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Wilson Audio Duette / Custom Crossover Upgrade

 

Stereophile review from 2012:
https://www.stereophile.com/content/wilson-audio-specialties-duette-loudspeaker

Specifications: Two-way, reflex-loaded bookshelf loudspeaker with separate crossover enclosure. 
Drive-units: 8" cone woofer, 1" silk-dome tweeter. 
Sensitivity: 90dB/W/m/kHz. (Note: Look at this spec compared to the measurements below from Danny at GR-Research)
Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Minimum impedance: 3.96 ohms at 3.1kHz. 
Recommended amplifier power: >20W.
Dimensions: 18.4" H by 9.4" W by 13.75" D. Weight: 39 lbs.
Finish: Automotive paints in non-metallic black, Diamond Black, Dark Titanium, Desert Silver, and Argento Silver Twelve.
Price: $13,900/pair plus $1795/pair for matching stands. Approximate number of dealers: 50.
Manufacturer: Wilson Audio Specialties, 2233 Mountain Vista Lane, Provo, UT 84606. Tel: (801) 377-2233. Fax: (801) 377-2282. 
Web: www.wilsonaudio.com. 

"Overall, however, the Wilson Audio Duettes produced a sound that allowed all the music I listened to during my visit to communicate very effectively.—John Atkinson"

===================


I own a pair of Wilson Audio Duette speakers. I found a pair after hearing them at a buddy’s home, who also owns a pair of Wilson Audio Alexia. I thought they were different, cool... sounded BIG. I like 2-way speakers... why not?

Living with them... the Duette are extremely "resolving"... so much "resolution" that I found I needed to listen to them way off axis... speakers spread far apart / pointed straight ahead. With it being a 2-way with 8" woofer, it’s unique. It plays BIG, and is well made... except for the crossover, and the fact that it wants to melt my face.

So, what to do? Well, I sent one of them to Danny Richie at GR-Research. I’ve dealt with Danny before and it’s been a pleasure. One thing Danny will do is measure the speaker you send him, tell you what’s wrong with it, and design a new crossover for it - for Free. There’s no fee for that... you just buy the parts from him and you get a schematic. Fair deal, no doubt.

What Danny found with the Duette is eye opening. The reason the speaker sounds so forward is because the crossover was designed with no baffle step compensation. See the measurements below and the big variance between the low end up thru the midrange volume / highs and explains why they sound so FORWARD and IN YOUR FACE.

So, a new crossover was designed... here is how that has turned out, so far. One issue with the front baffle of the speaker is actually the foam on the front, that is meant to "help". The circular cutout for the foam (not the felt around the tweeter) is contributing to some diffraction / unevenness. I’m going to play with building up the area around the tweeter to smooth that "step" on the front baffle. I’ll measure the difference and see if it helps.

New Measurements for the crossover designed by Danny Richie:

Old Vs New Crossover Measurement

 

New Crossover Driver Response

Spectral Decay

 

Issue with the foam around the tweeter...

Another "Interesting" thing... there are 2 different umbilical cords for attaching the external Novel crossover to the Duette. The manual states the following about their use, and threatens warranty coverage if not used properly:

 

Umbilicals in Question... one for use with "Free Space" resistors and the other for use with "Near Wall" resistors. Different resistors are provided to adjust tweeter output.

So, Danny measured the 2 different umbilicals, to see whether there was a difference. Well, at least in terms of sound... there was ZERO difference.

The language in the manual and this measurement was disappointing, to be kind.

So, on to new crossovers. They are currently being built. I am going to make a custom enclosure for them as they will remain external from the Duette enclosure, like the original design. There will be significant differences in how they connect to the Duette, their orientation, etc. Here is the progress:

 

jim2
jim2 OP
166 posts
 

@yoyoyaya 

@OP Your posted measurements are quite different from the in room measurements that John Atkinson took. While he found the speaker peaky in the upper midrange, he measured it as a bit through the upper bass/lower midrange?

They are not different.  Here is another example of measurements for the Duette.  This is from the Soundstage review of the speaker.  The speaker was sent to the National Research Council in Canada, which does their measurements.  

Link to Soundstage Review: Wilson Audio Duette

Link to Canadian Lab: Soundstage / Wilson Audio Duette Measurements

I have overlayed the measurements from GR-Research onto the measurements from that Canadian lab.  They are the same.  This is not a "measurement issue". It's a lack of Baffle Step Compensation issue and that's why the speaker is in my face... 

Soundstage / GR-Research Duette Overlay

 

Here's the bottom line... these are an expensive 2-way speaker with unique features that give it a lot of potential.  In my opinion, which is most important since they're mine 😎...the speaker needs better balance. I'm hopeful the new crossover is going to provide that balance and I'm really excited about what these are going to become.  I think they are going to be a very special 2-way stand mount speaker that can embarrass other stuff with its scale. 

Also... I think it's worth noting that we should not assume that a Big Name / Big Price is going to automatically deliver sonic bliss.  

Trust, but verify.  

Why don't all speaker companies post measurements of their speakers? 🧐

I've been having a lot of conversations over the last few months and looking at these things and correlating what I like, with what the measurement looks like. This is not the only speaker I'm playing with, looking at measurements. There are clues what something is going to sound like, if you get some basic understanding of what you're looking for, and what you're looking at.  I know just enough to be dangerous and have a much better chance of making an informed decision about what I like and want. 

I hope this has been helpful to some, as it's surely opened my eyes (and ears).. 

🏁🏁🏁

jim2 OP
166 posts
 

@waytoomuchstuff 

What!!!!??  Take a perfectly good expensive speaker and "mess" with it!!??  This is like painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa!

Oh, the humanity!!

I like to use marine grade 1/4" epoxy for our custom crossover boards.  After performing speaker/crossover mods, I look forward to the moment when we sit the customer down for the big reveal.  To borrow a line from Doc Brown (Back to the Future): "When this baby hits 88 decibels, you're going to hear some serious s---!!"

Have fun. 

There are a few unmarked black vans down the street that I don't recognize, but I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.  There were a few phone calls with dead air and just heavy breathing, though... not sure what that's about.  If something happens to me because I've engaged in heresy, I just want everyone to know that I left it all on the field. 😎

waytoomuchstuff's avatar
waytoomuchstuff
1,159 posts
 

Think I’m going to hop off this thread.  Being a “known associate” has its risks.

😀

jim2 OP
166 posts
 

By the way... I guess there are some not aware... if you search on YouTube you'll find a video where Danny goes thru what he found and did with this speaker. 

Here is a link to it, which I guess is OK to post.  If not then I'm sure AG will delete it:

 

Post removed 
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