Wilson Benesch presented the much lauded A.C.T.C60 throughout the show. On the back of a strong review in Stereo and third place in the all time magazine rankings, the A.C.T.C60 was a popular choice for audiophiles around the show. In support Wilson Benesch displayed the Odyssey Range. Now approaching its 10th-year in production the range remains as popular as ever, indeed the flagship Chimera placed a high 6th in the aforementioned Stereo Magazine ranking; a testament to the strength of the technologies that Wilson Benesch have engineered.

Also on display and very much at the center of attention for our visitors was the first two products in the new Geometry Series. The floor standing Vector and the stand mounted Vertex, complete with the new Tactic II drive unit and Wilson Benesch’s first tweeter, the Semisphere. The Geometry Series is a technological advance in loudspeaker design. Built with no internal bracing and from extremely rigid, mutually damping alloys and advanced composites. In terms of signal to noise ratio the Geometry Series is at the front of the field.

Of course with any Hi-Fi show, a number of important people make the show what it is. First of all we would like to extend our gratitude to all the attendees of the show and our customers who we are always thrilled to meet. A special thank you to our partners at the show, Audionet, who provided amplification for our presentation. Another important element must be recognised in our German distribution company Taurus high-end. Finally it was a pleasure to meet our key business partners from around the globe and wish them all the success with the Wilson Benesch brand.

Here to share are our little experiences of the weekend.

MADFORMUSIC SAS
Toniolo Dimitri
Proudly Presents

Salvatore Accardo

Venue Rome

On Demonstration

ACT 0,5 TONEARM, DISCOVERY, TORUS

For further details see Poster, refer to web site or email Dimitri at Mad For Music directly.

www.grangaladellaltafedelta.com
www.madformusic.it
info@madformusic.it

Showing little, if any mercy to convention, the engineering prowess of the Arc redefined the stand mounted loudspeaker. Millions of carbon fibres are juxtaposed with precision extruded alloy sections, achieving an attractive but highly functional form.

Driven by function like all good design, this design could lay claim to numerous achievements but without doubt its versatility and industry standard signal to noise ratio are beyond question. It is a great communicator, taking any type of program and reproducing it in the most sincere way, according to the quality of the recording.

This is a product that meets the highest standards in design and build quality within the top of loudspeaker manufacturing world wide. People who are accustomed to listening to live music will recognise the life like sound that allows you a ‘re-discovery of music’ sensation.

Music and Emotion Werner Ero, 2006, Netherlands

What sets these boxes apart is – at the risk of being too reductive – the materials technology, which is nigh on unique

David Price, HiFi World Magazine, 2005, UK

Awards

Chief Editors Recommendation, Audiophile Magazine, 2004 (UK)
***** Review, What Hi-Fi Magazine, 2002 (UK)

Balance is a critical factor in all good design and in the A.C.T. there is no finer balance. The cabinet is assembled, as you would expect from a Wilson Benesch loudspeaker, by hand from materials technologies that you would commonly see in Formula One race cars or advanced fighter aircraft. They represent the most advanced cabinet structures ever created by a loudspeaker company and are quite unique.

Acoustically, the A.C.T. is capable of communicating the finest nuances of the event. It achieves this without addition or embellishment of any kind. It is a sense of naturalness, that is perhaps the greatest strength of this time honored design. Few if any have stood this most demanding test.

To sum up the Wilson Benesch A.C.T. Drop dead gorgeous; extra-ordinarily low distortion; tonally seamless and coherent; superlative sound-staging; room-friendly and easy to set up; powerful yet nuanced dynamics.

John Marks, Stereophile, 2004, USA

Awards

***** Review, What Hi-Fi Magazine, 2003 (UK)
Grand Prix Award, Stereosound Magazine, 2002 (JAPAN)

ODYSSEY BROCHURE

SPECIFICATIONS

 

WHITE PAPER

A floor standing design of impeccable credentials.

Within its tiny foot print, is a volume of air that enables the Tactic drive units to respond like only floorstanders can, but unlike conventional floorstanding designs, there is a complete absence of cabinet noise.

The fine lines are punctuated by precision Wilson Benesch engineered functional accents that convey a sense of determined, obstinate, solidity when it comes to unwanted resonances.

Acoustically the design is clean, precise and highly communicative, giving a little more to bass energy than the A.C.T. design, pictured below, from which it borrows so very much.

There is no waffling on the bass notes, no overtones of wooden structures. In this respect, the Curves are much more like a planar speaker than most dynamic speakers. There have been very few dynamic speakers where I have heard the driver more so than the driver and the cabinet. The lush Von Schweikert VR-4 SR MkII’s with all their clarity in the midrange clearly have a cabinet sound worked into the presentation. This is normal, typical of dynamic speakers. What’s not so normal is to have such a cave-like depth to a cabinet, especially a conservatively sized one, where there is so little resonance detectable.

Douglas Schroeder, Dagago Review, U.S.A., 2007

Awards

***** Review, HiFi World Magazine, 2005 (UK)
Product of the Year, HiFi Review, 2004 (HONG KONG)
***** Review, What Hi-Fi Magazine, 2002 (UK)

Conceptually unique, this virtual point source, full range loudspeaker. has been precisely optimised, to extract the absolute maximum from the smallest enclosure. Its electrostatic qualities are underpinned by lightening fast dynamics, that leave the listener with nothing but effortless sound.

This loudspeaker has not simply opened up a new frontier for Wilson Benesch; its tremendous appeal may radically change the conventional image of British high-end speakers.

Takahito Miura, Stereosound Magazine, Japan, 2001

A visually striking design, it is instilled with timeless qualities that defy convention. The design is quite simply beyond categorisation. Yet, it achieves this without vulgar over statement or trivial additions.

Acoustically its principle achievement is the staggering depth of field and vast soundstage. The Discovery is the Harry Houdini of loudspeakers, disappearing as it so easily does without a trace.

they present every inflection of every note with almost holographic delineation. From the leading-edge transients of electric guitar to the percussive attack of drums, these British speakers helped me see into the music and laid its meaning out in front of me.

Jason Thorpe, Soundstage.com, 2003

Awards

Chosen Reference System, two-channel & Multi-channel, What Hi-Fi Magazine, 2005 (UK)
Chosen Reference System, two-channel & Multi-channel, What Hi-Fi Magazine, 2004 (UK)
* Replaced previous reference which were the A.C.T. One 2000-2003
***** Review,What Hi-Fi Magazine, 2003 (UK)
Product of the Year, HiFi Review, 2001 (HONG KONG)
Component of the year, Stereosound magazine, 2001 (JAPAN)

A floor standing design that finds itself deployed across the world in some of the most demanding music rooms. The Chimera exudes quality on every level. It is assembled from elements that require many days of hand work before they are even ready for assembly.

Of course it would not be a Wilson Benesch if it were not highly innovative and somewhat unconventional. The differences are considerable, and reflect perhaps most clearly the achievements that flowed from the D.T.I. (Department of Trade & Industry) funded Bishop research Project. This empowers the Chimera, setting the highest standard in low frequency dynamics, that exceed those of the super fast Tactic mid range unit!

No other loudspeaker can make such a claim. A unique development path.

A dream of a loudspeaker that is simply capable of everything. Were exalted and now understand why you need Formula 1 technology in your living room.

Tom Frantzen, Translation from, Stereo Magazine, Germany, 2006

We must face the facts: the Chimera inevitably reminds us of the Full Circle turntable by the manufacturer that we tested recently. The Chimera distills the expressiveness, the immediacy and the transparency we appreciated with the turntable. These characteristics give the Chimera a true personality in the best sense of the term and many music lovers will find that suits them with this technically and aesthetically different but irresistibly musical product.

Dominique Mafrand, Translation from, Haute Fidélité Magazine, France, 2012

Awards
Awarded 99%, Stereo Magazine, Germany, 2006
Reference Review, Haute Fidélité Magazine, France, 2012

The most versatile of all Wilson Benesch loudspeakers, the Centre is an extremely powerful compact and of course visually discrete design. When asked to do so, it will relish a fire fight or atomic explosion and in the next breath deliver the most subtle expressions of an Ennio Morricone soundtrack.

Like all Wilson Benesch designs its main strength is the sound field that extends well beyond the constraints of its super rigid enclosure.

Add to this the sweet un-fatiguing high frequency and seamless integration across an extra ordinary bandwidth and you have a giant killing package.

This image of the Chimeras was taken from the High End Show in Prague where the Chimera was partnered with Electrocompaniet Amplifiers.

Download the Discovery Review by clicking here: AprilSVTYKON.pdf

This opportunity to hear a very special system will only be possible during the next two weeks before the system moves on.

For further information on this and future locations please contact Christina at Wilson Benesch.

KJ WEST ONE
26 New Cavendish Street
LONDON
W1G 8TS
Tel: 0207 486 8262
Fax: 0207 487 3452
Email: info@kjwestone.com
Website: www.kjwestone.com

Qvinta-Audio Company
Ivana Babushkina Str. 23/4
Moscow 117292
Russia
Tel: 007 495 718 0600
Fax: 007 495 718 0688
E-Mail info@qvinta-audio.ru
Web www.qvinta-audio.ru

Download the PDF: Chimera2010.pdf

As you can see from the images we featured a blend of old and new at this years event. One of the very first Wilson Benesch turntables was used as principle source to play records from as far back as 1957 to present day, much to the appreciation of all who heard. The Nanotube One tonearm was used on the turntable. The A.C.T. C.60 made its debut in the Limited Edition version alongside one of the first A.C.T. One’s from 15 years ago.

Every year this event seems to go from strength to strength. We enjoyed the highest number of visitors to date this year. So we look forward to making the next event even better and planning has already started.

Audionet Electronics were of course deployed throughout and served in the usual purposeful and reliable way. On the main system the very latest Pre-power combination was fast and effortless. The Cinema relied upon one Seven channel amplifier.

Jim Riddel of Sounds Real Colorada does it again!
Not for the first time Jim has assembled a system to die for. At this years show Jim opted to demonstrate several Wilson Benesch loudspeakers. As per usual the superb deHavilland valve amplifiers were deployed.