Aerial Acoustics vs. Joseph Audio

"Aren't you the guy who maintained that the better artist is the one who sells more records?"...Nope..not me..
Richard Nixon made that statement at a Love Fest he attended in Central Park in August, 1971. He was a hard core Audiophile
who loved Crosby, Stills and Nash...

Fairly different presentations, though I like and respect both brands.

Joseph Audio speakers tend to be more liquid and relaxed, whereas Aerial Acoustics are more forward sounding. I wouldn't characterize things in strictly yin/yang terms, but which you prefer obviously depends on your tastes and needs.

Not sure it factors into things, but Aerials tend to present a fairly demanding load to their partnering amplifier.

Tricky Dick could play the hell out of a piano, too!

I have heard Ariel 7T driven by Karan amps. IMHO, they are very high value for money speakers. They neither do anything offensive sonically, nor are they at the top of the speakers pyramid. I will give them a 8.5/10 for cost/performance ratio.

The letdown on the Ariel is ths quality lapse on the finishing of the cabinets which are made in China. Some tiny nooks and crannies were not sprayed on properly because it is assumed that no one will see it, but I did.

I believe the Jospehs are better finished with costlier materials, or at least they seem so. But I have not had a long audition with Joseph lower range speakers before. I do like the Pearl 2 tho...

Hamburger..Michael Kelly last year dropped the source in China making the cabinets for the 7T's due to inconsistent quality in the finished cabinets and now uses the Hornslet company in Denmark that makes the cabinets for Aerial's top models. The Hornslet company also makes cabinets for Dali and other well known speaker companies.