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new member, some questions, need help please

Hi, my name is Jaime.  I've been lurking this site more intensely over the past few months as i'm at the end of my career and would like to assemble a very nice, better than mediocre equipment and listening environment.  I was heavily into audio and considered myself an novice audiophile for a few year back in circa 1988.  Got into med school, married, children, mortgage, fast cars, fine wines and, well, you know how it goes thereafter.  fast forward onto the current epoch, a few lbs heavier, tinnitus in one ear and still have the bug and still covet some equipment that I could not afford back then.  Well, don't hear too much of Mark Levinson, Wilson Audio is still around, cassette player are out (remember Nakamichi :-) ), now there's so much digital this and digital that, servers, streamers.... I've got much to learn.  But, for now, I just have one question regarding one piece of the audio chain...... speakers

I've alway wanted to own Wilson Watt puppy ever since I first heard them in 1990 paired with Jadis amp and preamp.  Wow, still remember back then the music was palpable and haunting (remember i was and still am a novice).  I"d like to return to Watt puppy and a great amp, but here's my question:  Specifically regarding Watt puppy series 8..... are they too old to be meaningful in 2024? Do speakers lose their magic to an extent that renders them less capable to a significant extent after 15-18 years (assuming proper physical condition condition for their age) or do they still have enduring quality sound after all these years?  I know that my ears and temporal lobes of my brain ultimately have to please me, but I do have to start somewhere with some knowledge moving forward, hence my ask for help.. thank you very much in advance.

Jaime

jaimeromero
12many
274 posts
 

Similar spot as you but maybe a year or two ahead. I will parrot back the good advice I received from this site. I suggest listening to different systems as much as you can. Different speakers and equipment will present different sound or sound different. You will want to match the equipment you buy to the type of sound you like and the type of music you listen to. Read and listen, read and listen. Don’t hesitate to listen for a long time. If you can learn before you buy, it will be a big benefit. Finally, you may be presented with systems at first sound good, but after long term listening/owning are not so great. I was told new listeners look for treble details, big bass, and chase specs. I was guilty of this. Instead focus on the emotion the music brings out, your involvement with the music, and the mid range. Finally, there are great deals used if you get to know the market and can find a seller you trust. Good luck and enjoy.

ghdprentice
7,074 posts
 

I helped assemble a system for a friend. They include a set of used Puppies 8, I believe. They sound fantastic coupled with. New ARC preamp and amp. The woofers have just been re-taped. A great combination. You get the natural warm sound of the ARC and highly detailed sound.

jayctoy's avatar
jayctoy
4,165 posts
 

Audiotroy annually I attended axpona, Alta room always sounds musical. For many yrs I wasn’t impress with Wilson until last year I heard the Wilson and Dan Agostino gear with them. Quintessen audio finally got it  right. I was floored. I believe now with the right gear , cabling, and room? Wilson Watt puppy will shine. 

bigkidz
3,390 posts
 

All of this subjective.  Everyone hears differently,  Reviews are a guide but not the final word.  Go with what sound you like, nobody here can tell you that. Find gear within your budget.

 

Here are some suggestions - Line Magnetics amps are excellent because they use very good transformers.  That is where the music starts.  Take a look at Revival speakers.  Excellent for the money.  Find a source that you like that is very subjective.  You don't need to spend a lot to get great sound, just know what makes music sounds good.

 

Happy Listening.

jaimeromero OP
3 posts
 

Well, thank you all for the sage advice!  I feel I can exhale regarding performance degradation over the years. I will heed your advice regarding audio shows, also, very good insight on our own emotional intelligence in choosing a speaker based on overall emotion and being moved by how the music makes us feel (like how a piece of art on the wall makes us buy it) as apposed to dissecting the music for technical merits.  I get it!  I would have definitely be lost in this respect.

I can see that this is going to be a moving target with all permutations available with each component in the audio chain. Synergy and personal anatomic differences in each one of us physically adds to the choices (audio acuity to our ears, depth and diameter of ear canal causing different resonant frequency for each of us, so much synaptic variability in our brains....... sorry, got a bit nerdy here).

Moving forward, I'm thinking of jumping up to the Sasha1, which looks like it would be about 4-6K more than pre owned WP8, another 4-6K for the Sasha 2.  I'm staring down the slippery slope here.  So many questions.... I've been reading some audiophiles saying Sasha 1 to sasha 2 not worth it for the money, some say a big improvement, I'm thinking once again this is a very personal choice based on the above physiologic difference and "fit" we all have.  Seems the only way to more closely evaluate the choices in speakers would be to have a decent system and the only variable changing would be the speakers so that A-B comparisons would be meaningful. 

Today I heard Focal Scala Utopia being fed by Luxman amp, Rose DAC.  Wow, they sounded great, articulate, wide stage, wish i knew more superlatives here...I'm learning tho..

Next to the Focal were a pair of Sonus Faber, I think they were the Olympica, also very nice with tremendous base for their size, but in my opinion lacking in the mid frequencies compared to the Focal, but also not 55K in price either.

Need to read more and visit audio stores more :-)

Jaime

 

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