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Wilson Audio Sabrina . . . I'm smitten. Should I consider others?

Went on a small audition trek last week and heard the following:

Tekton Double Impact SE (I was curious based on the posts/comments)
Magico S1 MKII
Magico S3 MKII
Devore Fidelity Orangutan 0/96
Wilson Audio Sabrina

The Wilson Sabrinas were not initially on my list, but when I stumbled across them while searching for Focal Sopra 2s, I couldn't resist.  The Sabrinas were very impressive.  In fact, after hearing the Magico S1 and S3, I went back to hear the Sabrinas a second time to confirm what I had heard.  They were initially driven by the ARC Ref6 preamp and the new ARC $30K monoblocks, but the second trip I asked if they could be driven by more economical equipment, so they used the LS28 and VT80.  The source was the dCS Rossini both times.  Because there was no A/B comparison of equipment, I really didn't notice any drop off in performance.  

The Sabrina's price point is my upper end, but I'd like to achieve a no stone unturned level of search/comfort before I pull the trigger.  Most brands are not easily accessible in Kansas City, but I'm willing to make the effort if justified.  Are there any other loudspeakers I should consider in this range?  I listen mostly to older rock, blues, jazz, and female vocals  Streaming with something like an  Aurender A10 will be my primary source.  My goal is to decide on the loudspeakers for this system, and work backwards into the components.  That'll be a future question.  Appreciate your time and help.
kcpellethead
kcpellethead OP
137 posts
 
@curiosjim

Visited Mike Kaye at Audio Archon to hear the Tekton Double Impact SE. Listened to the Magicos with Jamie Pauls at F1 Audio. Auditioned the Wilson Sabrinas with David Weintraub and Mick Survance at Quintessence Audio. Drove a little out of my way going home to visit Charley Schnyder at Stereo Haven to hear the DeVore Fidelity 0/96. Everyone was polite, professional, and gracious. They all represented the audio industry extremely well. I would not hesitate to do business with any of them. 
wolf_garcia
6,708 posts
 
It's a speaker and a 1995 Harrison Ford movie. What's not to like?
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
@kcpellethead And the verdict is...…….???
kcpellethead OP
137 posts
 
@twoleftears 

I think I may already know the answer, but I will audition Vandersteen Quattro CTs and Jospeh Audio Perspectives early this week. I’d like to hear Focal Sopra 2s and I wish I’d had a better audition of DeVore 0/96s. The Sabrinas just do everything I want in a way that appeals to me. 
prof
3,474 posts
 
kcpellethead,

I’m looking forward to your view of the JA Perspective speakers. I believe I’ll be ordering a pair soon after an extensive bunch of speaker auditioning. But then, they fit the criteria I’m juggling, one of which is to downsize from a larger speaker due to my listening space. The Perspectives are designed to sound bigger than they look, especially in terms of bass, but I still doubt they will upend your desire for the Sabrinas, given you seem pretty smitten. (And I’d think the Sabrinas by sound more authoritatively larger).

The main thing that grabs me about the Joseph Audio sound is the purity of tone, the utter lack of any grain or electronic haze. Instrumental tone and timbre just seems to come through like looking at colorful pebbles and flora through a perfectly clean stream. If something like that grabs me, I find it hard to give it up.
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