Wilson better than Thiels?

It's just as everyone is saying- to hear these speakers at their best, you must hear them in someone's home set up properly with time and care. If I had not heard either the Thiels or the Wilsons in my buddies homes, I would not have given them a passing thought. I have heard each brand in a number of different stores in different cities over the years. They sounded good/bad but never to their full potential. Naturally, the stores are going to audition them with their front end equipment- good or bad. At least both brands typically warranted their own dedicated listening room vs. being lined up along the wall with all the usual suspects.

In my heart, what you need is a turntable, but that's for another thread.

Have you access to some other speaker cables to try w/your Thiels, perhaps MIT?

You've got a great preamp, and amps that are often paired with Thiels, so it's tough to nail it down. When you say, "a bit more openness and a better sense of realism", that just begs for analog...Cheers,
Spencer

Shadorne, I think you are a fan of British sounds.
Are there main different between British and American sounds? ..... I hope I am not creating third world war here!!
I listened to the Proac D28/38 but I did not like it. I had a chance to listen to the HL-5 Long time ago and I can still remember that speaker has sometime special. I hope I can find one used. I don’t think that will be an up-grade but is a change of taste.
The Wilson’s sound is more inline with my existing taste; I will know for sure there is less to be compromised. But the price is ….. :(
Turntable… I got one too. Check my old threads.
Is my Thiels is up to its potentials? I think they are. I am not saying my systems sounded poor, it is just my up-grade buds…
I want to find a speaker that sounds more ‘life-like’ than my Thiels….
In Sydney, it is impossible to find proper listening trials for a lot of brands. There are only a handful of importers who still sells 2-channels. We are really in the out-back of Hi Ends!

Yeah, it'll come down to preference - especially considering audiophiles and enthusiasts alike will always differ on tastes.
I used to sell Thiel and Wilson both. I owned a pair of Thiel 2.3's, as I got a good deal on em. Still, the Wilson's through the line are better, but more expensive, IMO.

I like both, but would choose Thiels.