In For Review: Vanatoo Transparent One Active monitors

[Andre Marc]

Hi guys, I just received in for review a pair of Transparent One active monitors
from Vanatoo. The guys who designed this speaker are pals of our own Gary Koh,
of Genesis. He spoke highly of them, which peaked my interest.

 

[JackD201]

Yeah, Gary says those babies rock.

 

[garylkoh]

Oh dear.... there goes all my credibility

 

[Andre Marc]

Oh dear.... there goes all my credibility

Hookin' them up tonight!

 

[treitz3]

Hello, Andre. From one review I just ran across.... http://www.audiostream.com/content/vanatoo-transparent-one-powered-speakers

If I had one itch that went unscratched it would be their somewhat dark overall sonic character which is perhaps better described as being mid-bass rich. Cymbals don't have all of their sheen, trumpets don't bite as hard as I've heard from other speakers and the complete rainbow of sonic colors is delivered a tad muted.

That's one heck of an itch in my book.

Tom

 

[Andre Marc]

Hello, Andre. From one review I just ran across.... http://www.audiostream.com/content/vanatoo-transparent-one-powered-speakers



That's one heck of an itch in my book.

Tom

I'm going in with a clean slate. Michael Lavorgna does a great job with Audiostream, but often I hear things
a bit different then he does...its all good.

There is a new review that just appeared in StereoMojo too.

http://www.stereomojo.com/Vanatoo%20Transparent%20One%20Speaker%20Review/VanatooTransparentOneSpeakerReview.htm

 

[garylkoh]

Hello, Andre. From one review I just ran across.... http://www.audiostream.com/content/vanatoo-transparent-one-powered-speakers

That's one heck of an itch in my book.

Tom

I guess it depends on what you are comparing them to. When I compared them to my own G7p's I would have said the same thing, but then my speakers are 7 times the price, and you need to add an amplifier, and still doesn't have the rollicking good bass of the Vanatoos.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I'm interested in knowing why you look at reviews prior to doing your own?

 

[treitz3]

Thanks, Andre. I'm not familiar with that reviewer. In fact, I'm not familiar with any reviewers at all. I have always relied on my ears to tell me whether something is good or not. Not others observations. I just so happened to glance through this article and came across what was quoted above. Sounded rather bad to me, is all. Looking forward to your review. Until then, I think I'll slide out for now...

Tom

 

[Andre Marc]

I'm interested in knowing why you look at reviews prior to doing your own?

I often read a review of a product I am interested in prior to any review arrangement. I read the Audiostream review
several months ago. I have not read the StereoMojo one.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I often read a review of a product I am interested in prior to any review arrangement. I read the Audiostream review
several months ago. I have not read the StereoMojo one.

Thanks Andre!

 

[Andre Marc]

Thanks Andre!

I'm just like any consumer in this hobby...I read reviews..and I'm always on the look out
for cool new innovative products.

 

[Peter Breuninger]

I think Emotiva has a product or two in this space. Andre, if so... give it a comparison. I know Emotiva's house sound is not veiled...

"Cymbals don't have all of their sheen, trumpets don't bite as hard as I've heard from other speakers and the complete rainbow of sonic colors is delivered a tad muted." like Micheal writes about this product. Nonetheless, the Vanatoo sure looks like a value play.

 

[Andre Marc]

I think Emotiva has a product or two in this space. Andre, if so... give it a comparison. I know Emotiva's house sound is not veiled...

"Cymbals don't have all of their sheen, trumpets don't bite as hard as I've heard from other speakers and the complete rainbow of sonic colors is delivered a tad muted." like Micheal writes about this product. Nonetheless, the Vanatoo sure looks like a value play.

Hi Peter.

I've tried to contact Emotiva in the past, and they seem to not want to return my calls.

None the less, I reviewed the Paradigm SHIFT active monitors, which is very similar product. Actually,
Michael reviewed those too.

 

[Andre Marc]

I think Emotiva has a product or two in this space. Andre, if so... give it a comparison. I know Emotiva's house sound is not veiled...

"Cymbals don't have all of their sheen, trumpets don't bite as hard as I've heard from other speakers and the complete rainbow of sonic colors is delivered a tad muted." like Micheal writes about this product. Nonetheless, the Vanatoo sure looks like a value play.

BTW..when you called Ayon the "Bugatti of audio"...that was spot on. I love their stuff.

 

[WLVCA]

Hi Peter.

I've tried to contact Emotiva in the past, and they seem to not want to return my calls.

None the less, I reviewed the Paradigm SHIFT active monitors, which is very similar product. Actually,
Michael reviewed those too.

You are the second reviewer I've heard make that remark in the past week. You'd think they'd be happy to get reviews.

I had a pair of the Emotiva Airmotiv 4's I used nearfield in a desktop application. Just shipped them off to my son when he expressed some interest in moving up from computer speakers and mp3's.

 

[Andre Marc]

You are the second reviewer I've heard make that remark in the past week. You'd think they'd be happy to get reviews.

I had a pair of the Emotiva Airmotiv 4's I used nearfield in a desktop application. Just shipped them off to my son when he expressed some interest in moving up from computer speakers and mp3's.

No kidding. Well I don't take it personally. I was taught it is common courtesy to return phone calls. I have heard plenty of "no". I was in sales for a good part of my professional life!

Well what did you think of them.

 

[WLVCA]

No kidding. Well I don't take it personally. I was taught it is common courtesy to return phone calls. I have heard plenty of "no". I was in sales for a good part of my professional life!

Well what did you think of them.

I thought they were a nice little speaker, definitely for nearfied as they didn't have a wide dispersion pattern.

The ribbon tweeter was very good in my opinion. Not a ton of bass (4 " woofer) but what was there was solid.

I bought them on a whim just to check them. I may try them again but move up to the Airmotiv 5.

 

[opus111]

That's one heck of an itch in my book.

I concur - and I put it down to the choice of classD for amplification. Seems a strange choice to me at that power level (60W) when the requisite heatsink for a suitable classB chipamp would most likely comfortably fit on the back panel.

<edit> After looking more closely at the back panel, I see its in the main occupied by the passive radiator so maybe this is what led to the choice of classD.

 

[Andre Marc]

I concur - and I put it down to the choice of classD for amplification. Seems a strange choice to me at that power level (60W) when the requisite heatsink for a suitable classB chipamp would most likely comfortably fit on the back panel.

<edit> After looking more closely at the back panel, I see its in the main occupied by the passive radiator so maybe this is what led to the choice of classD.

From my experience, almost all the active monitors I have seen use class D. This is a little bit of a different design.

The signal stays digital all the way until output.