The solid brass stairstep pictured at the right is part of the technology we call Adjustablel Propagation Delay. In both the Series 1 and Series 2 MAXX, the stairstep adjusted the tilt of the upper module, to accurately align the propagation and dispersion of the upper drivers to any chosen listening position. When it came time to redesign the MAXX, Wilson's engineers knew that the single upper module of the Series 1 and 2 was its most limiting feature. Although it was far more accurate than competing designs, the single, three-driver head ran into the laws of geometry and physics. It is simply impossible to align three drivers in one module for ideal propagation delay. The solution? Divide MAXX's dual midrange drivers and tweeter into two upper modules and introduce Aspherical Propagation Delay. Aspherical Propagation Delay, first employed in the flagship Alexandria, allows a far more accurate alignment of the individual drivers in the time and dispersion domains, eliminating a source of distortion otherwise intrinsic to large speaker systems (see the diagrams below). |
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In conventional systems, drivers are mounted in a flat baffle such that each driver is positioned at a different distance in relation to the listener. Thus, energy from the tweeter arrives at the listening position in advance of the midrange, which in turn arrives before bass generated by the woofer. The problem of achieving both time-domain coherence and optimal driver dispersion is only exacerbated by larger speaker systems. Most speaker designers simply ignore this measurement. The fact is, misalignment of the drivers by small fractions of an inch will audibly degrade transient performance, soundstage height, width, and depth, as well as introduce tonal anomalies that destroy the otherwise convincing "presence" of an instrument or a singer's voice. |
The key to solving this problem lies in the vertical alignment of the various drivers in an adjustable modular array so that each driver's waveform propagation "matches up" with its neighbors' in such a way as to create the sonic equivalent of a single point source. Wilson's patented Adjustable Propagation Delay has long set the standard for precise driver positioning in order to ensure correct propagation alignment for a wide range of listening locations. MAXX takes this technology a step further with its Aspherical Propagation Delay. MAXX's driver modules not only adjust forward and back (in the time domain), but also rotate on their vertical axis in order to achieve optimal driver dispersion for nearly any size room and for multiple listening positions. The Alexandria and now the MAXX Series 3 are the only loudspeakers to utilize these combined innovations. |
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By splitting the upper range drivers into two discrete modules, it is possible to achieve optimal aspherical propagation delay in the new MAXX Series 3 |
The brass stairstep controls the tilt of the lower midrange/tweeter module |
The pin and detent system which controls the front-to-back and tilt adjustment of the upper midrange module |
| Introduction • The Midrange • Aspherical Propagation Delay • The Crossover • Specifications |
