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HiFi Lounge
07-08-2017, 08:40
http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9035_zpsy0jj5z5r.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9035_zpsy0jj5z5r.jpg.html)

Hi All,

I just thought I would post a few more pictures from my recent trip to Wilson Audio when we spent the day doing the factory tour, I have to say I came away so impressed with the level of detail these guys go to when making their speakers, you can really see why they cost what they do.

Firstly they have developed their own materials to make the cabinets from, if you ever get a chance just tap a Wilson cabinet and hear how ‘Dead’ it is, they have also invested over half a million Pounds on their own CNC machine to cut the cabinet elaborate and intricate shapes out with, this is amazing to watch, the finish on the speakers has at least 7 coats of paint, they are also baked for 3 days then left to rest for another 2 days, I came away really impressed with the guy who polished the cabinets, he took 4 years of training and really did the polishing by feel and I am convinced once he had done his bit that the finish on Wilson speakers is better than most car manufacturer’s.

These guys really are top craftsmen making products that they really believe in with most of them being at the company for many years, in fact Wilson pride themselves on a very low turnover of staff as they have created a great working environment where everyone seemed very happy indeed.

Anyway on with the Pictures, I took way too many and have sorted them the best I could but there are still loads :-)

Finally a big thanks to Wilson Audio for such great access to an amazing facility.

The Packing Area with all the Wooden Crates

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9038_zpsbrndwudb.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9038_zpsbrndwudb.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9039_zpsmv5hpibm.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9039_zpsmv5hpibm.jpg.html)

A part of a WAMM lying around

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9040_zpsusmjq42j.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9040_zpsusmjq42j.jpg.html)

Orange Alexia 2′s Wrapped in protective film ready to be crated up.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9041_zpsyjznunr9.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9041_zpsyjznunr9.jpg.html)

More Wamm :-)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9044_zpsnxvggick.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9044_zpsnxvggick.jpg.html)

Dummy’s of the Wilson Range used for Reference

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9052_zpspyborexk.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9052_zpspyborexk.jpg.html)

Here the work starts getting the cabinet material ready

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9054_zpsjqbylifm.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9054_zpsjqbylifm.jpg.html)

Then into the CNC Room

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9055_zpsrwup6ayj.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9055_zpsrwup6ayj.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9056_zpsmbvjgkrn.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9056_zpsmbvjgkrn.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9057_zpsxlxk8mgn.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9057_zpsxlxk8mgn.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9058_zpszp3olzqq.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9058_zpszp3olzqq.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9060_zps7mvtwnko.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9060_zps7mvtwnko.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9061_zps01m5vkk3.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9061_zps01m5vkk3.jpg.html)

Material now cut and glued to make the cabinet, still a lot of work to do.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9064_zpsagye8wjd.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9064_zpsagye8wjd.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9067_zpsgsjm8znq.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9067_zpsgsjm8znq.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9069_zpszjgiohov.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9069_zpszjgiohov.jpg.html)

Sabrina’s at an early stage.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9070_zpsfmt6f9sl.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9070_zpsfmt6f9sl.jpg.html)

Rubbing the Cabinets down before painting, this looks like hard work.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9071_zpstiiic2wm.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9071_zpstiiic2wm.jpg.html)

Cabinet Spraying area.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9082_zps2onxt30r.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9082_zps2onxt30r.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9088_zpsqnoshzwq.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9088_zpsqnoshzwq.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9090_zpsehoxxjzo.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9090_zpsehoxxjzo.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9091_zpsilzjha0i.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9091_zpsilzjha0i.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9093_zpsyfruw4ea.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9093_zpsyfruw4ea.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9094_zpsqntguqvn.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9094_zpsqntguqvn.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9095_zpsycjnk8ge.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9095_zpsycjnk8ge.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9096_zps1vmdeqiu.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9096_zps1vmdeqiu.jpg.html)

This guy was brilliant, the polisher, a real craftsman, amazing to watch.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9103_zpsqx3e2bge.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9103_zpsqx3e2bge.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9104_zpsg2uiauqx.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9104_zpsg2uiauqx.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9106_zpse2ultnmi.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9106_zpse2ultnmi.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9107_zpsxrljemse.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9107_zpsxrljemse.jpg.html)

Nearly completed WAMM.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9108_zpspivm7emy.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9108_zpspivm7emy.jpg.html)

All Wilson Speakers are wrapped in protective film before shipping.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9109_zpskuicfmpt.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9109_zpskuicfmpt.jpg.html)

The only part of a Wilson Speaker not manufactured in house are the drivers but they go through over 4 hours of rigorous testing, good to see Bryston amps being used :-)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9111_zps5kvp9kvp.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9111_zps5kvp9kvp.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9114_zpsiu22zwys.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9114_zpsiu22zwys.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9115_zpssxhbjkye.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9115_zpssxhbjkye.jpg.html)

A Mini 3D Printed XLF :-)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9117_zpstppc4ari.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9117_zpstppc4ari.jpg.html)

Here is the finished product in the Wilson demo room, a pair of Alexia Series 2′s, absolutely stunning.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9118_zpsdaqqclcf.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9118_zpsdaqqclcf.jpg.html)

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9120_zpsk6uero10.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9120_zpsk6uero10.jpg.html)

Thanks again Wilson Audio and Absolute Sounds for an amazing trip :-)

Regards,

Paul.

rubber duck
07-08-2017, 09:09
Sabrina’s at an early stage.

http://i474.photobucket.com/albums/rr109/Mikawen/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9070_zpsfmt6f9sl.jpg (http://s474.photobucket.com/user/Mikawen/media/Wilson%20Audio/IMG_9070_zpsfmt6f9sl.jpg.html)

Thanks for this Paul. What's the cabinet material? Is it MDF?

Audio Al
07-08-2017, 09:31
:wow:

HiFi Lounge
09-08-2017, 12:30
Thanks for this Paul. What's the cabinet material? Is it MDF?

Yes it is a high density version of MDF, they also have developed an X Material for the models up from Sabrina and a new W Material for WAMM.

sq225917
09-08-2017, 17:56
MDF with a plastic skin, I always thought they were solid plastic/composite. bit cheap that...