[isaacrivera]

A couple of months after upgrading my amp from a Cambridge Audio 640A V2 integrated to a Primaluna Prologue Premium it was clear that I needed to upgrade my speakers, currently a pair of Epos M12.2 bookshelves. Initially I had thought I would spend around $2K. However I want to make a significant improvement from my current set, so after some research I decided I would go as high as $5K for the right pair.

The first pair I heard was a pair of Devore Fidelity 3XLs. I won't comment on those on this post. I do not think the listening room and components were fair to the speakers so I am putting those aside for now...

Most recently I have had the opportunity to compare the Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Concert Grand vs. Canalis Audio Cambria at my local dealer during a 2 auditions. Originally I went in with the Beethoven Concert Grands in mind and my dealer, Kerry Bright, thought it'd be interesting for me to listen to the Cambrias as well...

Both times the basic set up was a KRELL S-350a CD player and a Primaluna Dialogue Premium fitted with Tung Sol KT120's. Power, interconnect and speaker cables by Nordost.

During both listening sessions I made A/B comparisons  of tracks that I find drive my current speakers to the edge. Some of these were:

Aarvo Part, Arbos, 2000 ( http://www.amazon.com/Arbos-A-Part/dp/B0000260TR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373471517&sr=8-1&keywords=arbos ) - The first track on this CD, Arbos has a ear splitting orchestration of brass winds and cymbals with a low background rolling bass percussion. On my Epos' I have to raise volume to almost uncomfortable levels to be able to appreciate the drums, which sound more like a continuous note than a drum roll. Some other tracks on this CD feature deep male baritone voice and dark organ and I find myself raising and lowering the volume between tracks to find balance.

LTJ Bukem, Journey Inwards, 2000 ( http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Inwards-Ltj-Bukem/dp/B00004SGS5/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1373472783&sr=1-1&keywords=ltj+bukem+journey+inwards ) - CD A, first track. This is a superb recording with unbelievable aural projection and three-dimensionality. Again very dynamic with lots of cymbals and deep acoustic bass finger work. Very challenging for my Epos'.

Central Asian Tales, 2008 by various Mongolian artists ( http://www.amazon.com/Central-Asian-Tales/dp/B006HOIKWI/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1373472946&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=central+asian+tales ) - This CD's tracks 3 and 4 feature some of the highest and lowest human voices I have ever heard. The recording is lush with amazing resolution.

Nick Warren, Back To Mine, 2001 ( http://www.amazon.com/Back-Mine-Nick-Warren/dp/B00005QD9V/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1373473338&sr=1-1&keywords=nick+warren+back+to+mine ) - Track 6 is Jam and Spoon in Dub Mix of Moby's Go. Towards the 4:30 mark this track features a deep bass drump pump and midrange and highs keyboard synthesizer that require a lot of agility and speed from a speaker. The Epos' have a fair rendition of this track but I always feel it is performing at its edge on both ends of the frequency spectrum, straining a little bit.

I heard other less challenging, more musical viole and harpsichord pieces by Marain Marais and Handel organ concertos opus 4 to get an less extreme sense of musicality and color.

Overall, each time the Beethoven Grands gave a much warmer sense of the music which made it feel fuller and more visceral, as if you were listening with your whole body and not just your ears, whereas the Cambrias felt thinner and brighter by comparison. However, the Cambrias resolution was just shocking--where on the Beethovens you can feel the finger on the acoustic bass' string on the Cambrias you can feel the hairs of the finger of the acoustic bass' string. Another difference was "air" around the instruments, specially as the music gets momentous or requires a lot of speed. The Cambrias seem to resolve more separation of instruments on more massive music. On the Nick Warren's Moby track the Cambrias give a clearly defined sharp bass edge whereas the Beethovens feel fuller but lazier, softer and almost leave you wanting more definition. In neither speaker I felt like adjusting the volume levels constantly to hear more or avoid fatigue.

After the first listening session I was a bit confused. I had initially wanted to like the Vienna Acoustics' as they are gorgeous and are always very well reviewed and they do sound more immersive, but for some reason the Canalis' kept coming back to mind.

During the second listening session besides more A/B testing I also listened to longer stretches of music on the Cambrias without immediate comparison to the Beethovens. The longer you listen to them on their own, the less I felt like I was missing the warmth of the others. I have arranged for in-home listening periods for each with my dealer starting in a couple of weeks. I guess that will be the real test.

Are any of you familiar with either of these magnificent speakers? What are your impressions?

[brj]

Nice review, Isaac, and welcome to AC!

You might want to mention your room setup, associated gear, and what type of "sound" you're looking for.  You seem equally swayed by detail and warmth, for example.

Alas, I haven't had the chance to hear either of those speakers, so I'm afraid I can't offer additional commentary.

[wisnon]

The Viennas are superb!

[Carl V]

Nice review and as brj comments a system context might be of some help
and most importantly what you are hoping to achieve.

I have heard those speakers in different rooms At different times with different music.

So I cannot make any significant comments.  What I do recall is the Vienna Grands
were in fact GRAND. Laws of  Physics being what they are, makes it difficult for the
smaller 2-way Canalis Cambria, ( I like and admire many 2 ways with 5-7" mid-woofers).

As you have already noted the contrast is between detail & envelopment. Your musical
selections are challenging Orchestral pieces or wide dynamic music.  you have 35 tube
watts on hand. How loud do you listen & what size room?

Are you dead set on buying what your local Dealer (s) have on hand?

[brj]

Just a caution.... this is a review circle, so I'd appreciate it if we could focus comments on the two speakers reviewed in the original post, rather than open it up as a general recommendations thread.

Thank you!

[isaacrivera]

Thank you all for your comments.

My listening room, my living room, is 14 X 14 x 12 feet. However the speakers will be about 6 feet apart and 3 1/2 from each wall--this is necessary due to doors at either end of the room. The speakers back could be placed up to 20 or so inches from the wall. The listening position is about 7 feet away from the speakers frontal face. This is a prewar building with complicated decorative details on the corners and around the frames of doors etc, ceiling edges have deep triple moldings for instance. There are wooden floors + furniture along the edges a leather sofa and a large marble fireplace mantle. Its an intricate room with plaster walls. I think the room has very good acoustics without any echo or weird resonance. For health reasons we do not have carpets, as we are both highly allergic to dust mites.

I think I have come to the conclusion that these listening conditions rule out the Viennas. The Canalis may work due to the bass port being frontal. In addition I am now considering the Acoustic Zen Adagios and the LSA2.1 Statements. I will post separately about those later today.

Again, thanks for your comments, your thoughts are greatly appreciated.


 

[isaacrivera]

@Carl V,

I like to listen to music loudish, but I am not sure if that is because I like loud music or because that's what my current speakers require to resolve on soft or background elements of the recordings. Whatever that may be, I tend to listen at about 40-45% or my amps volume dial setting, which my wife would find to be a bit too loud for her taste. Perhaps you can tell by the music selections of my review that I like to listen to classical, jazz and electronica with some ethnic music. In addition, I also listen to a fair amount of folk. For my ideal pair of speakers this means being very versatile. For instance, the Viennas seem to be unsurpassed with classical, while they seemed quite inferior for the speed requirements, specially at lower frequencies, of electronica, while the Cambrias seemed equally handed with different music at the cost of warmth. On viola passages, or period brass, the instruments texture on the Viennas seemed to be immersive, but, I feel, on those speakers, half of my recordings would be rendered unsatisfying.

So according to Kerry, these are 2 extremes in the speaker design spectrum at that price point. He things to get all things, warmth, resolution and speed, you need a 10K budget. At the 5K budget level one has to choose a compromise that is satisfactory to you in most situations. This is what has led me to research for something more balanced. The AZ Adagios sound like a possibility.