Speaker reviewed: The Carnelian
After living with a pair of Carnelian for a couple of months I can now share my listening impressions. I should add a few details before I describe their sound. They are in a fairly large room approximately 15x30x8 (WLH) which is open to one side. After experimenting with different placements, I settled for 48” from the front wall, 40” from the side wall, 100” apart and towed in slightly about 10°. Associated equipments are a Simaudio W3 amp, a Simaudio P-5002 preamp and an Audio Aero Prima CDP. The specs Rick gave me as to efficiency and frequency response for the Carnelian seem quite accurate in my room. All listening was done without using my sub.
The strongest suit of the Carnelian is their tonal balance, clarity, imaging and ability to disappear. Although the treble is extended, the midrange focused and the bass quite adequate, no part of the frequency range is over exaggerated. Instruments are easily located not only from right to left but from front to back….great soundstage.
The treble is clear, precise and brings detail and openness to the overall sound. Midrange is clear and focused. Lead singer is centered, slightly behind the speakers and usually well above the speakers. That can vary from recording to recording. Accompanying voices, for the most part, are also clear and easily located.
Percussions are superb, fast, crystal clear with great snap….never heard anything quite like it. Good recorded cymbals sound real and great but the opposite is also true, that is, badly recorded cymbals can sound tinny. Piano is clear from low notes to high notes…without ever being congested. Actually, you can almost see the players fingers pressing each key. Piano and female voices were on the bright side of neutral at first. But after 100 hours or so and the right placement this is not an issue anymore.
Bass and midbass are never overwhelming but well defined with good fundamentals. With jazz ( I do not listen to rock very often) one can almost see the fingers plucking the strings of the bass. Rick quoted bass extension as being -3db at 42hz which would be about right in my room.
I would say as a final note that the Carnelian has the ability to paint a clear and detailed musical painting with great width and depth almost like a 3 dimensional scene. Therefore good recordings sound great while poor recordings will sound poor. These speakers will make honey taste like honey smoooooth and delicious but they will not make sugar taste like honey……….Roland
