[SoundStage!]Paradise with James Saxon
September 2000

Setup Pictures (continued)

Each WATT weighs 70 pounds. Matt flips them around like a short-order cook turning pancakes. Don’t try this at home.
While the photographer was absent without leave, Matt hauled both 110-pound woofer modules across 20 feet of dense carpet. You may not want to try this at home either.
The Puppy’s front baffle is positioned half way into the zone of neutrality. "Stay over there," Matt advises. "I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself." Agreed.
Defining the general location for the speaker requires careful measurements. Despite the heavy exercise, Matt is cool under pressure. Meanwhile, the sweating photographer fogged the camera lens repeatedly, forcing a halt for refreshments.
Fractions of an inch matter. Matt adjusts the high-density Puppy with the deftness of a brain surgeon who’s a weekend lumberjack.
Success! After calibrating speaker toe-in to within a hair of perfection, Matt Tucker surrenders to immigration officials. (Just kidding.)
Spiking the WATTs: Wilson’s famous satellites are anchored to the Puppy woofers via mechanical diodes.
One man doing the job of two: Matt gingerly lowers the WATT into position atop the Puppy. Go ahead. Try this at home.
Listening tests begin. Jim’s input wasn’t necessary or desirable.
Matt signals he has heard a hint of nasality from a harpsichord recorded by Dave Wilson. Jim feels the same way about it.
Repositioning 180 pounds of loudspeakers by his lonesome, Matt alleviates any vestiges of nasality. Lengthening shadows indicate time is running out for the completion of the installation.
Not too proud to pose, a stressed-out Jim is concerned whether extra-tall spikes have cured a last-minute bass boom courtesy of Monica Naranjo, pictured on the CD cover.
The moment of truth is at hand. Jim, Gerardo, Roch, and Gerardo enjoy the music. The WATT/Puppy 6 provokes smiles all around, except for the author who worries into his mug -- without cause, as it turns out. Over the next five hours, the Sixes acquit themselves like the thoroughbreds they are.

James Saxon
jimsax@soundstage.com

 

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