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  • Danny Kaey
    Danny Kaey

    Introducing the Wilson Audio TuneTot

    Wilson Audio TuneTot – Official Announcement

    Danny Kaey

     

     

    Tune Tot Logo.png

     

     

    Here we are, a week following the teaser announcement of TuneTot and thusly, all systems are a go.  We have lift-off. Full boost. That is, boost your expectations of what the most densely designed Wilson speaker to date has yet to offer.  A full, formal review is still forthcoming at a later date, so think of this as a Star Wars-y prequel to the main show.  No doubt you are wondering just what sort of loudspeaker, nay, transducer, Wilson Audio is able to scale down to their most effective price point ever, US $9800 ($10500 for upgraded color options).  Not merely content with condensing their technologies, Wilson of course, went into overdrive: you see, TuneTot is really the birth of an all new speaker design and ecosystem for Wilson Audio.  Whereas designs you see come and go, offering up an actual ecosystem is something genuinely new and genuinely unheard of in HiFi circles.  The story goes something like so: In 2018 you are used to accessorizing your iPhone or iPad or Apple Watch, but your HiFi…?  

     

     

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    As mentioned in my previous teaser about TuneTot, Wilson realized that our listening habits have changed over the years.  The days of enthusiasts owning just one main system have been superseded by days of multiple systems across multiple rooms.  Your options for true high-end multi-room setups are somewhat limited: sure, one could easily buy say a Sabrina for your office or den, but what if even svelte Sabrina is too much of a good thing?  There are quite few one stop, tek-y sort of options on the market today, but what if you wanted dramatically more? What if someone applied all their material sciences to a package small enough to fit on your desk or library and you wanted to stick with say the same brand of high-end speakers you already own and love?  There, the air is suddenly mighty thin and lacking oxygen, perhaps even ripe for genuine disruption.

     

     

    TuneTot Cove Carbon-1-v2.jpgWilson Audio approached this conundrum the Wilson way.  TuneTot contains all their proprietary sciences scaled to a desktop sized speaker, including the ability to add a properly designed (and quite massive) base, aptly named ISOBase (Installation Surface Optimization, $2100), for your pair of tots.  Furthermore, Wilson Audio’s Special Applications Engineering team designed a RING system ($649) for TuneTot which – since most Wilson owners listen to their speaks without grills – offers up an additional accessorizing opportunity (think easily interchangeable Apple Watch bands) that can change based on your preference for the day, month or year.  Legit I say.  Given your choice of five new Wilson colors specific to TuneTot and your choice of anodizing hardware (in multiple cool new colors) and grill ($299) options, it’s quite easy to see that Wilson Audio went an entirely new route here.  If I may say so myself, quite ingenious and potent this little package is and I have no doubt that Wilson are working on expanding the depth and breadth of this ecosystem.

     

     

    A formal review will be transcribed in the weeks ahead, for now, based on my very limited time spent with TuneTot (I was hustling to Vienna for some R&R prior to Munich’s yearly gala), it’s fair to say that Wilson appears to have hit a home run.  For now, then, enjoy my first ever unboxing videos and living room action shots – there will be more, much more to come.  This story is just beginning… Cheers!




     

    Price (U.S. MSRP):

    TuneTot—$9,800.00 (pair)

    In Upgrade Colors—$10,500.00

    ISOBase—$2,100.00 (pair)

    TuneTot Ring—$649.00 (pair)

    TuneTot Grille—$299.00 (pair)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Photos Copyright Danny Kaey

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    Photos Copyright Wilson Audio

    TuneTot Cove Quartz-5-v2.jpg TuneTot Cove Quartz-2-v2.jpg TuneTot Cove Teak-1-v2.jpg TuneTot Cove Ivory-1-v2.jpg

    TuneTot Cove Crimson-5-v2.jpg TuneTot Cove Crimson-4-Edit-v2.jpg

    TuneTot Location-105-2-Edit-2-Edit-v2.jpg TuneTot Location-49-Edit-Edit-v2.jpg

      

     

     

     

     

     

     

     




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    3 minutes ago, rickca said:

    The ISOBase alone costs $2100.  Ugh.

    I admit, I hoped for a lower price as well. That said, I’m sure there will be plenty of very happy customers. 

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    Not sure. The speaker, with all the add ons, is close to the Sabrina as far as price. That to me speaks volumes and I feel, limits the appeal of this speaker.

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    If I may offer an analogy ... the iPhone X is also more expensive than an iPad.  However, it performs a function for its intended use, as does the iPad.  While TuneTot fully tricked out may cost similar to Sabrina, it will perform far better than Sabrina in its inteded use case...

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    IMO, these speakers are ugly like nearly all Wilson speakers and vastly overpriced. The Sabrina is a beauty in comparison.

    This article is bland advertising.

     

    Matt

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    Welcome Danny, that was a very nicely done visual presentation.  Maybe starting with an entry into the ASMR unboxing video category would have been more effective presentation wise.  Leave the impressions until the, I can't even type this without laughing, TuneTot's have been given time to show their character.  Your living room already does a shade better setting the scene than words could.  :)

     

    When you do get the time to listen to them I'd appreciate if you would treat them like bookshelf speakers for part of your time.  Your setup appears to offer better performance than the staged manufacturer images depicting a very small clearance to a rear wall.  It isn't often I truly appreciate the addition of product shots in an article but it worked very well here depicting the other cabinet options.  

     

    A few additions.

     

    Press release pdf

     

    Media assets - posters, full res photos, manual, brochures

     

    Wilson product page for TuneTot's

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    4 hours ago, rickca said:

    The ISOBase alone costs $2100.  Ugh.

     

    Yea, even in "high end" that price makes me balk.  However, as ever like the CA says there will be plenty of "happy" customers.

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    3 hours ago, matthias said:

    IMO, these speakers are ugly like nearly all Wilson speakers and vastly overpriced. The Sabrina is a beauty in comparison.

    This article is bland advertising.

     

    Matt

    No worries Matthias - If it isn't for you, that's totally OK. There are plenty of other options in this wonderful hobby. 

     

    I think Danny's article is pretty cool, especially his photos and videos. If one is a fan of this type of stuff, it's great to get somewhat exclusive content and a sneak peak of cool products. If this was someone talking about the new Pearl Jam album, who had it before anyone else, I'd be equally as excited. 

     

    P.S. I'd love a pair on my desk at home. I've always wanted a really high end pair of speakers to use for 10 hours per day. Even though my TAD CR1s are right behind me in my office, I still tend to want sound coming from in front of me. I can imagine pairing the TuneTot with a nice tube amp for a seriously lush and enjoyable sound. Someday :~)

     

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    Yeah I only order high end stuff for the thrill of unboxing.  After that I lose interest.  :P

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    14 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

    Another lovely option.

     

    Lovely hardly begins to describe the sound.

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    $9800 US dollars for a desktop or shelf speaker to play background music. Yup, Wilson is ridick. 

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    17 minutes ago, Indydan said:

    $9800 US dollars for a desktop or shelf speaker to play background music. Yup, Wilson is ridick. 

     

    They'll probably sell out!

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    Awesome as part of your basic 25K "Desktop" system. No wonder people think we are kooks. I am sure they will be a big seller and make Wilson a lot of money.

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    59 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

     

    They'll probably sell out!

    Yes, they probably will! O.o

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    If the intention is to use these as a desktop speaker, I would recommend to compare them also to the new Genelec "The Ones", specifically the 8341.
    For me these are the best desktop speakers, I have ever heard. They are designed as a 3-way point source and they can be calibrated to the listening position. According to the documentation you can sit as close as 0.5m away. But I stop here, as this thread is about the Wilsons.

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    This article is making these sound like a new product category using terms like "ecosystem". I am a little confused as to what functionality these offer in addition to what a standard set of high end bookshelf speakers offer.

     

    Also bases and rings as options is no different to me than speaker stands and other finishes... Something most bookshelf speaker manufactures offer options to.

     

    What am I missing here?

     

    The photos were fun, but I enjoyed picking out music in them rather than actually looking at the speakers, which honestly is what it felt like the intent was....to showcase a messy listening room as opposed to the speakers under discussion.

     

    So is this just Wilson fanboy stuff going on here? or is there something radical about these that just hasn't been mentioned?

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    I will also add that these are by far the best looking Wilson speakers. Mostly because they don't really look Wilson'y'.

    I too have always thought Wilson speakers are hideous. Monstrously hideous since they are so big. I guess I prefer the designs of something like Avant Garde as a artistic speaker statement or the craftmanship of Sonus Faber materials.

     

    So these are the first Wilson's I would actually be interested in... but only if they sound like full floorstanders.

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    12 minutes ago, Deyorew said:

    I will also add that these are by far the best looking Wilson speakers. Mostly because they don't really look Wilson'y'.

    I too have always thought Wilson speakers are hideous. Monstrously hideous since they are so big. I guess I prefer the designs of something like Avant Garde as a artistic speaker statement or the craftmanship of Sonus Faber materials.

     

    So these are the first Wilson's I would actually be interested in... but only if they sound like full floorstanders.

    If you think they are hideous, try living with them.  No matter how you dress them up, regardless of color, they are as you say "hideous".  

     

    I usually don't care what things cost, what people spend their money the way so many on these threads seem to care BUT I just don't see or understand this product.  Been around this hobby since the early 80s and these are one of the most bewildering products I have seen in the "high end".  Just my opinion but I don't get it or the "ecosystem".  I have owned many Wilson products and this one (and for that matter no other) has no future in my household.  

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    Thank God they are affordable......ha. But then the common man isn't their target buyer. 

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    17 hours ago, Indydan said:

    $9800 US dollars for a desktop or shelf speaker to play background music. Yup, Wilson is ridick. 

    For that purpose I would use Vanatoos for a fraction of the cost. Just that and my laptop.  Plug and play.

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    As the saying goes "if only the people who have taste had money and the people who have money had taste"

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    While totally unfair of me to say this without a listen, I doubt a Wilson speaker of this size can compete with a Boenickie W5se. 

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    I'm curious what preamp and amplifier combinations the wealthy consumers will use with the Tots? That is if used for desktop speakers. Maybe a mini D'Agostino setup?

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