Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Matt, contact me via PM at Audiocircle, compaudiophile or audiocircle and I can email you the pdf of the full UHF magazine review of the Kithara. (I have the print issue)

Nothing near it price will equal it, IMHO.

http://www.uhfmag.com/Issue59/Kithara.html

From a "for sale" online advert:

For sale here is a pair of the Oskar Kithara speakers, featuring the Heil AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, a completely design from ordinary dynamic tweeters. Not only does the Heil AMT have a huge frequency range - from 700 Hz to 23,000 Hz (!!), so no cross-over in the critical and easy-to-hear range - the highs are clear and non-fatiguing, unlike the many ear-bleed inducing metal tweeters in use nowadays. The up-firing 10" woofer provides all the bass you'll need
Set-up properly, these speakers image like crazy and provide full range sound, and with an efficiency rating of 94dB, you don't need a lot of power to operate them.
To quote Gerard Rejskind at UHF magazine in their review of the Kithara:
"This is a loudspeaker that any of the world's great speaker designers could point to with pride. Its highs and midrange are topped by only a few, very expensive speakers. Its bottom end is solid and more then generous. It will run with nearly any amplifier. It can work even in large rooms. It has a killer image. Is there anything on your list that I've left out? I have a feeling that if this speaker is ever produced in large numbers, its price will have to rise. At the moment it's absurdly cheap. That's what I'm telling my friends."

I had a lengthy conversation with one of the U.S. Dealers of the Kithara. He told me that the low frequency extension is disappointing at best and there are many higher end speakers that outperform the Kithara in every way. He also said that the speaker is getting more expensive to import and hard to sell at higher then it's $6k retail price. The search continues....

The bassplate corrects the Low end deficiency and there are no US dealers anymore. United Home stopped carrying them in favour of the far more expensive MSB and TriCell of Toronto is the distributor.

Try to listen for yourself, as I may work in your room as described.

If you read the blurb, $7K is a bargain. Perhaps its not a WISE sale for dealers, as they make more with other brands/models?

It has very little WAF and that restricts sales.

There is a story of a guy here who know his wife would hate it, but he loved the sound and sent her off on an expensive vacation. During that time he bought a pair and when she got back, he told her the return period expired and they wouldn't take it back. LoL

For a dedicated listening room, you dont need much WAF.

Also, the suspension on the 10inch woofer has been stiffened and the driver itself has been upgraded. Its HARD for any woffer to keep up with the speed of Heils, especially the big Heil.

UHF mag in Montreal does not accept advertising, so are very trustworthy IMHO.

Contact me and I will send the article, even if its just for an informative read.

Hey Matt,

I think the Pearl 3 should be added to your audition list. The top cab that houses the midbass/tweeter is rear ported, but this should have very little effect with what you are trying to accomplish. The bass cabs are not rear ported.

These are very special speakers in that they provide a most expansive and very accurate soundstage, yet the artists are presented with energy, and "in the room" at the same time. I have never heard another speaker do both of these things so well.