I don’t wish to argue the WMC are beautiful or worth the money, nor can I attest to their sound qualities. In the past I have found Wilson’s juiced and not completely natural but I have to agree with this statement from Dave Wilson in principle, even if I don’t think Wilson is always following it:
We see the trends, for example, a beryllium tweeter coated with diamond dust to add rigidity. But the question we ask is, what sounds more real? Does it have the ability to mimic the experiences we’ve had in the Musikverein, Staatsoper, and Concerthaus? Does it fool your mind when you close your eyes, and make you feel as though you’re in that hall? Those are the questions we ask.
This is a really big deal as a lot of speakers drivers and crossover components don’t sound "real" to me. They sound fun, or like I can now hear things about an instrument I could not before, but step up to a bare saxophone or violin or piano and the difference is clear. Listen to these speakers too long and you may not be able to appreciate bare instruments anymore. :)
It’s also really important for listeners to get off their ego trip about having the most realistic system, and decide if that’s what they like. If you like a colorful flea-powered tube amp with 1960’s sounding high efficiency speakers, that’s what you like.
In other words, I think the holy-grail of realism may be over blown. BUY WHAT YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO and don’t try to claim moral superiority about realism.
We also have to come to grips with hearing loss. Most of us are not born into having great music tastes and limitless budgets. By the time we care enough, and can afford good gear our hearing is just not what it used to be. Some speakers may make us feel like we have younger ears, thanks to their tonal balance. When we buy speakers the "system matching" must include our own ears. If we've lost a few dB in the top 2 octaves, adding it in the speakers is perfectly reasonable way of restoring our pleasure, much like having glasses restores our enjoyment of nature. Putting glasses on in no way diminishes the duck, goose, or bear we are experiencing. :)
Saw many of the same comments regarding the drapes and the horrid looking speakers across the various audio sites. I heard all 70 are going to Russian kelpto-billionaires. I think the drapes are included.
E you can't get those speakers if you notice the pic there is a space in between for a coffin, they will play the favorite music of the audiophile, the curtain is perfect just add standing lights.,and a bit flowers...
You're right Al, the interview was of interest. I underestimated the woman! That pic of Dave and she in between the pair of WAMM's was taken at my dealer in San Jose, John Garland Audio, one of the few dealers with a pair of WAMM's available to audition. Only about 80 grand in the late 80's, iirc. Sounds reasonable now, didn't then! Brooks Berdan took in a pair on trade shortly before he got sick. His wife Sheila sold them after he died, so they're in a living room somewhere in SoCal. I'll have to ask her what they went for next time I see her.
Wow those are nice speakers , I only wonder if they will sound better than the Austin Acoustics , I heard yesterday at Axpona 2017, whole system $750 k, all the listeners in the room, saying the system has no weakness, it sound so live musical, dynamic is unlimited...I heard the grand utopia my favorite speakers, last year, not even close, For me this is the most live system, I have ever heard, in my entire 25yrs of my audiophile life...I promise , I will stop looking if I have that system, in my house.
If a manufacture makes a Magnum Opus speaker it helps future lines with trickle down technology.. It only benefits us the end buyer.. KUDOS Mr Wilson, and I want others to know. Without the David Wilson's of this hobby we would not get that..
While not wanting to be mean spirited, I can’t resist this one. That room, the drapes in particular, was obviously decorated by Mrs. Wilson. Have you seen pictures of her at shows? She dresses in the same fashion; big, puffy ruffles and satin, like the gowns girls used to wear to High School Proms. She and Dave look like they are from the 1950’s, which they may be. Although he looks older than her, and by more than a little. Trophy wife? She’s quite pretty, in an old-fashioned, well-scrubbed kind of way. She looks like a beauty pageant contestant, or a Lawrence Welk show cast member.
I'm sure some reviewer will say they are his new reference and try to justify the price. They will say something to the extent of "one could actually see these as underpriced for the sonic farts they produce"😋
I think that's Wilson's personal listening room. It comes up in several photo shoots. And yeah, it looks like a hotel conference room, not a real living space.
I've already ordered them and Wilson guaranteed me to have an eargasm every time I listen to them. The bummer is I ran out of cash and have to push them with a JVC receiver but I think they will still blow my f in mind after Wilson sets them up in my room. 😬
I take no notice of these publicity stunts; and assume that if companies need to charge these figures for their products then they can't be very good at their job.. What does amaze me is just how many companies seem to think that they need a product in their line up of astronomical retail price to gain attention. Durand tonearms being last weeks mega bucks offering, $75k for a wooden arm. Ordered my 2 already..
If anyone at any income would pay anywhere near close to 675k for a pair of speakers you must be out of your freakin mind! bet they sound greeeaaaatttt!
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