Review: Fried Products FRIED Studio 7 Speaker

Category: Speakers

Before I give my impression of the Studio 7, a little background about myself is in order. I consider myself an audio enthusiast, not an audiophile. I listen to music, and I don't think it is necessary to spend gargantuan amounts of money to hear the reproduction of music. Everyone who listens perceives music differently.

I have owned FRIED speakers since 1978, my first pair being the R/II. I also have owned the M/II, the Q, the GII/A, the original Beta, and the H System. A hallmark of FRIED was the option to upgrade Bud Fried's designs. He believed in sharing his knowledge.

I first heard the Studio 7 at Bud's apartment, in November 2004. As usual, Bud was very cordial, and we listened to various pieces of music. His associated gear was NAD electronics and a Sony CDP, similar to equipment in my system. The Studio 7 impressed me with its very open, neutral sound, natural voice reproduction, and a total lack of the "WOW" effect. That is, strident irritating highs, nasal midrange, and bloated, mid-bass peakiness(which eventually leads to listener fatigue).

I purchased the Studio 7 through one of FRIED's dealers. The speakers arrived at my home in January, 2005. They were packed extremely well and required at least two strong people to unpack them. The speakers with all the packing material weighed about 120 lbs. each. FRIED recommends at least a 40 hour break-in period.

I had the good fortune of still having the G/IIA's on hand for an A-B test. The difference was quite a surprise. The G/IIA's were overly bright, and lacked the low end response that the Studio 7 is capable of.

The new FRIED Products Co., under the direction of Dr. Raines is carying on the tradition that Bud had been doing for so long. Th accurate reproduction of music using the finest drivers, T-L loading and series crossover.

The Studio 7 is a three way floor standing speaker utilizing a dual transmission line; one for the woofer, and one for the midrange driver. The speakers are mirror imaged, with a left and a right speaker; employing a series crossover. They are supplied with spikes and have removable black cloth grills. Fit and finish is excellent.

The speakers are 43.5" in height, 11" in width, and 20" in depth. Crossover points are 180Hz and 2kHz. Impedance is rated at four ohms. They are available in a number of finishes.

The speakers are part of my HT system, and I primarily use the system for two channel reproduction. The NAD T770 supplies 80 watts per channel in stereo mode. The CDP is a Sony 508ESD; for LP listening: Dunlop Systemdek II tt, Profile II tonearm, Grace F9E cartridge.

After two and a half years, the Studio 7 still impresses me with its very smooth reproduction, never calling attention to itself. While listening, the speakers tend to disappear, generating a feeling of being at the original performance.

If you are looking for a speaker that will accurately reproduce all the intracacies of a musical performance, give the Studio 7 a listen.

You won't be disappointed.