Trio G3 with FMA and Wadax?
KeithR's "Dream Speaker" Search
- Thread starter KeithR
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I was probably there when you were there (Buren?) and I get you. Felt the same at the time. Came to appreciate a tube amp more when I bought my Mezzos. But could probably live with both kinds amplifications. One thing no one can deny: Avantgarde really pushes the envelope when it comes to innovation
Somehow I left off my Ultime 2 thoughts! Since I can't edit my original post (??) - here they are.
This is simply the best dynamic driver system I've heard. It has an ease, a naturalness, and a top to bottom coherency (likely as all the drivers are of the same ilk) that is truly awesome, and with a get up and go factor that shares some horn attributes. Yes, it does all the audiophile things well like imaging, soundstage, etc. but really I just sat back and enjoyed the music. Speaking of music, it really doesn't have a preferred genre - i played rock, classical, electronica, even a little jazz. I was a bit concerned on the Ultime 2 because of the rear ported bass. In Chris Hesse's room though, I didn't hear any boom. I've always found Stenheim prioritizes texture over extension (and I posited it could be because of smaller EU listening rooms), but with the Ultime 2 you really get both.
I find most big speakers to have big problems - think coherence, overly blown images, frequency/room anomolies, etc. but the Ultime 2 was an exception. And all of this was on the diminutive 100-watt WestminsterLab REIs, not a $200k/pair of amps. I think Stenheim's challenge is getting most of this goodness into a smaller package (in its Alumine line). Compared to the Alumine 5 SE, there was just much more of everything - more naturalness, more midrange resolution, more bass, more soundstage. It really does it all.
For a big speaker, the Ultime 2 is quite handsome in the flesh - it isn't enormous (and ugly) like a Wilson Alexx nor 3' deep like a big Rockport making it more placement friendly. It's genuinely amp flexible (Chris says it draws 4-5 watts on the big Darts 95% of the time) and I would love to try my baby 20-watt LTA Ultralinear on it some time. This is a great speaker, although now at ~$195k including the outrigger stands (and likely higher with tariffs coming), probably out of reach for this audiophile.
I think you would really like the Horning Eufrodite Ellipse speakers as well because they do the horn like jump without horns (on the mid and tweeter at least) being 98dB sensitivity. They are also super coherent because all drivers, including the tweeter, are paper cones. I have heard basically all the Stenheim models now and they can sound very good but they are closer to mid-sensitivity box/dome speakers in terms of jump/dynamics than a horn, whereas the Hornings are closer to horn dynamics but without any horn character.
Horning now has new field coil Eufrodites that are fantastic.
Some Dallas show speakers:
This was a new Viva speaker (and the first one I've ever heard) - to retail for ~$125k. It had active bass through dual side firing woofers that were also driven by Viva Solista stereo amps. Everything played was on tape, so had a pretty large advantage compared to other rooms based on that.
Sound-wise, I heard it twice and spent a half hour in the room in several spots. I thought it would be a midrange forward, somewhat golden/creamy sound based on Viva electronics I've heard in the past. What I heard wasn't that, and it was tough discern the actual character. If anything it was lean and didn't project well in the room like a normal horn. If I had returned to the show on Sunday, I would have stopped by at the end to compare. I considered my experience incomplete, nothing against what I heard.
Candidly, it's hard for me to think of great speakers made by amp manufacturers or vice versa. With the exception of MBL, there aren't many turn key systems that gel to my ears (think McIntosh, Linn, etc.).
This was a new Viva speaker (and the first one I've ever heard) - to retail for ~$125k. It had active bass through dual side firing woofers that were also driven by Viva Solista stereo amps. Everything played was on tape, so had a pretty large advantage compared to other rooms based on that.
Sound-wise, I heard it twice and spent a half hour in the room in several spots. I thought it would be a midrange forward, somewhat golden/creamy sound based on Viva electronics I've heard in the past. What I heard wasn't that, and it was tough discern the actual character. If anything it was lean and didn't project well in the room like a normal horn. If I had returned to the show on Sunday, I would have stopped by at the end to compare. I considered my experience incomplete, nothing against what I heard.
Candidly, it's hard for me to think of great speakers made by amp manufacturers or vice versa. With the exception of MBL, there aren't many turn key systems that gel to my ears (think McIntosh, Linn, etc.).
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Zellaton Plural Evo- that's our fearless leader Ron's head in front of me
On to the speakers, they had a wonderful midrange presence that reminded me of my old Zu Definition speakers and the Evos disappeared nicely. The widebander was clearly doing it's thing on Dean Martin. It was very natural, and compared to the normal show systems quite different. Gideon also played us some percussion type track to show soundstage, resolution, and imaging. They also excelled at these more typical audiophile criteria. Bass wasn't bloated nor shy. I couldn't get a handle really on dynamics (and at their sensitivity, would be important to me). All in a very good (although only heard 3 songs) performance on all Soulution electronics (which surprised me) and only analog in the room.
On to the speakers, they had a wonderful midrange presence that reminded me of my old Zu Definition speakers and the Evos disappeared nicely. The widebander was clearly doing it's thing on Dean Martin. It was very natural, and compared to the normal show systems quite different. Gideon also played us some percussion type track to show soundstage, resolution, and imaging. They also excelled at these more typical audiophile criteria. Bass wasn't bloated nor shy. I couldn't get a handle really on dynamics (and at their sensitivity, would be important to me). All in a very good (although only heard 3 songs) performance on all Soulution electronics (which surprised me) and only analog in the room.
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I’ve heard the Eufrodite a couple times at shows over the years and it didn’t do anything for me (good or bad). I preferred when Jeff has Cessaros in the same sized hotel room.
Updated with show reports - I didn't take many photos this year, sorry! Dallas was quite fun, and I had sweet spot room most of the day due to it being so spread out (with the exception of the MBL Extremes unfortunately)
Interesting, the YouTube videos of Catalano’s rooms sound better with Hornings than the videos with Cessaro…
Viva’s new horn speaker sounded just ok in Munich. I would like to hear it in a non-show environment…
I can attest that Jeffrey’s Cessaro rooms are absolutely amazing. Consistently one of the best for my ears.
Which speakers from Cessaro did you hear in Jeffrey's rooms? Only the Wagner would really fit comfortably in my home. Have considered it many times but after not hearing good sound in Munich too often I backed away from finding a pair.
Various iterations of the smallest one with the backloaded horn. Jeffrey knows how to set up a room, brings the best vinyl, and uses SET amps, everything I like. He varies the gear, but I find that the Tron equipment is my favorite.
Ok, that is the Wagner. It is very similar in design to my Odeons, which are also two-way back loaded horns. I haven’t been able to hear this because for some reason Ralph from Cessaro never brings them to Munich.
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