Zero Distortion: Apogee Duetta, Scintilla, and tussle with horns
- Thread starter bonzo75
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More here: https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2015/11/27/a-visit-with-the-stenheim-reference-statement/
JP is a friend. He and his wife are lovely people....
In Munich this year they had many bass horns. And some mehism was because the main speakers did sound less dynamic but that could have been a show thing
You mean last year? Anyway, looking forward to this year.
I was a bit harsh on them above in the sense that they did have good clarity and an effortless ease to them but that effortless ease was entirely due to what appeared to be no get up and go at all.
The trouble was that year you'd walk from the Silbatone WE 16a to the Cessaro room, and the WE 16a and GIP horns were so overwhelmingly superior by comparison. Unfortunate.
I have to say there is something deeply appealing re Stenheim
Absolutely no bells or whistles, true form following function, Old School drivers and self effacing bulletproof build
It's as if they look at the over fussy statement spkr field, and decided to provide an inert, calm, unfussy alternative to bling spkrs like Kharma Grand Exquisite, and even Wilson Alexandria etc
A true statement product that must generate 200% confidence and calm in the owner
And a lovely tube friendly mid-90s dB eff to boot
Absolutely no bells or whistles, true form following function, Old School drivers and self effacing bulletproof build
It's as if they look at the over fussy statement spkr field, and decided to provide an inert, calm, unfussy alternative to bling spkrs like Kharma Grand Exquisite, and even Wilson Alexandria etc
A true statement product that must generate 200% confidence and calm in the owner
And a lovely tube friendly mid-90s dB eff to boot
I've heard direct comparison demo with the Stenheims and your local brand Speaker Ocean Way-- sorry to be a party pooper as good as the Stenheims were-- I preferred the OW's
Maybe worth a listen to see if you agree :b
BruceD
See my show report in Positive Feedback...the Cessaros were not, IMO, among the best sounding horn speaker setups at the show.
This year Aries Cerat will return and that should be interesting...I loved them in 2014.
Brad, for €350k+ their lack of deep bass was a shocking limitation
But in terms of verve, midrange presence, flow, dynamics, I thought they were the best sound in the show
I can't quite get Ked's "meh" reaction
Just a comparison point for his thought on these Scinnies
W the Aries Cerat Symphonia horns not outputting much below 35-40 Hz, I can't see them sounding better in the deep bass than those Gammas
But in terms of verve, midrange presence, flow, dynamics, I thought they were the best sound in the show
I can't quite get Ked's "meh" reaction
Just a comparison point for his thought on these Scinnies
W the Aries Cerat Symphonia horns not outputting much below 35-40 Hz, I can't see them sounding better in the deep bass than those Gammas
I think it’s unfair to compare the Scintilla to the Gammas at Munich. A speaker like Gammas will never be set up at Munich properly, so it won’t sound as complete. On the other hand, if it is indeed a good speaker, any speaker that size will have more scale and weight than the Scintilla and is made for much bigger rooms, so should be compared to FR, Grands, Trios (or big cones like Alexandria and Arrakis). The only thing Scintilla will do despite its size over the bigger giants (apart from the FR) is midrange.
Sure Ked
The reason why I mentioned the Gammas was just a reference point
We so disagree on Animas, Duos, Liszts, that I wanted to get something that we both listened to in the same room at the same time to compare
I wouldn't have thought Scinnies and Gammas would have the same scale
It was more the palpability/excitement/texture thing that I was interested in
But this might be a mute point since I thought the Gammas, and the Liszts before them, we're so much more impressive than you did
The reason why I mentioned the Gammas was just a reference point
We so disagree on Animas, Duos, Liszts, that I wanted to get something that we both listened to in the same room at the same time to compare
I wouldn't have thought Scinnies and Gammas would have the same scale
It was more the palpability/excitement/texture thing that I was interested in
But this might be a mute point since I thought the Gammas, and the Liszts before them, we're so much more impressive than you did
There is one tweak...the mid section pivots by remote control. Needed feature as these 200kg boxes will not be moved onced placed! $500K for the set.
I'd argue it probably articulates bass better than virtually any other speaker technology. There's virtually nothing out there that gives you as much insight into actually following a bass player play than the aforesaid. At least, according to me. And I am right, naturally
Review on positive feedback on triangle art TT, the guy owns the scintilla. He heard the triangle art in his system and bought it, he was searching for the Micro seiki 5000. But references to scintilla in the review http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue73/triangle_art.htm
Having heard both I would agree with the assessment of the Cessaros lacking bass (despite the enormous size) but I did not feel it was in anyway best sound in the show but the Aries Cerat speakers have great sounding bass (at least they did in the room in 2014), powerful, textured and resolved.
I have heard Christoph's Scintillas as well as other restored ones and non-restored ones and they are a good speaker, no question. They don't do dynamics like a good horn though but can be just or even more resolving and pretty good at micro-dynamics (although I think good electrostats are better at this).
As from my Positive Feedback report, the Living Voice system was the best I heard at the show bar none.
Stats are better at detail. I don't like their thin sound anymore. Did love it once. Though I still think they are a great value buy and easier to run, except for Soundlabs which require giant rooms. I find most horns to have compromised bass and dynamics. Except for trios, and a couple of small bespoke manufacturers. Too many crossover issues, box/cabinet colorations, bass sounding different from the midrange, etc etc. Sure, they sound fast and immediate but quite disparate.
Brad and Ked, we all hear things so differently
As it ever was
I feel Cessaros are all of a piece (bass extension being an issue in the Gammas at Munich but not the Liszts in N London)
Ked is truly underwhelmed, you were unimpressed
I felt the sound at Munich was truly continuous and thrilling
Brad, you loved the Living Voice Olympian, I felt it was one of the most disparate, and saccharine sounds I've ever heard in the high end
Of course, w Ked and I disagreeing on so many baselines it's nigh on impossible to really draw any group conclusions, and so I haven't got much to add anymore
If I get the opportunity to hear well set up Scinnies, I'll try not to pass it up
As it ever was
I feel Cessaros are all of a piece (bass extension being an issue in the Gammas at Munich but not the Liszts in N London)
Ked is truly underwhelmed, you were unimpressed
I felt the sound at Munich was truly continuous and thrilling
Brad, you loved the Living Voice Olympian, I felt it was one of the most disparate, and saccharine sounds I've ever heard in the high end
Of course, w Ked and I disagreeing on so many baselines it's nigh on impossible to really draw any group conclusions, and so I haven't got much to add anymore
If I get the opportunity to hear well set up Scinnies, I'll try not to pass it up
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