Wilson Audio Specialties Duette loudspeaker Specifications

Sidebar 1: Specifications

Specifications: Two-way, reflex-loaded bookshelf loudspeaker with separate crossover enclosure. Drive-units: 8" cone woofer, 1" silk-dome tweeter. Sensitivity: 90dB/W/m/kHz. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Minimum impedance: 3.96 ohms at 3.1kHz. Recommended amplifier power: >20W.
Dimensions: 18.4" H by 9.4" W by 13.75" D. Weight: 39 lbs.
Finish: Automotive paints in non-metallic black, Diamond Black, Dark Titanium, Desert Silver, and Argento Silver Twelve.
Price: $13,900/pair plus $1795/pair for matching stands. Approximate number of dealers: 50.
Manufacturer: Wilson Audio Specialties, 2233 Mountain Vista Lane, Provo, UT 84606. Tel: (801) 377-2233. Fax: (801) 377-2282. Web: www.wilsonaudio.com.

COMPANY INFO
Wilson Audio Specialties
2233 Mountain Vista Lane
Provo, UT 84606
(801) 377-2233
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Garrett.F's picture

This is an extremely comprehensive article that truly allows us to see everything that the Wilson Duette has to offer. I hope that there will be more information coming from you because of your honestly.

 

 

Sometimes reading reviews of certain products makes us find that we are not hearing from someone who has actually tried the product but then there are some good ones.

Timbo in Oz's picture

It's an '8 inch frame' woofer whose cone diameter is likely about 7inches or less. So the surface are is 3.5x3.5x3.414 = 41 sq inches, or if it's only 6.5in across just 36sq in.

A true 8 inch cone would require at least a 9 inch frame, possibly 10 inch, the speaker is only 9.4 inches wide though!

90db/w @ 4 0hms is not a sensitive speaker.

My 8 inch 2-ways, weigh more, have an enclosure shape that is itself quiet, go almost as deep, have far smoother diffraction behaviour, and would be worth just under $Au4,000 today. They used good-sounding metallised film caps in ladders, air core coils. 91db/w easy true 8 ohm load, and no low-pass. Transparent? I bought them instead of QUAD 57s.

IMO wide dispersion is not that good an idea for home speakers in most people's acoustically small rooms.

I respect TF's recordings a great deal, and choirs and singers are important Chez Nous. So, what does he think the relevant ranges to avoid xovers within? May we read his thoughts, please?

Timbo in Oz

 

 

 

heavystarch's picture

Hi Timbo,

You should look a little closer to the picture of the Duette at the top of this article.  The woofer's frame extends almost to the very edges of the 9.4" speaker.  If that is the case then it does appear to have a 9" frame. 

I don't know of any 8" drivers that require a 10" frame width (there must be right?).  Most 8" drivers have a 8.25"-9.0" overall width on the frame.  I just quickly looked at the 8" woofers on Parts Express and none of them had a frame over 9" (most were 8.25"-8.5").  

You're probably right that the actual "cone area" is less than 8" in diameter - probably closer to 7.5" but this is the general classification of an 8" woofer. 

If it were my money, I'd just get a pair of Event Opal's.  

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