I’ve had my Def 4s about 5 years now and feel I can make some valid observations. They are very dependent on the amps and electronics upstream. Their transparency is revealed with certainty with the slightest variable introduced. Yes the right amps, preamp, front end, tubes selected all become a factor, I believe more so than many speakers due to the fact that the full range drivers are wired directly to the amps.
Their immediacy is startling and somewhat unusual, but their variation on different source material tells me they don’t color as much as reveal what the source provides.
Another pair of other factors are significant. The down firing subs are sensitive to room placement as distance from the walls and reflection play into the equation. The other factor is their sensitivity. While this makes them ultra dynamic in both a macro and micro sense it also causes them to be very sensitive to noise in the electricity. When this is addressed effectively depth and presence increase, giving a very in the room, at the hall presentation. With the elimination of crossovers very little is masked and realism is there in spades.
I doubt the audio shows allow this level of setup and this is largely responsible for the widely variable opinions regarding them. Frankly, with dirty power they can sound pretty shouty.
Spirit’s opinion as stated "in his room" carries more info than might be evident on the surface. When one has a speaker like the Def 4 the potential begs the effort to address what might bring it to fruition. Some things are just worth working for.
