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What Are the Best Sounding Speakers OVER $600,000 that You've Ever Heard.?


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You're right - just kidding..

 

But thread title like this can be justified sooner than you think.

After all Mr. Wilson usually leads the way..

 

New Wilson Audio flagship model - WAMM Master Chronosonic.

 

 

122016-Wilson1-600_0.jpg?itok=O9aJdLKx

 

 

The price.? Higher than this.? Hiiigher than thiiisss..?!

 

122016-Wilson4-Giolas-600.jpg

 

 

$685,000/pair to be exact.

 

I'm pretty sure next December the choice of $600k+ speakers will be much bigger than now.

 

So I'll be back with the thread.

 

I promise.

 

 

http://www.stereophile.com/content/wilson-audios-ultimate-loudspeaker-wamm-master-chronosonic#pEq7ahI7v9cFPy17.97

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Is "Chronosonic" meant to refer to time or "chronic"?

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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122016-Wilson4-Giolas-600.jpg

 

 

May sound great, however on the Nombe Watanabe WAF rating chart, which is a numeric 1 to 10 scale, these rate a minus 3. Butt ugly!

 

ps: no Wilson speaker has ever scored more than 3.5.

In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake ~ Sayre's Law

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122016-wilson4-giolas-600.jpg

 

 

may sound great, however on the nombe watanabe waf rating chart, which is a numeric 1 to 10 scale, these rate a minus 3. Butt ugly!

 

Ps: No wilson speaker has ever scored more than 3.5.

 

Well for a fraction of the price, just stack a couple floor standers and then some bookshelves at the top and wala! :)

My rig

 

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These (ATC SCM300 ASLT) are the best speakers I've heard at any price and they are circa £40k which includes all of the amps (8 x mono) and active crossovers (shown in the image) .

 

gallery31hi.jpg

 

I used to have my tunes mastered on the 300ASL PRO (exact same speaker but with horizontal woofer config)... I cannot tell you how good these things are.

 

I doubt there is much better at any price and plenty nowhere near as good for for many times the price.

 

;-)

Source:

*Aurender N100 (no internal disk : LAN optically isolated via FMC with *LPS) > DIY 5cm USB link (5v rail removed / ground lift switch - split for *LPS) > Intona Industrial (injected *LPS / internally shielded with copper tape) > DIY 5cm USB link (5v rail removed / ground lift switch) > W4S Recovery (*LPS) > DIY 2cm USB adaptor (5v rail removed / ground lift switch) > *Auralic VEGA (EXACT : balanced)

 

Control:

*Jeff Rowland CAPRI S2 (balanced)

 

Playback:

2 x Revel B15a subs (balanced) > ATC SCM 50 ASL (balanced - 80Hz HPF from subs)

 

Misc:

*Via Power Inspired AG1500 AC Regenerator

LPS: 3 x Swagman Lab Audiophile Signature Edition (W4S, Intona & FMC)

Storage: QNAP TS-253Pro 2x 3Tb, 8Gb RAM

Cables: DIY heavy gauge solid silver (balanced)

Mains: dedicated distribution board with 5 x 2 socket ring mains, all mains cables: Mark Grant Black Series DSP 2.5 Dual Screen

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The word "chronic" refers to time.

 

I know. Bad habits as well. :)

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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122016-Wilson1-600_0.jpg?itok=O9aJdLKx

 

 

122016-Wilson4-Giolas-600.jpg

 

"Build it and they will come."

 

What do you think is the actual production cost of a statement/vanity speaker like this? $200,000? $20,000?

Synology DS1515+ >  PS Audio P10 > Innuos Zenith Mk II running Roon Core > IsoRegen/LPS-1 > Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 > Tekton Double Impact Speakers

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They really go well with the tasteful drapes.
IMO They need a real visual design team not the one that draws inspiration from one of these:

 

Starstorm_zps9863bbe9.png

 

 

If I owned them I'd probably keep the lights down in the listening room. They don't look that bad when you ..don't see them.. ;)

 

WAMM-teaser6.jpg

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IMO They need a real visual design team not the one that draws inspiration from one of these:

 

Starstorm_zps9863bbe9.png

 

 

If I owned them I'd probably keep the lights down in the listening room. They don't look that bad when you ..don't see them.. ;)

 

WAMM-teaser6.jpg

 

That last picture isn't bad - the Deathstar look kinda suits them.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

Link to comment

Next month, we are moving into a 19m2 Helsinki apartment. It's unfinished, so we are wondering what to get for it. We were considering a bed, but maybe this is what it's missing? [emoji848]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

TF cards - USB  -> GentooPlayer in RAM on Rpi4b, Ian’s PurePi II, FIFO Q7, HDMI-pro  -> Audio GD R-27 -> S.A.T. Infinity monoblocks -> Gallo Stradas + TR-3 sub / Erzetich Phobos

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You're right - just kidding..

 

But thread title like this can be justified sooner than you think.

After all Mr. Wilson usually leads the way..

 

New Wilson Audio flagship model - WAMM Master Chronosonic.

 

 

122016-Wilson1-600_0.jpg?itok=O9aJdLKx

 

 

The price.? Higher than this.? Hiiigher than thiiisss..?!

 

122016-Wilson4-Giolas-600.jpg

 

 

$685,000/pair to be exact.

 

I'm pretty sure next December the choice of $600k+ speakers will be much bigger than now.

 

So I'll be back with the thread.

 

I promise.

 

 

Wilson Audio's Ultimate Loudspeaker: the WAMM Master Chronosonic | Stereophile.com

 

I'll put 10 smaller Wilson speakers in an Auro 3D setup that will give that pair a run for the money.

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Next month, we are moving into a 19m2 Helsinki apartment. It's unfinished, so we are wondering what to get for it. We were considering a bed, but maybe this is what it's missing?

 

Helsinki? I would worry more about improving my Russian language skills than speaker placement!

In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake ~ Sayre's Law

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Haha!

... indeed many things for us to fret about... perhaps a luxury of poverty?

 

I guess there are some Russians in Helsinki, but it might be more useful to speak Finish, no? Or do you happen to know some Russians selling such speakers cheap? [emoji2]

 

... I've always been rather partial to horns... wonder if the ceiling is high enough for these?

 

[ATTACH]31743[/ATTACH]

 

Another bargain speaker I've taken a liking to are these:

 

At just IMG_2472.JPG

 

Only some £450k! Even cheaper than the Wilsons!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

TF cards - USB  -> GentooPlayer in RAM on Rpi4b, Ian’s PurePi II, FIFO Q7, HDMI-pro  -> Audio GD R-27 -> S.A.T. Infinity monoblocks -> Gallo Stradas + TR-3 sub / Erzetich Phobos

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I actually had some pretty serious reflections while posting this thread.

Anybody remember the original WAMM from the early 80s?

 

Wilson-WAMM-7-1.jpg

 

I'm sorry but I can't resist to post one more photo

 

Wilson-WAMM-7-11.jpg

 

Their price was $32k and probably the only speakers competing in this category back then were Infinity IRS and Levinson HQD ($29k and $24k). BTW in 1982 the price for the WAMM system increased to $35k and then in 1983 to $42k (by 1990 25 WAMMs has been sold). But that's not my main point. In the mid 90s one had to pay about $60k for the 'statement' or 'flagship' speakers of an established, respected brand. Then it went up to $100k and up to $200-250k in recent years. The price of the new WAMM is yet another (rather big) step in this process.

 

It would be interesting IMO to compare the abovementioned prices increase with the prices of top quality stuff such as supercars or luxury yachts. Is the steepness of the prices increase similiar as far as those different markets are taken into account or are we dealing with quite an extraordinary phenomenon in the field of audio gear.?

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Haha!

... indeed many things for us to fret about... perhaps a luxury of poverty?

 

I guess there are some Russians in Helsinki, but it might be more useful to speak Finish, no? Or do you happen to know some Russians selling such speakers cheap? [emoji2]

 

... I've always been rather partial to horns... wonder if the ceiling is high enough for these?

 

[ATTACH]31743[/ATTACH]

 

Another bargain speaker I've taken a liking to are these:

 

At just [ATTACH]31746[/ATTACH]

 

Only some £450k! Even cheaper than the Wilsons!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

They look like a crossbreed between a Dalek (Dr Who one of the best series ever, better then any Netflix) and a tree.

[br]

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