Wilson Audio: Difference between revisions
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== Wilson Audio History == |
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Once he’d acquired his passion for audio in 1959, one of young Dave Wilson’s first activities was to build a Heathkit amplifier. His enthusiasm outran his discipline, however, and as soon as he threw the power switch on his newly finished creation, the house filled with acrid smoke. |
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Out of disappointment came an important lesson; from that day forward, Dave understood the value of a careful and methodical scientific process, taking one step at a time, testing and recording results. That method has been the foundation of everything Dave has done since. |
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As an adult with a serious hobby, Dave found himself dissatisfied with commercially available loudspeakers and began to experiment with hybrid designs. He also began to investigate the mechanisms and effects of adjustments in the time domain. He took a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10s and added Fulton ESR-15 electrostatic tweeters and Braun mini-monitors. These elements were modularly arrayed, and could be positionally altered to compensate for propagation delay. This invention was granted a United States Patent in 1984. Since then, all full-range Wilson Audio speakers address the issue of alignment in the time domain. From this aesthetically challenged amalgam he gleaned the notion for the Wilson Audio Modular Monitor—the WAMM. |
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Dave debuted the WAMM at Garland Audio in Northern California in 1981 and immediately sold two pair. One of Wilson Audio's first dealers was Peter McGrath, the owner of Sound Components in Miami and whom is now National Sales Manager for Wilson Audio. Throughout the 1980s, Dave continued his secondary career as a recording engineer, producing, along with his wife Sheryl Lee Wilson, a series of records on the Wilson Audiophile label. During this time, Dave began to yearn for a portable location monitor that would offer him the same kind of transparency and neutrality he could achieve with the WAMM. Again, finding nothing commercially available that met his standards, he disappeared into the garage and emerged some months later with a small (but heavy) loudspeaker shaped like a truncated pyramid. |
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Dave needed a name for his new creation, and, exercising his penchant for whimsy, took his cue from the pre-school his children were attending, the Tiny Tots Preschool. The Wilson Audio Tiny Tot (WATT) became the fledgling company’s second product. |
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Dave initially regarded the WATT purely as a professional tool, whereas Sheryl Lee saw its potential as a home loudspeaker, despite its $4500 (in 1985 dollars) price tag. The WATT created a stir at the Consumer Electronics Show that year, and Wilson Audio suddenly had a slew of orders for their more affordable loudspeaker compared to the WAMM. By 1989, WATT owners were demanding a dedicated woofer for the speakers, and the aptly named Puppy—a tiny tot’s best friend—was introduced. The combined WATT/Puppy still holds the distinction of being the best-selling over $10,000 loudspeaker in history. Meanwhile, the Wilson’s home had become their de facto factory, with WATTs and WAMMs spread throughout the garage and living room. |
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After an interregnum in a rented warehouse facility near the family’s home in Novato, California, Dave and Sheryl decided to move the business in 1991 to Provo, Utah, where they had met in college. They constructed a 20,000+ square foot factory in an industrial park just south of town. |
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The third loudspeaker in the Wilson portfolio was the X-1 Grand SLAMM which appeared in 1993. Dealers could set up the X-1's themselves whereas Dave had personally set up each WAMM sold. Even though the X-1 ceased active production in 2002 with the creation of the X-2 Alexandria, Wilson Audio continues to support its over 400 X-1 owners with a Level 5 upgrade introduced as recently as 2005. |
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An explosive expansion of the company’s product line took place beginning in 1996 with the introduction of seven new products over the next six years, including the components of the WATCH home theatre system. |
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Two of the most important product launches of this period for Wilson Audio were MAXX and Sophia. In their Series 2 iterations (2005 and 2006, respectively), and now with MAXX Series 3 (2008) |
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In 2006 the Provo office/factory underwent a multi-million dollar expansion, increasing production space to over 40,000 square feet. |
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== Current Products (April 2010) == |
== Current Products (April 2010) == |
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Revision as of 20:31, 10 May 2010
What is Wilson Audio
Wilson Audio Specialties Type: Private
Established: 1973
President: David A. Wilson
VP: Sheryl Lee Wilson
Headquarters:
2233 Mountain Vista Lane
Provo, UT 84606
(801) 377-2233
Industry: Consumer Electronics
Products: Hi End Loudspeakers and Home Theater Loudspeakers
Current Products (April 2010)
Alexandria X-2 Series 2
MAXX Series 3
Polaris
Sasha W/P
Sophia Series 2
Duette
W.A.T.C.H. (Wilson Audio Theater Comes Home)Theater System:WATCH Surrounds
WATCH Center Channel
Sub woofers:Thor’s Hammer
WATCH Dog
Wilson Audio Timeline
Past Wilson Products
1973-1974 S.M.AR.T. Turntable1977-1995 Wilson Audiophile Definitive Recordings
1978-1987 Dave was an audio reviewer for TAS (The Absolute Sound) and Mix Magazine
1981-2003 WAMM (Wilson Audio Modular Monitor) Series 1-8 Loudspeakers
1985-2009 WATT (Wilson Audio Tiny Tot) Series 1-8
1988-2001 WHOW (Wilson High Output Woofer) Series 1-3
1989-2009 Puppy Series Series 1-8
1993-2002 X/1 Grand SLAMM (Super Linear Adjustable Modular Monitor) Series 1-3
1994-2000 WITT (Wilson Integrated Transducer Technology) Series 1-2
1995-2005 X-S Subwoofer
1996-2005 CUB (Center Unified Bass)
Products Currently in Production
1997-Present MAXX (Materials Application 2X) Series 1-31999-Present WATCH (Wilson Audio Theater Comes Home) Center, Series 1-2
2001-Present Sophia
2002-Present Alexandria X-2, Series 1-2
2005-Present Duette
2006-Present Wilson Audio Controller
2007-Present Thor’s Hammer
2009-Present Sasha W/P
Wilson Audio's Awards
2009
Alexandria X-2 Series 2The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
MAXX Series 3
The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
Stereophile “Product of the Year”
The Absolute Sound “Loudspeaker of the Year”
Sasha
Hi Fi Plus “Product of the Year”
2008
Alexandria X-2The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
MAXX Series 2The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
Sophia 2The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
DuetteThe Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
2007
WATT/Puppy 8The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
Stereophile “Product of the Year Runner Up”
Stereophile “Loudspeaker of the Year”
Super AV Award “Outstanding Floorstanding Loudspeaker Award”
Sophia Series 2
The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
Duette
The Absolute Sound “Editor’s Choice Award”
2006
WATT/Puppy 8London Hi-Fi News Show “Best Audio System Sound”
Stereo Sound (Japan)“Grand Prix 2006”
Audio Video Revolution “Hall of Fame Award”
HiFi Review “Product of the Year”
Sophia
Audio Art “Best Performance of the Year”
Duette
hi-fi+ (United Kingdom) “Product of the Year - Legacy”
2005
Alexandria X-2SoundStage!“Edge of the Art”
MAXX 2
Stereophile “Product of the Year”
The Absolute Sound “Golden Ear”
Sophia
Audio Art (Taiwan)“Best Performance of the Year”
2004
Alexandria X-2
Audio (Germany)“The Highest Rated Loudspeaker”
Sophia
The Perfect Vision “Editor’s Choice”
WATCH Center
The Perfect Vision “Golden Eye” and “Editor’s Choice”
WATCH Dog
The Perfect Vision “Editor’s Choice”
SoundStage! “Reviewer’s Choice”
WATCH Surround
The Perfect Vision “Editor’s Choice”
2003
WATT/Puppy System 7The Absolute Sound “Golden Ear” and “Editor’s Choice”
SoundStage!“Hall of Fame“
Robb Report “The Best of the Best “
Sophia
The Absolute Sound “Golden Ear”
2002
WATT/Puppy System 7
Stereo Sound (Japan) “Grand Prix”
SoundStage! “Reviewer’s Choice”
Sophia
Stereophile “Editor’s Choice”
WATCH Dog
The Perfect Vision “Subwoofer of the Year”
2001
X-1/XS/WATCH
SoundStage! “Home Theater Speaker Reviewer’s Choice"
WATT/Puppy System 6
Audio Revolution “Best Speaker over 10K”
2000
David A. Wilson
Loudspeaker Technology & Design
The SHOW “Lifetime Achievement”
Enjoythemusic.com “Lifetime Achievement Award”
MAXX
The Absolute Sound “Golden Ear”
WATT/Puppy System 6
Hi Fi News “British Audio Awards High End Product of the Year”
SoundStage.com “Edge of the Art” and “Reviewer’s Choice”
Robb Report “The Best of the Best”
1999
X-1 Grand SLAMM Series IIASoundstage!“Edge of the Art”
Robb Report “Best of the Best”
WATT/Puppy System 6
Stereophile Hi-Fi 99 Show “Best Sound at Show”
WATT/Puppy 5.1
Audiorevolution.com “Loudspeaker of the Year” and “Audio Product of the Year”
1998
X-1 Grand SLAMM Series II
A.A.H.E.A. Golden Note Award “Best Speaker Design”
1997
X-1 Grand SLAMM Series II
Stereophile Show “Best Sound at Show”
Cub
Stereo Sound “Component of the Year”
1996
WATT/Puppy System 5.1
A.A.H.E.A. Golden Note Award “Best Speaker Design”
Super AV “Outstanding Floor-standing Loudspeaker”
1995
X-1 Grand SLAMM
Stereophile “Editor’s Choice” and “Speaker of the Year” and “Product of the Year”
A.A.H.E.A. Golden Note Award “Best Speaker Design”
WATT/Puppy System 5
A.A.H.E.A. Golden Note Nominee “Best Speaker Design”
WATT/Puppy 5, WHOW
Stereophile Show “Best Sound at Show”
WITT
Stereo Sound “Component of the Year”
1994
WATT/Puppy 5
Stereophile Show “Best Sound at Show”
References
Reviews
- 2010 Reviewer blog of Wilson Audio Sasha by The Audio Beat
- 2010 Review of Wilson Audio Sophia 2 by Home Theater Review
- 2010 Review of Wilson Audio Sophia 2 by Stereophile Magazine
- 2010 CES & THE Show: Best of Show Wilson Audio MAXX 3 and LAMM from The Audio Beat
- 2010 Review of Wilson Audio Sasha by The Audio Beat
- 2010 Review of Wilson Audio Sasha by Stereo Times
- 2009 Review of Wilson Audio X-2 Alexandria by The Abso!ute Sound
- 2009 Review of Wilson Audio MAXX 3 by Soundstage! on-line Magazine
- 2009 Review of Wilson Audio Sasha by The Perfect Vision
- 2009 Review of Wilson Audio Thor's Hammer by Home Theater Review
- 2009 Stereophile Loudspeaker of the year to Wilson Audio MAXX 3
- 2008 Review of Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 8 by Ultra Audio
- 2008 Review of Wilson Audio Duette by Home Audio Equipment Review
- 2008 Review of Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 8 by Home Theater Review
- 2004 Review of X-2 Alexandria series 1 by Ultra Audio
- 2002 Review of Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 7 by SoundStage On-line Magazine
- 2001 Review of Wilson Audio Sophia by Soundstage on-line magazine
- 2001 Review of X-1 Series 3 by Home Theater Sound
- 2001 Wilson Audio Factory Tour by SoundStage!
- 2000 Review of Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 6 by Audio Video Revolution
- 1995 Review of Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 5.1 From Stereophile Magazine
- 1995 Interview with David Wilson by Wes Phillips from Stereophile Magazine
- 1990 Interview with David Wilson by John Atkinson from Stereophile Magazine
External links