Comments on: Legendary high-end speaker gets major face-lift

The Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy has been one of the world's most popular high-end speakers for nearly a quarter of a century. It's finally being replaced with a new model, the $26,900 Sasha W/P, and it sounds phenomenal.

[PhoenixFiresky]

Hmmm...$27,000...for something that looks just like a trash can? Nope. Can't see it.

[lodestar2]

Well, hm. I'm a fan of this blog. I've always found it to be entertaining and informative. but I'm having a hard time imagining the aesthetic criteria according to which this is an attractive speaker. Calling this a beautiful speaker has the unfortunate effect of making high-end audio look like something along the lines of the emperor's new clothes. And that's too bad, because it isn't really fair. I'm sure the Sasha W/P sounds absolutely amazing. But yes, it looks like a trash can, and there's no point in pretending otherwise.

[alegr]

Trash can. That was my first thought, too.

[pubmat]

I think seeing them in person is essential. I have a local store that sells them, and they are pretty impressive in person: the paint is amazing, their curves are quite appealing, and they are like little tanks in build quality. Besides, their sound quality (which is what I care about most) is truly seductive.

[tipoo_]

I can imagine friends trying to figure out where they put their empty beer cans in the thing.

[wdlee123]

Two things. First, what a brilliant idea, Wilson introduces a post recession $27,000 pair of speakers. They are sure feeling our pain. Secondly, SteveG is writing a lot of reviews these days and not a negative one to be found! I am beginning to question his sensibilities and objectivity. The trash can reference is funny!

[pubmat]

First, stop whining, and stop being jealous of prosperity. This is a BLOG, and a little oogling at great audio equipment is encouraged here. Its all in fun, so I suggest learning to have some once in a while. Second, you probably don't read it much because Steve is plenty critical of things on here...but its difficult to be critical of the most successful high end speakers ever.
If that isn't good enough for you, then go somewhere else. I'm sure there's a whiner's blog out there that will welcome you with open arms.

[one_flat_monkey]

my favorite part of high-end audio is that you can charge whatever you want for an amp or a pair of speakers and someone will decide that it's a reasonable price. it doesn't really have anything to do with the cost of materials. it's all subsumed under R & D.

i've only made three decent purchases, ones that i can say were good "investments":

a) Magnepan 1.4 speakers
b) Linn LP12 turntable
c) Akai GX 635 reel to reel tape deck.

i've never been completely satisfied with an amplifier. but ( of course ), i'm not willing to spend 10K on a pair of Class A tube amps that put out 16 watts, like the Air Tight ATM211.

[TXinD76121]

I consider the Wilson WATT Puppy to be more like the original fraud on the public. It helped start the whole runaway-price insanity that has essentially crippled the audio hobby and gradually infected the whole specialist audio industry--a garden path that has led up to today's iPod/MP3 music standard and to the public's complete dismissal of good sound as an ideal. Wilson speakers are store-bought drivers in over-damped enclosures, and nothing at all (no, not even looks) to justify being as expensive as a nice car.

Wilson speakers don't even sound that good. I worked in a store that had WIlson WATT Puppies driven by a Krell Audio Standard (four-piece mega-amp of the era, about $25,000 at the time), set up to a fare-thee-well, and I spent hours listening to it. Just nothing special. (The best thing about that whole setup was watching the manager's face as five Asian friends took turns buying the KAS--politely stepping up to the counter one after the other saying "me too please." They dropped $125k collectively that day. The manager thought he'd died and gone to heaven. That was worth seeing.) You can keep making hi-fi equipment more and more expensive, and the best thing you can say about it is that, like equipment that is still good but much cheaper, it also works. There is just nothing magic about megabuck audio--some of it is good, some of it is bad, most of it is so-so. It's really only good for perfectionists with bad OCD problems and over-monied people concerned with displays of status and exclusivity. Whoever spends the most and has the most absurd-looking turntable wins.

Still, he's the Emperor, so you have to doff your hat I guess.

Not everyone can drop $30K on a pair of speakers and then another $5K - $8K on cables. If you can afford to buy these toys, then these Ferrari Yellow or Bugatti Blue "Trash" cans _are_ one of the best speakers money can buy IMHO. You just have to listen to see if it is worth your hard earn dough. Like any other audio gear, the cost per satisfaction is not linear. One may be perfectly happy with a $500 set of HTIB. Go listen and be your judge.

[buzzvader]

What a shame that such good sounding speakers should like like trash cans. I'm tempted to push in the tops to deposit something. What was the designer thinking? You need them to look like this to sound good? Dahlquists looked good. Ohm's looked better than these. Magnepans not only look great but sound awesome! My large walnut Advents look better than these and sound pretty good, too.

[sspadafo]

by tipoo_ June 23, 2009 11:01 AM PDT
I can imagine friends trying to figure out where they put their empty beer cans in the thing.

LMAO!!

[amfx22000]

Ha ha ha ha! That looks like a f*cking trash can!