Wilson Maxx 2. vs. Magico S5 mk2

[john999]

which speaker is more natural,musical and enjoyable.

[slowgeezr]

Like everything in audio, it depends. It depends on the room and treatments and ancillary gear. It depends on your own subjective tastes in music reproduction. It depends on source material. It depends on the cables.

[GSOphile]

My vote/tastes favor the Magico.

[Kuoppis]

I’m afraid this is a little of a Superman vs. Batman question .


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[kzhtoo]

I’m afraid this is a little of a Superman vs. Batman question .


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'd take Superman every time.

[Elberoth]

Like everything in audio, it depends. It depends on the room and treatments and ancillary gear. It depends on your own subjective tastes in music reproduction. It depends on source material. It depends on the cables.

In this case it does not depend on anything, I'm affraid. No bad / mismatched equipment will make the S5 mk 2 sound as unnatural as the Wilsons Maxx II.

Two of my close friends used to own those and I used to have the Magico S5 mk 2 (and Wilson Sasha mk 1 and Sophia mk 2 of the Maxx 2/3 era), so I know all those speakers inside and out.

Magico S5 mk 2, no contest, as this is a trully great speaker, head and shoulders above the Maxx 2.

[mdp632]

In this case it does not depend on anything, I'm affraid. No bad / mismatched equipment will make the S5 mk 2 sound as unnatural as the Wilsons Maxx II.

Two of my close friends used to own those and I used to have the Magico S5 mk 2 (and Wilson Sasha mk 1 and Sophia mk 2 of the Maxx 2/3 era), so I know all those speakers inside and out.

Magico S5 mk 2, no contest, as this is a trully great speaker, head and shoulders above the Maxx 2.

To the statement above. I've never heard or read of a Magico owner selling their speakers for Wilsons. Always the opposite.

In addition, that metal dome tweeter in the older Wilson is IMHO not in the same league as the tweeter in the Magico SMK2 line. A more fair comparison would be the Sasha series 2 to the S5 MK2.

[parkcaka]

To the statement above. I've never heard or read of a Magico owner selling their speakers for Wilsons. Always the opposite.

In addition, that metal dome tweeter in the older Wilson is IMHO not in the same league as the tweeter in the Magico SMK2 line. A more fair comparison would be the Sasha series 2 to the S5 MK2.

Hello,

I sold my Magico Q3 for Wilson Alexias.

I was fed up with how transparent, lifeless my system became powered with Gryphon Pandora+Mephisto. I could only listen for 3-4 songs before I'm bored.

With my Alexias I feel like I am in the club. So musical and engaging.

I would clearly choose Maxx 2 over S5 mk2. The only Magico I'll chose over my Aliexias is M5. I listened to S1, S3, S3 mk2, S5, S5 mk2, S7, Q3 and M5. M5 was the only Magico that gave me the dynamic, musical "you are there in the club" feeling. While all of these Magico models are great speakers with technical wonders but personally I could never got lost in the music with them. They are acting likes microscopes so you hear the music as it is in the recording studio. I know this is infact the exact meaning of hifi but again in my humble opinion I don't care if I listen to the perfect reconstruction of the recording. I like to feel like I am "there" in the jazz club near the stage, on the stage. Even if that means loss of resolutiona and imaging.

my 2 cents.

[Mr Peabody]

Definitely a, Ford vs Chevy type question, however, some good responses.

The only Wilson audition I thought I could sit and listen for more than a couple songs was the Sasha driven by Doshi. I liked all the Magico and hated to leave. Many Wilson owners here so I will leave it at that, just not my type of sound. I do like the dynamics and presence that would bring you closer to live though.

[parkcaka]

Definitely a, Ford vs Chevy type question, however, some good responses.

The only Wilson audition I thought I could sit and listen for more than a couple songs was the Sasha driven by Doshi. I liked all the Magico and hated to leave. Many Wilson owners here so I will leave it at that, just not my type of sound. I do like the dynamics and presence that would bring you closer to live though.

You are right.

These 2 companies represent two different ends in the spectrum. Both companies have enough long term followers/investors to justify that they produce SOTA products. They are way over being trendy. Alon and Dave both are geniuses.

So to sum it up from my perspective, on bass, dynamics, presence, stage size Maxx wins. On (crystal) midrange, resolution, tranparency, high fidelity, focus S5 wins.

You can’t go wrong with both speakers if you know what you are looking for.

Love and respect,

Cagdas

[asiufy]

Regardless of which one's the better speaker, the comparison is really odd... One is several generations removed from the manufacturer's current offering, while the other is brand new, with all the new shiny stuff... Strikes me as an apples x oranges kind of thing, no?

[GSOphile]

To the statement above. I've never heard or read of a Magico owner selling their speakers for Wilsons. Always the opposite.

In addition, that metal dome tweeter in the older Wilson is IMHO not in the same league as the tweeter in the Magico SMK2 line. A more fair comparison would be the Sasha series 2 to the S5 MK2.

To help quantify mdp632's point and add a little emphasis to the apples to oranges aspect, the Wilson Maxx2 became available 2004, the Magico S5 Mk II in 2016.

[The Sandman]

Regardless of which one's the better speaker, the comparison is really odd... One is several generations removed from the manufacturer's current offering, while the other is brand new, with all the new shiny stuff... Strikes me as an apples x oranges kind of thing, no?

Might be that there's a used Maxx 2 available to the original poster for about the same price as the new S5 mk2?

[parkcaka]

To help quantify mdp632's point and add a little emphasis to the apples to oranges aspect, the Wilson Maxx2 became available 2004, the Magico S5 Mk II in 2016.

Yes but this would make sense if we were comparing a 2004 and a 2016 product from the same company and same line. Like Maxx 2 vs Alexx.

But when you are choosing between Maxx 2 and S5 which are world apart in design philosophy dates do not really matter.

If you have a big room and want room shaking scale of music S5 has no chance with Maxx 2. A timpani will literally move your furniture with Maxx 2.

Also with Magico you really need very very good amps and source electronics. Magico just likes quality on front end. They shine with hiend stuff. With average electronics Magicos just gives you pain in the **s. But you can get away with about any electronics with Maxx 2. Ofcourse the better front end you have it will play better but I heard 2K Chinese amps with Wilsons and they were not playing bad.

It's like 2017 Mercedes S class vs 1986 Porsche Targa. Yes the Mercedes is space age in technology comparing to 86 Targa but still it depends on what you are looking for.

Love and respect,

Çağdaş

[kzhtoo]

It's like 2017 Mercedes S class vs 1986 Porsche Targa. Yes the Mercedes is space age in technology comparing to 86 Targa but still it depends on what you are looking for.

Love and respect,

Çağdaş

I think Magico is more like Porsche and Wilson is Merc.

[Mr Peabody]

I'm curious on the bass comments regarding Wilson. Most of my auditions have been with D'Agostino amplification and equally level digital sources. Bass is one area I find the Wilson, in general, lacking. The midrange seems always prominent.

1. Do today's Wilson compare to the Max is bass or did Wilson back off in that area?

2. Perhaps, though the two brands are typically together, maybe there's better synergy amplification for Wilson?

One demo was playing Patricia Barber's Modern Cool, an album I'm very familiar with and on all high end systems I've heard the album the bass reproduction is very good, on the Wilson/Agostino combo this album didn't sound that way. The bass was almost nonexistent When we left we all sort of agreed there must have been a problem, hard to guess as to what it could have been without knowing more about the system in that room.

I'm sincerely looking for Wilson user/dealer comments. I've never heard Wilson do much in bass. And, regarding live, they don't even come close to something like MBL. So if Wilson users are getting room shaking bass from timpani, how are you doing it?

[parkcaka]

I think Magico is more like Porsche and Wilson is Merc.

If we are talking about a vintage Porsche, not really

Wilson is all about fun with its flaws. All music sounds nice with Wilsons with a nice tube amp. Just like how even a trip to work is fun with a Targa.

Magico is just perfection with its graphene carbon aluminum beryllium diamond all aerospace stuff materials, closed zero resonance cabinet, 800 screws, tightening bars and near perfect frequency response drivers. Even Magico feet are science in itself.

Wilson is still using some version of paper for drivers and metal spikes for feet.

[kzhtoo]

If we are talking about a vintage Porsche, not really

Wilson is all about fun with its flaws. All music sounds nice with Wilsons with a nice tube amp. Just like how even a trip to work is fun with a Targa.

Magico is just perfection with its graphene carbon aluminum beryllium diamond all aerospace stuff materials, closed zero resonance cabinet, 800 screws, tightening bars and near perfect frequency response drivers. Even Magico feet are science in itself.

Wilson is still using some version of paper for drivers and metal spikes for feet.

Merc is more about "perfection" than Porsche? We have vastly differing opinions.

[parkcaka]

Merc is more about "perfection" than Porsche? We have vastly differing opinions.

Yes we have and that's normal.

Cheers.

[CPP]

Like anything audio, it depends

[GSOphile]

Yes but this would make sense if we were comparing a 2004 and a 2016 product from the same company and same line. Like Maxx 2 vs Alexx.

But when you are choosing between Maxx 2 and S5 which are world apart in design philosophy dates do not really matter.

If you have a big room and want room shaking scale of music S5 has no chance with Maxx 2. A timpani will literally move your furniture with Maxx 2.

Also with Magico you really need very very good amps and source electronics. Magico just likes quality on front end. They shine with hiend stuff. With average electronics Magicos just gives you pain in the **s. But you can get away with about any electronics with Maxx 2. Ofcourse the better front end you have it will play better but I heard 2K Chinese amps with Wilsons and they were not playing bad.

It's like 2017 Mercedes S class vs 1986 Porsche Targa. Yes the Mercedes is space age in technology comparing to 86 Targa but still it depends on what you are looking for.

Love and respect,

Çağdaş

Although each brand has something of a house sound, IMO dates DO matter. The Magico has a version of their new highly praised diamond tweeter while the Maxx2 uses Wilson's old inverted dome titanium tweeter since replaced by a much better soft dome tweeter.

[Elberoth]

Hello,
I sold my Magico Q3 for Wilson Alexias.

I would do the same. In fact, I would never buy the Q3 at the first place! The Q3 and Q5 never did it for me. The S5 mk 2 however, is a different animal altogether.

I don't want to go into S5 vs Alexia discussion here (there are two forum members who sold the Alexia for the S5, but I'm sure there are people that did the exact opposite), I would only like to point out, that the OP asked about opinion about the Magico S5 mk 2 vs ... the ancient Wilson Maxx II. Where really Wilson has no chance. Not even in the bass.

[Mike]

Adam, I agree with you. I had a client wanting to trade his Q5’s in. I was going to just give them to VTSkier since he’s the only one I know who wanted them. I did like the Q3 with Pass XA.5 amps and the Q7 mk2 is really good, but the M is more my flavor.

S series and M Series is soooooooo much better to my ears.

I won’t enter the Wilson vs Magico debate, but I was one of the two Adam mentions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mauidan]

Might be that there's a used Maxx 2 available to the original poster for about the same price as the new S5 mk2?

Used Maxx 2s should be available for a lot less than used S5 Mk.2s:

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=Wilson+Maxx+2

https://www.hifishark.com/search?q=Magico+S5+Mk.2

[asiufy]

I'm curious on the bass comments regarding Wilson. Most of my auditions have been with D'Agostino amplification and equally level digital sources. Bass is one area I find the Wilson, in general, lacking. The midrange seems always prominent.

1. Do today's Wilson compare to the Max is bass or did Wilson back off in that area?

2. Perhaps, though the two brands are typically together, maybe there's better synergy amplification for Wilson?

One demo was playing Patricia Barber's Modern Cool, an album I'm very familiar with and on all high end systems I've heard the album the bass reproduction is very good, on the Wilson/Agostino combo this album didn't sound that way. The bass was almost nonexistent When we left we all sort of agreed there must have been a problem, hard to guess as to what it could have been without knowing more about the system in that room.

I'm sincerely looking for Wilson user/dealer comments. I've never heard Wilson do much in bass. And, regarding live, they don't even come close to something like MBL. So if Wilson users are getting room shaking bass from timpani, how are you doing it?

Mr. Peabody,

Very interesting that you find the bass lacking in the Wilsons. I can't speak for the previous products, but the current line up does not lack for bass!
Even in the little Sabrina, bass is prodigious! And you don't even need a D"Agostino 400W amp to go with it The light fixtures in our room (hanging) shake with drum/tympani hits, on the Alexia 2...
One thing I've learnt with the Wilsons is that, while they're a little more forgiving in terms of partering gear, they are completely unforgiving when it comes to set up. A mismatched cable or amp will hurt it a lot less than a poor setup/positioning.

Just my 0.002c
cheers,
alex

[kevinkwann]

Mr. Peaboy,

Thanks for that. It reminded me I had to go to the bathroom.

[AJ Soundfield]

Like anything else in audiophilia, I'd listen to each and decide for myself which sounded better to me, not giving a care what anyone else thought.
But that's just me.

cheers,

AJ

[kzhtoo]

Like anything else in audiophilia, I'd listen to each and decide for myself which sounded better to me, not giving a care what anyone else thought.
But that's just me.

cheers,

AJ

OP never said he or she would not listen for himself or herself. And asking never hurts. Bedsides, these online forums are for just exactly that - sharing experiences and opinions.

[Joe P]

Mr. Peabody,

Very interesting that you find the bass lacking in the Wilsons. I can't speak for the previous products, but the current line up does not lack for bass!
Even in the little Sabrina, bass is prodigious! And you don't even need a D"Agostino 400W amp to go with it The light fixtures in our room (hanging) shake with drum/tympani hits, on the Alexia 2...
One thing I've learnt with the Wilsons is that, while they're a little more forgiving in terms of partering gear, they are completely unforgiving when it comes to set up. A mismatched cable or amp will hurt it a lot less than a poor setup/positioning.

Just my 0.002c
cheers,
alex

+1

[AJ Soundfield]

these online forums are for just exactly that - sharing experiences and opinions.

Yep, just like I did above

[a.wayne]

You are right.

These 2 companies represent two different ends in the spectrum. Both companies have enough long term followers/investors to justify that they produce SOTA products. They are way over being trendy. Alon and Dave both are geniuses.

So to sum it up from my perspective, on bass, dynamics, presence, stage size Maxx wins. On (crystal) midrange, resolution, tranparency, high fidelity, focus S5 wins.

You can’t go wrong with both speakers if you know what you are looking for.

Love and respect,

Cagdas

Agree i find both Brands to be laterals , both great products , the Wilson does require careful attn to make the Bass right, the Magico less so.


Regards

[parkcaka]

Although each brand has something of a house sound, IMO dates DO matter. The Magico has a version of their new highly praised diamond tweeter while the Maxx2 uses Wilson's old inverted dome titanium tweeter since replaced by a much better soft dome tweeter.

Sorry my friend but I don't think so.

There are many many audiophiles still listening to their 50 year old electrostatics and horns and honestly love them more than our Wilson & Magico speakers. If we were comparing two Magicos with their technology than maybe date counts.

I love the old inverted titanium tweeter. I had Sashas for 4-5 years with that tweeter and I would still choose Sasha 1 for any Magico on market today (except S7, M5 and the new M6).

I am a tour manager and live music producer so I really have my personal tastes that may be stupid for others. I can perfectly see the logic so I am not trying to assert anything.

I love my music big, loud, dynamic, live. Magico has a bass so controlled and perfect that I never witnessed on stage during sound check & rehearsals and gigs. We use big bass amps, guitar amps, real life kick drums on stage. When the drummer hits the kick drum it has to flood the room. Ever praticed in a studio or visited a band in a studio rehearsal? How was the drum? It was everywhere right? You could feel it in your orgnans. It shouldn't just be a "thump" on a perfect point between speakers. Double bass is also almost never acoustic these days even in jazz, they are all amplified and again the double bass is never experienced on stage like Magico's perfect, defined bass. It feels like a pad a pillow under the music and distributes like a flood not an arrow.

I speak like a Wilson fanboy and I am a little that but I also respect Magico greatly. I can clearly see and understand how people can swear that Magico is the best speaker you can have. Even maybe if I have the money in the future I may buy one of the Magico big boys just for a change. Because my friend has a M5 and his system rocks. It has all the bass I need and more.

Love and respect,

Cagdas

[GSOphile]

Sorry my friend but I don't think so.

There are many many audiophiles still listening to their 50 year old electrostatics and horns and honestly love them more than our Wilson & Magico speakers. If we were comparing two Magicos with their technology than maybe date counts.

I love the old inverted titanium tweeter. I had Sashas for 4-5 years with that tweeter and I would still choose Sasha 1 for any Magico on market today (except S7, M5 and the new M6).

I am a tour manager and live music producer so I really have my personal tastes that may be stupid for others. I can perfectly see the logic so I am not trying to assert anything.

I love my music big, loud, dynamic, live. Magico has a bass so controlled and perfect that I never witnessed on stage during sound check & rehearsals and gigs. We use big bass amps, guitar amps, real life kick drums on stage. When the drummer hits the kick drum it has to flood the room. Ever praticed in a studio or visited a band in a studio rehearsal? How was the drum? It was everywhere right? You could feel it in your orgnans. It shouldn't just be a "thump" on a perfect point between speakers. Double bass is also almost never acoustic these days even in jazz, they are all amplified and again the double bass is never experienced on stage like Magico's perfect, defined bass. It feels like a pad a pillow under the music and distributes like a flood not an arrow.

I speak like a Wilson fanboy and I am a little that but I also respect Magico greatly. I can clearly see and understand how people can swear that Magico is the best speaker you can have. Even maybe if I have the money in the future I may buy one of the Magico big boys just for a change. Because my friend has a M5 and his system rocks. It has all the bass I need and more.

Love and respect,

Cagdas

Well then good for you! You'll be able to buy Wilson's with Maxx2 technology for years at increasingly lower prices while many other Wilson aficianados have moved on. To each his own.

[Mike]

Isn’t the goal UN-amplified music? I’m not sure trying to reproduce the shitty sound systems at live concerts is my goal. Acoustic, amplified, but not reamplified music for me.

[parkcaka]

Isn’t the goal UN-amplified music? I’m not sure trying to reproduce the shitty sound systems at live concerts is my goal. Acoustic, amplified, but not reamplified music for me.

Than good for you. Magicos are one of the the perfect speakers for that, among others such as YG and ATCs.

Just an objection for your comment. I organized many many many concerts all around the world in venues such as Royal Albert Hall, Cologne Philharmonic Hal, Carnegie Hall etc. and we almost never had a shitty sound system. I said almost because ones in a while things get ugly because of God knows why.

Also, I pay more than 50K-60K for a day just for renting the equipment alone so they better play good.

Nothing, nothing comes close to joy of listening to live performance in a nice venue for me. We also have a recording studio with 5 recording booths and 4 control rooms. One of the biggest in my country. In the studio during recordings it's a different matter. The sound is as flat and true to do source as possible. But I always get bored of the sound in the studio. It's not engaging enough (for me).

And also a small remark I want to give if I may. Why people who disagree with me give a little bit of hostile answers to my opinions? I don't get it because they are only opinions, not facts. I get a little sad when I read them. I am very happy when I hear your opinions, especially when they are different than mine. It's a learning process for me all the time.

Best,

Çağdaş

[parkcaka]

Well then good for you! You'll be able to buy Wilson's with Maxx2 technology for years at increasingly lower prices while many other Wilson aficianados have moved on. To each his own.

No I already have Alexias and I think they are better than Sasha and Maxx 2. Maybe I'll buy an Alexx down the line or a Magico M6 if I have the money.

[GSOphile]

No I already have Alexias and I think they are better than Sasha and Maxx 2. Maybe I'll buy an Alexx down the line or a Magico M6 if I have the money.

So maybe dates really did matter after all.

[parkcaka]

So maybe dates really did matter after all.

Are you really reading my comments? Really?

I said dates do not matter when comparing brands that are different in philosophy. Just as in comparing Wilson vs. Magico or Horn speaker vs Wilson.

Again I said dates MATTER when you compare models from the same sound philosophy.

Let me give examples to clarify,

Maxx 2 vs. Magico S5
Dates DO NOT MATTER. I like the Wilson sound so there's not a question about it I'll choose the Maxx 2.

Magico M5 (2008) vs. Wilson Alexx (2016)
Dates DO NOT MATTER, a Magico guy will choose the M5 even if its way older than Alexx.

Alexia vs Alexx
or
Q5 vs M6
DATES MATTER because the latter represents an evolved version of the other.
It's just a better version of the thing you already love.
So DATES MATTER.

I hope I could explain it this time. Maybe its my fault I don't know, English is not my native language.

Cheers

[Sharp 2160]

I'm curious on the bass comments regarding Wilson. Most of my auditions have been with D'Agostino amplification and equally level digital sources. Bass is one area I find the Wilson, in general, lacking. The midrange seems always prominent.

1. Do today's Wilson compare to the Max is bass or did Wilson back off in that area?

2. Perhaps, though the two brands are typically together, maybe there's better synergy amplification for Wilson?

One demo was playing Patricia Barber's Modern Cool, an album I'm very familiar with and on all high end systems I've heard the album the bass reproduction is very good, on the Wilson/Agostino combo this album didn't sound that way. The bass was almost nonexistent When we left we all sort of agreed there must have been a problem, hard to guess as to what it could have been without knowing more about the system in that room.

I'm sincerely looking for Wilson user/dealer comments. I've never heard Wilson do much in bass. And, regarding live, they don't even come close to something like MBL. So if Wilson users are getting room shaking bass from timpani, how are you doing it?

I am using Wilson Maxx 3's and I have "room shaking bass" when the recording has real low end. As a matter of fact these speakers have been driven by Theta Prometheus monoblocks, ARC Ref 250SE monoblocks, and now D' Agostino Progression monoblocks. There was plenty of bass with all 3 amps in my system. The Progression being the most powerful. I recently listened to the Reference recordings CD Fiesta which has lots of timpani drums in the pieces. There was lots of low end wallop where you could feel the drum. I don't even use subs in my main system because of the Maxx 3's and my room. The larger the room the better for bass extension.

[still-one]

Isn’t the goal UN-amplified music? I’m not sure trying to reproduce the shitty sound systems at live concerts is my goal. Acoustic, amplified, but not reamplified music for me.

Mike
No my goal is that is sounds like I am hearing music played live. I am not sure where you are listening to live music but unless we are talking about "stadium" concerts most live venues I attend sound pretty darn good.

[Mike]

Mike
No my goal is that is sounds like I am hearing music played live. I am not sure where you are listening to live music but unless we are talking about "stadium" concerts most live venues I attend sound pretty darn good.

I disagree. Most sound awful. We do have an outdoor arena in Tampa, old Massey Hall in Toronto and a few others, which actually are pretty good, but Amalea arena and others around here suck. When you hear unamplified in a small intimate setting or a live orchestra, there is nothing better - and that, IMO, should be the benchmark.

YMMV.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[still-one]

I disagree. Most sound awful. We do have an outdoor arena in Tampa, old Massey Hall in Toronto and a few others, which actually are pretty good, but Amalea arena and others around here suck. When you hear unamplified in a small intimate setting or a live orchestra, there is nothing better - and that, IMO, should be the benchmark.

YMMV.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Most stereo systems can replicate those intimate un-amplified "concerts" consisting of guitars, cellos etc. The fewer the number of instruments the easier it is, pianos excluded. No stereo system comes close to replicating a orchestra. I want my system to sound like I am hearing Leonard Cohen, or Alison Krauss at the Fox Theater or Mary Chapin Carpenter at The Ark.

[mep]

If you love the sound of music played through a PA system, you might seriously consider getting a PA system to play back your music at home. My brother plays guitar and he has a house full of instruments, amplifiers, and a Peavey PA system. He hooks his R2R deck into his 1200 watt Peavey PA head and then into the Peavey PA speakers including the Peavey subs. It sounds like music you would expect to hear at a nightclub or a concert. It's a whole other sound and if you really like it, it's dirt cheap to buy. Plus, it will blow your ears off of your head which is what my brother likes. I could only listen to a few songs because the sound levels were way too high and that is not the sound I'm chasing. My brother was bummed because we didn't turn it up anywhere near the levels where he wanted to listen.

[a.wayne]

I disagree. Most sound awful. We do have an outdoor arena in Tampa, old Massey Hall in Toronto and a few others, which actually are pretty good, but Amalea arena and others around here suck. When you hear unamplified in a small intimate setting or a live orchestra, there is nothing better - and that, IMO, should be the benchmark.

YMMV.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have to be careful , a lot of Symphony Halls are using amplified PA also , but i do agree most live venues suck , but it can be done to enhance and when done right it's alive and well ..


BTW in the Past I have spent many hrs working in and around studios with live recordings and instruments. No Magico i have ever heard sounds like live music , your Horns come close to the jump and attack of live music, not the Magico's i have heard, so in this respect i agree with the WA vs Magico comment ,,the WA speakers do have better jump and attack like live Music over the Magico, but do suffer from a wonky mid Bass if not setup correctly, the Magico new M versions are more refined sounding and will offend less as its easier to setup, but easily less "live" sounding ...

My recent WA Alexia series2 listening session done by Peter M was a disaster in the Bass , but had fantastic size and jump on chorale and classical in general , hated it on anything else, IMO , he had the bass way out of wack and of course they would be easily embarrassed against your M on anything except classical, they are really good on Classical, most likely voiced that way ....



I would have to hear them again to see if it was adjustment/Room interaction or truly just bad bass ...

Regards ..

[Mr Peabody]

I'm assuming since some are arguing and agreeing, date matters, you are saying every time a company puts out a new speaker it's better than the one before it. Well, I don't agree with that, at all. Listening is subjective so there's no way "new is always better" is a hard fast rule. Surely, someone has an older model that is close to their heart and you wouldn't trade for the latest model?

One example for me personally, I happen to feel the Revel Performa 3 series done nothing to improve on the P2 series. It sounds very different to be sure but I personally prefer the P2 series.

[still-one]

I'm assuming since some are arguing and agreeing, date matters, you are saying every time a company puts out a new speaker it's better than the one before it. Well, I don't agree with that, at all. Listening is subjective so there's no way "new is always better" is a hard fast rule. Surely, someone has an older model that is close to their heart and you wouldn't trade for the latest model?

One example for me personally, I happen to feel the Revel Performa 3 series done nothing to improve on the P2 series. It sounds very different to be sure but I personally prefer the P2 series.

While I agree in general with your premise, in the case of the Maxx 2's the line has been dropped from the Wilson lineup. The Maxx 2 was replaced by the Maxx 3 which has been dropped altogether. Some might say the Alexx is the natural successor, if so it is a very different speaker.

[Sharp 2160]

While I agree in general with your premise, in the case of the Maxx 2's the line has been dropped from the Wilson lineup. The Maxx 2 was replaced by the Maxx 3 which has been dropped altogether. Some might say the Alexx is the natural successor, if so it is a very different speaker.

That is an understatement. They are definitely "different speakers". I was able to compare the Maxx 3 and Alexx in the same store. The Maxx 3 is a physically larger speaker. I like the older tweeter and midrange in the Maxx 3. The Alexx is being marketed as a version of what the WAMM would sound like if smaller. I would still take a pair of XLF Alexandria's over them both.

[a.wayne]

While I agree in general with your premise, in the case of the Maxx 2's the line has been dropped from the Wilson lineup. The Maxx 2 was replaced by the Maxx 3 which has been dropped altogether. Some might say the Alexx is the natural successor, if so it is a very different speaker.

Different Note ....

I notice WA no longer list nor give out info on their Legacy products, well i couldn't find anything on their website , big mistake not to do so, the history is very important ....


Regards

[metaphacts]

Different Note ....

I notice WA no longer list nor give out info on their Legacy products, well i couldn't find anything on their website , big mistake not to do so, the history is very important ....


Regards

Though the individual product pages are no longer up, manuals for our retired products are available for download on the website.

Wilson Audio's extensive collection of videos is linked on the website as well.

[LVB]

Always a surprise how such big speakers like the Alex or even the XLF (and I bet the WAMM as well) have such poor bass performance (I prefer the Sophia bass). The “jump” is cool, for about 10 sec... A good scapegoat; blaming poor set-up for poor design.