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To Fritz, Quicksilver, and all the exceptional makers trying to get the word out

It's been a while since I've posted. When you're in the sandwich generation, life intervenes. I've not had much chance to keep up with the conversations here, but I've managed some changes in my system, including a new set of speakers from a local audio fixer and DIY genius. These new speakers are wide baffle design with JBL woofers (15") and Beyma AMT tweeters. 97db sensitivity. I've put a picture on my system page.

But I've been thinking about Fritz and Quicksilver for an odd reason. There's an interesting guy on YouTube, Andy Edwards. He's a drummer and teacher with interestingly provocative analyses of rock, jazz, and music. Recently in a video entitled "Ten things non-musicians get wrong about music," he was pointing out how the music industry tends to advance very select fractions of talented people. There is a tremendous funneling effect that excludes a huge percentage of talented people. They are better than many of the most popular musicians, but they cannot get a hearing. They have to make a living in other ways -- but they are extraordinarily talented, nonetheless. This tends to skew the public perception of what a good musician is because people hear what they hear and then celebrate it because it's what they know. Subjective bias leads to (false) objective estimations of how good musicians can be. (Take one case in point: Kazuhito Yamashita. Look him up. Staggering genius on the guitar who didn't become a worldwide phenomenon.) 

This made me think about two of the pieces in my system -- Fritz speakers and Quicksilver amps. They are complete unknowns to 99% of the buying public, and if you look around on YouTube or other media, it's pretty hard to find much promotion. It's all word of mouth, and even if they did advertise, who would hear them? With Klipsch and Focal and Yamaha et al. taking up most of the available attention economy, how could their message get through? 

I am so grateful to the members of this forum for helping guide me to Fritz and Quicksilver. They are the most listenable, comfortable, and high-quality gear I've owned. I've heard amazing things about other brands -- such as Audio Note -- but I'm paying for college, soon for two kids, and that just ain't happening. These are not the best things money can buy, but as value propositions, you really cannot do better, IMHO.

For those whose ears are perking up about Fritz for the first time, I have done two reviews of what I think is his better speaker, the Carbon 7 SE MKII. 

Written -- https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/review-fritz-heiler-s-carbon-7-se-mk-2-bookshelf-speakers?

Video -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpI6eAvc4_M

I've tried them with everything: they're tube friendly (Quicksilver, 60w); they're class D friendly (DIY Hypex-based amp, 275W); they're class A friendly (Pass XA-25, about 25-80w); they're class AB friendly (Adcom, Akitika, 60w). 

I like them because if I focus in on them, they perform but if I just want them on in the background, they're lovely that way, too. 

Hope everyone has a good 2025. 

128x128hilde45
hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,986 posts
 

@yogiboy Thanks for the reference. Will take a look. Nice to be back. I was hitting social media overload and life was pushing all that stuff to the rear burner. If I'm on Agon, it means I have time to listen, which means that things are better. Take care!

johnc5's avatar
johnc5
42 posts
 

I own the Fritz Carerra BE’s. I talked to Fritz about the Carbon 7 to see if they would work better in my system. The BE tweeter seemed to be a little too detailed in my room with my electronics. He suggested giving them a try. I currently have about 15 or so hours on them. About the time the Carbon 7’s arrived, a tube in my preamp started making some noise and was replaced. I also bought a Galion amp that has been in my system for a couple of weeks. I have not had a chance yet to compare the speakers. The Carbon 7’s also seemed a little brittle in the upper mid range and treble. Will this get better with break in or could it be from the new tube? It’s a Shuguang Treasure CV181-Z. The new tube has approximately 25 hours on it. After I do a comparison, I will probably sell one of the pairs of Fritz speakers. Really like these speakers and would love to keep both pairs! Thanks for any suggestions or comments.

hilde45's avatar
hilde45 OP
4,986 posts
 

@johnc5

First, I owned the Carreras, too, and my listening impressions agree with yours. I didn’t keep them and I also sold a pair of Salks with that same tweeter. It is unforgiving.

The Carbon 7’s also seemed a little brittle in the upper mid-range and treble.

I suspect your gear, here. I have run the Carbons with every possible amp I can try (including a very dry, powerful class D) and it never sounds brittle. You may be confusing it with the Carreras or it may be a tube or something else. I don’t think the soft dome tweeter on the Carbons is making that happen. My two cents.

johnc5's avatar
johnc5
42 posts
 

Could it be due to the speakers only having 15 hours on them. I’m using a Dehavilland tube preamp.

whiteknee
51 posts
 

@Hilde45  Thank you for initiating this informative post.  I too have been steering towards the smaller designers/builders with help from this forum and some useful YouTube videos.   I own the QS MidMonos and have had some very helpful tube discussions with Mike.  He’s a class act.  A few years ago I purchased from another small outfit, Zu Audio, and found their owner Sean Casey to be very available, knowledgeable and enthusiastic.  I kept his Dirty Weekends for 3 years, in a second system, and wondered how they sounded so good for so very little money.

Same goes for Clayton Shaw who has developed the wonderful Caladan speaker which, unfortunately, I plan to sell.  The buying process for the Caladan’s was a forum post on Audiogon last year.

The best experience I have had buying from a boutique was with Greg Roberts at Volti Audio.  During my evaluation of his speaker line-up he took me into his home in Baxter, TN.  He and his wife Lori fed me, we conducted multiple listening sessions while sharing drams of his favorite beverage, he toured me around the twisties of Tennessee in his sports car, and he helped sell my Klipsch Belle speakers that I had ordered new and had been part of our family for 40 years (selling the Belles was difficult...emotional).

So, I am currently in the market for stand mounts in my smaller room to replace the Caladans and I see Fritz has multiple speakers, all about the same size and all in the same relative price range, if I am reading his website correctly.  What is your assessment of each model with lower powered amps, and how did you end up with the Carbon 7s?   I will certainly reach out to Mr. Fritz but I’m curious to get your input.  The MidMonos will continue to drive my Volti speakers but I do own 3 other low powered amps (Pass XA25, SIT3 and Cary 300SEI) that I plan to audition with the new stand mounts in my smaller room.  Thoughts?

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