Persona 9h vs S3 mk 2

Again have to agree with Contuzzi, Mr. Boviard, is a rather brilliant businessman who started his own forum which he is the owner and head moderator.

Sure anyone can post but in most cases the discord is hardly unbiased.

We answered a post about the Personas and of course were quickly shot down with the same post as Magico is way better etc, too bright same stuff.

The reality is that the Personas are a total challenger to any of the $60k-100k uber boutique brands such as Rockport, Magico or Wilson. 

We demoed a $120k pair of Kharmas with a Diamond tweeter, custom kevlar midrange and a 12 inch Eaton midrange the speakers weighed about 400 pounds they sounded good but in no way was a superior sound to the Persona 9H at 1/4 the price.

Also have to agree with Yysantabarbera, the Persona will sound good or bad depending on the electronics which you pair them with. 

We have heard different Persona models at stores in CA,  at two different stores in MA, a store in NJ, and most of the demos were hardly convincing in demonstrating just how remarkable the speakers can sound, none of the demos the speakers sounded bad but none of the demos were wow demos either. 

This is a very high resolution line of loudspeakers and the tweeter and midrange drivers do not hold anything back.

When we were seaching for electronics for them we tried:  Conrad Johnson and Manly Labs Tube amplifiers, Electrcompaniet, Chord, Devialet, Thrax and finally T+A before the speakers really started to sound amazing.

The Persona 9h can reward you will breathtaking realisim at a price far below their competion  or they can sound bright, flat and uninvolving. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Persona dealers

Audiotroy,

"The reality is that the Personas are a total challenger to any of the $60k-100k uber boutique brands such as Rockport, Magico or Wilson." That's your opinion and your reality. I've heard them and just don't agree. They sound good to my ears, but seriously.  As a matter of fact, one of  the  Paradigm dealer's that I went to prefers several speakers in the same price range over the 7Fs and 9Hs.

I listened again to the Personas today - 3F. (Bryston amplification)

Also the B&W 803D3.

I found myself underwhelmed.  The B&Ws sounded more refined (even if they too have a sculpted frequency response), the Persona's sounded somewhat opaque to me, and even though the B&W's upper frequencies actually sounded a bit hotter, I actually found myself getting fatigued faster with the Personas high end.  I found the same when I did a longer audition last year.   I guess I just don't care for those speakers. And they sure didn't sound a competitive as I'd hoped with even the B&Ws.  (And I'm not even much of a fan of the B&W sound at all!).

Ricredi which dealer and what speakers and how were they setup?

Compare how we run our Persona 9H and the equipment we use them with:
https://www.facebook.com/audiodoctor1/photos/a.1114621131944432/2414413985298467/?type=3&theater

You will notice T+A electronics, a Critical Mass Rack, Acoustical Treatment, power conditioning, no other speakers in line, high end cabling, Isoacoustic footers.

Not shown: State of the art digital: T+A PDP 3000, Light Harmonic Davinci, Aqua Hifi Formula XHD, Innous server.


One dealer in another state was showcasing a $17 pair of Persona 5F in a room with many pairs of speakers on all three walls, no room treatment, and the best electronics were a few $3k Musical Fidelity pieces and an Anthem STR intergrated.

Another dealer we visted had three Personas all crammed together on the back wall with many other speakers on top their best electronics an Nad preamp with a Parasound amplifier.

Compare our sound room where we demo the Persona 3F

https://www.facebook.com/audiodoctor1/photos/a.122499441156611/1884269391646265/?type=3&theater

Electronics from $1k Rega, Peachtree, Nad, to $30k Naim stack.
Intergrated amplfiers: Naim, Sythesis, Unsion Research, Krell, Micromega, Cables from $3,400.00 for speaker cables, power conditioning. etc.

Part of this issue is dealers showrooms and not having the care and matching equipment to showcase the Persona to their utmost.

They sound fantastic on warmer electronics: Krell, Naim, Micromega they are not going to sound fanatastic on brighter or leaner electronics.

Please understand we are not trying to say we are better and any other dealers are not good, the issue is how well are some of these dealers setting up their Personas?

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

A question to Persona 9H owners. I have a room that is 12'W x 21'L x 25'H The short wall is actually 17' wide at the entrance but there is a mostly straight staircase that quickly takes away 5' of space on the right side of the room. So that is why I am stating only 12' wide.

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/7959 (photos)

1) Minimum distance required between speakers if placed on the short wall near the entrance?
2) Minimum distance from the front wall?
3) Would the staircase be an issue in terms of reflection?
4) I am assuming that the side wall distance can to resolved via toe-in. The closer to the side wall the more toe-in.

I will not acoustically treat this room. I am asking this now so I can prepare the wife for the future big news.

BTW - my kid will share this room with a pair of speakers and 1 integrated amp w/DAC and 1 chair for me.