While I prefer the Colosseum to the Antileon without doubt...i will say that there is a tonal density to the Antileon in the keyboard and strings which i think is an element where i would personally seek to improve...or 'put it back' into the Colosseum. Compared to the Antileon, the Colosseum is "95%-97%" of the Antileon in this one regard. The challenge is that with this extra 3%-5% in tonal density also came a heaviness in several areas, including the treble, speed of bass and sense of speed and lightness of atmosphere in comparison to the Colosseum. The bass slam of the Antileon is less articulate, slower than the Colosseum but it is perhaps, "5%-7%" subjectively more powerful.
The Colosseum gives the natural tonality, extension, speed and 'light' in the treble which overall delivers a superior, more natural sense of balance in presentation than the Antileon. There is far less sense of an emphasis or 'bias' to where within the spectrum one listens. You can listen to strings, piccolos, bass, mids...wherever you like. With the Antileon, you are drawn with almost any music to the mids, tonal density of the keyboard strikes and pulsing (but not necessarily superbly detailed) bass.
The Colosseum also lacks a distinct 'grain' that you could really hear with the Antileon (in comparison to the Colosseum)...it is faster, far more articulate in the bass, and the upper registers are entirely different...extension, detail, light, agile and with a density of tone that really allows strings to soar with the power that you hear in real life. The Antileon could not do this. And the pure Class A nature of the Colosseum means you still get wonderful purity of tonality in the mids and across the whole sound spectrum. Noise floor also much lower and thus far greater detailing.
At the same time, one is also less likely to be drawn to the midrange keyboard strikes with the Colosseum not just because of the superior balance...but also because i [perceive] the tonal density of keyboard strikes is perhaps just that 3%-5% touch less 'rich' than the Antileon...again for many good reasons (speed, superior balance, etc)...but it appears perhaps the Mephisto has put that one element, that extra 3%-5% back in without all of the Antileon's drawbacks. It is almost as if with the Colosseum, the pianist did not strike the keyboard as hard, and instead his fingering flew over the keyboard more lightly...the problem is that it sounds less like when you are actually playing the piano (which i studied for 12 years). I surmise from the Mephisto post on myhighend.com that Peter put above...that this 3%-5% has been put back in without all the Antileon's drawbacks...Not easy to do! And magical when it works!!!...that is what i am surmising based on my own observations of owning Antileon and Colosseum...and reading the 'rusty' translation of the Mephisto post.
In addition, the owner seems to suggest that the level of detail is extraordinary and beyond the Colosseum...i would imagine an even lower noise floor? Much of the latest generation equipment from many manufacturers (ARC, CJ, DCS, etc) seems to have dramatically improved on this element, which has naturally resulted in far greater detail being revealed that was originally obscured below the old higher noise floor. Sounds like the Mephisto has done the same and even further lowered the noise floor beyond even the level of the Colosseum.
Anyone else have any other observations either from hearing it in person, or from reading the myhiend.com post...but in the original Chinese? thanks!!!