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I just heard the Wilson Alexandria XLF's Wednesday

My local high end audio shop hosted its annual "Music Matters" open house where reps from their prime product lines demonstrate their latest wares. In the past I've been introduced to many products that were either just reaching the market or still in prototype stage (e.g., the Magnepan Mini's).

In one room we had Peter McGrath of Wilson, Dan D'Agostino with his new $50K/pair monoblock amps, a Meridian rep with a Sooloos front end, and John Atkinson of Stereophile, who had some great 24/96 music files he'd recorded himself.

Two demos were of music Atkinson had recorded with minimal miking--a small orchestra and pianist playing Rhapsody in Blue and a 9-person vocal group with organ accompaniment.

This setup produced the most realistic reproduction of music I've personally heard. I am a subscriber to the Seattle Symphony and attend live concerts there monthly. It's obvious to me that these live performances have--in addition to the music--a sense of room energy that's consistently lacking in audio reproduction. NOT THIS TIME! The Meridian/D'Agostino/Transparent (Opus)/Wilson signal chain produced a completely fleshed-out, live-feeling presentation. A sonic hologram if you will. The presentation was transparent and resonance-free, linear, extended, but most of all, live-sounding.

In fact, the very next demo I went to was of Audio Research pushing the new Wisdom Audio $95K flagship panels+sub system, and it sounded artificial by comparison. On its own I'm sure the Wisdom is an excellent speaker, but following the twice-as-expensive Alexandria XLF it was a complete letdown.

Anyone who has an opportunity to hear the Alexandria XLFs should give them a listen just to see what can be done. For me it completely re-defined what can be done with musical reproduction and makes me regret not setting out to become a millionaire when I was young so I could afford a pair (plus the D'Agostino amps) today.

BTW, in all previous Wilson demo's I've heard (Sophia 2 & 3, Maxx 2 & 3, Alexandria X-2, Watt/Puppy 7, Sasha W/P 8), they always sounded decidedly better--more musical, liquid, resolving, real-sounding--with tube electronics. Not so this time. The D'Agostinos are so neutral and so good at driving the speakers that all you think about is the music and the holographic presentation.
johnnyb53
gpgr4blu
1,080 posts
 
Heard the D'Agostino monos with Sashas and agree that it is the best solid state amp I have ever heard and indeed the very first one I liked with Wilson speakers and I've heard many. Doesn't take me out of the tube camp but makes me think maybe there is room for both a tube and ss amp in my system.
lloydelee21
1,202 posts
 
So i was (very kindly) invited to the introduction of the new XLF...superb room...D'Agostino Momentum monos...Kalista Ref CD player, ARC Ref 5SE preamp...Transp Opus MM2 Cabling throughout. On the face of it...a superb system and one to be reckoned with. Here's my view of the experience:

- Supreme 'density of signal'...greater by a 'meaningful margin' than Audio Exotics room in Hong Kong (Tidal Sunrays with 2 Tidal tower subs, 3 sets of Tidal Impact monos, Tidal Presencio, Stahl-Tek Vekian, Argento Master Ref cabling, Tripoint grounding/AC).
- This is where i think newer electronics have come a long way (and good speakers thought not necessarily 'the newest ones'...older SOTA is still amazing)...in being able to take the signal and through substantially lower noise floors, more exacting detail retreival...really are able to deliver a very strong, focused, concrete music signal. Older electronics...mainly digital...tend to deliver a 'weaker music signal'...almost like a flashlight where the batteries are getting low.
- On this system...it was like brand new lightbulb and batteries and flashlight. Very impressive.

- Better bass than i recall with X2 Series 2...but that's not a definitive statement because too many variables. What I CAN say for sure, is that this XLF will NOT replace any well setup X2 Series with a good sub. That is not close.

sound on tracks i know extremely well was 'a bit shouty'...which surprised me. I am going to give the system the benefit of the doubt and say there were probably more than a few new components...most likely the Ref 5 SE, as well as of course the speakers, and possibly the Momentums and speaker cables.
- By 'shouty' i mean that even on Amos Lee...on whom Norah Jones does background vocals so you get the idea...his voice felt a little like he was singing/shouting. And that was not the only track where i felt this touch of slightly raw overpowering force.
- Based on what i understand about the new tweeter, and what i already know about the X2, X2 Series 2 and likely the XLF mids, i might point at the Momentum monos which i have heard are 'slightly harder' than the stereo version. I am familiar with the Kalista, Ref 5 (non SE), Transp cables and the X-1, X2 series, so that is my guess.

i appreciate the opportunity to hear it, having heard the Audio Exotics Room last year with similar/same music. Feel free to ask/PM for any other observations.
himiguel's avatar
himiguel
152 posts
 
Thanks Lloydelee21 for your observations. You'll have to visit Audio Exotics showrooom again as it keeps evolving. New Analog Domain amps, Stahl-Tek Vekian Opus upgrade, New Tidal Impact amps for sub, Tripoint THOR grounding cables + all kind of new room treatment.
lloydelee21
1,202 posts
 
Himiguel,

I would appreciate your thoughts on the Stahl-Tek Opus...i heard the AE room with Stahl-Tek, and tried to 'dissect' what i think the Stahl-Tek was doing...i have a sense.

But my reference (for tonality and musical cohesive presentation) is Zanden, and it is very difficult to make that precise a comparison in a vacuum. I DO know i prefer Zanden to DCS Scarlatti, Wadia...even though the latest digital is more detailed with lower noise floor...i still prefer the musical cohesiveness of the Zanden and its pure tonality.

Lets put it this way...of all the digital i have ever heard (incl Metronome Kalista Ref with C2A, DCS SCarlatti, wAdia s7, Esoteric X01SE, Emm CDSA, ARC CD5, 7, 8, Krell 505, Weiss Medea)...Zanden is my favorite...but the only one i might consider upgrading to is STahl-Tek Opus.

Any thoughts on how you might compare Stahl-Tek Opus is GREATLY appreciated!!!
himiguel's avatar
himiguel
152 posts
 
Lloydelee21, Most likely under your conditions the Zanden will excel in musicality, cohesiveness, and tonality. When you start changing other variables; roomn treatment, power management, grounding, mechanical isolation the results completely changes your perspective of each component. System synergy is the key to making one particular front end excel in one particular system. Noise clouds up the senses and destroys musicality. If you like you can contact me outside of this thread and I'll save you 20 years of trial and error.
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