5th AudioExotics Super Hi-End Show

JackD201

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Apr 20, 2010
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..go big or go home eh?

Not what I meant really :D

Goebel made its name with its svelte bending wave speakers. This is a departure for them, particularly the use of big woofers. That they used 18" woofers instead of more typical sizes like 12" or 15" is the exclamation point. :)
 

Ron Resnick

Site Co-Owner, Administrator
Jan 24, 2015
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Jack, I wonder why they would go in a more conventional direction and release a speaker without the bending wave driver?
 

JackD201

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I'm guessing efficiency. Same reason for the large internal cabinet volumes and horn loading the ribbon tweeter as well. The Bending wave drivers require a lot more power than the amps the AE gentlemen prefer. The bending wave drivers are usually paired with near KW amps like those from Analog Domain and CH's M1s run bridged mono. I bet they'd be great with the big Tony Stark Darts too. These Divins apparently filled that huge space with amps run combined in the low hundreds. In a 100sqm room or less surely even less power would be sufficient.

A long time ago when I asked Albert what he would make for me should I go the ML3 route for my room the configuration was a bit similar. He was suggesting a horn loaded Raven, High Efficiency 7.5" mids and dual 15" TL loaded woofers. It would have been huge so that was nixed.
 

bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Apparently the AE guy challenged him to make a high efficiency design saying the previous was not sufficient. Or something to that tune
 

Stereophonic

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Jun 9, 2013
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First assistent comment:

"This is my third time to attend AE super show. In the previous two years(2015/2016), we always hear the comments from outside that the show arrangemnt is good, electronics/cables/accessories are excellent, but the room is too large for the system setting. I know it means nothing for Chris but IMPERFECT.

When everyone thought "the room is too large" is a defect that cannot be changed, Gobel Divin made everything different. The speakers were driven by a pair of ?? which are 40W per channel. It filled up the room with the size of one thousand square feet. Now no one says "the room is too large". This proves the sensitivity 98db is true for such a beast-like, 8-feet-tall with two 18-inches woofers speakers. What else brands can make that spec?"
 

Stereophonic

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Jun 9, 2013
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Another one:

"The realism, the nature of music itself is music. May I introduce you, the Divin, the only and the ultimate meaning of realism. It is not a hi-fi my friend nor ultra-fi. It is the everything, it is what we chasing for. Let's face one true fact, audio system is never a live show, that's why we can have different experiences in different systems with a same song. But People please listen to me, Divin is here and now you are so close to the nature of music, so close and really close that beats 99.99% of audio system out there. You can actually feel it touching your soul by every single note. But don't be surprise my friend, it is the nature of music."
 

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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First assistent comment:

"This is my third time to attend AE super show. In the previous two years(2015/2016), we always hear the comments from outside that the show arrangemnt is good, electronics/cables/accessories are excellent, but the room is too large for the system setting. I know it means nothing for Chris but IMPERFECT.

When everyone thought "the room is too large" is a defect that cannot be changed, Gobel Divin made everything different. The speakers were driven by a pair of ?? which are 40W per channel. It filled up the room with the size of one thousand square feet. Now no one says "the room is too large". This proves the sensitivity 98db is true for such a beast-like, 8-feet-tall with two 18-inches woofers speakers. What else brands can make that spec?"

how about -4- 7 foot tall, 750 pound, towers; with 2 towers passive and 97db, 7 ohms, with 550 watts into 8 ohm amplifiers, the other 2 towers active, with -4- 15" power subwoofers per tower, and a pair of 1000 watt amplifiers in each bass tower. and the -3db deep bass extension is 7hz, the -6db extension is 3hz.

the Evolution Acoustics MM7's with dart 458 mono blocks.

I'm not taking anything away from the Gobel Divin. but this type of authority and ability to energize and control a very large room, or even higher, is out there. it's not unique.
 

bonzo75

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Most horns have it, and two 18 inch woofers can be done in horns
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
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Well, they're selling to well heeled audiophiles who love low pwr SETs
But how many can house these in those legendary small apartments?
And it looks like this "perfect phase coherence" mated to v high efficiency is the killer combination
A Wilson Alexandria owner said his spkrs did not compare to the Divin
 
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DaveC

Industry Expert
Nov 16, 2014
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I think... hope... that there will be a move toward speakers with larger woofers. I've heard "there's no replacement for displacement" applies to audio as well as cars, but the truth is "there's no replacement for Sd" (Sd = surface area of driver) is a better match for audio. The trend to replace Sd with Xmax (maximum excursion) in order to have smaller woofers match larger woofers in total displacement doesn't work as the mechanical impedance match with air is different and efficiency goes down. The woofer with larger Sd will be lower in distortion and clearer sounding, which effects perception of the entire frequency range.

Without the two 18" woofers the Divin is a fairly ordinary mtm, and not to take away from what sounds like excellent mid/tweet drivers... imo it's the two 18" woofers that makes it what it is, and all else being equal I'd expect it to sound better vs a speaker with lesser Sd.
 

RogerD

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May 23, 2010
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I think... hope... that there will be a move toward speakers with larger woofers. I've heard "there's no replacement for displacement" applies to audio as well as cars, but the truth is "there's no replacement for Sd" (Sd = surface area of driver) is a better match for audio. The trend to replace Sd with Xmax (maximum excursion) in order to have smaller woofers match larger woofers in total displacement doesn't work as the mechanical impedance match with air is different and efficiency goes down. The woofer with larger Sd will be lower in distortion and clearer sounding, which effects perception of the entire frequency range.

Without the two 18" woofers the Divin is a fairly ordinary mtm, and not to take away from what sounds like excellent mid/tweet drivers... imo it's the two 18" woofers that makes it what it is, and all else being equal I'd expect it to sound better vs a speaker with lesser Sd.

+1
 

Stereophonic

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Jun 9, 2013
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Wow !!!!
The Divin are provoking very eloquent answers !!!
Anybody know the specs and how it sound?
I don't.
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Stereophonic, all I know is that it's claiming perfect phase coherence which someone has also said is only possible w DSP, and this has a purely analog crossover
We need some first hand reports
Where are you Jazzhead LOL?
 

YashN

New Member
Jun 28, 2015
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Always fun to see the pictures from AudioExotics shows.

Also, if anyone knows the demo music and songs used, especially oriental ones, do post them here.
 

Stereophonic

Well-Known Member
Jun 9, 2013
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More testimonials:

"2017 . The return of the Goebel.

Divin was not only the break though of Oliver Goebel’s old design. It does make the old Epoque series looks like toys.

Every one attended the show would agree that the power and energy form the Divin seemed to be limitless

It just needs a 40W Chouku to fill up the biggest room. The speed , pinpoint imaging , timbre were supreme.

WADAX’s MQA demo was very ear-opening experience. The MQA improvement over the PCM 44.1 was not subtle at all. The MQA demonstrated music with bigger sound stage , more precise image and tighter bass.

The Tripoint Troy Elite demo made me known why the AE’s forum members grab it crazily before they listening to it.

The only regret would be to order too late.

The room was full of surprise and passion. I don’t want to leave my seat at all.

But I have to visit my favourite AE brand and see what he brought to us this year.

I went to Trinity Room. The familiar sound came to me , no distortion , free from stress but wait …

It is a bit more,… the very quiet system going a step further into tranquility.

dB told me that he took all the power supply units from the golden series so that he could have more space to add the additional component into the enclosure. From my perspective, the moving away of the power supply does matter in a -140 db pre-amp system. The price for the golden series was sky high but it would last for many many years . It is a sort of eternal glory.

This the room I would like to stay as long as I could.

Thanks AE team again to bring us the a fabulous world class leading high end hifi show."
 

RogerD

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May 23, 2010
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I don't know what model Troy that is,but I would suggest that if that was taken out of the system the Divin speakers would be less impressive.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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how about -4- 7 foot tall, 750 pound, towers; with 2 towers passive and 97db, 7 ohms, with 550 watts into 8 ohm amplifiers, the other 2 towers active, with -4- 15" power subwoofers per tower, and a pair of 1000 watt amplifiers in each bass tower. and the -3db deep bass extension is 7hz, the -6db extension is 3hz.

the Evolution Acoustics MM7's with dart 458 mono blocks.

I'm not taking anything away from the Gobel Divin. but this type of authority and ability to energize and control a very large room, or even higher, is out there. it's not unique.

I also think of the rockport arrakis (1 tweeter, 2x5.25" mids, 2x8" midbass, 2x15"woofer per tower) and the exceptionally carefully designed, monocoque moulded cabinetry...and the mighty 4-tower Genesis 1s. I suppose one could add the 4-tower Wilsons (either WAMM or even XLF + dual Thors).

In terms of a 2-tower set, I suppose there are fewer that match the driver surface area which as Dave C and Roger D are pointing out makes a big difference. Arrakis is perhaps very similar in surface area and from my 'guesstimate impression' did make a pair of big Wilsons seem like Alexias.
 

spiritofmusic

Well-Known Member
Jun 13, 2013
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Hmm
I'm thinking modded Apogee Full Ranges triamped actively w big beastie Analog Domains might whip the Divin
 

Audiocrack

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2012
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Jazzhead, are you (feeling) free to comment on your experiences on this AE show? Any favourite room in your view?
 

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