German Physiks Borderland Mk IV receives 3rd Editors’ Choice award

[Basile: Locrian Audio]

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German Physiks Borderland Mk IV in black high polish polyester

Our Borderland Mk IV loudspeakers have just received their third Editors’ Choice award from The Absolute Sound. When they were originally reviewed by Matt Clott, he wrote: “…the Borderland is wonderfully coherent and natural, with deep bass that provides a solid foundation upon which the DDD driver blooms like Edelweiss in the Bavarian Alps.” The award citation in the latest issue of the magazine reads: “Finding an omni-directional speaker that works in real-world rooms can be a challenge. Finding one that is simple to set up, somewhat affordable, relatively easy to drive and sounds like music is near impossible. Yet German Physiks’ Borderland Mk IV, with its Dicks Dipole Driver (DDD) omnidirectional transducer mated to a 12" down-firing woofer in a sealed enclosure accomplishes just that. The Borderland offers a sense of live music that few other speakers convey. With a single driver reproducing the frequencies from 190Hz to 24kHz, the speaker represents a near acoustic point source, creating a holographic stage that is both palpable and believable. And that 12" sealed driver truly brings the goods while never losing its grip or unravelling”

The Absolute Sound, Issue 347; Read the full review here; For more information: https://locrian-audio.com/brands/german-physiks-loudspeakers/

 

[Basile: Locrian Audio]

 

[Basile: Locrian Audio]

The UK reviewer Terry Ellis has given the Borderland Mk IV his Best of 2024 Stand Out HiFi Product Award. He announced this in a video he posted on his YouTube channel at the end of last week. You can find the section of the video with the announcement here: https://bit.ly/3ZIYgQK.

You can download a copy of the award logo here: https://bit.ly/3BjXsbL.

Here is a good, if rather long quote from Terry’s video:

"The best sounding speaker I had here to review this year was the German Physiks Borderland Mk IV. What a stunningly good hifi speaker they are. And I think it’s the combination of the very wide-band DDD driver and how that has no crossover until the bass region. And how free-sounding the speakers are because they are not constrained by a cabinet around the DDD driver, so there’s no cabinet around the vocals, around the midrange and around the treble. So that all just sounds so free. But then, the built-in 12-inch passive subwoofer produces a lot of great bass, but also blends and supports the upper bass and vocal regions so well that you get a lovely full and warm and fantastic vocal."

Here is a link to Terry’s original very enthusiastic review of the Borderlands : https://bit.ly/4aMnBfj

 

[Basile: Locrian Audio]

Our Borderland Mk IV loudspeakers recently received an excellent review in Hi-Fi Voice, the leading audiophile magazine in the Czech Republic. It was written by their editor, Daniel Březina, a very experienced and knowledgeable writer. He was so impressed by the Borderlands that he gave them the Hi-Fi Voice Reference Award.

The review is written in Czech, but if you open it in the Chrome browser it should display a passable English translation. You can find the review here: https://bit.ly/4k1iU6M.

Here are a few quotes. I have polished the English as the translation Chrome provided needed a bit of help

"The absence of multiple drivers provides amazing coherence, especially as the DDD driver has a speed close to that of an electrostatic driver."

"In any case, the music (at least at normal volume levels) has immense drive and at the same time enormous control – the German Physiks are a model of solidity. They behave almost like monitors – clear, self-evident, faithful and only minimally influencing or “slowing down” the musical events."

"The intensity of a horn loudspeaker, the physicality of the classic domes and cones and the brilliant speed of (almost) electrostatics, create an impressively lively and detailed experience."

"And the biggest advantage is of course the rather different presentation of space, which, compared to conventional designs (and actually most omnipolars we have encountered), simply expands. It really does expand – in front of and behind the cabinets, but also around them …"

"If you want “something different”, the Borderland Mk IVs are highly recommended, precisely for their fascinating and entertaining difference."

Best regards, Basile

 

[Riverdinaudio]

Any German Physiks owners in the Chicago area or Wisconsin that would allow an audition? Preferably an Unlimited, 130 or Borderline.

 

[Hear Here]

3 years ago, I wanted to change from horn speakers to omnis as my room's semi-circular shape with centrally located speakers means the dining and kitchen areas are behind the speakers - far from ideal with horns.

I visited showrooms to listen to German Physics and MBL omnis and as expected, the listening position becomes of little significance and music sounded good from large areas of the demo rooms. However, and what sadly left me disappointed, is the huge reduction in imaging compared with horns.

Even sat in the ideal position, equidistant from both speakers, there was no way I could close my eyes and confidently point towards any individual instrument or singer. Yes, stereo was obvious but in a very vague and indistinct way. I'm stuck with my wonderful horns, where (as long as I stay in my small sweet spot) I can close my eyes and Eva Cassidy, Jennifer Warnes, Katie Melua or Emiliana Torrini is sitting on my equipment rack and singing just for me! That’s what I really love about my speakers and the nearest I’ve heard from any other speakers was from high quality electrostatics.

 

[Riverdinaudio]

Have struggled with horns my entire audio journey. Just do not satisfy long term. It is wonderful there are many paths to
audio joy. My joy is with OB and dipole panels. Magnetostatic or electrostatic. Throw in ribbons and quasi-ribbons. It is agreed that True Omnis are in a different realm all together. My HRS130 are glorious on all music.