Well I've been running them now for about a week but it's still too early for me to give any useful feedback since my DAC (Ayre QB-9) is still burning in at less than 200 hours.
That said I'll give some initial impressions...
Very detailed high's without that shrill metal dome attack (these are cloth dome Morel tweeters). The low end very tight and impressive considering the size, no booming or muddy lows, just the right amount of attack. They won't reproduce the lowest organ octaves but in my room they have measured down to about 34Hz at reasonable Db levels. The bottom firing port allows placement near the rear walls but they still sound their best pulled out about 3 feet from the back wall...i'm still experimenting with placement and toe in. The mids are very smooth but would say are more forward sounding than i was expecting. I wouldn't say these are "rich" in the mid but rather exhibiting a more accurate/revealing character. Soundstage is wide as my imagination! these speakers definitely disappear like houdini and you get that pinpoint stage accuracy where you can virtually follow specific instruments across and through the stage. Amazing on some well recorded classical pieces and some older live rock albums where quitarists are moving around on stage.
My dad is an ex-jazz drummer and when he's over he says he feels like he's back in the clubs listening to his fellow musicians laying down some live sets. I'd say that's a pretty good endorsement.
So still letting my system settle a bit before going into any further insight. Some changes i'm planning to make to improve my overall system may filter down to the speakers as well...i'd like to take all my gear off the power conditioner and run it through an isolation/surge unit only. I recently took my amp off the conditioner and it was like a veil lifted so I'm going to experiment with the rest of the system as well. I'm also looking into upgrading the power cords to some verastarr cables over the current stock pieces currently in use.
Finally i'm not housing my gear on an ideal rack...glass!!!...so hoping to get an isolating rack soon as well.
This whole journey may soon turn on it's head however as I'm trying to get a Devialet in house for a demo and sell my full Ayre system (already listed). I heard the Devialet in store demo and it was amazing so i want to see how that translates over to my setup.
Back to the speakers though...my initial impression...impressed! I obtained these through trade and considering the value I received I feel like I won the lottery!
That said I'll give some initial impressions...
Very detailed high's without that shrill metal dome attack (these are cloth dome Morel tweeters). The low end very tight and impressive considering the size, no booming or muddy lows, just the right amount of attack. They won't reproduce the lowest organ octaves but in my room they have measured down to about 34Hz at reasonable Db levels. The bottom firing port allows placement near the rear walls but they still sound their best pulled out about 3 feet from the back wall...i'm still experimenting with placement and toe in. The mids are very smooth but would say are more forward sounding than i was expecting. I wouldn't say these are "rich" in the mid but rather exhibiting a more accurate/revealing character. Soundstage is wide as my imagination! these speakers definitely disappear like houdini and you get that pinpoint stage accuracy where you can virtually follow specific instruments across and through the stage. Amazing on some well recorded classical pieces and some older live rock albums where quitarists are moving around on stage.
My dad is an ex-jazz drummer and when he's over he says he feels like he's back in the clubs listening to his fellow musicians laying down some live sets. I'd say that's a pretty good endorsement.
So still letting my system settle a bit before going into any further insight. Some changes i'm planning to make to improve my overall system may filter down to the speakers as well...i'd like to take all my gear off the power conditioner and run it through an isolation/surge unit only. I recently took my amp off the conditioner and it was like a veil lifted so I'm going to experiment with the rest of the system as well. I'm also looking into upgrading the power cords to some verastarr cables over the current stock pieces currently in use.
Finally i'm not housing my gear on an ideal rack...glass!!!...so hoping to get an isolating rack soon as well.
This whole journey may soon turn on it's head however as I'm trying to get a Devialet in house for a demo and sell my full Ayre system (already listed). I heard the Devialet in store demo and it was amazing so i want to see how that translates over to my setup.
Back to the speakers though...my initial impression...impressed! I obtained these through trade and considering the value I received I feel like I won the lottery!