My Kharma Exquisite Reference 1Ds are finally here and i agree with the "golden ears" that have heard them so far that say they are the best speakers they have heard. Totally seamless and balanced from top to bottom, bass extending below 20hz (no, i have not yet measured it but this is the perception of 3 or 4 of the most knowlegable people to hear it), completely disappearing, the purest mid-range, extended treble, very dynamic, and super detailed but also completly natural......it is, dare i say, about perfect.
The Exquisites are 48 inches tall plus a 5 inch stand, they weigh 565 pounds each with stands. Their cabinet is completely non-reasonant which is responsible for the amazing bass articulation, extension, and integration. For details look at Jonathin Valin's review from Absloute Sound from fall 2000.
The 1Ds mate perfectly with my 75 watt OTL Tenors and look and work great in my 12 foot wide room. I have not stopped grining for the last 2 weeks. I have invited over 7 local audiophiles and industry experts to give me some objective feedback and they have all fallen under the same spell as myself.
The scarey thing is that i am told the Exquisites take about 9 months to 1 year to fully break-in. If you want to hear a speaker that has ALL the pieces but ultimately gets out of the way of the music, here it is. You have a hard time thinking "bass" or "soundstage" or "dynamics" because you are concentrating on the performance and the musical message......really something very special. It is an privildge to have these speakers in my room.
These 1Ds are the first 1D set in the world. They differ from the 1C in that they go lower (i am told some useful output to 16hz but probably not in my room), are bi-ampable, have cryo'd internal wires and crossovers, and have special damping on the crossovers.
Simply.....the best.
