Initial GMA Europa impressions and a few questions

Drubin,
I find it a tad hard to answer your question. The Europa's play back whatever was recorded as it was recorded. Some recordings seem to be more in your face than others. Some lack bass definition, some don't. Some seem more layed back. I think the speaker does what it's supposed to: That is, it reproduces exactly what is on the recording. Great recording? Great sound. Less than perfect recording? You hear that. Let me add that no recordings I have sound bad on the Europa's........some just better than others. You know the old cliche "Accurate speakers sound terrible on rock music"? Not so with the GMA's. I honestly think it's more a time/phase issue than anything else. I sold retail audio for 10 years. Looking back on all the products I had labeled sounding "Bad", I now can attribute phase problems to all of them. From mass market Japanese amps with high negative feedback loops, to the vast majority of cassette decks with head alignment problems, to the original 44.1K cd players to 95% of multi-way speaker systems. One thing in common: Phase problems. I think phase problems are VERY audable...but also very much misunderunderstood. Keep in mind that Roy designed these speakers to have the LEAST amount of phase shift in the human voice range. Anyone here NOT love the Europa's human voice reproduction? Hope this helps.
Dale

Drubin asked:

In their fully broken-in state, would you GMA and Europa owners
describe these speakers as being forward sounding, i.e., front row
perspective? I ask because I have heard so many great things about
these speakers, and the Europas are so affordable, but I strongly prefer a
more distant perspective (middle of orchestra or back 20-30 feet in the
jazz club). What do you think?

Front row or further back? To me, the answer is "either" or maybe "neither," depending on what your question means. It could sound way back or way front. It depends exactly how the music was recorded. So, "either" is the answer.

On the other hand, if you are wondering if the Europa's add a further back bias or a further forward bias, I would say, "neither." They just don't have a sound of their own--very chameleon and adapting--transparent--not visible--seemingly without bias. They sound different depending on the signal that goes through. If you favor a certain effect in playback, you would have to look elsewhere.

Let me give an example--the string quartet playing on FM right now. There's plenty of studio reverb that it gives the effect of being midway back or even further back within a recital hall. So, I get the impression that the sound is more remote. However, I just heard one of the players brush his hand along the instrument. I never would have heard that had I been sitting anywhere except the front row. The microphones were closer than the front row, the reverb doesn't mask that transient, so it's quite apparent to me. The bottom line: that's how it is in the recording.

I guess the Europa sound reminds me of studio monitors. I record in studios. At one of the better studios, in the control room there is a really fine speaker system that is hidden behind wall fabric (probably custom). I record in the other room. Then I come back in to listen. I am not sure exactly what to expect because typically I will hear details that I might not have expected--although they are there! Sort of an exercise in honesty. Europa's have that kind of revealing detail--not unnatural or hyped detail--but refusal to mask over--just natural and honest.

Before I knew anything first hand about the Europa's or GMA, I was able to visit the factory in Colorado Springs (was already visiting Denver). Listening to my Yo Yo Ma recording (played on the Europa's), Roy started to discuss the pizzicato and string performance technique. There were things that I had never noticed before but were evident now. It was more like a live experience. These were excellent observations on Roy's part--incredible ear. Listening to another recording, almost at the same time, we both said "ribbon mics." I've owned and used ribbons for decades. That particular coloration came off clearly with the Europa's. It is a very dark, warm, more remote sound--we've just moved back a bunch of rows. The speakers are transparent/revealing and take on the character of the microphone.

By the way, Roy is a real pro (both musically and audio-wise) and a heck of a nice guy. It was a very genuine and stimulating exerience to witness him demonstrate his speakers. For the record, he insisted on playing many musical styles. Gospel, blues, pop, rock. Never heard Steely Dan sound so....Steely Dan.

So, that's how it happened with me.

Monte

Monty and songwriter, thank you very much! Excellent responses.
-Dan