Wilson Watt/Puppy 50th Anniversary Launch

June 5th at Innovative Audio NYC

There was something comforting about espying the large black banner with white lettering proudly waving “Innovative Audio” on Manhattan’s East 58th street, just down the block from the big boys of high end retail like Bergdorf Goodman. At a moment when hifi stores can seem like an endangered species, Innovative, as it’s known, represents a welcome success story. Run by audio veteran Elliot Fishkin, its elegantly spartan showrooms can be quickly reached by taking an elevator that descends to the ground floor. 

On Wednesday Innovative held a daylong prelaunch of the 50th anniversary Wilson Watt/Puppy loudspeaker. Both Daryl Wilson, the head of the eponymous company, and Peter McGrath, a director of sales, were on hand to describe the speaker’s attributes and to play some nifty tunes sourced using a dCS Rossini DAC. A D'Agostino Progression Integrated amp drove the speakers. And play them superbly Wilson’s latest offering, which clocks in just shy of $39,000, certainly did. 

dCS Rossini DAC and next to it the D'Agostino Progression Integrated amplifier

Peter McGrath

Daryl Wilson succinctly explained the development of the new loudspeaker and his vision for the company. He has overseen a major effort to invest in expanding the size and capacity of Wilson Audio, including purchasing the Reliable Capacitor company as well as two winding machines, one of which hails from Switzerland. The capacitor tolerances in Wilson crossovers are now said to deviate no more than 0.02 percent. In all, Daryl indicated that he has plunged about $3.25 million over the past several years back into the factory to up its game.

As it stands, the new Watt/Puppy contains the latest Wilson technology, ranging from copper capacitors to “V” material. The result is a potent little critter. The high resolution and low noise floor was immediately apparent on an initial recording that McGrath played for our delectation—Benjamin Grosvenor performing the daunting Liszt B-minor piano sonata. Just the initial notes were enough to reduce you to putty. I went on to listen to a variety of trumpet concertos that could hardly have sounded more captivating than through the Watt/Puppy. 

No, it won’t give you the ease and grandeur of a bigger loudspeaker. As it happens, I also auditioned, in a separate room, the Wilson XVX which sounded pretty darned impressive. But for a smaller room, the return of the Watt/Puppy offers the promise of abundant performance, particularly since it contains both Wilson’s excellent QuadraMag midrange and Convergent Synergy drivers. Listening to it created the sensation of a tale of suspense as I wondered what different pieces of music would sound like. I was seldom disappointed.

Daryl Wilson in conversation with The Absolute Sound's Alan Taffel