Wilson LōKē Subwoofer

[3125b]

To be fair, the sub seems design and measures well.

Sure, with an off the shelf DSP plate amp anyone can build a decent sub.
This does nothing a 500$ SVS, Monoprice or whatever can't do. Well, at least the other 8500$ get's you a fancy paint job.

 

[Axo1989]

Sure, with an off the shelf DSP plate amp anyone can build a decent sub.
This does nothing a 500$ SVS, Monoprice or whatever can't do. Well, at least the other 8500$ get's you a fancy paint job.

This thread is the best and worst of ASR in concise form. On the one hand we have to @HammerSandwich picking the plate amp component in the first post and @RayDunzl providing well-liked photo confirmation almost as quickly. Nicely done. On the other we have endless hand-wringing and vapid ventilating about the luxury price.

You can certainly get a 10" sub in a black ash box for a small fraction of that. Or multiples of same plus a DSP box with ample change, or a pair of SVS PB16 for likely deeper bass and certainly higher SPL. But that aren't going to match your Tune Tots or Sabrinas.

On the price, well it's also a fashion item and a luxury good. I expect it has immaculate fit and finish and pleasantly weighty tactility from the likely over-engineered x-material fabrication. It's also a fairly big f*cker and the ported design is probably decently executed so I expect the sonics are quite satisfactory. Be more than happy you can get similar performance for significantly less if you don't desire an aesthetic match to the Wilson main speakers you are never going to buy.

 

[BrokenEnglishGuy]

But that aren't going to match your Tune Tots or Sabrinas.

What does mean that?
Do you mean by the looks?

 

[Dialectic]

What does mean that?
Do you mean by the looks?

Nice Christopher Bangle aesthetics there.

(Not my cup of tea.)

 

[Axo1989]

What does mean that?
Do you mean by the looks?

Oh yes, the visual aesthetic, I didn't mean the sound (although I'd expect straightforward matching there as well, some stuff about crossover settings in their promo text). They look good with the fabric grilles/covers on I reckon (if you have that sort of decor) not so much with them off. I'm still mildly surprised by how large the cabinet is, but ported will do that (look at SVS ported vs sealed, etc).

 

[Axo1989]

Nice Christopher Bangle aesthetics there.

(Not my cup of tea.)

Haha some 80s greed-is-good vibes?

 

[YSC]

What does mean that?
Do you mean by the looks?

Sorry to say imo this is fugly

 

[moonlight rainbow dream]

Why are people assuming that it's a well-tuned enclosure/port?

Look at this! Just look at it! Absolutely massacred the bass performance of a driver that's renowned for its ability to go down to 40hz with authority in a small bookshelf form factor.

 

[racingpht]

Why are people assuming that it's a well-tuned enclosure/port?

Look at this! Just look at it! Absolutely massacred the bass performance of a driver that's renowned for its ability to go down to 40hz with authority in a small bookshelf form factor.

Because it's been measured.

 

[kemmler3D]

The challenge for the reviewer looking to determine the Lōkē’s value proposition will be to source another £9k-ish subwoofer for a direct A/B comparison — not an easy task.

Lol, how about "literally any 10" 500w ported sub" for a comparison instead?

I will give credit where credit is due though. Wilson's paintjobs and product photography are among the best in the business. And, I am not being sarcastic here. I used to do the product renderings when I was in the low end of this market. I know as well as anyone, looks matter and are worth something, and marketing visuals count for a lot.

For almost $11K US though, you'd hope they would at least go for a Pascal or Hypex plate amp instead of parts express though... nothing wrong with parts express but it doesn't aim for SOTA or top-of-the-heap, you know? A bit of a slap in the face... maybe their dealers have crazy margins, I dunno...

 

[VintageFlanker]

Wilson LoKe subwoofer Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

www.stereophile.com

 

[kemmler3D]

Wilson LoKe subwoofer Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements

www.stereophile.com

Looks respectable but you definitely don't need to spend that much to get that performance. Of course I say this with KEF subs in my living room, so who cares what I think...?

 

[Anton D]

This thread is the best and worst of ASR in concise form. On the one hand we have to @HammerSandwich picking the plate amp component in the first post and @RayDunzl providing well-liked photo confirmation almost as quickly. Nicely done. On the other we have endless hand-wringing and vapid ventilating about the luxury price.

You can certainly get a 10" sub in a black ash box for a small fraction of that. Or multiples of same plus a DSP box with ample change, or a pair of SVS PB16 for likely deeper bass and certainly higher SPL. But that aren't going to match your Tune Tots or Sabrinas.

On the price, well it's also a fashion item and a luxury good. I expect it has immaculate fit and finish and pleasantly weighty tactility from the likely over-engineered x-material fabrication. It's also a fairly big f*cker and the ported design is probably decently executed so I expect the sonics are quite satisfactory. Be more than happy you can get similar performance for significantly less if you don't desire an aesthetic match to the Wilson main speakers you are never going to buy.

Great post.

These are not in my budget range (and I would want two) and I don't even think I would be buying them if I had the fiscal wherewithal, but the "This causes me mental anguish and should not be tolerated" tripe smells of month old menudo.

If a subwoofer can elicit such umbrage, the old adage about getting a life become apt.

Relax, fellow audiophiles. Hobby, not death march.