Wilson Alexia V - 2023 Stereophile Speaker of the Year ???

[DearSX]

I really wish we have good measurements for these kinds of speakers. So far the Revel F328BE seems to be the best measuring speaker I have seen overall. Although I know too well the room plays in a huge role in what sound gets to my ears.

Reviewers have their own tastes, and some might be swayed by freebies or pressure from advertisers. Plus, fancy jargon and the "Emperor's New Clothes" effect can make pricey speakers seem better than they are, even to someone like me who has been in the game for a while. I've kind of decided to not give any of them the benefit of the doubt till I see measurements and hear them. I have heard expensive systems at shows and stores and usually I'm not super impressed. Maybe I want too much.

 

[teched58]

Since it's mostly new money buying these monstrosities, I'm sure the buyer gets lost of stroking about his (surely a he) exalted place in our economic order. (Or as SP would put it, Why are you jealous of your betters?)

 

[ahofer]

Since it's most new money buying these monstrosities, I'm sure the buyer gets lost of stroking about his (surely a he) exalted place in our economic order. (Or as SP would put it, Why are you jealous of your betters?)

In a lot of NYC circles it could be viewed as a negative status indicator. Lots of the money here is 'new', but the way to show it off here is philanthropy, a big apartment with a tony address, and/or a huge spread in the Hamptons/Montana/Jackson Hole. Although there is still a sizable contingent of NY wealthy that drive their Subarus to a fishing shack somewhere...but still have a large apartment at a tony address.

 

[egellings]

I know the money talks, but this just seems glaringly over the top, even for Stereophile

Literally makes me sad and sick to my stomach

Money doesn't talk; it swears.

 

[AnalogIsTheWay]

Probably the best sounds I have ever heard coming out of a loudspeaker, was from Wilson.
So I am going blindly to agree with Stereophile on this.
Runner ups were:
Magico, B&W, Ravel . . . .
Every Wilson I heard was fantastic, but not every model of the runner-ups.
Just too expensive for me, shame.

I identified this thread, admittedly, I’m a Wilson speaker owner (Sabrina to W/P, and then to Alexia V).

After reading about 10 pages, this post was the first one that I felt like had any value

No offense. But I find it funny when an entire group of people bash a magazine for their bias review toward a speaker, while most of the people contributing to the public flaming (and themselves actually also bashing the speaker,) have never even heard it. Talk about contempt prior to investigation mixed with hypocrisy.

People need to realize that measurements can be used for baselines, but if you use them to judge speakers, you’re gonna miss out on an entire world of excellent sounds. Do yourselves a favor, put the computers down, you don’t listen with a computer, you listen with your ears, the real measurement should be what you hear when you sit and listen. If you hear a speaker and it moves you, damn the measurements. Personally, I’ve had five years of some of the best sounding music I’ve ever heard in my life and I’ve yet to run a single measurement on my speakers. (I know I’ll probably get kicked off this website for even saying that. ).

I’m knowledgeable enough to know that these speakers need to be paired with equally capable amplifiers, obviously I’m not gonna expect a $60,000 speaker to sound good with an $800 amplifier. I would hope that it wouldn’t be built to, I would hope that if I’m buying a $60,000 speaker it should be designed to come to life with an equitable amplifier. I also believe that room treatments are as important as anything.

Bashing the Wilson Alexia V? Without even listening to them? I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or roll over on the floor laughing.

People should be so lucky in their lives to experience hearing a speaker like this. It’s only by luck that I’ve had the chance.

 

[amirm]

No offense. But I find it funny when an entire group of people bash a magazine for their bias review toward a speaker, while most of the people contributing to the public flaming (and themselves actually also bashing the speaker,) have never even heard it.

I have never been on Mars but am pretty sure you can't breath the air there. You disagree?

 

[amirm]

People need to realize that measurements can be used for baselines, but if you use them to judge speakers, you’re gonna miss out on an entire world of excellent sounds.

No, "people" need to learn that decades of research teach us what measurements predict listener preference. And that those measurements point to a speaker that is NOT colored. That coloration is easily ascertained from the measurements.

Now, among equally excellently measuring speakers, you could choose to listen and compare. But there is no need to waste time with speakers that modify everything you listen to.

 

[Purité Audio]

‘Lucky in their lives to hear such a speaker’
That brought a smile thanks.

 

[amirm]

I’m knowledgeable enough to know that these speakers need to be paired with equally capable amplifiers, obviously I’m not gonna expect a $60,000 speaker to sound good with an $800 amplifier.

Your knowledge is not worth a cup of coffee if that describes it. Spend some time learning electrical engineering, psychoacoustics, and audio design. Don't go by folklore and your gut feeling. You will be a dark ditch with no one knowing you are even there.

If a speaker is colored, an expensive amp doesn't provide a solution. If anything, it may bring its own noise and distortion to the party. If you use a tube amp, by chance it may correct some of the colorations of a speaker but most likely adds its own.

 

[LTig]

[..]
But I find it funny when an entire group of people bash a magazine for their bias review toward a speaker, while most of the people contributing to the public flaming (and themselves actually also bashing the speaker,) have never even heard it. Talk about contempt prior to investigation mixed with hypocrisy.

I've listened to the Wilson Audio Puppy, and while they did sound very good on some recordings they utterly failed with classical music, especially mail voices. I know how classical music sounds as I regularly go to concerts and operas. I had similar experiences with other high end speakers, but never with neutral monitors.

 

[voodooless]

Your knowledge is not worth a cup of coffee if that describes it. Spend some time learning electrical engineering, psychoacoustics, and audio design

Don’t forget marketing and psychology

 

[dfuller]

I mean, these aren't the worst speakers I've ever seen (that's probably whatever nonsense Zu is putting out these days), but it's not great. Not for as much as a down payment on a house.

I mean not for nothing but if you want a more traditional speaker a set of ATC SCM50s will do everything these do but better, and for a quarter the price. They are not the kings of objective measurements, being traditional speakers and all, but they're far more forgiving of placement and toe in, the box tuning actually makes sense, and they're a much easier load to drive.

 

[Mart68]

People should be so lucky in their lives to experience hearing a speaker like this. It’s only by luck that I’ve had the chance.

Just go to a high end show and you'll hear lots of speakers that cost a lot of money, all in one place. No need to get lucky.

People are not 'bashing Wilson' because they sound bad, which they don't, it's because for that kind of money (in fact for a lot less) they know you could get a better speaker system.

 

[voodooless]

I would hope that if I’m buying a $60,000 speaker it should be designed to come to life with an equitable amplifier.

How would the speaker know the price tag of the amp connected to it? And by what mechanism would the speaker suddenly perform much better than with a $59999 amp? And what if the amp was on sale? Does it know about VAT?

 

[Adis]

I identified this thread, admittedly, I’m a Wilson speaker owner (Sabrina to W/P, and then to Alexia V).

After reading about 10 pages, this post was the first one that I felt like had any value

No offense. But I find it funny when an entire group of people bash a magazine for their bias review toward a speaker, while most of the people contributing to the public flaming (and themselves actually also bashing the speaker,) have never even heard it. Talk about contempt prior to investigation mixed with hypocrisy.

People need to realize that measurements can be used for baselines, but if you use them to judge speakers, you’re gonna miss out on an entire world of excellent sounds. Do yourselves a favor, put the computers down, you don’t listen with a computer, you listen with your ears, the real measurement should be what you hear when you sit and listen. If you hear a speaker and it moves you, damn the measurements. Personally, I’ve had five years of some of the best sounding music I’ve ever heard in my life and I’ve yet to run a single measurement on my speakers. (I know I’ll probably get kicked off this website for even saying that. ).

I’m knowledgeable enough to know that these speakers need to be paired with equally capable amplifiers, obviously I’m not gonna expect a $60,000 speaker to sound good with an $800 amplifier. I would hope that it wouldn’t be built to, I would hope that if I’m buying a $60,000 speaker it should be designed to come to life with an equitable amplifier. I also believe that room treatments are as important as anything.

Bashing the Wilson Alexia V? Without even listening to them? I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or roll over on the floor laughing.

People should be so lucky in their lives to experience hearing a speaker like this. It’s only by luck that I’ve had the chance.

Dunning-Kruger truly is strong with this one.

 

[G|force]

I'm feeling sorry for the few who bought Wilson anything- thinking and imagining- instead of listening- with no basis of comparison to what proper loudspeaker sound is.
B&W also

 

[Purité Audio]

That’s what happens when you combine lack of technical knowledge with astute marketing.

 

[Snickers-is]

I have heard so many Wilsons over the years. It seems like in order to make them sound ok, they need to be demoed with a few selected recordings.

That makes the "but have you actually heard them?" argument stand out as rather silly from my point of view.

 

[Mart68]

Alexia V is within the acceptable range IMO. I'd expect them to sound, at the very least, pretty good with most programme. The flip side to that is that they cost a staggering $67,000 back in 2022 so, for the objective performance, they're not good value for money. Not by a long chalk.

Wilson Audio Specialties Alexia V loudspeaker Measurements | Stereophile.com

Sidebar 3: Measurements With Jason Victor Serinus's listening room 2900 miles from my home, measuring the Wilson Alexia V presented potential logistical problems. Fortunately, Elliot Fishkin of Manhattan audio retailer Innovative Audio was amenable to my measuring the Alexia Vs that had just...

www.stereophile.com

 

[egellings]

I identified this thread, admittedly, I’m a Wilson speaker owner (Sabrina to W/P, and then to Alexia V).

After reading about 10 pages, this post was the first one that I felt like had any value

No offense. But I find it funny when an entire group of people bash a magazine for their bias review toward a speaker, while most of the people contributing to the public flaming (and themselves actually also bashing the speaker,) have never even heard it. Talk about contempt prior to investigation mixed with hypocrisy.

People need to realize that measurements can be used for baselines, but if you use them to judge speakers, you’re gonna miss out on an entire world of excellent sounds. Do yourselves a favor, put the computers down, you don’t listen with a computer, you listen with your ears, the real measurement should be what you hear when you sit and listen. If you hear a speaker and it moves you, damn the measurements. Personally, I’ve had five years of some of the best sounding music I’ve ever heard in my life and I’ve yet to run a single measurement on my speakers. (I know I’ll probably get kicked off this website for even saying that. ).

I’m knowledgeable enough to know that these speakers need to be paired with equally capable amplifiers, obviously I’m not gonna expect a $60,000 speaker to sound good with an $800 amplifier. I would hope that it wouldn’t be built to, I would hope that if I’m buying a $60,000 speaker it should be designed to come to life with an equitable amplifier. I also believe that room treatments are as important as anything.

Bashing the Wilson Alexia V? Without even listening to them? I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or roll over on the floor laughing.

People should be so lucky in their lives to experience hearing a speaker like this. It’s only by luck that I’ve had the chance.

The room the speaker is in will have a large influence on its sound quality, so the same speaker will sound different depending on which room it's in. It would be cool if there were a standardized room that speakers were measured in, although I understand that there is measurement equipment that can snap a reading so quickly that a room reflection arrives after the measurement is completed, rendering its effects moot.