Audiophilepure

https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/reviews/wilson-audio-alexia-v-full-review-r1141/

The Alexia V has more than enough slam and attack to pressurize a room and pound the listener in the chest, should the music call for it. That’s a hallmark of Wilson speakers, that I know my friends in the music business appreciate and will enjoy even more through the V. What really grabbed me immediately when listening through the Alexia V, was the midrange. It’s just magical. The midrange is liquid in the way that mercury is liquid, rather than an undefined globule of water. Mercury has delineated edges yet a smoothness and an unmistakable appearance. The Alexia V’s midrange is also unmistakable and will present one’s favorite music, on a platter, again for the first time. 

I couldn’t be happier with my new Wilson Audio Alexia V loudspeakers. The look of the Silver Ice Pearl premium finish is stunning and the sound quality is second to none. It feels good to own an instant classic.  

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/reference-components/1735-recommended-reference-component-kef-ls60-wireless-speaker-system

As a comparison to the LS60 Wireless, Gordon used his current Simplifi reference system, comprising “an NAD C 658 streaming DAC-preamp ($1999.99) connected with Benchmark Media Systems Studio&Stage XLR interconnects to a pair of Elac Navis ARF-51 active floorstanding speakers ($5399.96/pair).” While his system had “more ringing clarity in the middle and upper octaves” when he played “Fool on the Hill,” Gordon described in his review how the KEF’s sound was superior with almost everything he heard. To Gordon’s ears, the KEF system emerged as the winner. In fact, just after the review was published, Gordon decided to purchase the LS60 Wireless system and make it his new reference.

Gordon’s high praise for the LS60 Wireless system is the reason why we recognized this KEF offering with a Reviewers’ Choice award when the review was published. And while it’s too early to know if the LS60 Wireless will receive a Product of the Year award (or if it’s a contender for Product of the Decade, as Gordon mused), the system is being recognized with a Recommended Reference Component award right now.

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/audiovector-r6-arrete

We’re pleased with the stereo imaging. That rear-firing midrange is subtle in operation but helps to give the R6’s soundstage a lovely sense of air and space. Image focus is sharp and the speakers have the ability to layer the soundstage well and keep the image stable even when the music becomes demanding. 

Oh, and the R6s play loud without issue, keeping their composure even when listening levels rise to party levels. Of course, your amplifier has to be able to deliver the grunt necessary for that to happen. A rather specific claimed sensitivity of 91.5dB/W/m and a nominal impedance of 8 ohms certainly suggests that these towers aren’t going to be particularly awkward to drive. But, the rated power handling of 450 watts indicates that Audiovector expects customers to partner them with some beefy electronics.

The Gradient 1.4s are thrifty, indeed, in the realm of high-end prices. And there really are no other speakers that I know of that can do exactly what they do. Like their ancestors, the Gradient 1.3s, they present the sound of recordings in a unique way. They are available in the USA, but not very widely as yet. When shows resume, I hope many people will get to hear them. Meanwhile, if you are really serious about getting your room out of your system and hearing recordings as they actually are, the Gradient 1.4s are, in the words of the Michelin Guides, worth a journey.

Swapping out the hard floor bolts for a pair of tall carpet spikes resulted in an easy gap, and filled out the bass to more preferable levels as well as improving the mid range response just a tad. One might consider that out of the box Zu speakers take a little more tinkering than your average speaker, but even the most basic setup efforts require adjustments of some level to achieve any type of bespoke experience. Roughly a quarter inch to ⅜ off the top edge of carpet provided plenty of balance to the sonic equation, allowing for the bass to reach deeper and with obvious benefits to the overall presence. How much bass exactly? Pumping a full range paper cone driver does have its limits on both sizes of the frequency range. With the coaxial tweeter, Zu looks to make up a lot of the compromises with the supplemental driver.