Neat Ultimatum

from a previous AG thread-

04-27-01: Caterham1700
The Neat Ultimatum(US$16K) was an extraordinary experience, with the coherency, articulation and imaging of a mini monitor and a chameleonlike quality that was equally at home with solo vocalists and small combos as it was with large scale orchestral and jackhammer rock.They displayed a sweet openess and spaciousness unlike any other conventionally enclosed speaker in my experience.They are superbly fast, nimble and dynamic.The Neats could float a serene, stable and convincingly holographic image in the midst of a cacaphony of pyrotechnical fireworks and headbanging volumes.
I found it intriguing to hear comments after the show which ranged from "lush","laid-back" and "silky" to "relentlessly driven" and "kick-ass" all dependant on the character of the recordings used during the audition.I've never heard such a "complete", expressive and alluring do-everything big system.

system details:

http://shows.soundstagelive.com/shows/ces2001/stand_toffco.html

Caterham1700 -- all that for only $16k? Wow!

I guess what I'm trying to say is for that kind of money they ought to sound pretty good... As other speakers in that price range sometimes do.

Hi Plato,


In my experience, very few large systems ever display the coherency,agility and versatility that the Ultimatuums exhibited so effortlessly.
Time and again, I find that the larger, more complex and ambitious the design, the greater the likelyhood that a speaker will narrow it's repetoire to impressive gee-whiz kewl sonic effects at the expense of the ability to play a tune with expression and emotion.
Venues like CES are full of megabuck flagship loudspeaker systems competing for industry attention.The pricing of Neat's top of the line loudspeaker never raised an eyebrow at an event where $30-80K loudspeakers were abundant.
I don't recall any of those far more costly speaker systems to be more musically accomplished or balanced than the MF9's.
In fact, the bulk of those mega speakers, while sonic marvels can be unfulfilling emotionally and a more than a few are simply embarrassing.

Hi Ken.
How's the Neuance biz? Have you floated the new NAD 541i CDP yet? I'm building a system for a friend and want to predict the improvements before suggesting one.
Ern