[gme109]

Ok I've lived with the Excelarray's for over a year now and I've had time to tweak the room and fine-tune the cabling. Not to mention finding out that I had three bad drivers, two in the right speaker and one in the left. Rick has replaced the bad drivers and they have all broken-in by now. That alone is cause for a new review, as I’ve never really heard the full potential of Excelarray’s until just recently.

Associated equipment:

Cd player: Accuphase 65V using the digital volume control.
 
Amp: Spectron Musician II.

Power cords: Virtual Dynamics Nite on CD player and Audition on amp.

Interconnects & Speaker cable: Crystal Clear Audio reference.

Room Treatments: Combination of 8th Nerve, DYI Jon Rish bass traps and DYI Owens Corning 703 panels.

Tweaks: Shakti stone on amp and cd player. ERS sheets underneath cd player and amp. DH cones used for isolation under both components.



I’ll cut to the chase. To say that I’m happy with these speakers is an understatement. After 20 plus years as an obsessive over the top audiophile, I feel like I’ve found the Holy Grail of speakers. Some will probably dismiss my ranting as that of a proud owner of a rather large speaker trying to boost his ego. Others who’ve heard Rick’s designs, especially the Excelarray’s, Incredarray’s and the Omegarray’s will know better. Within their frequency response, they are one of the best, if not the best speaker I’ve ever heard.  The only thing I’ve heard some speakers do better is play lower. One thing you get with linearray’s is, realistic soundstage height, increased dynamics, larger sweet spot and less bass interaction with the room. The Excelarray’s do all that and so much more. The Excelarray’s take the linearray formula and use some of the best drivers in the world. I’ve heard some people say that using top of the line drivers in a linearray is over kill and brings nothing more to the table in terms of sound quality. The theory being that since you are using multiple drivers you are never really stressing any one driver out all that much and can get by with drivers of lesser quality. Since when has using better parts or drivers not made a sonic difference? It may not be something that can be measured like distortion or frequency response but better driver’s equal higher resolution, greater transparency and truer to life timbre. The Ecelarrary’s are masterful at revealing subtle differences in tonal shadings. This fills the music with more emotional content and communicates the musical message very effectively. Many of times I’ve been moved to tears while listening to music that is well recorded. Transparency is another area that the Excelarray’s excel in. Easily on par with many of the electrostatic speakers I’ve heard. There are very few dynamic speakers capable of this level of transparency. Some that come to mind are the Joseph Audio Pearls and the Avalon Eidolons. Detail is also extremely abundant but without being etched or unnatural sounding. And I’m talking about microscopic detail; everything in the recording is passed along. The only other speaker I heard that revealed this kind of detail was a pair of Quads. Speaking of Quads, they are one of the most coherent loudspeakers on the planet bar none! Before I had replaced the three bad drivers in the Excelarray’s I thought the Quads had much better coherence. Now I would say the Excelarray’s are as close as I’ve heard any speaker get to the coherence of the Quads. Rick really nailed it when he blended the Newform ribbon with the six Seas Excel drivers; the Excelarray’s are seamless!  One area that the Quad’s are not very good in is macro dynamics. As expected using six 7” Seas Excel drivers per side yields tremendous macro dynamics. Probably not on par with some 100 db horn systems but as good as any dynamic speaker I’ve heard. Except maybe Rick’s new Incredarray’s which uses 10 Seas Excel W15 and is more efficient. Another important quality of a speaker that allows you to suspend your disbelief is micro dynamics. Micro dynamics breathes life into the recording and allows the ebb and flow of the music to come through. The Excelarray’s reveal the subtlest chance in volume. This also makes the Excelarray’s great for listening at low levels. I’ve heard a lot of very good speakers that just don’t seem to come alive until the volume is cranked up. Ok, by now I’m sure a lot of you are saying this guy must be delusional to be carrying on like this about a $6,000 loudspeaker. Well guess what, I’m not though yet! The soundstage on the Excelarray’s is deep, wide, layered and rock solid. I’m going to have to go back to the Quads that I once heard to tell you about the best imaging speaker I’ve ever heard. The Quads had the help of a Tact room correction device so the compassion is not really fair. The soundstage depth of the Quads / Tact system was easily 30’ to 40’ deep. Never heard a soundstage with that kind of depth from any speaker. The closest I’ve heard a speaker come was a pair of Avalon Eidolons, Kharma 1.0’s and the Excelarray’s after replacing the bad drivers.

After a little more listening I realized that I left out a few more important areas that I feel the Excelarray’s really shine in, pace and rhythm, bass impact & control, focus, neutrality and transient response.  Listening to some Pat Metheny really had me tapping my feet and playing the air drums. The transient speed and lack of bass bloat of the Excelarray’s really infused the music with energy and excitement. Also the stand up bass filled the room with articulate and well-controlled bass, which had all the impact of a live performance. One other very important thing about the Excelarray’s that really helps them portray the realism of a live performance is neutrality. This serves the music well but leaves no room for bad recording to hide. This is not to say that any recordings that are less then perfect will sound lousy. But with the lack of any added warmness or distortion the Excelarray’s will not help with making your crappy rock cd’s sound any better. They will reveal them for what they are, lousy recordings. On truly great recordings though, you are left submerged in the music.

I would like to end this review by saying that the Excelarray’s have the uncanny ability to blend all of its strengths into a very organic musical experience, one capable of transporting me into the musical event. I also want to thank Rick Craig for bringing to market a speaker of this caliber priced within the reach of most audiophiles.

http://www.selahaudio.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/excelarray1.jpg

[mgalusha]

Gary,

Does Rick Craig still sell the Exclearray? I was looking for it on his site a few weeks ago and didn't see it. I still want to hear them one of these days.

Mike

[gme109]

Gary,

Does Rick Craig still sell the Exclearray? I was looking for it on his site a few weeks ago and didn't see it. I still want to hear them one of these days.

Mike

I believe it's only available in a kit, but you would have to ask Rick about that. If it's not available as a fully assembled speaker you might have to twist his arm a little.

Gary

[mgalusha]

Gary,

Kits are good, I like building things, plus I'm a cheap bastard.

Now if Tyson doesn't doesn't nuke this post for not being a review - are you willing to have a couple of us over to hear these? I know Tyson thought highly of them and I'm pretty sure Jerry would like to hear them as well. You don't have to supply BBQ.

Mike

[Tyson]

I only heard them back when they had the bad drivers, and even then they were impressive.  I'm up for another listen

I think this "should" be in the review section, it certainly qualities....

[gme109]

Hey guys,

I'd be up for having a listening session at my place. I was thinking about this Sat. but I forgot I have a wedding to go to.  It doesn't look like the following week is going to work either. I would have time during the week in the evenings. This Thurs. or Fri. or even next week in the evenings.


Gary

[Brad V]

I have to agree with Gary's review. I think there are 2 people who have heard Gary's Excelarray's and mine, at their best. Gary had one guy a month back hear them, that flew in from out of town on business and he's going to be building a pair.

All the people who have heard mine, had either heard them with them pushed back against the wall or with that big Entertainment Center I had or with the Coffee Table and Ottoman in front of the speakers. Also, I have a very wide room and I switched the speakers, so that the ribbons are on the inside. That made a major improvement. I'm also running my speakers with a SET amp and that made a huge improvement, ot to mention Vinyl.

I personally believe that the guys who go over the Gary's now, will be speechless and wonder how this speaker is sounding better than $100K plus speakers.

Have a great day,

Brad

[coredvs]

I read some posts and saw some pics of this array but where can you get the kit?

-Phil

[Brad V]

Hi Phil,

You can get the Kit from Rick Craig at Selahaudio.

I would highly advise someone to hear it first, as it could be their last speaker system they will ever own.

At least that's the way I feel about these speakers.

Brad

[EProvenzano]

From Rick's old web site I recall reading that the excelarray was only available as a finished set.

If this has changed I'm also interested in learning about the kit.

Thanks

[gme109]

Forgot to post a picture of my Excelarray's. Here they are in my old listening room. This picture is on Rick's site in the gallery section.


http://www.selahaudio.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/excelarray1.jpg

[Brad V]

From Rick's old web site I recall reading that the excelarray was only available as a finished set.

If this has changed I'm also interested in learning about the kit.

Thanks

I believe Rick has taken them off as a finished set, however I still believe they are available as a kit. If they're not, I know some people who have been saving money, so that they can build it and they won't be too happy. I couldn't think of any reason that Rick wouldn't offer it as a kit anymore.

[ooheadsoo]

I think Rick just hasn't gotten around to finish updating his new web site layout yet.

[coredvs]

I didn't see them on Rick's web site.  What Sea's drivers do they use and what Newform tweeter...the R45's?  Does anyone have box drawings and x-over schematics for the true DIY'er?  

I sent and Email to Rick asking for these things but if this is such a good design why not make the information available to anyone who might attempt it even if you don't offer the kit.

-Phil

[Al Garay]

Phil,

Do a search for Excelarray and you should be able to find the details. There have been several reviews and threads about them.

My recollection is that it uses 6 Seas Excel W18EX woofers and the Newform R45 ribbons.  It is one of the most beautiful looking speakers and that's just from looking at pictures of Brad's system.

Don't expect Rick to offer this design for free. Some people who have listened to them consider the cost a bargain.

Al

[PeteG]

Gary,
 All I what to know is how long before I can hear some vinyl
on your Excelarray's  


I would luv to have another listen.

[Brad V]

Phil,

Do a search for Excelarray and you should be able to find the details. There have been several reviews and threads about them.

My recollection is that it uses 6 Seas Excel W18EX woofers and the Newform R45 ribbons.  It is one of the most beautiful looking speakers and that's just from looking at pictures of Brad's system.

Don't expect Rick to offer this design for free. Some people who have listened to them consider the cost a bargain.

Al

Hi Phil,

You are right about the drivers.

The first comment I hear from people who come to hear my system, is that they look so much better in person. So, if you like the looks from the pictures, you'd love them in person.

Brad

[Brad V]

Gary,
 All I what to know is how long before I can hear some vinyl
on your Excelarray's  


I would luv to have another listen.

I've been trying to talk Gary into Vinyl for a long time now. For now you'd have to travel to North Carolina to hear the Excelarray's with Vinyl. My Vinyl collection is building and has now topped 1,500 LP's.

Brad

[gme109]

Gary,
 All I what to know is how long before I can hear some vinyl
on your Excelarray's  


I would luv to have another listen.

Hi Pete,

Your listening room looks pretty nice. I'd love to have a vinyl set up some day. Until then, I almost don't want to hear any cd/vinyl comparisons, it makes it too hard to listen to digital.

[Guan]

Hi Gary,

What was wrong with the 3 drivers and how did you realize they were faulty?

Just curious as my Tyler Linbrook speakers use similar drivers.

Guan