Verity Audio Parsifal vs. Aerial 10T


I've been hunting for speakers for a few months, now. Houston, TX is a wasteland for high-end audio of any kind so auditions can't usually be had. I was considering Aerial 10Ts from the very good posts on them but have reconsidered because of the fact they are getting a bit long-in-the-tooth in terms of manufacture date and looks.

My search brings up Verity Parsifals as a clear competitor to the Aerial 10T. Can anyone offer information as to how these two compare and differ?

I currently have a pair of Totem Mani-2s run by SimAudio W-6 monoblocks that I love. Sound may be 'slightly' more forward and not enough bass for me. Mostly listen to acoustic, pop ballad, and would like to get into more classical piano.

I know I should listen for myself but it will be interesting to here comments from others.

Thanks, in advance.
128x128frederick21
A more natural competitor to the Parsifal in that they sound more alike than different is the Merlin VSM-MXe. Both highly resolved speakers. With all the speakers I have heard over the years, my favourite two were Verity and Merlin - I chose Merlins, but could have been happy with either.
Interesting comments on the Parsifal. I bought one of the first pairs of
Encores back in 1999 (?) and have owned them since. At the time, I was
spread bicostally over 3 homes and, about the same time, also bought VSMs
for a different house. I have owned both speakers since. For the last 3 years,
I've been in 1 house and rotated the P/E and Merlins (now upgraded to
current status) in my room.

I half agree with Pubul, in their current iteration, the speakers are converging.
In the old versions, the Merlin sounded somewhat overdamped and light in
the mid-bass. There is much more weight there in the current version, but
the Parsifal is still warmer and the Merlin is still more revealing.

The Parsifals do full range very,very well, but the bass alignment may limit
definition in the lowest octave (or so). I'd still take issue with the notion that
these speakers are inappropriate for full range (orchestral) music. For that
50hz kick drum, I'd certainly acknowledge the design's limitations.
Martyk1, I agree with your comparison between the two. Both great speakers.
There are literally four generations of Parsifal. The original was introduced in 1995. The Encore was introduced in 1998-99 timeframe. In 2002, a new version of Scanspeak tweeter was introduced, and upgrade was offered to owners. The Ovation was introduced in 2005. The revealing issue that Martyk1 spoke of is no longer an issue with the new tweeter, IMHO. So if you are buying used, be sure to find out which version you are buying.

Verity is no longer offering the tweeter upgrade. But two worthy upgrades should still be considered by every Parsifal owner. One is to replace the granite sandwiched between the monitor and bass unit with the newer version used on the Ovation or Symposium's Svelte platform. Cost is around $500. The other is to get the new jumper cables from Verity. I believe these were made by Discover cables. Verity charged me $70 for the cables. To me, that's pretty darn cheap in high-end standard.

I've also had better results using BDR #4 cones under the speakers than the stock brass feet on hardwood floor. By the way, I have the version 2 Encore with all the upgrades.

FrankC
Have you made any selection yet?

I am bias, I own the Ovations and would recommended them over the Merlins. I am somewhat limited in my listening to the Merlins, however, I believe they are much more system dependant then the Ovations.

I have reviewed several pieces of gear (amps, pre, CDPs) with the Ovations and found the speakers to perform at their best with each piece.

The Merlins, so I am told, are much more sensitive to its upstream components. So, unless you get to demo at home with your gear and/or you are prepare to overhaul the whole rig, then the Ovations may be better suited for you.

Sound wise.....I just love the Parsifal Ovations and, because of the ribbon tweeter, I could only see upgrading within the brand...

Good luck and enjoy the journey!

John