Alexx or Alexandria XLF?
February
25, 2017
Marc,
I
hope you’re enjoying your time with the Wilson Audio Alexx.
So
here’s a question for you; I might be the first to ask, but I’m sure it will be
asked: without regard to price, which would you take, Alexx
or Alexandria XLF?
I'm
just curious to know if Wilson’s reported advances in materials, drivers and so on
actually translate into something one can hear.
Larry
Phillips
The
answer to your question, which I've asked myself more than once, is an honest, I
don't know. It has been years since the Alexandria XLF has been in my system, and when
it was, it was with completely different electronics than I'm using right now with the
Alexx. I've also done much of my listening to the Alexx with the full dCS Vivaldi 2.0 stack, and that skews things greatly, because
it's by far the best digital source I've heard.
I
can say that both speakers are very coherent, dynamic and colorful; they both do musical
subtlety and power very well. I think the Alexandria XLF is easier to drive, both in terms
of its load and sensitivity, but I would love to test this hypothesis by trying the Alexx
with Lamm ML3 amps.
Given
all of this, and the difference in the speakers' prices (the Alexx is roughly half the
cost of the Alexandria XLF), I suppose the Alexx is the real winner here. It's also worth
noting that Wilson may believe the same thing, given that they have said the Alexandria XLF's replacement is coming. -Marc
Mickelson
Nagra
and Wilson at CES
February
14, 2017
Jim,
I
just read your great report on CES, and I'm very interested in your
highly positive comments about the Nagra/Wilson Alexx system, where you say, “It was
as if the Alexx towers were on silent display and the music just arose at the front of the
room.” May I ask if this quality occurred with digital or analog or both?
Ash
Varma
As
I recall, we listened to both digital and analog recordings of different material, so I
was unable to A/B the two playback systems. Also, the music was unfamiliar to me,
including a homemade recording of Argentine percussion instruments which, nevertheless,
sounded superb. The main thing is that whether it was CD or vinyl, the music had the
"breath of life" to it. -Jim Saxon
Audio
Reseach-Lamm synergy?
February
10, 2017
Marc,
You
have a lot of experience with Audio Research and Lamm products. Do you see synergy between
an Audio Research preamp and Lamm hybrid amplifiers, or do I need a Lamm preamp to extract
the best from the Lamm amps?
Cristiano
Berera
Audio
Research and Lamm products work well together -- far better than most, in fact. I've used
Lamm M1.2 hybrid monoblocks with many Audio Research preamps -- Reference 3, Reference 5,
Reference Anniversary, Reference 5 SE, Reference 10 and Reference 6 -- and there is great
complementariness between the brands. First, Lamm hybrid amps have very high voltage gain,
and this is offset by the low-gain Audio Research preamps. In sonic terms -- tonal mostly
-- there is similarity, while in others -- the portrayal of space, image density -- the
sonic signatures of both brands combine to produce a very compelling outcome. Of course,
using a Lamm preamp with Lamm amps will bring its own set of virtues, but you will lose
the remote control and balanced inputs of the Audio Research Reference preamps. -Marc
Mickelson
Living
Voice OBX-RW?
February
6, 2017
Roy,
We’ve
met a couple of times at RMAF in Denver. Although I didn’t see you at this
year’s show, I thought I’d write you with a question.
In
2015, you brought the Living Voice speakers to your seminar on cartridge alignment, and
they sounded quite nice. I am considering purchasing a pair of the OBX-RW for my home
system. What are your thoughts on the separate crossovers? Are they worth the extra money
and space?
My
system is currently a JA Michell Orbe SE turntable with a Benz Micro Ruby cartridge on an
SME IV tonearm, Shelter step-up transformer, Air Tight ATE-2 phono equalizer (preamp) and
Air Tight ATM-1 power amp. I currently own a pair of Silverline SR-17 monitors, which are
a two-way with a sensitivity of 89dB/1W/1m. My listening room is small, approximately
16’x 13’ with a sloped ceiling.
Eric
Stern
Is
the OBX better than the IBX? The short answer is "Yes, but. . . ."
As
with any speaker, the greater the separation you can achieve between the crossover and the
mechanical environment of the cabinet the better the performance. But then there’s
the “but”: the added cost and complexity are only worthwhile if you actually
realize the benefits -- and that means that you need to keep cabling consistent right from
amp to speaker terminals and you need to provide proper mechanical isolation/grounding for
the crossover boxes. If cost or space constraints mean that you can’t achieve both of
these goals, then, frankly, you may be better off going with the
IBX-RW -- which is hardly slumming it.
There
is one other thing to consider. The OBX-RW has quietly been elevated to RW3 status -- with
new crossovers. An OBX makes the upgrade at a later date an awful lot easier.
So
yes, the OBX is worth the extra cost, but make sure you pay attention to the support and
installation details -- and look forward to a future crossover upgrade down the road.
-Roy Gregory
Reader
list
February
1, 2017
Marc,
Please
add me to TAB’s reader list!
Charles
Murphy
You're
on! To be added to TAB's reader list and find out about new articles first, send
e-mail to rl@theaudiobeat.com. -Marc
Mickelson
