Wilson Audio Question compaired to Vandersteen


I have a friend that is a Wilson Audio fan and I have always liked them he is using the watt puppy 7, they just have a great punch and are very clear, also there center is awesome looking. My current speakers are just boring lumps so something that stands out would be nice. I use my speakers 80% for HT these days. I have a chance to get some at a great deal anyhow I am not sure where to start. I have Vandersteen 5a but what is the Wilson Audio model compared to the 5a's. Also I know what I hear but what are other people’s opinion between the two? Thank you in advance for any input.
programmergeek
I concur with AudioFreakGeek 100% based on my auditions @ various Wilson dealers and owners rigs.

Also an audition of a pair of Vandersteen 5As at an in-home audio salon leaves me the impression that the speakers are way way far from " time and phase coherent"
especially in the mid-bass region.
Your speakers are awfully good, but if you want something different and more exciting a Wilson would be a good choice. I wouldn't go with a used WP 7 or 8. Audiofreakgeek nailed it, get the Sophia 3.
For HT you want something clean, fast, and dynamic with a minimum of transient overhang, ringing, and cabinet resonances. Vandersteen and Wilson address these issues in different ways, but between the two, IMO the Wilsons tend to be faster and more articulate. Being pretty sensitive they are capable of excellent dynamics on a moderate amount of power. If your Vandy's seem like "lumps," it may be because they require so much power just to get moving. I'm pretty sure they're around 86 dB efficient where the Wilsons are somewhere above 90. This is like quadrupling your amplifier power.
SPECIFICATIONS

* FREQUENCY RESPONSE
22Hz to 30kHz + or - 2dB

* EFFICIENCY
87dB at 1 meter with a 2.83 volt input.

* RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER
40 TO 200 watts per channel into 8 ohms for the upper section, 400-watt subwoofer amplifier built in.

* IMPEDANCE
6 ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimum.

* CROSSOVER
100Hz, 600Hz, 5000Hz and adjustable H.F., 6dB per octave.

* PHASE
All the drivers are connected in positive absolute phase.

* UPGRADEABLE MODULES
Totally modular design. The driver, crossover and amplifier modules can be changed in the field to accommodate future upgrades.

* PHYSICAL
44" high, 14" wide, 20" deep.
182 pounds net, 225 pounds gross, each.
I didn't say get the Sophia 3, I was making a point about the deal buyer mentality, a great deal is only a great deal when you take into consideration a number of possible factors.

Take for example:

A Levinson 33H which was a $30k amp which probably sells now for $10k however, at least according to Mike Silverton of Soundstage, a pair of Nuforce Ref 9SE V3 smokes them! I am quite a fan of the REF 9 and I think if you hear a well setup pair they are amazing sounding! The Nuforce's are fantastic amplifiers for the money, however, as with anything else they must be used correctly.

I will take my very well set up KEF 207.2 to a pair of Sasha or Sophia's or Vandys thank you very much.

The KEF's are a total sleeper biggest problem nobody gets to hear them setup well, as most KEF dealers are custom installers while many others big dealers have jumped on the boutique manufacturer of the month club ie Magico or YG.

The problem with many audiophiles is they believe more what's in print and have to own the hot trophy product and are also swayed by marketing bull.

If you look at most of the magic midrange drivers which Wilson uses they are paper and reed seas drivers which cost $78.00 from Madison! Wilson makes a big deal saying they are proprietary however, having a basket which is stamped their name is hardly proprietary.

People need to go and listen to these products carefully setup in a good shop and then make up their mind, stop believing what you read in print as most of these magazines are more beholden to their advertisers than the truth.

When I look at a product I look at the driver technology, the engineering, the quality of design and if possible the measurements, just because a speaker is or isn't a particular type of crossover slope or uses x type of drivers doesn't mean it sounds better!