Z racji tego, że wstęgowy głośnik wysokotonowy promieniuje zarówno do tyłu, jak i do przodu, kolumny Son pracują w pewnym sensie jak dipol, zwłaszcza w zakresie wysokotonowym, a to z kolei ma wpływ na kreację sceny dźwiękowej. Obraz stereo można by skategoryzować jako trójwymiarowy, kreślony precyzyjnie, ale i oparty na pełnowymiarowo odwzorowanych źródłach pozornych, co niewątpliwie jest największą zaletą tych niemieckich kolumn. Ich kolejną cechą szczególną jest to, jak brzmią w kontekście barwy określonych instrumentów, a ta jest naturalna, nie podkolorowana i nie uatrakcyjniona na siłę.

Jednak po dłuższym odsłuchu zorientujemy się że dzięki ponadprzeciętnej przenikliwości tych kolumn w czytaniu dźwiękowej struktury, mamy pełen wgląd w muzykę. Barwa jest odwzorowana naturalnie i bez popadania w skrajności – trąbka Milesa Davisa z płyty "Kind Of Blue" zabrzmiała realistycznie, stając się wręcz fizycznie obecna w pokoju odsłuchowym. Warto podkreślić, że zarówno dzięki samej konstrukcji głośnika, zwłaszcza celulozowego stożka nisko-średniotonowego, która jest wyjątkowa i niespotykana, ale również dzięki zapewnieniu mu idealnych warunków do pracy (specyfika tłumienia obudowy i jej świetne zgranie w kontekście kontroli rezonansów) muzyka odtwarzana jest bez jakichkolwiek ograniczeń, kompresji czy też zubożenia tkanki dźwiękowej pod kątem przekazywania energii.

Dynamika zarówno w skali mikro, jak i makro stoi na bardzo wysokim poziomie, przy warto podkreślić, że chodzi o niezwykłą umiejętność ukazywania naturalnego ładunku emocjonalnego zawartego w odtwarzanym materiale muzycznym, co dla wielu nawet drogich kolumn jest nieosiągalne. To właśnie dzięki łatwości z jaką te kolumny różnicują energię zawartą w muzyce, możemy za ich pośrednictwem usłyszeć tak wiernie, nawet w najsubtelniejszych fragmentach. Co więcej kolumny Son robią to niezależnie od poziomu głośności, o czym przekonałem się sięgając po płyty z szeroko zakrojonym wachlarzem dynamicznym np. "Amarok" Mike'a Oldfielda i kilku płyt kultowego niemieckiego zespołu Kraftwerk.

Bas odtwarzany jest przez Son punktowo, szybko, dynamicznie, konturowo, bez najmniejszych śladów kompresji czy spowolnienia, nie wspominając już o braku słyszalnych zniekształceń, co jest typowe dla starannie i precyzyjnie zestrojonych układów rezonansowych na membranie biernej. Kontrabas z koncertowego albumu "Companion" Patricii Barber zabrzmiał doskonale, łącząc w sobie zarówno potężny zasięg, barwę, wybrzmienia i a przede wszystkim właściwe rozmiary sceny. Nie inaczej było w zakresie wysokich tonów, ponieważ blachy perkusyjne zwłaszcza z płyty "Blow Up 2" Isao Suzuki'ego zostały odtworzone przez wstęgę wysokotonową z zachowaniem pożądanego wybrzmiewania, ale i z naciskiem na naturalnie oddaną barwę, bez przerysowania czy też nadmiernego uatrakcyjniania przekazu.

Link do recenzji: Wolf von Langa Son – Hi-Fi Class

But I also got to experience the SONs for two wonderful weeks with the sort of electronics I can’t usually employ because of the requirements of the loudspeakers that come my way—that is, a low-powered tube amplifier. It wasn’t just the milk of human kindness—he was making a point, of course—but Colin King shipped me an 18Wpc tube amplifier, the New Audio Frontiers Supreme 300B, which I connected to the WVLs with a single pair of the T+A speaker cables. I did my best to embarrass the Italian product with dynamic source material featuring plenty of low-frequency information. But it didn’t happen, especially when I took advantage of that nifty knob on the back of the power supply to increase the current delivered to the field-coil driver. With hard-driving jazz fusion—the Yellowjackets’ blazing, odd-meter “3 Circles” from their 2008 album Lifecycle—the SONs kicked some serious dynamic butt with the tube amp. The experience was much the same with orchestral “power music” (the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony from Philadelphia/Eschenbach or Mahler’s Third played by San Francisco/MTT) and exuberant big band recordings (favorite tracks from albums recorded by Bob Mintzer and Gordon Goodwin’s virtuoso ensembles). There was a real disconnect between what I was seeing—a smallish 2-way loudspeaker powered by an 18W amp—and what I was hearing. And what I was hearing was a thoroughly satisfying representation of music that requires an approximation of its scale to succeed. Did the Tidal monoblocks, with their 300Wpc into 8 ohms, provide more low-end control and extension? Sure, but I’m not convinced that most listeners would have felt anything was deficient without the chance to make a head-to-head comparison before the aural memory dissipated.

With all three amplifiers, reproduction of the human voice was exquisite. From jazz chanteuse Norah Jones (“Don’t Know Why”) to basso profundo Early Music specialist Joel Frederiksen (“Whittingham Faire”), the expressive shaping of phrases and dynamics was beautifully revealed. Whatever the top-secret value of the crossover frequency (and specifying a specific number is somewhat bogus anyway, as the transition occurs over a range) the integration of the two drivers was seamless. This of-a-piece tonal consistency was also very apparent with sparingly scored instrumental material.

When carefully positioned, the WVL SONs create an expansive and continuous soundfield with correct localization of instrumental and vocal images. Compared to my reference Magico M2s, some sharp edges may have been smoothed down—but this is definitely an issue of personal preference. For some, the SON’s spatial presentation will seem a touch soft; others will consider the WVL just right and a product such as the Magico to be “over-etched.”

Link do recenzji: Wolf von Langa Son – The Absolute Sound

In this setup, the WvL SONs are absolutely stunning with superlative speed, immediacy and resolution. With the Magico S1 MkII’s and, to a lesser extent, the Martin Logan ESL15A’s, I am used to high levels of transparency and hearing deep into the mix but the SONs are simply on another level. Not only do they reveal more about the upstream components and the source signal but they also present the music in a highly communicative fashion with new levels of purity and realism. There’s a refreshing absence of filtering-effects and not a trace of artifice. And irrespective of their immense analytic capabilities, if there’s one thing the Sons make absolutely clear, it’s that they are all about getting the listener closer to the music.

In playing track after track, it soon became clear that the SONs are musical omnivores. In any conceivable genre there were tracks that blew my mind with the amount of realism and expression. For instance, Melody Gardot’s The Rain was rendered with more intimacy than ever before, Yosi Horikawa’s Bubbles finally had all the dynamic immediacy that the track deserves and ((( O )))’s track Nature Joint on the album ((( 1 ))) was so captivating that it left me breathless. And when I then played Rutter’s Requiem for chorus & Orchestra, I was simply floored with the extent to which the system convinced me that the singers were actually in the room with me. It’s not just about reach-out-and-touch imaging but also about the sense of listening to real flesh and blood musicians along with their instruments, all fleshed out right before you.

The SONs are also incredibly punchy and dynamic, considerably more so than either the Logans or Magicos. In fact, during my initial listening sessions, their communicative directness and lightning-fast transients much reminded me of a certain speaker with a very different working principle: the AvantGarde Uno G2’s. Mind you, minus the “horniness”. Like the Unos, the SONs are capable of startling dynamics but unlike the horn speakers, they absolutely never, and I mean NEVER sound aggressive. That’s quite a skill to have since that would normally require forgiving speakers which, inevitably, round things off and present a version of the truth and not the actual truth. Yet, the SONs are in no way rounded, smoothed or forgiving. If the recording sucks then these speakers will let you know about it. But, all the same, I have yet to encounter a recording in my collection that is unplayable. Such is their enthusiasm and energetic behavior that they make the best of whatever they are fed, even if the recording quality is so-so.

Musicality. It’s a pretty meaningless word when trying to describe the performance of a piece of audio equipment but I can’t help but use it this time as it most definitely applies to the SONs. Mind you, it’s not in the manner of Sonus Fabers or other speakers that have a very distinctive character and a certain euphoric coloration. Rather, it is a unique combination of direct honesty and unrestricted musical flow. I hasten to add that this should also not be interpreted as the SONs injecting the music with extra liquidity or creaminess for, truly, they do not. If the recording is dry as bones, that’s what the SONs will relay. But they will always do so in a manner that makes musical sense.

Link do recenzji: Wolf von Langa Son – HiFi Advice

WOLF VON LANGAs SON ist ein sinnlicher Schallwandler und gleichzeitig ein David, der so manchem veritablen High-End-Goliath kräftig gegen das Schienbein tritt. Die Sinnlichkeit äußert sich am offensichtlichsten da, wo der Bauch seine Entscheidungen fällt: im Bass. Der Zwölfzöller geht tief, und das mit Schmackes. Er spielt im Gespann mit der Passivmembran locker und schnell nach vorn und legt das Fundament für ein Klangbild, das auf Hörspaß abzielt. Mein langjähriger Maßstab, die Ayon Seagull/c, mag mit ihren Keramikmembranen nicht weniger akkurate Töne erzeugen, aber das kritische Ohr sagt auch: Ist das nicht eine Spur zu trocken, gar akademisch-humorlos? Wo bleibt da der Bums? Bums kann die SON. Ganz herrlich sogar. Der Feldspulen-Konus ist wahrlich zum Verlieben und liefert wie erhofft. Größere Räume als mein 20-Quadratmeter-Musikzimmer werden die Box vor keinerlei Probleme stellen.

Sinnlichkeit, die Zweite: In Sachen Raumabbildung spielt die SON auf Weltklasseniveau. Die gedrungene Statur und die durchsichtigen Hochtonpaneele mögen einen Teil zur Faszination beitragen, denn die physisch durchaus robusten Lautsprecher ducken sich auf die Weise optisch geradezu weg. So erstrahlen akustische Räume in noch hellerem Licht, scheinen Klänge ganz besonders frei und schwerelos in die Tiefe und, jawohl, die Höhe projiziert zu werden.

Das Versprechen des hohen Wirkungsgrades löst die SON ein und spielt genauso locker groovend an den acht Watt meines 300B-bestückten Röhrenvollverstärkers Silbatone JI-300B Mk III wie an den 150 Watt, die die Transistoren der Rowland-Endstufe erzeugen können. Die an den WVL-Boxen mal so richtig auszufahren hätte ich keine Bedenken. Das livehaftig-laute Spiel ist eine echte Schokoladenseite der SON. Zu behaupten, sie würde jenseits der 90 Dezibel Schalldruck erst so richtig aufwachen, täte ihren tollen Leisehörfähigkeiten schwer unrecht. Aber sie kann eben tatsächlich so lustvoll Heavy-Metal-Eruptionen und sinfonische Höhepunkte zwischen die heimischen vier Wände zimmern, als hätte sie veritable PA-Gene.

Hat sie aber nicht. Die SON ist ein waschechtes High-End-Gewächs. Das vor keiner Herausforderung auch nur mit der Wimper zuckt. Und das feinfühlige Beschäftigung mit Aufstellung, Hochtönerjustage, Feldspulenstrom und tatsächlich auch einem Klassiker wie der Güte der Bi-Wiring-Brücken mit dem Erreichen von Klangsphären belohnt, die nicht wenige als ultimativ bewerten dürften.

Link do recenzji: Wolf von Langa Son – Fidelity Online

In my system the Wolf von Langa SONs sounded clear and transparent to recordings and system changes. My notes are littered with analysis such as: "these speakers tell you as much about the recording and the downstream playback chain as they do about themselves." They will tell you about changes you make to your system, whether that adjustment is to cartridge VTA or a different wire or a new component. I easily heard differences between different orchestras and recording venues, differences in record quality, and differences in instrument timbre—no problem telling a double-reed English horn from a double-reed oboe or whether a timpani player is using hard or soft mallets. While the SONs have an innate character, I did not find them homogenizing or smoothing across albums. It was obvious to hear the Amadeus Quartet playing Beethoven's String Quartet Opus 130, No.13 (DG 27 20 010) as warmer as and sweeter than the naked lifelike rendition from Quator Végh (Valois CMB83).

A cool thing about home stereo that we take for granted is the ability to listen to a performance multiple times. This enables the opportunity to learn or discover different aspects of a piece that we might miss from a singular concert hall performance. The truth of this is no more evident than with complex large scale orchestral music, particularly with a system that can represent music both on a grand scale and likewise resolve fine detail and performance nuance. The SONs can do this and make the process of discovery great fun.

Power pieces are aplenty. One of my favorites is Gustav Mahler's 2nd Symphony, Op.43 (Resurrection) with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic (DG 423 395-2 / Analogphonic, 1988).

Mahler's 2nd opens with a tremolo flurry from mass violins followed by a huge announcement of cellos and basses at triple forte. Here was a big, bold, serious opening at Bernstein's solemn pace. Not only did the SONs deliver the big and bold with verve and swagger, they gave an excellent sense of the ambience of these instruments, dimensionally radiating with palpable energy and throwing off harmonics into the large hall. As I heard a delightful woody resonance from the bodies of the cellos and basses, the attack of bows on strings was crisp, decay was very good. While the overall presentation was proportionate to the size of the speakers with 10" drivers, I was surprised and quite impressed with the SONs ability to convey the tension, power, and drama from these low frequency string sections throughout the work. 

Mahler is so adept at changing themes and motifs, shifting the orchestral balance from one section to another, occasionally abrupt but more typically flowing together in pace and dynamic—his music entrances the listener with inventiveness and beauty. The two-way SONs captured the sweep and energy of a big orchestra in a big hall with the contributions of individual instruments and sections, each with its own diction, tonality and dynamics, woven together, creating a moving tapestry of texture that was simply magical.

The SONs facility at depth and ambience dimensionally layered the orchestra and I easily followed bass strings and lower brass coupled with percussion that undergirded mid- and upper-octave melodies and solos. Whether in loud passages or soft I could follow the back-row timpani, growly trombones, a harp in the front, and the individual contributions of different timbre from each woodwind in the center. In solemn or lively passages, the SONs brought a sense of presence and vitality to Mahler's music.

Link do recenzji: Wolf von Langa Son – Positive Feedback

Link: Wolf von Langa – The Absolute Sound – Product of the Year 2022

Link: Wolf von Langa – The Absolute Sound – Editors' Choice 2023