Wilson WP7 vs JM Lab Alto BE vs Avalon Eidolon

The WP7 will go lower and will have tighter bass with your tubes because with the purchase of WP7's you will get an extra set of ports for using tube equipment (works with less damping) The transparent cabling Synergy is excellent (just check my system out.. also if you are in Phoenix you are welcome to give it a listen) The WP7's are also more efficent at 92-93db to 1 watt. The CJ warmth will be a perfect match with the WP7's.

Kurt Tank- If you didn't hear the WP7's image then they weren't setup correctly. Eidolons in the curly burl are FINE!

I've heard Eidolons before they are more layed back than the Wilson and less energy with tubes.

There is a Wilson dealer in Dallas (Krystal Clear) that has the VTL 7.5 preamp, VTL 450's and WP7's hooked up with transparent cabling and they actually spent time setting up the system... it sounds amazing (but I still prefer my Lamm's) If you take a pair home to demo, make the dealer set them up and leave you the manual (so you can verify that he did it correctly (Less than half the wilson dealers I have visited have their Wilsons dialed in to image correctly).

I chose the WP7's because I was a Planar/Electrostat fan and I use to play the double bass and the WP7's got that perfectly! but with dynamics, depth and volume! (I didn't have room for soundlabs or want to buy that type of high watt tube amplification)

Enjoy- your at a level where it's hard to be disappointed.

You indicate you get an extra set of ports for using with tube eqyuipment. Could you expand on what that actually means?.
Not sure if the WP7 has extra phyisical ports or additional material to stuff into the ports.

thanks for your help

Shane

The ports in the WP's mid tweeter (the WATT part) section are removable aluminum collars. One is tuned for a high power ss amp, the other is for tube amps with a lower damping factor. The result is, you can tailor the sound somewhat to the type of amp you use.

The whole process takes about 1 minute for each speaker. Just several hex screws to remove. Wilson supplies all the tools and ports when you aquire the speakers. Nothing to buy.

Well I have had a listen to each of the speakers trying to justify the huge cost increase over the mahlers.

Can't really comment on the Avalon Diamond as I only heard it quickly in the store and it sounded a little reserved and laid back to me.

The Alto's are luvly speakers. Believe the hype, the tweeter is so clean and extended that it does make all others seem dirty and etched (after breakin that is).
The bottom end was quite extended, but seemed to be slightly smaller in scale than the mahlers. I am sure the Nova's would be perfect, but they are very expensive.
The mid range is nice and slightly laid back. This does not make my alternative and pop music sound quite as forward as they should be - but the speaker may only be exposing the character of my cj amps. I could play the JM's loud to 97db plus with no stress of treble distortion.
I wish the same level of instructions that came with the WP7's came with the Alto's as I am sure I did not set them up to their best before I had to send them back.

Setting up the WP7's was a joy. the setup manual and the way the Wilson's are put together down to the spikes are very very good and easy to understand.
Pity I have not had the same level of enjoyment listening to them. the sound was very transparent and quite good but in my room they just seem to be a bit too bright when I turn up the volume too much. Left to right soundstaging was breathtaking - almost unreal.

I bought a Rives test CD and it does show my room ( with the WP7's) has spikes of 7 to 10 db higher at 639hz, 1600,3150kz, 6300kz which with the Wilson makes for overall fatiguing sound. I think if I ever want to use Wilson I will have to fix my room first in the mid range and upper frequencies.

Bottom line. I want a speaker that has the coherence and smoothness as the treble in the JM Be Alto's. So I will try to listen to the JM Alto's again, but after I try to fix my room up in the midrange.

Any idea's guys

cheers shane

Downunder,

Your perceptions of the Alto's and WP7 are very similar to my auditioning experience. I am still struggling to make a decision on speakers/electronics. Like you, I listen to primarily alternative rock/rock, plus alt.country (e.g. Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams etc.) and a lot of female singers. As much as I loved the Be tweeter on the Alto's and the room filling bass, I found the midrange laid back and lacking in that pop to bring my music to life. THe bass on the Wilson was clearly tighter and punchier (e.g. play White Stripes Elephant), and the imaging laser focused, but I found the overall sound very fatiguing. I kept finding myself hitting next track on the remote. I have listened to a lot of others Dynaudio Confidence C4, Living Voice Avatars, Focus Audio FS888, Vr4 jr but so far none have really done everything well.

Then, I went to audition the Tenor 150HPs amp/Audio Aero Capitole CDP with the Kharma Exquisite Midi's with diamond tweeter at Tenor Audio in Montreal. WOW !!! On stuff like Lucinda Williams, Ryan Adams the sound was haunting ... made the hairs on my arms stand up. The midrange was the best I have heard so far. Blows the Alto out of the watter. I finally realized what everyone was talking about when they talked about the massive soundstage, driver coherence, and Kharma disappearing act. The diamond tweeter can compete with the Be. Only two problems ... one I can't afford the Exquisites ... two, I did find the bass on certain test tracks (e.g. White Stripes) somewhat missing in action. The kick drum certainly didn't remind me of what I heard on the Wilson WP7's or Sophias. But, on the other hand everything else I played for 3 hours was phenomenal sounding. Even the new Wilco CD was more enjoyable than I remembered. Modest Mouse "Float On" is a great song, but suddenly I realized just how good it was ... I was ready to start dancing ! Yet, overall the Kharma sound I heard that day made me want to explore the lower priced Kharmas to see if I could get a slice of these Exquisites at a more affordable price. I don't know if you explored the Kharma's at all, but definitely you should give them a try. I don't know about the bass though, whether it will be dynamic enough for you. I am also very anxious to see some of the new offerings from Von Schweikert like the VR4 SR etc... as a number of A'goners here have abandoned their high end Kharmas for Vr9 or VR 11's.