Jay you need to do a review on "pure audio project quintent 15's". Please let me know if you want to contact the brand owner zeve. This is the best open baffle speaker in the market right now.
@@jctai100 initially was inspired by a snail according to the man himself (who designed it). The name was coined nautilus for its resemblance www.bowerswilkins.com/en-us/blog/products/history-of-nautilus/
I actually am very fortunate to own a pair of Wilson Audio Alexandria Speaker’s. They are powered (currently by Krell Master Reference Dual Mono Block Speakers along with all Krell Component’s - Additionally I have a Krell Master Reference Subwoofer (which is absolutely beyond description in its power and impact honestly there are warnings in the manual that one could be physically injured being as far as 4’ from the subwoofer enclosure. - All wiring is Harmonic Technology Magic - I must admit that I understand how amazing my life has been to have led me to have such a system in my listening room and let me say if one has never actually had the experience of listening to a system of this caliber simply can’t really understand it. I have friends with some high to entry high end setups that leave my listening room somehow looking like they listened to something that fell off of a UFO - It’s that distinct from 99% of people may even be in the same room with so it’s really a unique and amazingly great experience.
I wished hi-end speakers pushed more boundaries of actual technical performance and sound quality. Surprisingly they are mostly design-oriented. Alnico magnets and weird driver materials really aged for innovation. Would like to see something like field-coil speakers, horns, new developments in electrostatic and planar technology etc....
@@ericdn3825 But it is actually advanced tech. All these massive megabuck speaker systems, none of them use digital crossovers or DSP speaker/room correction or waveform control. They are truly dinosaurs.
You want some of the most realistic sounding speakers of all time regardless of price, look no further than the B&O Beolab 5. Below you find some specs. Bang & Olufsen has spent about six years in R&D before coming out with a new loudspeaker using Acoustic Lens Technology. But B&O was determined to come out with a REALLY GOOD loudspeaker, a Ferrari among Fords if you will. The Beolab 5 is a fully active, remote-controlled and DSP-controlled four-way acoustic suspension loudspeaker. Each speaker features: - Treble driver 1.8cm ( .75") - Mid-range driver 7.6cm (3") - Upper bass driver 16.5cm (6.5") - Lower bass driver 38cm (15") Cabinet principle/ net volume upper bass: Sealed box / 5 litre Cabinet principle/net volume lower bass: Sealed box / 29 litre The sound emitted from the speaker's midrange and tweeter drivers is collected by a lens and redirected, creating a dispersion pattern with a uniform frequency response over a wide horizontal angle, this is called Acoustic Lens Technology. Acoustic Lens Technology in Beolab 5 delivers: - Flat frequency response along a broad horizontal range (180 degrees), to obtain early lateral reflections that have the same spectrum as the direct signal. - No high-frequency reflections (>700Hz) from the ceiling or floor. - No high-frequency reflections from the wall behind the loudspeakers. - The Eureka Archimedes Project (a partnership between Denmark’s Technical University, KEF Electronics and Bang & Olufsen), a 5-year multimillion dollar research project that delved into the relationships between acoustic reflections and the perception of timbre, revealed that such behaviour is desirable. Each speaker features 4 high performance, high efficiency switching Class D ICEPower amplifiers (Volume adjustment Built-in) yielding 2500 Watts in total (1000 Watts each for the main and upper woofers, plus 250 Watts each for the midrange and tweeter!). A stereo pair, therefore, will have 5 kilowatts on tap! Adaptive Bass Control Included in each speaker is a computer with test microphone, that quickly and automatically analyzes the power response of the room and corrects the response of the speaker to complement that response, for its position in the room. The result is extraordinarily consistent bass performance, from speaker to speaker and from room to room. The system doesn’t correct the frequency response of the bass at some arbitrary given listener position, but instead yields a generalized solution that improves response EVERYWHERE in the room. A digital signal processor with more processing power than most ordinary PCs controls the many advanced calculations which are constantly at work within the loudspeakers. Besides Adaptive Bass Control, the digital signal processor calculates and compensates for the effect that the temperature of the loudspeaker units has on the music dispersal, and ensures that the amplifiers don’t blow any fuses when they are switched on. Extensive DSP which permits each speaker to be quickly and precisely matched (+/- .25 dB) AND documented during manufacture. It means that for all intents and purposes, speakers will NOT be audibly different (a first for mass-produced speakers), and because of the documentation, they can be maintained to hold that tolerance! (Just so you know, there’s an RS 232 port included, so the speaker can “talk” to the factory and its DSP recalibrated to accept a replacement driver.) Effective frequency range +/-3dB: 20 - 20,000 Hz (Low frequency limit +/-10 dB at 12 Hz) Flat frequency response to above 15kHz that remains constant across a horizontal angle of at least 180° with no lobing, phase anomalies, interference patterns or other undesirable side effects. Sound pressure level: sustained real-world levels of 108 dB SPL (stereo, pair) with peaks of 120 dB SPL. Such power also means that at all sane levels, the BeoLab 5 is simply loafing along, never stressed in the slightest, and if you encounter any signs of distortion, you can know FOR SURE it is occurring elsewhere in your signal path.
Thought for sure MBL Radialstrahler 101 X-treme was going to be on this list, they've been around for a while and well-known in this catagory, kinda crazy that nowadays this list could be ten times longer without even blinking, so many well-crafted high-end speakers available that it blows my mind. 🤔
So many high-priced speakers are available these days, but I hope you cover in the future these: 1) Sound Lab, especially their 9 foot tall models. Back in the day (1980's) J. Gordon Holt promoted the work of Sound Lab as the pinnacle. 2) Alsyvox - a design formerly available as Michelangelo, these are push-pull planar magnetics that excel at controlling the diaphragm (as compared to the single-ended Magnepans.) 3) Genesis - offer a monster of a speaker that is the spiritual (and physical) descendant of the IRS V. 4) Von Schweikert, YG, and Gryphon maker similar, very tall, stacked box designs. Those are just a start. There are many exotic speaker makers working in horns or ribbon designs.
I have listened to the B&W snails and the big Focal & Wilson speakers both sounded good but the B&W snails were outstanding. The idea was to get them perfectly flat and I think they came pretty close. They whole range that came after (800 series) is still being made now with minor changes from the original designs. The B&W 802 was always the closest normal speaker to the sound of the snails but the 802 could go louder. The latest 802 is slimmer and although I’m yet to hear it, I imagine this would be a contender for one of the best speakers on sale at any price. Both B&W & Wilson Benesh pegged the curved and braced cabinet design in the late 90s and have been using it to make the best sound ever since. B&W are a bigger company so do it better and cheaper than others who have tried to copy them.
@@PioneerGuy581 not too familiar with B&W car audio, only Dynaudio And Focal. B&W probabley use the same crappy plastic baskets on the OEM stuff but if the have solid aftermarket car audio then cool. Just had to replace a nautilus tweeter 😖 yes they sound fab, not sure how much that has to do with the transmission line tube but who cares, if it’s good it’s good.
Are you really hearing better or just different. ? It's a psychological issue thinking your hearing better especially if they look better or different from the ones your bored of looking at. Not saying they are not better sounding but hifi is often an obsession if you let it be.
The New Final Audio Model 15 Electrostatic Loudspeakers with two REL Subs matched with Mcintosh MA-12000 Integrated Tube Amp and a Mcintosh MCD-12000 TUBE CD Player with DAC is one of the very best systems on the planet😇My End-Game System 🙂
I was wondering if you were going to include The Focal brand and off course you didn't disapoint. The Grande Utopia create such a wall of pure sound, it's hard to fault them.
Very knowledgeable for a youngster lol. I am almost 65 & to be honest your hearing changes so much over the years, hence why I keep changing my systems. I don't go with silly high money systems either, & it needs to fit in with the main lounge, It also amazes me, can hi fi sound improve since its creation? constantly despite our ears only limited to a certain level. Take it from me hifi is an obsession & some are more interested in the equipment & high price & forgetting its a tool to play music often made of cheap plastic. That said They look impressive. My latest system is modestly priced at around £3000 rega/ marantz/B&W & about a year old. I always pass my older systems to grandchildren free.
Super Stoked you did this Video Jay.... Ive been looking for a pair of speakers for my 10' x 12' guest bedroom.... Leaning Heavily towards The Acapella speaker.... it will go best with the drapes in that room.... Thanks
Laurence Dickie (the inventor of the nautilus) has an outstanding line of his own designs. Must check out Vivid Audio and from the reviews that I've heard...well, he is the inventor of the nautilus so let that speak for itself! Outstanding sound quality!!
I found that the Nautilus sounds like my home built speakers (on YT) more than any other speakers (on YT)! 😂 My made speakers consist of an open 10" coaxial driver on top of the box, along with a 10" woofer in the box. 😮
I still have the original Infinity IRS V in storage...inhereted from my dad who bought them in 1987/88...In Holland they were Fl, 300.000 (300K guilders, nowadays about 300K euros with inflation)
Great video Jay. I heard the Focal Grand Utopia last month and I just loved there sound. There price is out of the reach for most of us. If I could afford them I would get them for sure.
Somehow it slips not much higlited that B&W Nautilus is an active speaker, you mention that have active crossover, but you miss that each driver has a dedicated amplifier, and these 4 amplifiers for one speaker are not with same parameters, aka each amp is made for a particular driver. Meaning when you buy Nautilus you must buy these amplifiers, otherwise, they will not give you a warranty nor stay behind speaker performance declaration. So to hear Nautilus sound, you need to pay much over 100K$ . But that sound superiority of Nautilus says something about speakers with passive crossovers, as a cost-saving solution so you do not need many amps. Here you have it Active speaker from 40y ago beating all that boxes claiming "HI END" and natural sound. When someone plays piano, there is no "sweet spot" it sounds the same everywhere in the room. And Surprisingly piano or any acoustic instrument does not have flat surfaces nor 90dgr corners. There is no box shape to be seen as part of any instrument. Just because it's easier to cut straight cheap MDF we have these silly boxes that make some controlled noise and we are amazed.
Hi Jay, Many years ago I was told that a hifi freak who lived just 30 miles away owned a pair of B&W Nautilus loudspeakers. Apparently he spent all his money on hifi which is understandable as even back then they were very pricey!
It would be interesting if you would compare the sound of these type of high end spekers to say Genelec 1236 SAM speakers or other top grade studio speakers.
For the price of these speakers you can buy sources, speakers, amps and subs which cost a fraction and still give 95-99% of the sound quality. Sometimes even better ... But I should be quiet as my audio set is also way too expensive LOL.
Years ago, my father said as a baseline, the heavier the speaker the better it is. Perhaps it is not true below $70K, but it seems to be true for speakers between $70K and $260K.
Whuuuut? No Von Schweikert speakers? Their Ultra 11 speakers fall into that cost-no-matter level, and they sound stupendous. I hope you get to hear a pair. In any case, keep up the good work, and be well.
Great review Jay, thanks for the presentation. I may (or not) have an opportunity to purchase a brand new pair of Wilson Alex speakers for a third of the price (not the Alex V). I think the retail cost is just over $100k U.S. I do not have any details at the moment but what is your personal opinion? This week I am supposed to take delivery of a Gryphon Antileon Evo Class A stereo amp at 150 W pc @ 8ohms so I think it would be a suitable match. In fact I traded a brand new pair of Macintosh MC1.25 kw for this Gryphon however I want to keep my Mac MC1100 preamp. My present loudspeakers I am running right now are the Legacy Audio floorstanding models with a pair of REL 812x subs. If I can get the great slam in the gut sound you mentioned here with the Wilsons would I have to spend needless fortunes for the speaker upgrades or can I achieve the same for something less expensive? Appreciate your input.
The only drawback is coming home after a live concert with real instruments. After about 20 minutes of listening we're all looking at each other. Let's call it a night out even the Wilson Grand Slam gets a bedtime story on those kind of moments. Conclusion Sorry Charlie the Tuna Its Memorex
I love ridiculous looking speakers. Nautilus is my all time favorite. I wonder why they don’t update the drivers. I just saw light blue one at Montreal Audiofest.
As far as I remember there is a guy who builds his own version of these using 2022 construction, carbon fibre, along with the ceramic drivers top to bottom. I'll try and find the link but I remember they cost around £200K or $300K ish but are a vastly superior sounding to the originals.. I think it includes the marble base,I think lol
@@Jayiyagi guess the leason here, is there something for everybody. Just sucks to be at the bottom. But that is getting better. On a site note, I did have the experience of hearing the B&W speaker. Left in a bad place because the realization that I would probably have to kill someone in order to ever have them.
We need the best "Poor Man" speaker review ***** ones around $1000-$2000 per pair. I used to have a pair of those carvers amazing speakers - loved them.
At 2;00 "You don't need a sub woofer." Without a sub, the sub channel is discarded. There's no way to direct it to the main channels. For 5.1 sources you always need a sub.
I drove 2 states away to pick-up a killer cash deal on a pair of new DynAudio Contour 20s at high-end audio dealer. I met my buddy there (one of my reasons for making the trip), and we walked in and listened to a set of those Wilson Speakers powered by some Boulder Amps….Well…..after that I laughed…and just left my new DynAudios in the unopened boxes, threw them in the back of my SUV and took off. I mean c'mon….how could I listen to them right after the Wilsons! 😂😂😂🤪
Kharma Enigma Veyron EV-1D - that's what I'm buying if I ever win the lottery. Costs $800 000 for a pair in my country. I've actually been to the local dealer, but he didn't have that exact model in stock at the time. Capable of 127dB SPL with enough power - could play for a whole town with these. Also, the frequency range is somewhat interesting; 23 Hz - 90 kHz(!).
How about a DAC and streamer? The WADAX Atlantis Reference DAC and Music Server could be a fine match for any of these speakers in quality, appearance and insanity 😁
As they say money talks and shit walk’s, do definitely agree more money will buy you better system. But do you have what it takes to appreciate it apart from time? Being a Audiophile is life long journey, you get to appreciate expensive gear as you start spending more and more on next component purchase. You do not acquire the appreciation of HiFi components overnight.
Looking forward to your XLS Encore review. Like... REALLY looking forward to it. Make sure to spend at least 2 grand per cable and at least 10 grand on room treatments to be able to review them correctly though.
What I have always wondered, is why expensive "audiophile" speakers always look completely weird with their build? There is no way anyone has furniture, or a home that the way those speakers look will complement! Wilson speakers look like a half completed droid from Star Wars. I know, form follows function. But it seems some of the speaker manufacturers take that to the extreme.
Speakers like this should have built in amplification because without amplification turned to the drivers you have a whole other issue. One getting the power you need to push them to their limits.
I have speakers like that in my home theater system. They play very loud, but are completely overpriced for the sound quality. For 2 channel I buy speakers from designers that are the best at making speakers, and amps from people that makes the best amps. No comparison.
Please effectively click that “like” button because that is effectively free. ;)
done
Done many many days ago. I really liked how you handled the GR audio situation. Looking forward to your review of their product.
the Nautilus wasn't inspired by a snail, it was inspired by the 'nautilus.' A type of cephalopod. C'mon Jay, a little research plz.
Jay you need to do a review on "pure audio project quintent 15's". Please let me know if you want to contact the brand owner zeve. This is the best open baffle speaker in the market right now.
@@jctai100 initially was inspired by a snail according to the man himself (who designed it). The name was coined nautilus for its resemblance
www.bowerswilkins.com/en-us/blog/products/history-of-nautilus/
Even though it’s designed after a “snail”…. The B&W Nautilus is one of the most beautiful speaker designs that I’ve ever seen.
I actually am very fortunate to own a pair of Wilson Audio Alexandria Speaker’s. They are powered (currently by Krell Master Reference Dual Mono Block Speakers along with all Krell Component’s - Additionally I have a Krell Master Reference Subwoofer (which is absolutely beyond description in its power and impact honestly there are warnings in the manual that one could be physically injured being as far as 4’ from the subwoofer enclosure. - All wiring is Harmonic Technology Magic - I must admit that I understand how amazing my life has been to have led me to have such a system in my listening room and let me say if one has never actually had the experience of listening to a system of this caliber simply can’t really understand it. I have friends with some high to entry high end setups that leave my listening room somehow looking like they listened to something that fell off of a UFO - It’s that distinct from 99% of people may even be in the same room with so it’s really a unique and amazingly great experience.
Good for you.
what do you do for a living?
@@connorarmstrong1308
The way he stated it sounded like he inherited them didn't sound like they were purchased
Great description. Thanks
Show it in UA-cam?
I wished hi-end speakers pushed more boundaries of actual technical performance and sound quality. Surprisingly they are mostly design-oriented. Alnico magnets and weird driver materials really aged for innovation. Would like to see something like field-coil speakers, horns, new developments in electrostatic and planar technology etc....
jbl m2 is an amazing speaker, unbeatable stats at its price range, although its a bit ugly
@@ericdn3825 But it is actually advanced tech. All these massive megabuck speaker systems, none of them use digital crossovers or DSP speaker/room correction or waveform control. They are truly dinosaurs.
That's because most of this stuff is about clout.
You want some of the most realistic sounding speakers of all time regardless of price, look no further than the B&O Beolab 5.
Below you find some specs.
Bang & Olufsen has spent about six years in R&D before coming out with a new loudspeaker using Acoustic Lens Technology. But B&O was determined to come out with a REALLY GOOD loudspeaker, a Ferrari among Fords if you will.
The Beolab 5 is a fully active, remote-controlled and DSP-controlled four-way acoustic suspension loudspeaker.
Each speaker features:
- Treble driver 1.8cm ( .75")
- Mid-range driver 7.6cm (3")
- Upper bass driver 16.5cm (6.5")
- Lower bass driver 38cm (15")
Cabinet principle/ net volume upper bass: Sealed box / 5 litre
Cabinet principle/net volume lower bass: Sealed box / 29 litre
The sound emitted from the speaker's midrange and tweeter drivers is collected by a lens and redirected, creating a dispersion pattern with a uniform frequency response over a wide horizontal angle, this is called Acoustic Lens Technology.
Acoustic Lens Technology in Beolab 5 delivers:
- Flat frequency response along a broad horizontal range (180 degrees), to obtain early lateral reflections that have the same spectrum as the direct signal.
- No high-frequency reflections (>700Hz) from the ceiling or floor.
- No high-frequency reflections from the wall behind the loudspeakers.
- The Eureka Archimedes Project (a partnership between Denmark’s Technical University, KEF Electronics and Bang & Olufsen), a 5-year multimillion dollar research project that delved into the relationships between acoustic reflections and the perception of timbre, revealed that such behaviour is desirable.
Each speaker features 4 high performance, high efficiency switching Class D ICEPower amplifiers (Volume adjustment Built-in) yielding 2500 Watts in total (1000 Watts each for the main and upper woofers, plus 250 Watts each for the midrange and tweeter!). A stereo pair, therefore, will have 5 kilowatts on tap!
Adaptive Bass Control Included in each speaker is a computer with test microphone, that quickly and automatically analyzes the power response of the room and corrects the response of the speaker to complement that response, for its position in the room.
The result is extraordinarily consistent bass performance, from speaker to speaker and from room to room. The system doesn’t correct the frequency response of the bass at some arbitrary given listener position, but instead yields a generalized solution that improves response EVERYWHERE in the room.
A digital signal processor with more processing power than most ordinary PCs controls the many advanced calculations which are constantly at work within the loudspeakers. Besides Adaptive Bass Control, the digital signal processor calculates and compensates for the effect that the temperature of the loudspeaker units has on the music dispersal, and ensures that the amplifiers don’t blow any fuses when they are switched on.
Extensive DSP which permits each speaker to be quickly and precisely matched (+/- .25 dB) AND documented during manufacture. It means that for all intents and purposes, speakers will NOT be audibly different (a first for mass-produced speakers), and because of the documentation, they can be maintained to hold that tolerance! (Just so you know, there’s an RS 232 port included, so the speaker can “talk” to the factory and its DSP recalibrated to accept a replacement driver.)
Effective frequency range +/-3dB: 20 - 20,000 Hz (Low frequency limit +/-10 dB at 12 Hz)
Flat frequency response to above 15kHz that remains constant across a horizontal angle of at least 180° with no lobing, phase anomalies, interference patterns or other undesirable side effects.
Sound pressure level: sustained real-world levels of 108 dB SPL (stereo, pair) with peaks of 120 dB SPL. Such power also means that at all sane levels, the BeoLab 5 is simply loafing along, never stressed in the slightest, and if you encounter any signs of distortion, you can know FOR SURE it is occurring elsewhere in your signal path.
Horns are audio's oldest technology.
Thought for sure MBL Radialstrahler 101 X-treme was going to be on this list, they've been around for a while and well-known in this catagory, kinda crazy that nowadays this list could be ten times longer without even blinking, so many well-crafted high-end speakers available that it blows my mind. 🤔
My thoughts exactly. Probably the ultimate statement in Audiophilia.
So many high-priced speakers are available these days, but I hope you cover in the future these:
1) Sound Lab, especially their 9 foot tall models. Back in the day (1980's) J. Gordon Holt promoted the work of Sound Lab as the pinnacle.
2) Alsyvox - a design formerly available as Michelangelo, these are push-pull planar magnetics that excel at controlling the diaphragm (as compared to the single-ended Magnepans.)
3) Genesis - offer a monster of a speaker that is the spiritual (and physical) descendant of the IRS V.
4) Von Schweikert, YG, and Gryphon maker similar, very tall, stacked box designs.
Those are just a start. There are many exotic speaker makers working in horns or ribbon designs.
Don't forget the old B&W Matrix 800, ProAc Response 4, Wilson Audio X-1 Grand Slamm,...
i just think its hilarious the wilson audio cost that much with oem parts. good parts but like excluding the cabinets they are like $2-3k in parts
Jay, B & W has not a snail design, it comes from the Nautilus design that is from the Octopus family
Exactly. The nautilus has been roaming our seas since the early Triassic. Sounds way better than "snail design" Jay! ;-)
I have listened to the B&W snails and the big Focal & Wilson speakers both sounded good but the B&W snails were outstanding.
The idea was to get them perfectly flat and I think they came pretty close. They whole range that came after (800 series) is still being made now with minor changes from the original designs. The B&W 802 was always the closest normal speaker to the sound of the snails but the 802 could go louder. The latest 802 is slimmer and although I’m yet to hear it, I imagine this would be a contender for one of the best speakers on sale at any price.
Both B&W & Wilson Benesh pegged the curved and braced cabinet design in the late 90s and have been using it to make the best sound ever since. B&W are a bigger company so do it better and cheaper than others who have tried to copy them.
As a company, B&W are a bunch of dicks!
Their speakers on the other hand are outstanding, probabley why the above is true.
i have used both b&w and focal in car audio 1st place winning vehicals, the b&w tweeter is amazing the titainium one.
@@PioneerGuy581 not too familiar with B&W car audio, only Dynaudio And Focal.
B&W probabley use the same crappy plastic baskets on the OEM stuff but if the have solid aftermarket car audio then cool. Just had to replace a nautilus tweeter 😖 yes they sound fab, not sure how much that has to do with the transmission line tube but who cares, if it’s good it’s good.
Are you really hearing better or just different. ? It's a psychological issue thinking your hearing better especially if they look better or different from the ones your bored of looking at. Not saying they are not better sounding but hifi is often an obsession if you let it be.
The New Final Audio Model 15 Electrostatic Loudspeakers with two REL Subs matched with Mcintosh MA-12000 Integrated Tube Amp and a Mcintosh MCD-12000 TUBE CD Player with DAC is one of the very best systems on the planet😇My End-Game System 🙂
Once you hear the Focals, you will be spoilt.
They are just FANTASTIC.
I was wondering if you were going to include The Focal brand and off course you didn't disapoint. The Grande Utopia create such a wall of pure sound, it's hard to fault them.
Entertaining video, covering some iconic loudspeaker systems;
Hopefully you can review of the new KEF Blade Meta soon.
Hi Jay, missed a bit the Sonos Faber Aida 2. Had already a Chance to hear them. Really fantastic.
Very knowledgeable for a youngster lol. I am almost 65 & to be honest your hearing changes so much over the years, hence why I keep changing my systems. I don't go with silly high money systems either, & it needs to fit in with the main lounge, It also amazes me, can hi fi sound improve since its creation? constantly despite our ears only limited to a certain level. Take it from me hifi is an obsession & some are more interested in the equipment & high price & forgetting its a tool to play music often made of cheap plastic. That said They look impressive. My latest system is modestly priced at around £3000 rega/ marantz/B&W & about a year old. I always pass my older systems to grandchildren free.
Super Stoked you did this Video Jay.... Ive been looking for a pair of speakers for my 10' x 12' guest bedroom.... Leaning Heavily towards The Acapella speaker.... it will go best with the drapes in that room.... Thanks
and I do mean that... Enjoy your videos Very Much.... Its like buying a Lottery Ticket....
"If I Win Ill do This"... All in Good Fun....
✌✌✌✌✌✌✌
correction at 2:41 its a Nautilus, a type of animal in the ocean
nvm
you told smthing at the comments
good episode, jay!
Greetings people. I have heard them playing in Novotel Hotel in Hammersmith London in the early 90's. My lady boss simply loves these speakers.
Which speakers ?
All of them ?
Laurence Dickie (the inventor of the nautilus) has an outstanding line of his own designs. Must check out Vivid Audio and from the reviews that I've heard...well, he is the inventor of the nautilus so let that speak for itself!
Outstanding sound quality!!
Awesome vid Jay ! Always a thumbs up from me.
waiting for next part!
I found that the Nautilus sounds like my home built speakers (on YT) more than any other speakers (on YT)! 😂 My made speakers consist of an open 10" coaxial driver on top of the box, along with a 10" woofer in the box. 😮
I am a diehard fan of Wilson Audio. I used to own the Sasha 2, now use the Alexia 2. Will love to own the Alexx V (don't tell my wife :-))
I still have the original Infinity IRS V in storage...inhereted from my dad who bought them in 1987/88...In Holland they were Fl, 300.000 (300K guilders, nowadays about 300K euros with inflation)
Crazy nice speakers! What’s your opinion of the Martin Logan Neolith?
Probably should have included the OMA Imperia, or some of their other speakers. I believe the Imperia come in somewhere between 300 and 400k.
Great video Jay. I heard the Focal Grand Utopia last month and I just loved there sound. There price is out of the reach for most of us. If I could afford them I would get them for sure.
Somehow it slips not much higlited that B&W Nautilus is an active speaker, you mention that have active crossover, but you miss that each driver has a dedicated amplifier, and these 4 amplifiers for one speaker are not with same parameters, aka each amp is made for a particular driver. Meaning when you buy Nautilus you must buy these amplifiers, otherwise, they will not give you a warranty nor stay behind speaker performance declaration. So to hear Nautilus sound, you need to pay much over 100K$ . But that sound superiority of Nautilus says something about speakers with passive crossovers, as a cost-saving solution so you do not need many amps. Here you have it Active speaker from 40y ago beating all that boxes claiming "HI END" and natural sound. When someone plays piano, there is no "sweet spot" it sounds the same everywhere in the room. And Surprisingly piano or any acoustic instrument does not have flat surfaces nor 90dgr corners. There is no box shape to be seen as part of any instrument. Just because it's easier to cut straight cheap MDF we have these silly boxes that make some controlled noise and we are amazed.
Alexx V is indeed a great speaker. I hope to bring it into my channel at some point.
WA, 500 lbs a speaker, I always wondered because it is not wood, their secret material very dense which equals weight.
Same for the 802 serie! They become more expencive! But good.
Thanks for this great video..... Five Beautiful Speakers Here
I would have included the JBL Everest speakers at $80,000 ...they could compete with these speakers ?
Can clearly hear low frequency rumble every time you put your hands on that table in front of you 😆..."lo-cut" your mic, Jay! :)
Please apply 80-100Hz low cut filter on your mic. Thank you for the pretty interesting video.
Speaker to amp match is all you really need to sound good, and location of course
Hi Jay, Many years ago I was told that a hifi freak who lived just 30 miles away owned a pair of B&W Nautilus loudspeakers. Apparently he spent all his money on hifi which is understandable as even back then they were very pricey!
It would be interesting if you would compare the sound of these type of high end spekers to say Genelec 1236 SAM speakers or other top grade studio speakers.
For the price of these speakers you can buy sources, speakers, amps and subs which cost a fraction and still give 95-99% of the sound quality. Sometimes even better ... But I should be quiet as my audio set is also way too expensive LOL.
Dear Jay, Have you ever heard of the Dutch brand Veddan? Should go do it sometime. Very special technique! I love you're reviews 👍
I thought you would mention the mbl 101 x-treme which are also a whopping $263K. And they look so otherworldly. Surely part of part 2.
Years ago, my father said as a baseline, the heavier the speaker the better it is. Perhaps it is not true below $70K, but it seems to be true for speakers between $70K and $260K.
Haha. It’s a joke that’s really not a joke in certain ways
Makes total sense. More mass, greater stability and more accurate cone movements
Maybe some day you can review the starter baby MBL's.
Whuuuut? No Von Schweikert speakers? Their Ultra 11 speakers fall into that cost-no-matter level, and they sound stupendous. I hope you get to hear a pair. In any case, keep up the good work, and be well.
Great review Jay, thanks for the presentation. I may (or not) have an opportunity to purchase a brand new pair of Wilson Alex speakers for a third of the price (not the Alex V). I think the retail cost is just over $100k U.S. I do not have any details at the moment but what is your personal opinion? This week I am supposed to take delivery of a Gryphon Antileon Evo Class A stereo amp at 150 W pc @ 8ohms so I think it would be a suitable match. In fact I traded a brand new pair of Macintosh MC1.25 kw for this Gryphon however I want to keep my Mac MC1100 preamp. My present loudspeakers I am running right now are the Legacy Audio floorstanding models with a
pair of REL 812x subs. If I can get the great slam in the gut sound you mentioned here with the Wilsons would I have to spend needless fortunes for the speaker upgrades or can I achieve the same for something less expensive? Appreciate your input.
The old alexx is just as good. slight differences imho.
You should do a video comparing the same album on reel vs digital and vinyl
Perhaps !
Just curious did you win the boat from Tim’s ?
Jay your video is exceptionally well done 👍 I am a new subscriber now ,..
Ah those focals. Saw them in the shop and they were worth more than a house 😂
The only drawback is coming home after a live concert with real instruments. After about 20 minutes of listening we're all looking at each other. Let's call it a night out even the Wilson Grand Slam gets a bedtime story on those kind of moments.
Conclusion Sorry Charlie the Tuna
Its Memorex
I wonder if Danny at GR Research has an upgrade kit for these loudspeakers 😂😂😂
I’m sure his back would break before that happens 😂
I sure he's working on it. Upgrade price should come in at 49.99.
Too much cheese, not worth it
Hey what’s the screen on top of the rack @ 3:36 ??
I love ridiculous looking speakers. Nautilus is my all time favorite. I wonder why they don’t update the drivers. I just saw light blue one at Montreal Audiofest.
As far as I remember there is a guy who builds his own version of these using 2022 construction, carbon fibre, along with the ceramic drivers top to bottom. I'll try and find the link but I remember they cost around £200K or $300K ish but are a vastly superior sounding to the originals.. I think it includes the marble base,I think lol
Yup 👍🏻 I learned something. I will never own the top leave. I thought axions 10000 dollar speakers were crazy.
Haha. I hear you
@@Jayiyagi guess the leason here, is there something for everybody. Just sucks to be at the bottom. But that is getting better. On a site note, I did have the experience of hearing the B&W speaker. Left in a bad place because the realization that I would probably have to kill someone in order to ever have them.
Great video! Why didn't MBL make this list though?
Great video! Could you do something similar for other hifi components?
Sure !
Where are: OMA Imperia, Kyron Gaia, Nola, Alsyvox, Aries Cerat?
We need the best "Poor Man" speaker review ***** ones around $1000-$2000 per pair. I used to have a pair of those carvers amazing speakers - loved them.
Was done, for $800 can get stands and 2 speakers, Elac DBR62's. Add hybrid tube amp, $170. Hard to equal or beat that setup.
ALL GREAT DESIGNS!!! COME FROM A PENCIL!!!!!!!!!
I bought a pair of Grand Utopias to listen to AM radio in my bathroom. My cat likes them because they are an excellent scratching post.
At 2;00 "You don't need a sub woofer." Without a sub, the sub channel is discarded. There's no way to direct it to the main channels. For 5.1 sources you always need a sub.
I own all of these speakers. They sound great
I drove 2 states away to pick-up a killer cash deal on a pair of new DynAudio Contour 20s at high-end audio dealer.
I met my buddy there (one of my reasons for making the trip), and we walked in and listened to a set of those Wilson Speakers powered by some Boulder Amps….Well…..after that I laughed…and just left my new DynAudios in the unopened boxes, threw them in the back of my SUV and took off. I mean c'mon….how could I listen to them right after the Wilsons!
😂😂😂🤪
😂
I know of a pair of those Acapella that went into a dumpster, a very dark story surrounding how that came about, it was in Vancouver
Kharma Enigma Veyron EV-1D - that's what I'm buying if I ever win the lottery. Costs $800 000 for a pair in my country. I've actually been to the local dealer, but he didn't have that exact model in stock at the time.
Capable of 127dB SPL with enough power - could play for a whole town with these.
Also, the frequency range is somewhat interesting; 23 Hz - 90 kHz(!).
Jesus. Ye those are impressive and on my list to listen for sure
I await to see that crazy ass Wilson.
You gotta hear them ! Seeing them isn’t enough !
Good stuff, J
Look forward to the MBL, you must be doing those next time.
How about a DAC and streamer? The WADAX Atlantis Reference DAC and Music Server could be a fine match for any of these speakers in quality, appearance and insanity 😁
As they say money talks and shit walk’s, do definitely agree more money will buy you better system. But do you have what it takes to appreciate it apart from time? Being a Audiophile is life long journey, you get to appreciate expensive gear as you start spending more and more on next component purchase. You do not acquire the appreciation of HiFi components overnight.
I agree !
in the end i already know the 1000pd 750k magico m9 is gonna be the headlining main attraction!
I would add the MBL 101 X-treme speakers and Kef Muon speakers to this list
Def on the future list !
and Genesis Prime
Check the Duevel speakers.
How does one identify "speed" in a speaker?
I would have like to see here MBL, the 101 X-treme.
How many sets of those Wilson’s did you sell?
Looking forward to your XLS Encore review. Like... REALLY looking forward to it.
Make sure to spend at least 2 grand per cable and at least 10 grand on room treatments to be able to review them correctly though.
I have all that. The point was not that I don’t have it. The point was that many others don’t and should not be a requirement imho
@@Jayiyagi haha. I was definitely being facetious
I wonder if anyone purchased the Wilson speaker that had a listening room above floor level.
You must check out Vivid Audio's designs as well
Money no object.. Jay what would you get?
Money no object… there are so many choices but it won’t be on this list. Teaser for the future video ;)
@@Jayiyagi Marten Mingus would suit your sensibility.
there is too much money in the world, but thank you for the review
What I have always wondered, is why expensive "audiophile" speakers always look completely weird with their build? There is no way anyone has furniture, or a home that the way those speakers look will complement! Wilson speakers look like a half completed droid from Star Wars. I know, form follows function. But it seems some of the speaker manufacturers take that to the extreme.
I wonder how those speakers perform under a *blind test* with some much cheaper ones?
What about B&W 801 D4?
Did you ever learn about the choclea in school Jay? It’s a “snail” looking structure found in the inner ear. 😂
Damn. These make my new Martin Logan f200 speakers look like peasant speakers.
Well would you like such monstrosities in you room? (Nautilus, Wilson watt,s especially)
Well People who do have the privilege to do so would most likely have the room as well I assume
Speakers like this should have built in amplification because without amplification turned to the drivers you have a whole other issue. One getting the power you need to push them to their limits.
I have speakers like that in my home theater system. They play very loud, but are completely overpriced for the sound quality. For 2 channel I buy speakers from designers that are the best at making speakers, and amps from people that makes the best amps. No comparison.
What about Magico? Seeems like a serious contender
you missed MBL, Magico, and many others
I know i did haha. Towards the end i address that
Clever video.
Thanks! Thought it would be interesting to share
At least the Steinway Lyngdorf Model-D's are a music system and includes amplification for $266,000.
*❌✅ What a (( McDeal )) I’m Loving it 👋🤣❌*
For me it's the model D from steinway lyngdorf on the top of the chain.
Not MBL speakers?
The NAUTILUS ...inspired by the snail *forehead slap*
Better place some of these precisely in their spot because you're not gonna have the strength to move them if not. Must be hard to have big money. 👌
what pair sound most real ?
The glossy ones make mario bros come alive.
thos stripes of the wilson audio speaker. looks like its made by scanspeak..
Another ultra high end mainstream odd Uber design is MBL extreme. Avantgarde for horns.