[ctsooner22]

The Phantom isn’t exactly warm per se. Its stage has a clean, black ambience due to its excellent treble extension. By comparison, IEMs like the Warbler Prelude, the Harmony 8.2 or the UE18+ to some degree have a warmer atmosphere - not veiled, but there’s a richness in the air that somewhat congeals the instruments together if you get what I mean; a very light fog. The Phantom doesn’t have that at all, it has a stable black background. But, the Phantom may have the illusion of warmth to some, because of its linear upper-treble. The Phantom doesn’t have much sparkle or bite up top, so its sense of attack isn’t as sharp as some might like. But, its stage is free of any “glue” or warm air, so it’s an impressive technical performer nonetheless.

Thanks Daniel. That's exactly what I mean when I say warm. To me, it's all about a fullness of the note. In live music you will hear violin or viola...you can tell the difference if the recording gives it to you AND you have the right device to produce it. Warm to me is the warmth that surrounded me at the Hollywood Bowl listening to Johnny Legend and Steven Tyler adn Stevie Wonder all singing together for the finale a few years ago on opening night. It was intro to their Hall of fame and my daughter and I were in LA looking at colleges who recruited her. I got GREAT seats and it was special. The sound was some of the best with the LA Philharmonic supporting them all. Just amazing and you could hear the separation and the soundstage. Just huge. My daughter sings and she even commented on it. Just a warmth. Plenty of bite when called for and it's live. That's so hard and expensive for IEM or 2 channel to reproduce. Most can't as there is that congestion that Daniel mentioned in different words. The Phantom isn't perfect. Transducers just aren't. They all are compromising when it comes to making a reference one like Phantom is. I personally love the compromise they made. Not all will/do. That's called choice. It's an awesome thing.

 

[noplsestar]

i still have no idea what youre going on about, what is 2 channel

It’s something most of us can’t afford

 

[491326]

It’s something most of us can’t afford

as always

 

[kubig123]

It’s something most of us can’t afford

something heavier than a headphone

 

[fiascogarcia]

me

I still have no idea what youre going on about, what is 2 channel

 

[Mython]

i still have no idea what youre going on about, what is 2 channel

Be careful what questions you ask - you might not like the answer!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTUQyEr-sg0

 

[ctsooner22]

Nice pic. Don’t like the Wilson WAMM system they are showing personally. Not enough micro and macro detail also the midrange is a coated paper type that plays out of phase and breaks up too easily, but this is the wrong board for that talk lol.

 

[Mython]

.... Don’t like the Wilson WAMM system .... the midrange is a coated paper type that plays out of phase ....

I wouldn't know about that, but I do recall being quietly told that one of the SEAS woofers was wired out of phase in a Wilson Puppy, at the mastering studio where George Michael's album 'Listen Without Prejudice' was done, back in 1990. Whether it's related or not, I don't know, but the double bass is rather odd on the track 'Cowboys and Angels'.

 

[Mython]

For anyone who may be wondering what lies in between IEMs/CIEMs/Cans and fullsize 2ch Hi-Fi, there's a possibility it might look like this :

(thanks to @ProtegeManiac for posting this on the forum, ages ago)

 

[ctsooner22]

I wouldn't know about that, but I do recall being quietly told that one of the SEAS woofers was wired out of phase in a Wilson Puppy, at the mastering studio where George Michael's album 'Listen Without Prejudice' was done, back in 1990. Whether it's related or not, I don't know, but the double bass is rather odd on the track 'Cowboys and Angels'.

Even friends who like the Wilson's hated the Puppy's. They needed warm/dull sounding tubes to even be listenable. David Wilson did a great job of 'educating folks' that those screeching highs were what we wanted to hear. Even teh dealers admitted to me how poor they were, but they jumped off the floor and they made a ton. His son Daryl, is now in charge right away he went to silk dome tweeters to tame the high end a bit. They are easier to listen to, but have no micro or macro detail so you lose the emotion of songs. Just highly dynamic etc... Those speakers now sell for 685,000.00 usd......YES, you read that correctly. Huge sounding, but not great speakers. I am not kidding, but when I heard the 50k Obasso IEM's, I felt like they were Wilson's of the IEM world. ....YMMV

 

[fiascogarcia]

For anyone who may be wondering what lies in between IEMs/CIEMs/Cans and fullsize 2ch Hi-Fi, there's a possibility it might look like this :

(thanks to @ProtegeManiac for posting this on the forum, ages ago)

Or DIY.

 

[Mython]

I think I recall that the original Watts used a beryllium inverted dome made by Focal, but it's a LONG time ago, so my memory may have taken a wrong turn, during the time between then & now.


BTW, just to clarify my anecdote about that woofer being wired out of phase - as I recall, the SEAS woofer had been installed as a replacement, not that the woofer was wired out of phase at the Wilson factory.

 

[Layman1]

A 2 Channel newbie here too.
I don't know.. that sure looks like a lot more than just 2 channels to me

 

[491326]

For anyone who may be wondering what lies in between IEMs/CIEMs/Cans and fullsize 2ch Hi-Fi, there's a possibility it might look like this :

(thanks to @ProtegeManiac for posting this on the forum, ages ago)

holy crap... what year was this?

 

[ctsooner22]

I think I recall that the original Watts used a beryllium inverted dome made by Focal, but it's a LONG time ago, so my memory may have taken a wrong turn, during the time between then & now.


BTW, just to clarify my anecdote about that woofer being wired out of phase - as I recall, the SEAS woofer had been installed as a replacement, not that the woofer was wired out of phase at the Wilson factory.

I think you are right on the Focal tweeter. They also have a brighter high end, that is not my cup of tea. All Wilson tweeters are always a bit out of phase as they are not close to pistonic. Richard Vandersteen did a youtube on pistonic movement using a laser to show it. Great google.