WILSON AUDIO Alexia Manual
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WILSON AUDIO Alexia Manual

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  • Page 1 A l e x i a O w n e r ’ s M a n u a l...
  • Page 2 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l W i l s o n A u d i o ® i s a r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k o f W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a l t i e s , I n c . W AT T / P u p p y ®...
  • Page 3 A b l e O n T e n T s Table of Contents ’ � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1 l e x i A w n e r A n u A l...
  • Page 4 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l 2 � 2 — c � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2 6 e c t i O n r A t e O n t e n t...
  • Page 5 A b l e O n T e n T s � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 5 2 a R e o F t h e R i l l e s �...
  • Page 6 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 7 S e c t i o n 1 — I n Y o u r R o o m...

  • Page 9: Section 1.1-Room Acoustics

    Final Listening Room Setup (Voicing) For a speaker system its size, the Alexia is unmatched in its ability to reproduce the musical event. It is truly state of the art. However, room acoustics and boundary in- teractions affect the sound of a loudspeaker to such a large degree that poor setup can seriously degrade your enjoyment of even the finest loudspeaker.
  • Page 10 A n u A l Stand against the wall BEHIND the location where you intend to position Alexia. Speaking in a moderately loud voice and at a constant volume, project your voice out into the room. Your voice will have an overly heavy, “chesty”...

  • Page 11: Section 1.3-Room Reflections

    The careful application of these concepts, as you evaluate the acoustical characteristics of your own room configura- tion, will allow you to optimize the performance of Alexia. Slap Echo Probably the most obnoxious form of reflection is called “slap echo.” With slap-...
  • Page 12 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l echo, primarily midrange and high frequency sounds reflect off of two parallel hard surfaces. The sound literally reverberates back and forth until it is finally dissipated over time.
  • Page 13 1 . 3 — r e C T i O n O O M e f l e C T i O n s listening room because most of these rooms have walls with a hard, reflective nature, only occasionally interrupted by curtains, wall art, or drapes. The best (but least prac- tical) solution to eliminate slap echo is nonparallel walls.
  • Page 14 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l walls directly beside the speakers. It is our experience that all of these room treatment devices should be used judiciously. Standing Waves Another type of reflection phenomenon is “standing waves.” Standing waves cause the unnatural boosting or accentuation of certain frequencies, typically in the bass, to be found at certain discreet locations in the room.
  • Page 15 1 . 3 — r e C T i O n O O M e f l e C T i O n s In general, placement of the speaker in a corner will excite the maximal number of standing waves in a room and is to be avoided for most direct radiator, full-range loudspeaker systems.
  • Page 16 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l Section 1.4—Resonances Resonance in listening rooms is generally caused by two sources: • Structures within the listening room. • The volume of air itself within the listening room. Structural Resonance Structural resonances are familiar to most people as buzzes and rattles, but this type of resonance usually only occurs at extremely high volume levels and is usually...

  • Page 17: Section 1.5-Your Room

    1 . 5 — Y e C T i O n O u r O O M frequency standing waves combine to form a low frequency coloration in the sound. At its worst, it is a grossly exaggerated fullness, which tends to obscure detail and distort the natural tonal balance of the speaker system.
  • Page 18 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l are sitting. Additionally, these long rooms are often quite lean in the bass near the center of the room. Rectangular rooms are still preferred to square rooms because, by having two sets of dissimilar length walls, standing waves are not as strongly reinforced and will dissipate more...
  • Page 19 O u r O O M shaped rooms resists the buildup of standing waves (see Figure 2). Alexia In A Dedicated Home Theater Home theaters can be organized many different ways. Some use rows of couches. Others use rows of multiple chairs.
  • Page 20 Decide where you want your favorite listening position to be. Please remember that Alexia will fill almost any room with the most beautiful sound available. Because the propagation delay is adjustable on the Alexia, if you take care in placing your new speakers, you will optimize Alexia’s performance in your room.
  • Page 21 Upper Array. Alexia. Toe- ing in the speakers provides meaningful improvements in resolution of low-level detail in the midrange as well as appreciable improvements in soundstaging performance.
  • Page 22 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 23 S e c t i o n 2 — U n c r a t i n g A l e x i a...
  • Page 24 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 25 Masking tape (for use in speaker setup) Uncrating the Woofer Module A minimum of two strong adults is required to set up the Alexia. Locate the two largest crates labeled “Woofer Module.” These contain the woofer enclosures and are the first components of the system to unpack.
  • Page 26 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l room and the Woofer Module with an even serial number on the right side of the room. Note: These two woofer enclosures are very heavy and care should be taken to pre- vent injury.
  • Page 27 2 . 2 — C e C T i O n r A T e O n T e n T h e C k l i s T items in the crates. 1 - Owner’s Manual 1 - Warranty Registration 2 - sets of three grills, Pin Style Grilles (1 set per enclosure) 4 - “AA”...
  • Page 28 A w n e r A n u A l Note: After set up of the system, keep the shipping crates in case of future shipping needs. Alexia Tool Kit Resistors Diode Aluminum Spike Pads 7/16" and 9/16"...
  • Page 29 S e c t i o n 3 — I n i t i a l S e t u p...
  • Page 30 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...

  • Page 31: Section 3.1-Initial Assembly

    T i A l s s e M b l Y Note: Before setting up the Alexia, study carefully Section 1, “In Your Room.” It pro- vides valuable information on determining the ideal room location for your speakers.
  • Page 32 For each distance/ear height combination there is a unique alignment geom- etry. To make correct in- home set up of the Alexia possible without test 5—t equipment, Wilson Audio igure Op Of the...
  • Page 33 3 . 2 — A e C T i O n l e x i A r O P A g A T i O n e l AY D j u s T M e n T geometric time domain alignment for different distance/ear height combinations. This information is provided in the Propagation delay Tables in Section 8.
  • Page 34 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l steps (rotation) as well as front- to-back—the position of the Alignment Block. The position is designated by the engraved numbers in the Alignment Block mounting plate. Position the Alignment Block by aligning the rear of the Alignment Block to the number engraved on the...
  • Page 35 Refer to the Propagation Delay Tables (Section 8) and locate the corre- sponding ear height for each module. There are four charts for the Upper Array. The first: “Alexia Upper Array Spike Length” is a table determin- ing the rear spike length.
  • Page 36 (see Figure 7). Make a mark on the chart Number 1 “Alexia Upper Array Spike Length” indicating the proper rear spike for this module as determined by the ear height and distance from listening position.
  • Page 37 The pages from Section 8 front-to-back location of each module, along with the use of the proper length of rear spike of the upper modules. Refer to the Alexia Propagation delay Tables and the procedure in the previous section to determine the correct Aspherical Propagation delay spikes as necessary, 10—s...
  • Page 38 Install the front pair of short (AA length) spikes into the bottom of each module (see Figure 7). Refer to the table labeled “Alexia Upper Array Spike Length” and install the appropriate rear spike if necessary. Refer to table labeled “Alexia Upper Array Alignment Block Step Position.”...
  • Page 39 NOTE: Take caution not to scratch the painted surface with the alignment spike as you install the Upper Array. Section 3.4—Tweeter Module Propagation Delay Refer to Table Number 4 labeled “Alexia Tweeter Spike Detent Location.” Loosen the oval bolt on the rear of the tweeter module enough that it can freely move front-to- back.
  • Page 40 Connect the black lug of the cable to the BLACK (negative) terminal. Note: Please ensure that you do not invert the polarity of the umbilicals in the Alexia. Such an inversion will produce entertaining ambient effects, but destroys the linearity and harmonic structure of the system.
  • Page 41 S e c t i o n 4 — F i n a l S e t u p...
  • Page 42 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 43 Note: Do not tighten these assembled spikes. You will need to unscrew them when you level the Alexia. This will ensure that if for any reason you have to remove Alexia spikes, you will be able to withdraw the set screw using the supplied Allen wrench.
  • Page 44 Diode touches the bottom surface of the “X” material plate. Taking care observe the location of the woofer module to the masking tape marking the precise location of Alexia’s position, return the module to an upright position. Re-install the Upper Array atop the Woofer Module.
  • Page 45 Alexia is level left to right. Place a level on the front to back oriented axis. If it is level, then Alexia is level. If the Alexia is leaning one way or the other, following the same...

  • Page 46: Section 4.3-Removing The Protective Film

    Woofer Module until the Alexia is level. To find out which spike to lower, grasp the Alexia channel and gently rock it back and forth. This will identify the spike that is out of level from the other three.
  • Page 47 Of the wOOfer enclOsure on the sonic performance of your loudspeakers and will void your Wilson Audio Warranty. Midrange and Tweeter Resistors The Midrange Level, which consists of a 2.55 ohm (2x5.1 in parallel) (See Figure 16) resistor assembly for the mid, and Tweeter Level, which consists of 4.5 ohm (2x9.0...
  • Page 48 There is a 18.6 ohm barrel resistor for woofer level. The 3.56 ohm Q resistor af- fects Woofer Damping, which in turn affects the way the Alexia’s woofers couple to the amplifier. Both of these resistors are pre-installed in the base of the Bass Module and should not be changed by the end user.
  • Page 49 S e c t i o n 5 — C a r e o f Y o u r A l e x i a...
  • Page 50 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...

  • Page 51: Section 5.1-Care Of The Finish

    Dusting the Alexia It is important that the delicate paint finish of the Alexia be dusted care- fully with the provided dust cloth. We recommend that the following procedure be observed when dusting the speakers: •...

  • Page 52: Section 5.2-Enclosure Technology

    We recommend a nonabrasive carnauba-based wax and a soft cloth. Care of the Grilles Periodically, you will want to clean the Alexia’s grilles. This is best done by using the round brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner hose. Gently vacuum the front sur- face of the grille.

  • Page 53: Section 5.3-Depth Of Design

    Adhesive Wilson Audio has conducted exhaustive research into the best adhesives to perma- nently bond our speaker enclosures. This is often an overlooked element crucial to the proper performance of a loudspeaker. Correct modulus of elasticity, coefficient of ther- mal expansion, and natural frequency response are just a few of the important elements of adhesives.
  • Page 54 Thus, Alexia will impart to her owner beauty and pleasure for many years to come. W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 55 S e c t i o n 6 — T r o u b l e s h o o t i n g...
  • Page 56 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...

  • Page 57: Section 6.1 - Troubleshooting

    6 . 1 – T e C T i O n r O u b l e s h O O T i n g Section 6.1 – Troubleshooting One channel is not operating: C h e c k t h e i n t e r c o n n e c t s f r o m s o u r c e . C h e c k t h e c o n n e c t i o n s o n t h e s p e a k - e r c a b l e s , b o t h a t t h e a m p l i f i e r a n d s p e a k e r e n d s .
  • Page 58 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l U s i n g t h e a p p r o p r i a t e A l l e n k e y, o p e n t h e X - m a t e r i a l d o o r o n t h e b o t t o m o f t h e U p p e r A r r a y m o d u l e .
  • Page 59 6 . 1 – T e C T i O n r O u b l e s h O O T i n g Tu r n t h e a m p l i f i e r o f f . D i s c o n n e c t t h e s p e a k e r l e a d s a t t h e m a i n i n p u t t o t h e s p e a k e r .
  • Page 60 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 61 S e c t i o n 7 — S p e c i f i c a t i o n s...
  • Page 62 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 63 Height—53 1/4 inches (135.29 cm) Width—15 1/4 inches (38.74 cm) Depth—21 1/8 inches, (53.7 cm) Alexia Weight Per Channel: 256 lbs (116.12 kg) W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 64 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l Section 7.2—Alexia Dimensions iGUre W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 65 S e c t i o n 8 — P r o p a g a t i o n D e l a y T a b l e s...
  • Page 66 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 67 8 . 1 — P e C T i O n r O P A g A T i O n e l A Y A b l e s Section 8.1—Propagation Delay Tables Ear   H eight   ( inches) Ear Height (inches) W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 68 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l Ear   H eight   ( inches) Ear   H eight   ( inches) W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...
  • Page 69 S e c t i o n 9 — Wa r r a n t y I n f o r m a t i o n...
  • Page 70 W i l s o n A u d i o S p e c i a lt i e s...

  • Page 71: Section 9.1-Warranty Information

    Wilson Audio, an authorized Wilson Audio Dealer Technician or a service or repair center authorized by Wilson Audio to service or re- pair the product. Contact Wilson Audio at (801) 377-2233 for information on location...
  • Page 72 Purchaser must pay for shipping to Wilson Audio, and Wilson Audio will pay for shipping of its choice to re- turn the product to purchaser. A RETURNED PRODUCT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFECT.
  • Page 73 Wilson Audio by the dealer at dealer’s sole expense. Wilson Audio will pay return freight of its choice. A returned product must be accompanied by a written description of the defect.
  • Page 74 ’ l e x i A w n e r A n u A l an exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limi- tations or exclusions may not apply to you. This Limited Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state to state.

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