A brutal review of the Wilson Maxx


I enjoy reading this fellow (Richard Hardesty)

http://www.audioperfectionist.com/PDF%20files/APJ_WD_21.pdf

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g_m_c
dave wilson has always been fodder for audio critics. he made his reputation off the wilson wamm a product that is virtually non-existent. he charges outrageous prices for off the shelf drivers. those in the know see nothing expensive about the parts or construcution process. those in the know conitnue to rave on the wilson products from top to bottom of the line.

Wilson maxx graced the cover of both the absolute sound and sterophile recently. after all these years what did dave discover? a new supplier of drivers?

Is it a bit inconsistent? he can make it sound good with an ipod-but I have heard it with the best of krell,cj,arc. quite frankly I prefer a table radio.

The fact of the matter is dave is feeling the bite of the economy. he is not the first peddler of an expenswive audio product to suggest that all the money should be spent on his product. I remeber daves comment "I am not so much interested in the the audiophile but the person who can spend $10K for my speaker".

Reviewers whose ears I trust continue to rave over wilson speakers. I don't think they are bribed. There are makers of excellent products who can't get a review. It would be much easier to take a bribe for a good product.

The good thing is we can vote with our ears and our pocketbooks. If you buy a product based on reviews and exclusivty, eventually you'll stop listening and your friends will not come over anymore. that is the true test of a product. A test that the wilson products have failed miserably in my opinion. If they made your honor roll,congratulations!

Arthur - interesting site that I was unaware of. I'm hesitant to take sides in this dispute, however I can certainly concede that the language used in Mr. Fremer's correspondence (if accurate) is very unprofessional. While he's not a professional athelete, I'm sure some folks, young or old look up to him in his position and I would expect better.

High end audio is a business. My guess is that it's neither as pure as MF suggests or as corrupt as you do. Thank goodness we all have the opportunity to listen/audition equipment ourselves.
This makes interesting reading, but please, except for Fremer, for whom this IS his life, everybody needs to get one. Sit, back enjoy your equipment, and stop looking for external validation for how you spend your hard-earned dolars. All we nned to round out this thread is Romy the Cat.

David Shapiro
Grooves - Questions Stereophile never answers. Could you be so kind as to let me know?
RE: coloration in speakers. In the interest of defining "coloration":
1) Why can't Stereophile measure / publish speaker distortion? The on-line mag SoundStage does.
2) Why can't Stereophile measure / publish right & left speaker matching in dB output?

RE: Ethics:
Even this month, JA says Stereophile has a "5 dealer rule" yet turns around and does a review of UpScale Audio's Prima-Luna amp. Stated number of dealers: 1.
Same thing when M-F gear was an Audio Advisor exclusive. What's up with that?

BTW:
My $17 Tang-Band W3-871s drivers (ELF 1.0 speakers / Denon UD-M31 mini system /Marantz CD-500) are so uncolored when a fire siren came on during a song my girlfriend came out of the bathroom - door was open - and asked where the firetrucks were going. This has happened to me numerous times with telephone ringing and a noise sounding like my kitchen timer. Even when I KNEW it was coming up on the CD, still got tricked.

So every speaker is colored. And every step I take causes the earth to changes its direction of rotation too.

I understand your point, just expect a lot more from a $20,000 speaker than a $200 speaker.
Arthur welcome to Audiogon.
I will sidestep with a question.Which store did you own in Toronto back in the day?I was puzzled and had a conversation with a fellow audiobuddy regarding this a while ago,he didn't know either.I am asking just out of curiocity.I was around when Adrian Low had a basement store on Spadina I believe before he made big with Audio Excellence on Bathurst/#7 and of course I knew Angie since she was at National Sound on Queen St,before she moved to Yonge north at American Sound.Where your store was located?
E-mail directly if you want.
I do find Fremer a little aggressive as well espesially since he is an industry personality.IMO.
No opinion on the Wilson's I can't afford them even used.
Regards
George