Wilson X-2 Installation in RH's house
Robert Harley -- Thu, 06/19/2008 - 13:41
Seeing the installation of the big MBLs in Jonathan's house was so interesting that I've put together a series of photos showing the recent set up of the Wilson X-2 Alexandria Series 2 in my listening room. Most of the photos were taken by Daryl Wilson.
The X-2 crates ready for unpacking. I uncrated all the components and moved them into the listening room before Dave Wilson’s arrival. Moving nearly one ton of loudspeakers myself was made possible by the clever design. The bass cabinets are on casters, and can be rolled out of the crates. The casters are later replaced by spikes (see later photo) once the correction speaker positioning has been determined. The “wings” that support the midrange and tweeter modules, the modules themselves, and the crossover cover are heavy, but manageable.
The X-2 components ready for assembly. All the components are protected by a plastic film that is removed after installation is complete.
The “wings” that hold the midrange and tweeter modules can be seen on the floor.
The X-2 bass cabinets with “wings” attached, ready for installation of the midrange and tweeter modules.
Dave Wilson and his son, Daryl, install the X-2’s midrange module.
The regular listening seat was temporarily moved out of the way and substituted with a movable chair to find exactly the right listening position.
Dave Wilson adjusts the X-2’s midrange module. Each upper module moves on two axis—forward and backward for time-domain alignment, and on the vertical axis (tilt up and down) for optimal driver dispersion. Wilson holds a patent on this “Aspherical Propagation Delay” technique. The settings are different for every listening distance and listening height. The mechanism that realizes these adjustments is executed with amazing precision.
Dave Wilson begins to characterize the system’s performance. Wilson has extremely detailed notes on every single loudspeaker set up he’s done, going back decades, all in multiple 2” 3-ring binders. His approach is the antithesis of “move the speakers until they sound good.” Rather, he has developed a precise and repeatable formal methodology that allows independent adjustment of specific sonic qualities.
Once the loudspeakers are in approximately the right location, the long process of fine adjustments begins. The marks on the tape allow repeatability and provide reference points.
The last step is to replace the casters beneath the speakers with spikes. Wilson’s custom-made jack makes this easier than it sounds.
Finished installation.
First listen to the completed set up.
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1999 - 2011 NextScreen. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
I thought a review was to compare the sound to the TAS mission statement!
My suggestion that reviews should be a starting point for one’s own auditioning is not in conflict with the concept of the absolute sound. Although we can agree on the standard of judging equipment quality against the sound of acoustic instruments in an acoustic space, everyone has different listening biases and priorities. One listener might spend most of his time listening to chamber music, and another to organ works. You seem to want a simplistic statement that a certain product comes closest to the absolute sound. But to the absolute sound of the chamber group in a small space or to the absolute sound of an organ in a cathedral? Reviewers should describe the sound of the product under review so that readers can make informed decisions about which products to include on their short list of components to audition for themselves.
The Absolute Sound has always been about the sound of the real thing--that hasn't changed and, I trust, never will. But it has also always been about options and price points. Even back in the day, listener biases were part and parcel of the mag. It was explicitly acknowledged that each of us hears the absolute sound in a slightly different way and that each of us brings our own preferences in music and its high-fidelity reproduction to the party. Even Pearson's star lists tacitly acknowledged that there was no one single correct-for-every-listener choice in hi-fi. Pointing readers to the components we find most worthy (based on how close they come--after their fashion--to the unachievable ideal of the real thing) is the best we can do. After that, the reader has to do his part and go and listen for himself.
This is all good and even better reason to post some “objective†views on the situation. I think that this “hobby†needs to move in to the 21st century. We are no longer in the 70s were it was much harder to supply valuable, objective data to support any finding. I believe that your reviews will be much more meaningful if you can back it up some data. Even if the data does not support your finding, it is a crucial part in understanding what it is that you are hearing. It will help us the readers, to understand a product and your views on it better. It will also help you to understand what it is you are hearing. If you like the X-2 bass so much but your measurements are showing 10 db boost at 80-100Hz with hardly any output below 50Hz, you need to re-evaluate your perception. No matter how experienced you are. And if you still like it, that is OK. You like what you like.
Hello Robert, I recently purchased an X-2 Series 1 from the used market.
Could you tell me without preempting your forthcoming review, in a nutshell, what are the discernible differences between the Series 1 and Series 2? I also observed that your room width is very close to my own room width. Could you tell me what your tweeter to tweeter distance is?
Since I bought the unit used, I never had the benefit of dealer set-up,so I had to sift through the manual and figure out speaker placement. Based on the Wilson manual, Dave espouses a radical toe-in, with the listener barely seeing the inside walls of the speaker. Likewise, I noticed the same thing in pictures in ALL installations of the X-2. In my case, I've been experimenting with the toe-in angle and find that toeing in to the degree espoused in the manual produces sonic nirvana in most cases. However, bright recordings tend to get exacerbated by this such as digital recordings or "hot" mastered Lp's such as a few half-speed Columbias.
Although, I observed that on most audiophile recordings, sonic bliss is experienced.
I'd like to know what your take is on this.
Sorry that I didn't see your post earlier, tomcat.
All the X-2 set-ups I've seen and heard have had a good amount of toe-in, just as you see in the photos of my set-up.
The X-2's highly adjustable nature make it easy to not achieve the ultimate performance from the system. It takes some work and expertise to dial them in exactly.
As for the differences between the Series 1 and Series 2, the 2's midrange is considerably more detailed and resolved, with more natural timbres and vastly greater clarity. This reveals itself in the sense of space around instruments, the impression of instruments within a large acoustic, and of timbral purity. The bass is also tighter and cleaner, and the treble is smoother.
I don't know how much they are asking to upgrade to Series 2, but it involves replacing the two midrange drivers, the tweeter, and the crossover. The upgraded version is reportedly sonically identical to the Series 2.
RH-
Does TAS plan to review the Maxx 3's?
http://www.wilsonaudio.com/product/maxx/maxx3preview.php
Maybe you can assign the review to REG, I know how much he loves Wilson speakers. :lol:
The MAXX 3 looks very interesting. It's more like a slightly scaled-down X-2 than an upgraded MAXX. If it has the same midrange resolution as the new X-2 Series 2, it will be a serious contender. My review of the X-2 appears in Issue 186, which just mailed from the printer.
We do plan to review it, but selecting a reviewer with the right room an ancillary products takes some thought.
Syd wrote:edwardce wrote:Robert I am really looking forward to your upcoming review of this system. I currently listen to the SDR-4000S Pro and Spectral Pre/Power and have some idea of the fun you are having with the system. HDCD encoded discs often sound like master tapes don't they? It would be great if after reviewing the Wilson speakers you could try another worthy speaker system with the Spectral/MIT front end. Your review of the Revel Salons followed by the Magico V3 and the comparison between them was THE most informative review I have ever read ! Context is everything in audio. Keep up the good work.
Best Regards
Ernie
I'm also running Specral/MIT pre/power (into Eidolons). Don't have the SDR 4000S though (yet). What speakers are you running with your system? Perhaps we should start another thread on Spectral?
Hi
There seems to be several people in this thread using Spectral gear. I myself have a 30SL/DMA 250 on Avalon Eidolon Diamonds. Since Spectral is almost confidential (their own option, i guess), and contacts with other users are difficult, Syd´s suggestion of starting a thread on Spectral is very useful. Any interested?
Congratulations to Robert Harley for sharing his experiences with the X2. I look forward to your promised essay in TAS.
CPC
Spectral is a well-kept secret. Their equipment is not only at the pinnacle of sound quality, it's priced based on parts cost and a tremendous bargain. The problem is getting it; they sell as much as they can manufacture, and won't compromise the product integrity by increasing production.
I have an interview with Spectral founder Richard Fryer and designer Keith Johnson in the works for the February issue.
The Spectral DMA-360 power amplifier is startlingly great, with massive resolution, lightning quick dynamics, and the best defined soundstage I've heard. Although highly resolving, the sound isn't etched or analytical. Feeding the DMA-360 directly from the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC decoding Reference Recordings HRx 176.4kHz/24-bit files reveals just what a great amplifier this is.
The February issue will also include a complete review of the SDR-4000 Pro, DMC-30SS, and the DMA-360s. I'll also write about the MIT Oracle MA cable in the system.
Hi Robert! Thanks for answering my question the last time around. Just by way of information and comparison to my own set-up of the X-2's, what is the distance of tweeter to tweeter of your X-2's in your room?
It's amazing how Dave has developed the methodology which he utilizes in setting-up his speakers. Just on the basis of how he utilizes different spikes to conform to the distance of the listener vis-a-vis speaker and listener's ear height involved a lot of R+D in the process coupled with various computerized models in making the X-2 the most adjustable speaker. Now, he has developed a method in setting up the speakers without any hits or misses is just absolutely mind-blowing!!!
Can't wait to read your review!!!
One question that comes to mind re: Dave Wilson's speaker set up methodology is this: how "portable" is it to other, non WIlson Audio, speakers? Is it portable between speaker types (e.g., box and planar speakers)?
To answer laberica's question first, the tweeters are 8' 4" apart.
To answer RichTeer's question, the set-up technique developed by Dave Wilson works equally well with any forward-firing direct-radiator speaker. Of course, other speakers don't have the adjustability of the X-2, but all the other principles and techniques apply to other brands.
Thanks for the review. I was surprised to see little comment on the Alexandra's upward-firing supertweeters, which seem to be the most unusual part of the design. Are they what is meant to replicate the Musikverein sound?
The upward-firing tweeters aren't related to Wilson's attempt to reproduce the Musikverein sound from the new X-2. Rather, the new midrange driver was the key element in pursuing that goal.
I don't hear the sound of the upward firing tweeter, but it probably opens up the soundstage. Now I'm curious, and will listen with towels on the top to see if I can identify the tweeter's contribution to the overall sound.
Robert,
I read your review of the Alexandria X-2 Series 2, and I have to say I found it flat, workman-like, completely uninspired. If this is the best speaker you have had in your home ever, then it seems likely that something more interesting, more inspiring, more touching, would come out of a review. Instead, it was like you were going through a checklist.
The review mentions that these huge speakers can be intimate, but ok, what else? Good with large scale symphonies and small combos as well. OK, now, show this with some enthusiasm. I wasn't convinced at all that you found these speakers special.
I will contrast this review with your earlier review of the Revel Ultima Salon 2's. The review of those speakers WAS inspiring and fascinating, and convincing. It went beyond a sort of seeming checklist of qualities. I could tell that the Salon2's touched a nerve in you. Same thing with your review of the Magico V3's and especially with your comparison of the Salon2's and the V3's: these reviews were inspiring and passionate and interesting.
I think I was most disappointed at the lack of specific comparison to other reference-quality speakers. You labeled the V3's "transcendent" if I remember correctly. Well, why not compare the X-2's with the transcendent V3's? The excuse of "I don't have them on hand" to compare doesn't work for me because you implicitly do a comparison when you say the X-2's were the best speakers you have had in your home.
One thing I have learned from reading TAS over the years is that no component can do all things (however that is defined) better than another top-of-the-line component. Surely it is possible that the V3's do some things better than the X-2's. I'm not looking for speaker X being overall better than speaker Y. I'm looking for comparisons of various aspects of speaker performance. I'm also looking for some sense of your judgment on the type of listener who will most likely appreciate the X-2's and the type of listener than probably wouldn't. Do you think JV would like the X-2's if they were combined with the Lamm ML2's or Lamm ML3's? Did the X-2 seem to excel more with tubes or with solid state amps? Give us something! You couldn't spring for an afternoon at JV's to listen to the MBL's? Or for JV to come to your place for an afternoon to listen to the X-2's?
By the way, I do appreciate the way JV writes about speakers (and other components) in a way that builds upon his previous reviews. When I read him raving (on this forum) about the MBL X's, I also pick up his comparison of them to the Symposiums that he had earlier raved about and to the Magico Minis, etc.
Sadly, there is another review in this issue that disappoints me for the same absence of specific comparison. The review of the $150,000 Clearaudio Statement turntable. The writer mentions not one other specific turntable for comparison. Hell, I've never listened to a table costing more than $300, and if you asked me to review the Clearaudio Statement, guess what?: I would swear it was by far the best turntable by far that I had ever reviewed. Why not have JV review the Statement and compare the Clearaudio to the Walker? Or have the person who reviewed the SME 20-12 review the Statement?
To review two of the most expensive items in audio and to give them raves without comparing them to any specific components in their class--well that strikes me as lazy or wholly unimaginative. Perhaps this is all logistics. Perhaps you had a whole to fill in the magazine and you ran out of time and simply had to run the articles, limited perspective and all.
What am I missing?
Great Letter!
I am glad to see a "civilian" finally ask the questions that need to be answered!
Bravo Sir!
I sure wish this issue of TAS would make it's way to the news stands.
In my not so humble opinion, Robert's review, and your assessment of it, reflect what I view as the largest problem in audio today, namely that manufacturers have lost sight of those aspects of reproduced music that elicit emotion responses. As a result we have high end shops filled with cold, analytical, uninspiring equipment, and a generation of reviewers and listeners who know no other sound.
This saddens me more deeply than I can express in words.
Larry
"Digital finishes what the transistor began" James Boyk
Very interesting letter, Philimanhere. I too would have found interesting comparisons to other outstanding, "benchmark" speakers eg. the Magico V3. What about "shootout" reviews like in some of the car magazines?
Walker vs SME 30 vs Raven AC. I remember one in TAS about cables a couple of years ago. It was very interesting to read.
While I'm still waiting to read this review, I wonder why it wasn't done in Sea Cliff?
I've finally read the review and although I have read worse, this review could and should have been a lot more in-depth. For example, read the review of the Clearaudio Statement turntable.
"Great Letter!
I am glad to see a "civilian" finally ask the questions that need to be answered!
Bravo Sir!"
This is old news already! I've been hammering away at the TAS staff for years to do this. Bottom line as you all can find explicitly written in RH's editorial front page from a few months ago...in simple terms he says TAS cannot do such comparison tests because it would upset the manufacturers.
I'll give him this much, at least he's honest about it! But indeed its a sad state of affairs. Inded it looks truly as if their hands or is that ears are truly tied; if they do the comparisons we suggest Wilson and the others will no longer lend them any equipment what-so-ever.
So as it stands our last remaining hope is Mr Valin, he really does try his best to compare and contrast- probably the only reviewer in the world doing this today- but he is smart, he keeps it all to this forum where few tread.
To this the only sane thing I can concieve about what to do, is the model consumer reports uses where consumers pay. Of course smart people will easily conclude: wait this isn't toilet paper and clock radio's we're dealing with here and there arn't several million consumers who give a toss about million dollar audio, and there would we be, here. They don't call it politics for nothing.
Sea cliff sounds like a great place.. sounds tapping and thundering from rock face to rock face down to the waves and up through the rainbow to Zeus's castle above. JL
Dear Robert,
What a wonderful acticle and I am sorry it took me until today, January 22, 2009 to read it but I have been busy and now I am on vacation with my wife Cecilia in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am in the professional AV Business for more than 30 years and do a lot of broadcast TV and am responsible for the Video Displays and Processing. I just completed MLB Network and then went on vacation.
Your article was great reading and I have been a fan of David Wilson's for many years and hope shortly to purchase a pair of Watt Puppy 8's.
I am one of the original subcribers to The Absolute Sound growing up on Long Island and living in NYC for most of my life. Thank you again for your acticle.
Best regards,
Steven M. Artsis
Executive VP ... Video Visions, Inc.
Thanks so much for your comments, Mr. Artsis.
Hi, RH
A quick question please. I did take the time to read the spectral article, as well as another issue on the Alpha Dac and I value your observations on theses circumstances. My question is since you wrote that the X-2, MIT, Spectral combo yielded the most thrilling musical experience of your life, is this your current reference. In other words are you the proud owner of this excellent equipment or is this just another review. I ask this because like a good friend likes to remind me from time to time if your not got a personal stake in the game, it just paid for word of mouth.
It would be helpful if JV could visit RH's setup of the X2s and RH visit JVs setup of the M5s, and then produce some conclusions - because each of you have a habit of saying "best I've ever heard", with almost every new product you review.
Dear Mr Harley
Thanks so much for your great review. While I am not yet a subsriber, I never fail to purchase a copy og TAS every month and have been doing so since 2007.
I need an opinion from you on this: Would a pair of MAXX2s fit a room size of 12.5' x 26' x 10' height? The speakers are to be on the short wall, and I intend to use some treatments in the room.
Judging from your room width of 14.5', which fit not only the MAXX2 but also the X-2s, would it be safe to assume they should be fine? I already have a pair of Watt/Puppy 8s on order, and am in a quandary over upgrading them to MAXX2s.
Thanks for your feedback and opinions.
Mike
I was hesitant to take the MAXX 2, and later the X-2, on the assumption that they would be too big for my room. That turned out not to be the case. The adjustability of the MAXX and X-2 allow closer listening distances than one would expect for such a big speaker. So, yes, I think the MAXX 2 would work in your room. Absorbing the sidewall reflections is important, as is finding the best location for integrating the bass output with the room.
I recently upgraded my Watt/Puppy 7 to the MAXX2. Mike go with the MAXX2. The difference is huge between WP7 and MAXX2. Every aspect of the sound is improved. The only similar characteristic is the bass transient response, which the MAXX2 actually improves on. Probably the same price MAXX2 vs WP8.
Dear wsill,
What are the dimensions of your listening room? Do you have a picture to share?
Many thanks.
Daisiu999,
My room is 20' wide (speaker end), 24' long, 9' ceiling. I am able to place the MAXX2's much closer to the wall than the Watt/puppies.
Hi Robert
Congratulations for your work and for the level you brought TAS to (minus the ugly looks).
I owned x2 series 1 and now series 2 and I think I get most of what you comment and tend to agree with all.
I find that grills removed are a must. You ?
I am not in love with spikes in general and still have my speakers on casters (which I preferred to spikes in series 1 case). You ?
Ceers
z
I always take off the midrange and tweeter griles, but leave on the woofer grilles (the woofer grilles are invisible to the long wavelengths the woofers produce). During set-up, the last step was to switch from casters to spikes, and I heard a noticable improvement in the sound with the spikes. Once a pair of X-2s are spiked, however, they are impossible to move.
Thanks for your comments about TAS.
I just heard the Wilson X2's on demo with Goldmund Telos 5000 amps & DCS digital source. Grilles were off.
It is certainly capable of sounding big, clean and dynamic with lots of clarity and control in the bass.
Hi, Robert!
I just have my new house ready with a living room W23''xD33'xH13'! I was planning to get a pair of X2 S2! I was wondering will the room too big for the X2! Will I need another woofer?Will its midrange sound thin in such big room?I want to use ARC 610T mono to drive it, will its power enough in my big room? Or, should I go get two sets 610T to bi-amp it? The X2 S2 support the bi-amp, right?
Many Thanks
I've heard the X-2 Series 2 (and X-1, and X-2 Series 1) in a room that I'm guessing from memory must be 27' by 40' with perhaps a 14' ceiling (average height). The X-2 is plenty of speaker even for that sized room. There's no danger of a "thin midrange' in my experience. In fact, the larger room allows the speaker to open up spatially.
The X-2 cannot be bi-amped (even if you could, you would be substituting your own crossover decisions for those of the X-2's designer). In my view, a single pair of ARC 610t's is plenty of power—more than enough. The Pass Labs XA100.5 amplifiers I use on the X-2 have meters that indicated if the amplifier leaves Class A operation (it's rated to deliver 100W of Class-A power into 8 ohms) and even on the most dynamic orchestral passages from a high-resolution 24-bit source played at a a very high level, the meters have never budged. I'm currently driving the X-2 with a 60Wpc integrated amplifier under review with excellent results.
Robert,
Thanks for the information!
I drive my X-2 series ll with Vladimir Lamm's 18 wpc ML2.1 SET. The sound is magic. The only amp that IMO is truly better sounding on these X-2's is Vladimir Lamm's latest ML3 Reference. IMHO there isn't a finer amp on the planet. I had a pair of the ML3's in my system on loan from Vladimir for 4 months. During that time I had ample opportunity to compare the ML 2.1 to the ML3. As great as the former is (damn I wish Vladimir hadn't loaned me the ML3's), there is simply no comparison. However at a mere $139,290, they are things of which dreams are made.
Mr Harley, here is a link to a recent blog put up here by Jacob Heilbrunn, one of your TAS reviewers
http://www.avguide.com/blog/three-megabuck-systems-rockport-wilson-and-m...
It is my intent to have an ML3 Reference occupy a permanent position in my room in the near future. I have extended an invitation at that point to Jonathan Valin to visit me here in the SF Bay area for however long he feels necessary to review this amp with the Wilson X-2. BTW, I was using both the ML 2.1 and the ML3 on my X-2 Series l prior to getting the new series ll. It was every bit as magic.
Here is a link to my audiogon blog for any interested in my system
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1049587927
Mr Harley, I am surprised that you haven't seized the opportunity to review this amp with your X-2's. It is a marriage made in heaven.
Hey Steve,
GANUGH! enough already are you on commision with Lamm? Three posts about the same thing is enough don't you think? There aren't enough matzah balls to go around :) Maybe you should invite HP as well or are you leaving him out of the party? Cordesman? Stereophile? How about the first annual koscher bay area audiophile show and knosh?LMAO
only if you come too Elliot
BTW, reading through most of the threads which include posts by you I find that I have learned the art of repition from you my friend ;)
Well that invite how can I not come although I don't think I would be welcome by some LOL. I will be in CA monday and Tuesday but not close to you I am afraid. Maybe next trip.
So are you going to sponser the first annual Bay Area Bagel Knosch and High End Audio Festival? Best of show and best knisch could be really cool, no?
Knishes are great! :P
I have heard that the ML3 is the "perfect" amplifier for the X-2; I'd love to hear the combination some time.
Robert,
Let me insist you remove the grills from the bass drivers for critical listening. I found the grills made as much an impact on the bass as they do on the mids & highs and maybe even more on my Maxx IIs.
Dgad
I respectfully disagree. Mr Harley is spot on in his explanation as to why this is not necessary
Oneobgyn,
You are entitled to your beliefs. I listened. To me it wasn't subtle. I myself agreed w. the general principle as stated above, but trust me I heard it way to quickly and so did others as well. It was easier to hear than removing the grills from the midrange/tweeter panels.
That's what makes this hobby fun. I still respectfully disagree.
Then we agree to respectfully disagree, but I still insist you try it. By the way, I leave my Grills on 1/2 of the time due to laziness these days.
I have tried it
I dare you to try the test blinded or better yet double blinded as well as level matched and then come back and tell us what you heard (or didn't hear)