knows how to get results in audio.


Before you criticize his reviews of Wilson gear, DO go check out his room now with X-1's if he'll have you.


I place the dollar bet that you will become a Wilson zealot the very same day.