Sonus Faber Aida

[microstrip]

any issues with the downward firing sub against your hard wood floor

Have you used any of the trim switches on the back

The hard floor is glued using a special compound to a concrete slab deposited in a sand an gravel box - no problems here. All tonal controls still a "0" position and back speaker at "1" - they can be set between 0 and 4.

 

[Steve Williams]

1 is where we had it in Scottsdale

 

[DEV]

Still a long way until I can have an opinion. One thing is sure - after two days of moving them, taken measurements and a few listening sessions there is something permanent on them - an easiness and proper integration of the treble in the whole spectrum that bewitches us. They are faster than the SoundLabs and do not suffer from the problem that Andromedaaudio referred - sounding slow because of the bass.

Still dealing with the suckouts and peaks bellow the Schroeder frequency - I have put in place again the lateral Flutterfree panels for the preliminary tests. Moving the speakers and listening position I found I can get response down to 19 Hz - but with a suckout around 55Hz.

Listening this morning I found I have already had them in a better position - but I am not sure anymore where they were positioned at that best spot. Next week I will start a more systematic approach to setup, using also the CARA software - simulation is less violent that moving these 160 Kg objects and sometimes more rewarding!

Thanks for sharing the pic, what electronics are you using ARC?

When I read you were getting these speakers "knowing they are large and costly" but then seeing your pic wasn't what I had imagined "specially being placed so close to the side walls".

Sonic wise would they not perform better with say at least 3ft space away from the side walls? I'm sure you will have fun.

Are you planing on trying any other amps to drive them?

 

[microstrip]

Thanks for sharing the pic, what electronics are you using ARC?

When I read you were getting these speakers "knowing they are large and costly" but then seeing your pic wasn't what I had imagined "specially being placed so close to the side walls".

Sonic wise would they not perform better with say at least 3ft space away from the side walls? I'm sure you will have fun.

Are you planing on trying any other amps to drive them?

Yes, I am sure that they would prefer a wider room, but it is what I have. Anyway they are sounding better than anything I have owned before and curiously they make my room sound bigger - if I seat and close my eyes I do not feel the speakers.

Although I am using now ARC on them, I would like to try my old Atmasphere MA2's again. And may be some 845's pushpull amplifier!

 

[LL21]

When I read you were getting these speakers "knowing they are large and costly" but then seeing your pic wasn't what I had imagined "specially being placed so close to the side walls". Sonic wise would they not perform better with say at least 3ft space away from the side walls? I'm sure you will have fun.

I will say that Wiilson often set up their big X1s and X2s close to the corners...I have seen the photo of Conrad Johnson's listening room and they had X1s in exactly the same position as Wilson put them here in my place...quite close to the corners and toed in. I wonder if Microstrip has discovered something similar with the Aidas?

 

[MylesBAstor]

I will say that Wiilson often set up their big X1s and X2s close to the corners...I have seen the photo of Conrad Johnson's listening room and they had X1s in exactly the same position as Wilson put them here in my place...quite close to the corners and toed in. I wonder if Microstrip has discovered something similar with the Aidas?

My experience is that there's a tradeoff between the distance between the front/side wall and speakers when it comes to obviously bass and soundstage depth. I would seem to feel that depth would be compromised if too close to the front wall. To wit, when LAMM/Wilson exhibit at CES sounded the best, they had the speakers pulled out into the room and away from the side wall and a huge stage. Of course, the same goes for HP.

 

[DEV]

Yes, I am sure that they would prefer a wider room, but it is what I have. Anyway they are sounding better than anything I have owned before and curiously they make my room sound bigger - if I seat and close my eyes I do not feel the speakers.

Although I am using now ARC on them, I would like to try my old Atmasphere MA2's again. And may be some 845's pushpull amplifier!

Like any new speaker its always a learning curve, amp wise in relation to what you mention appears you will have allot of fun experiencing what each manufacture and design has to offer and in the end your preference.

How many hours are recommended for these to be broken-in? I have found with some speakers I have owned over the years some drivers in these speakers don't always interact properly so the speakers are not coherent, always best to just log hours on them and then at that point start with comparisons.

I usually just place them in the same spot that my last ones were if they are of a similar design.

Even trying different positions being a waist of energy, if those drivers are doing weird things I prefer to just wait until they settle down.

 

[DEV]

My experience is that there's a tradeoff between the distance between the front/side wall and speakers when it comes to obviously bass and soundstage depth. I would seem to feel that depth would be compromised if too close to the front wall. To wit, when LAMM/Wilson exhibit at CES sounded the best, they had the speakers pulled out into the room and away from the side wall and a huge stage. Of course, the same goes for HP.

Depending on speaker designs them selves I have found over the years there are differences for sure but that being said my personal preference being as Miles has written, I always seem to prefer having the speakers away from the side walls by at least 2 1/2 - 3ft if it's a smaller room for my preferred sound stage and tonality.

Adding to that if the speakers are too close it's pretty hard for any performers or instruments to be out side of the speakers.

 

[DEV]

I will say that Wiilson often set up their big X1s and X2s close to the corners...I have seen the photo of Conrad Johnson's listening room and they had X1s in exactly the same position as Wilson put them here in my place...quite close to the corners and toed in. I wonder if Microstrip has discovered something similar with the Aidas?

I have seen this also but have you experimented with other positions? If you have what were your finding sonic wise? What did you experience?

Referring to Miicrostrip's set-up it appears that there is some distance to the back wall behind the speakers and are just close to the side walls and not as per your mention above. In the end it all comes down to a preference for sure but I have never preferred a set-up of a speaker in this mannerism.

 

[LL21]

My experience is that there's a tradeoff between the distance between the front/side wall and speakers when it comes to obviously bass and soundstage depth. I would seem to feel that depth would be compromised if too close to the front wall. To wit, when LAMM/Wilson exhibit at CES sounded the best, they had the speakers pulled out into the room and away from the side wall and a huge stage. Of course, the same goes for HP.

Agree...I can hear the superior depth in other X1 and X2 setups. At the same time, i rarely if ever listen in *** actual sweetsopt. i tend to work while i listen so i am off to one side, and thus i care most about tonal purity, detail, decay and total extension and bass.

 

[MylesBAstor]

OK here's two examples Wilson XLF set up in a room. Little different than I've seen before. BTW, this is Jacob Heilbrun's room.

 

[microstrip]

(...) I wonder if Microstrip has discovered something similar with the Aidas?

Lloyd,

Still too many things to discover with the Aida's. Currently I am trying the Aida's at their maximum inter speaker distance and moving them in small increments from back to front taking FRs and listening. This is the most critical adjustment in my long room. As soon as I find a few longitudinal places I will try approaching them. It is a slow process - as soon as I sit to listen , I interrupt the tests for some time ...

 

[LL21]

View attachment 3574 View attachment 3575 OK here's two examples Wilson XLF set up in a room. Little different than I've seen before. BTW, this is Jacob Heilbrun's room.

Nice! Thanks.

 

[LL21]

Lloyd,

Still too many things to discover with the Aida's. Currently I am trying the Aida's at their maximum inter speaker distance and moving them in small increments from back to front taking FRs and listening. This is the most critical adjustment in my long room. As soon as I find a few longitudinal places I will try approaching them. It is a slow process - as soon as I sit to listen , I interrupt the tests for some time ...

Good luck.

 

[andromedaaudio]

Hello microstrip i am sure they are a bit broken in now , any updates as to how they sound /compared to the wilson maxx 3 would be nice ???
greetings hj

 

[microstrip]

Hello microstrip i am sure they are a bit broken in now , any updates as to how they sound /compared to the wilson maxx 3 would be nice ???
greetings hj

Andromedaaudio,
For some logistic and irrational reasons I am using a different setup during the burn-in phase and only next week I hope to have all my usual system playing with the Aidas's - I will then report on my impressions.
I can see they are quite different from the MAXX3 - curiously in same aspects, such as treble airiness, they are closer to the SoundLab's.

 

[Tonepub]

Almost done with our review on the Aida... I have to say this is a fantastic speaker in every way. And they are certainly one of the most beautiful as well.

 

[microstrip]

Almost done with our review on the Aida... I have to say this is a fantastic speaker in every way. And they are certainly one of the most beautiful as well.

Jeff,

Waiting impatiently to read it. And I am sure most of our members share my feelings!

I do not have the expertise to write a review, and probably my superlatives probably could not compete with yours, but I am really pleased with the fantastic Aida's. Did you compare them with your ESL57? Just to please my audiophile curiosity I replaced the Aida's by a pair of ESL63 for a few days and was astonished by how close their tonal balance is. For the first time I did not experience the immediate feeling of changing to a shoe box speaker after listening to an electrostatic when coming back to the Aida. And the Aida is a much more complete speaker than the ESL63, as revealing as the latter, but also much more exigent in terms of amplification and cables.

 

[DaveyF]

Jeff,

Waiting impatiently to read it. And I am sure most of our members share my feelings!

I do not have the expertise to write a review, and probably my superlatives probably could not compete with yours, but I am really pleased with the fantastic Aida's. Did you compare them with your ESL57? Just to please my audiophile curiosity I replaced the Aida's by a pair of ESL63 for a few days and was astonished by how close their tonal balance is. For the first time I did not experience the immediate feeling of changing to a shoe box speaker after listening to an electrostatic when coming back to the Aida. And the Aida is a much more complete speaker than the ESL63, as revealing as the latter, but also much more exigent in terms of amplification and cables.

Micro, isn't it amazing after all these years that we can still compare a SOTA speaker against Quads ( of any vintage) to see how it compares. Peter Walker really hit one out of the park with his original speakers. I sometimes think that one could buy a pair of Quads and call it a day. Perhaps one of these days, i might do this for a second system. I still have VERY fond memories of the first time I heard a pair of stacked original Quads hooked up to a tube amp ( cannot remember the particular amp), but it still stays with me to this day as one of the best reproduced sounds I have ever heard in this hobby.

 

[microstrip]

Micro, isn't it amazing after all these years that we can still compare a SOTA speaker against Quads ( of any vintage) to see how it compares. Peter Walker really hit one out of the park with his original speakers. I sometimes think that one could buy a pair of Quads and call it a day. Perhaps one of these days, i might do this for a second system. I still have VERY fond memories of the first time I heard a pair of stacked original Quads hooked up to a tube amp ( cannot remember the particular amp), but it still stays with me to this day as one of the best reproduced sounds I have ever heard in this hobby.

Davey,
Quads are still a reference for tonal balance and love tube amplifiers - my greatest experience with them was using OTLs. If operated within their limitations they can sound great, but they can not play with safety rock or any type of music that asks for large dynamics or deep bass. In these later aspects, added to those related to scale, impact and the feeling of being there the Aida's play in different championship.