Wilson Audio Question compaired to Vandersteen

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!

I own wilsons but was practically drooling at a demo of the Vandersteen 7s - I wouldn't suffer too much if I had to live with those ($40K+!) speakers...

Audiofreakgeek is overreacting. His comments and my reaction indicate only that IF one is going to go with Wilson that the Sophia 3 is a better move than a WP7/8. Of course there are lots of other choices. KEF and Revel come to mind. But, given what Programmergeek currently owns, coupled with what he is now looking to do, the Wilson seems like a good fit for him. The point is FOR HIM, not what the best speaker is on an absolute basis.

The speakers he already has are very, very good. Given how room adjustable they are, he's probably better off looking at placement, room treatment and upstream equipment rather than new speakers.