Rockport Avior?

Hi all - This thread has been quiet for a while, just want to follow up to see if anyone has had the chance to actually audit the Avior yet? I am seriously considering a change in speakers?n I have found this in the What's Best Forum which is not very encouraging about the Avior.

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From a PM discussion with WBF member leyenda (posted with his permission):

"I have always admired the Rockport for its bass and mids, but would have liked a bit more sparkle in the highs (somewhat dark sounding as you put it in your post). I thought the Avior would rectify this with its berrylium tweeter so it was on my top shopping list. Turned out the Avior pair I heard had a very different presentation to the usual Rockport house sound so the journey continues."

and...

"The Aviors I heard was in a very small room. Bass was excellent - fast and tight. I even preferred the Avior bass to the Aquilla. Mids and highs were a let down to me. Beefy mids that I always like about the Rockport is gone. Voices that normally sound gorgeous on every models of Rockport from Mira to Altair is gone. I felt it was like a different speaker. The highs from the Berrylium tweeters really did open up, but to my taste, too much so. All in all, I would have accepted the Avior if it had the bass as it is, and the same old mids and highs, no need for that extra sparkle I originally dreamed of. It still sounds more pleasant than, say a Wilson Watt 8 that I really cannot stand listening for a long time, but perhaps my expectation was a bit too high in case of the Avior. The dealer asked me for a second audition, claiming that the speaker and set-up is more refined now, so I might give it another shot."
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Appreciate your comments. Thanks

Well, I must say, I think ( no actually, I know) Leyenda has this one completely wrong.

A few months ago I went to Rockport and spent an afternoon and heard the entire line, back to back, in the same room, the same room location, with the same electronics - one right after the other. I heard the Arrakis, then Mira2 then Avor then Altair.

The Avior is not different from the Rockport house sound at all. As a matter of fact, I was stunned and how much the entire line sounded alike - down to the Mira2. The Avior was closer to the $97k Altair than it was compared to the Mira2.

When you do the comparisons in the same room at the same time - things become real clear. You are not listening to a total sound of room, equipment and speaker and trying to figure out what is contributing - when compared like I mentioned, you can be real sure, real quick.

Thank you sir for your comments above. Totally agree with your approach when comparing speakers however I must say that not many people would have a opportunities to do so.

I will have the Rockport Avior at "The Home Entertainment Show" in Newport Beach CA June 1 - 3. They will be driven by a Banaced Audio Technology REX system. (REX tube monblocks with 2 piece REX line stage). I also have the Mira II at our showroom in San Clemente CA.

Please come by for a listen!

*We are a Rockport / BAT dealer.

Kwb - Which hotel and what room will you be exhibiting in? Thanks