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Wilson Audio or JM Lab

To All,

I currently own the Wilson Puppy 6 and am very happy with the speaker. But I still miss ultimate dynamics and power in the bass. So I was planning to upgrade to either the Wilson Maxx or JM Lab Utopia.

Does anybody know these speakers well. I listened to the Maxx one time and it was the best I ever heard. I also heard the JM Lab Utopia side by side to a WP7 and although the JM lab had much more bass the WP7 was much faster and involving. But the JM lab speakers had more body. I heard them two times in the shop, the first time I prefered the JM labs and later the WP7. Since they are in the same price range it is a fair comparison to compare the JM lab Utopia BE to the WP7. The JM lab is however at least twice as big as the WP7 so it should have a good bass with a cabinet this size. The mids on the WP7 were more clear.

Now the Maxx, I have no doubt that the Maxx will be better than the Utopia but will it fit in a 40 sqm room (400sq foot).

Kiking
parojinog20020b47
aball
2,016 posts
 
I don't have experience with the top-end models of either brand but I do know the smaller models of both. It seems to me that Wilson and JM Lab have very different presentations and are hard to compare. I would say the Wilsons are more "hifi" and the JM Lab are more "musical" FWIW. I prefer the JM Lab style myself. I auditioned the Sophias at length (with Spectral electronics and Wadia source) and didn't care for the mechanical nature of detail reproduction. Maybe it was the amps...I don't know. The JM Lab Diva (same price as Sophia) was much more interesting sounding and favored microdynmaics more which I feel is the most important and the soundstage was a lot more 3 dimensional - although the electronics were different so I don't want to compare too much. Don't know if it helps but this is my 2 cents.
velo62
255 posts
 
There is a little confusion here. You mention Utopia many times but BE once. If your refering to the Jm Labs Nova BE they cost 40% more than the Watt Puppy 7's and not a fair comparison. I currently own the older Utopias, non BE with the 13 inch woofer using MBL gear and agree with body and bass. No other speaker Ive tried has filled my room with such a full sound. The inverted titanium tweeter is on the hot side however so your room and accompanying electronics will have a huge affect. These speakers love tubes, the are fairly efficient at 94dbs with a 4 ohm load. Ive heard Sophias, 7's, owned the Alto BE and IMHO the Utopia was a clean winner. The Nova is in another league alltogther and will probably cost more used than a new WP7. The speakers you mention including the non BE Utopia are in the 9 to 14 K range used...the JM Lab Nova and Maxx of course at another level and should be compared respectively. Good luck
oneobgyn
410 posts
 
The Maxx ll is Wilson Audio's best kept secret as it has much of the X-2 technology at 1/3 the price. They are so good that Wilson Audio is discontinuing the higher priced X-1's.

For a 400 sq ft room (20 x 20 ) my bet is they will work just fine. I have owned just about every Wilson speaker and now own the X-2 but I must say that had the Maxx llbeen available before I bought the X-2's I would have probably sold my X-1 for the Maxx ll and not the X-2 (although IMO the X-2 is the finest speaker that I have ever owned)

If you have concerns for room size I would call Wilson Audio. I am sure they will give you an honest answer
mechans
3,048 posts
 
Familiarity does not breed contempt. I don't own the Utopias but the midlevel Electras. If it really is bass you seek so shall ye find. The Utopias have faster, cleaner bass yet. The Wilsons in my limited experience are more clinical. That doesn't make them a poor choice. It took me some time to grow to enjoy the bass in my speakers. Stick with what you like keep listening because you and only you know what you like.
parojinog20020b47 OP
2 posts
 
Hi Velo62,

I am from Europe and there the WP7 is actually more expensive than the JM lab Utopia BE. The Utopia BE as a list price of 30.000 euro but is sold around 22000 euro. The WP7 has the same list price and is sold around 24000 euro.

The second hand price of the Utopia is probably correct. The comparison I did was the Utopia BE and the WP7. The dealer, my friend and I preferred the WP7 for some music and the Utopia for other music.

The Maxx is in Europe second hand around 15000 euro, the Utopia around 12000, so the difference is not that big.

The shop that played the WP7 and the Utopia had tube amps and it might be that the Utopia plays better with a good solid state amp like Krell 700CX.

Kiking
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