wilson curve vs act1

whats better and why? what price would either be 2nd hand? any info appreciated

 

I would demo those units.
At that price don't go off others advice.
My dad has a pair of ACTIIs he thinks they are the best thing since sliced bread!
I think they are great as background music speakers, but not lively enough for "active" listening.

 

I seem to recall some reviewers prefered the cheaper (smaller and newer) discovery to the larger (older) act1. The latest curve model supposedly out performed all others before it. I'd go for the curve now.

I used to have the arc's, which was a discovery with one less bass driver, so less extension. It was clinical and clean with very detailed treble.

Very nice looking speakers, but bear in mind they are cheap drivers in a very expensive box when all is said and done. If cosmetics are not so important I think you can do better for the money. Dynaudio?

 

Thanks both very much for advice. id seen the act 1s and was considering a purchase. interested that theyre not great for active listening. could you give me an eg. what types of music they do and dont work with. many thanks andy

 

I don't know about type of music. Probably which type of person they do / don't work with. I can only compare the speakers I've owned either side of wb to guage. PMC and particuarly dynaudio were both smoother than the pin sharp wb's. I do remember an alcohol fueled evening listening to Ray of Light on the arc's with my girlfriend, where they sounded amazingly detailed.

P.S there are two pairs of arc's going for £1400 ish in hifi news rag, owners no: 07729 600847, 01202 767873. Cheap way to find if you like their house sound.

 

many thanks kub3, cheers

 

The Arcs are a great speaker, but the Discovery is MILES better. That is, if you like the WB sound: detailed, controlled, (c)lean, fast, uncoloured. The Arc is a bit warm sounding, the Discovery trashes the Arc in neutrality and bass slam.

 

I've never heard wb descibed as warm! No way. They're pin sharp.

 

Out of interest Paul how would you describe the tonality of the AML1? I always thought it was a little bit less bright than other PMC's.

 

AML1 is halfway betwwen dynaudio (softer) and wb arc (sharper), in my opinion. AML is clean and clear, but not bright like wb, b&W, or atc for that matter. Nothing seems to jump out for undue attention and it seems well balanced overall. - I guess it depends upon your frame of reference though.

 

curve vs act1

ive read a few reviews of each, seems the act 1 may be warmer sounding and the curve a lot like the arcs but with better bass. is this about right? i owned the arcs and thought tey were superb. very crisp and detailed with goosebumps on the right track, vocals were great, though sometimes you felt they were squealing and a little bass light. ive got spendor bc 1s now, lovely at low levels but a bit flabby in bass and 70s sounding if that makes sense. any further responses on the curve??

 

"very crisp and detailed with goosebumps on the right track, vocals were great, though sometimes you felt they were squealing and a little bass light"

100% agree with that. They *can* be bright on occasion, but it's not an obvious, all the time trait.

 

The WB Arc is definitely a bit warm in the midrange. Not that it is all soft, just a bit on the warm side. And this is only in comparison with the Discovery and more so, the new Act.

Partner them badly and they scream.

 

How much of that is your room treatment?

 

Jeez, if the Arcs are "warm" in any aspect, that must be in comparison to an ice-cold frigid hell. IMO, of course.

Having partnered them with....

MF A3 -> Cyrus Pre-X and Mono-X
Audionet v2 -> Cyrus Pre-X and Mono-X
TEAC P700 -> Meridian 203 -> Cyrus Pre-X & Mono-X
TEAC P700/D700 -> Cyrus Pre-X & Mono-X
TEAC P-30 -> Benchmark DAC-1 -> BOW Walrus
TEAC P-30 -> Wadia 25 -> BOW Walrus

I've never heard them sound anything other than clean and detailed to the point of being bright. The only thing that made them sound remotely warm in my environment was a quick test swapping out the BOW for a 70s Pioneer receiver.