Aries Cerat - Pallas Speaker

[Phantom-Audio]

I wanted to spotlight the Aries Cerat Pallas speaker, which made its debut at the Munich 2025 High-End Audio Show. Before its unveiling, I spent 10 days in Cyprus listening to and getting familiar with this remarkable speaker, followed by a few days in Munich, where I spent early mornings and evenings asking Stavros to replay familiar tracks. My goal? To hear how the speakers performed in both factory and showroom settings.

These are just my personal, unbiased impressions. No speaker is perfect, but experience teaches us it’s about finding the ones that truly resonate—emotionally and musically. Having lived with studio monitors, audiophile speakers, and field coil horns (while always admiring Western Electric systems), I couldn’t resist diving deeper into this journey.

As I understand it—though Stavros or others can correct me if I’m off—the Pallas features 8 drivers per speaker, 4 on each side, totaling 16 x 12-inch bass drivers. These are powered by 16 Class D amplifiers. The mid-bass horn houses an 8-inch compression field coil driver, the midrange uses a modified 666 driver from Horn Solutions, and the tweeter is a large RAAL ribbon horn-loaded design.

The system incorporates technology similar to the Contendo and Aurora, allowing fine-tuning of the bass, midrange, and tweeter via a Bluetooth app—all in the analog domain.

Yes, it’s a massive speaker, and no, it won’t appeal to every audiophile due to its size and price. It demands space to breathe. However, with its control system, it can be tuned to perform beautifully in medium to large rooms, offering full control over the midrange, mid-bass, and the array of 16 bass drivers. This flexibility ensures it can adapt to the room’s design and acoustics.

So how does it sound, how did it behave from the factory floor to the Show room. How does it compare to the Contendo and Aurora.

I’ll share the rest of my findings in the next post.


Below are Shots taken at Munich!

 

[Phantom-Audio]

Let’s start with Cyprus. The Pallas was paired with a range of preamps, amps, and DACs, including the Quintdecim 15-watt amplifier, the Odysseas TriodeFET from the Legend Series, the Pondera, Incite S, and Aether preamps, and DACs like the Homerus, Helene, Kassandra, and Ithaka.

No matter the setup, one thing about the Pallas stood out—its ability to energise a room like no other speaker I’ve heard, except perhaps the Western Electric 12B Horns. The sound doesn’t just project; it fills the space, maintaining perfect tonality and focus no matter where you stand. It grabs your attention effortlessly, never feeling aggressive.

The presentation is relaxed yet powerful, with music blooming naturally in the air. the Pallas doesn’t just play music—it creates an experience. Nothing felt forced; it was pure, natural, pleasing sound.

Even as we swapped electronics, the Pallas’s transparency and detail shone through. Compared to the Contendo, it revealed more nuance and precision, scaling effortlessly with the music. Its speed and dynamics kept everything engaging, drawing you in and holding you there.

On the 5th day in Cyprus, I found myself constantly reflecting on the Pallas, much like I did with the Contendos. The experience it left behind was a mix of excitement and mystery—a feeling so profound, it’s hard to capture in words. Cyprus was truly an eye-opening journey, and Stavros, ever the gentleman, went above and beyond to ensure we experienced every amp, preamp, and DAC paired with this remarkable speaker.

While everything we heard performed at a level far beyond what most audiophile setups could dream of, the real magic happened when the Aether Preamp and Odysseas amplifier entered the mix. In that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder—what would I need to sell to make this speaker mine?

 

[Phantom-Audio]

There’s more to say. The Pallas has been the most exciting speaker I’ve encountered, yet also the hardest to describe. It delivers a level of energy and presence I’ve never experienced before, making it nearly impossible to put the feelings and emotions it evokes into words. Since returning from Cyprus, every other speaker I’ve listened to feels underwhelming in comparison.

That said, I have to remind myself—the Pallas is far from your typical audiophile speaker. Its sheer size, weight, and cost are factors that demand serious consideration. Yet, for all its grandeur, it’s a speaker that redefines what’s possible, leaving a lasting impression on anyone fortunate enough to experience it. More to Follow Soon!


Some more iPhone shots

 

[Phantom-Audio]

The Pallas shares its driver with the Aurora, featuring Horn Solutions’ modern take on the Western Electric 555 compression driver—now updated with a permanent magnet instead of the original field coil system.

While the two share a foundation, the Pallas sets itself apart with a midrange that’s more open and transparent, yet still lush and textured. It adds greater detail without losing the satisfying “meat on the bone” richness that makes the Aurora so enjoyable. Vocals, in particular, shine with natural weight and texture, delivering an organic, addictive listening experience.

The midbass horn uses an 8-inch field coil compression driver with a custom phase plug, powered by a solid-state supply housed in the crossover cabinet. This choice likely shortens the horn length, keeping the speaker compact compared to the mighty Contendo’s midbass horn—a smart balance of performance and practicality.

Unlike most tweeters, which lose energy at a distance, the Pallas’ horn-loaded tweeter, set deep in its own chamber, maintains consistent projection even at 7-10 meters. This design fills the room with steady, immersive energy, conveying emotion and detail effortlessly.
With smooth, refined transients and just enough bite to stay engaging, the Pallas strikes a perfect balance—delivering detail, dynamics, and a sound that feels alive and emotionally resonant.

Even with some differences between the factory floor and the show environment, the Pallas’ defining qualities shone through—a speaker that combines effortless performance with an engaging and deeply musical character.

Final thoughts, without rambling further,


So, how does the Pallas sound? While no speaker is truly perfect, the Pallas comes remarkably close to embodying what a perfect speaker should be. Its bass is tactile, deep, and precise, capable of effortlessly filling any room when called upon, yet it can also be delicate, gentle, and richly textured when the music demands it.

The midrange tonal density strikes a perfect balance between weight and rhythm, avoiding any sense of forwardness, edginess, or thinness. Vocals carry a satisfying weight, effortlessly revealing the lower registers, while the midrange remains open, transparent, smooth, and lush.

The midbass seamlessly integrates with the midrange, adding a sense of weight and scale to instruments while delivering a speed that most midrange drivers can’t match. This perfect balance of weight and speed is a key element that makes the Pallas truly special.

The tweeter has a unique quality, reminiscent of mid and long-throw studio monitors. Its consistent tonality, no matter where you sit within its sphere, is truly remarkable. And that energy I keep mentioning—you really have to experience it to understand.



Over time, I’ve encountered many speakers that lean toward extremes—some are precise and analytical but come across as cold or overly forward, while others feel too laid-back, slow, or lacking energy. Some are incredibly open and dynamic but so revealing that only pristine audiophile recordings are tolerable. Every speaker has its personality, strengths, and flaws, but the Pallas strikes a rare balance, avoiding these extremes while delivering a sound that feels both engaging and natural.

But honestly, words can only go so far. The Pallas isn’t just a speaker you listen to—it’s one that deeply satisfies, leaving you wanting more with an almost addictive pull. Isn’t that what we’re all searching for? We can discuss imaging, depth, transparency, transient response, and all the technical aspects reviewers love to dissect endlessly. But in the end, it’s about which speaker emotionally connects you to the music—one that moves you, transcending time and space. The Pallas does just that.