Auditioning Elipsa SE tomorrow, getting my ducks in a row, am I missing anything


Gonna head out before the chickens wake and drive 350 miles to hear a pair of Elipsa SE in the morning. Will have to get it right as a second listen is gonna be tough

I've sent pictures and descriptions of the listening area and speaker placement. He's gonna try to duplicate that setup before I arrive. Speakers 11 feet apart, listening position about 12' feet from the wall and speakers set a foot or 2 off the wall. 

I don't do vinyl anymore so will be streaming and CD only. I don't have any hi res media but plan to take female vocal (Ricky Lee), male vocal ( Leonard Cohen), an instrumental, and Rodrigo y Gabriela for full, fast and hard. Will hopefully listen to some high res of whatever he has on hand when I get there.

I'm looking for a wide and amazing soundstage.  I'll figure out amps, etc that work with whatever speaker I end up with.He's gonna setup the demo with ARC VSi-75 and Lumin A1. I've heard the integrated with a pair of Trio Ct's and it was nice but didn't take my breath away. Not sure if the ARC will show them best or if I could expect more out of the Elipsa with something else.

Moving forward sources will mostly be streamed though a PS-Audio Direct Stream so have lots of hopes for improvements.

While I'm in the city going to swing through some dealers and listen to Focal, Wilson, other Sonus Faber, and whatever else I can get my ears on.  

Any advice on what I've missed or should consider when looking at the Elipsa SE?

Thanks in advance

Keith



doitwithlife
Back from the trip and now awake. 

There was good and bad about the SE's. Very attractive, although red would be so much nicer, and the tone or maybe the quality of the sound was towards the nicest I've heard. It like when I heard a cello solo, it really sounded like a cello. The bad was the soundstage, I really wanted to love these. It was hardly there, didn't give that feeling I could close my eyes and picture the instruments and vocal in place. Flat forward to rear as well. 

@lostbears,

I believe that you are getting the things on yours that I was seeking out of these. Although I was told what a great match the amp was to these speakers I've been disappointed with the sound stage with the same model at a different audition. Cables were also minimal and was told cables would make the stage pop!. They were also not demos but trade in. I thought this was an SF deal. Can't pay a premium price for this.


But...

I did hear some other options at some dealers. All used Mac intergrated amps. Cable deal was an eye opener, I've never heard the difference when I tried stuff 10 years ago. During an audition, changed the speaker cables and the game changed. Real wow moment for me. Part of what makes me think the SE's weren't the problem, 

@lostbears, what speaker cables might you recommend for SE's?

The stand outs from all the listening were

Wilson Sasha 3. Nice tight, sound stage nice, but couldn't put my finger on it. Sort of felt like the music was standing at attention. Not sure and gonna chew on that

B&W 803, good where the Wilson was good yet had a "warmth" that carried. I was told that what I was hearing I should expect to hear in everything I play though them. Wouldn't argue if my wife gave me a pair, but think a pass for me

Sonus Faber guarneri-tradition - Great sound stage, great everything except it lacks the presence that comes from a floor standing full range. After a long discussion. The Wilson loving, owns a pair, dealer is telling me yea, you would love the full size SF and would be everything I want, except, they are gonna be way out of my range, recommended maybe an Olympia 2 or 3 but I'd be in love with the higher model. For my budget pointed back to the Wilsons.

I'm thinking if the guarneri-tradition had what the SE's were missing, it was a specific problem with that particular pair or the audition system.

Right now I'm thinking I need to find different pair of Elipsa SE that are priced fair and just call it done. Then upgradet the right stuff going on around it 

Update, my little voice told me to read my own post. Made an offer on an other pair of Elipsa SE.

Hopeful, but then if it doesn't work out might be a red pair come up.

 The Elipsa SE have a deep wide sounstage with that "in the room" sound. They can be mesmerizing. The Elipsa SE can make a piano sound right and that is not easy to do. One of the problems is the integrated. The Elipsa SE need more power to sound their best, and they need a real preamp. They also need to be setup properly. If they are too far apart they will loose soundstage. You also need to play with the toe in and rake. If not toed in properly they can loose soundstage. Acoustic treatement can help alot in a problem room. If they sound boomy because they are close to the back wall, bass traps in the corner can really help. Also something non reflective in the center. I have a tapestry on the wall between mine.

The Elipsa SE are much better sounding than any of the Olympia. Go to  https://www.audioaficionado.org and search for threads on the Elipsa SE. They are compared to a number of different speakers including the  Olympia. Around $12.000. is a fair price for a nice pair. I will say that I could not imagine owning a pair without them being in Violin Red.  Graphite just does not do them justice. But it depends on the room.


OK, I'm in the club now. I'm pretty jazzed

Buyer accepted my offer on the SE's, sadly not in red, but at a great price as compared to $12K lostbears quoted.

Also getting a new pair of Cartas cables shipped along with the speakers