A few years ago, I came across a rather unique set of speakers that were very intriguing for sale. The price was right, so I bought them, and had them stored away until I could move into a home that allowed me to take advantage of their attributes. I reckon their size likely scared off potential buyers, as they are rather large tower speakers. They need to be in a larger room to take advantage of the design.
So, that time has finally arrived, and was able to set them up with my equipment. I wasn't sure how they would sound, but I figured that if they didn't work out, it was worth giving these speakers a try. I've always liked big tower speakers, as I owned Legacy Signature III's for a long time before moving on. Not having to deal with subwoofers is a positive if one can make it work.
I tried looking up the information online regarding these speakers, and found very little data available. From what I could gather, they were made in the late 80's through the mid to late 90's? They are a combination of a transmission line and bass reflex design, with 2 10 inch drivers. The speakers provide a very deep and powerful bass delivery, so there is no need for subwoofers. The midrange and tweeter are a D'Appoltio configuration, with the midrange drivers from Dynaudio, and the tweeter from vifa. They are rated at 4 ohms, and seem to be efficient (90 db/w or slightly higher). They weight around 120 pounds each. They were not sold in the USA, so the speakers were shipped from Europe. It's rare to find them in North America.
So, how do they sound? In a word, GREAT! I was shocked when set them up listened to them. I am using a Mcintosh D150 preamp, and a MC152 power amp. The speakers easily fill the room with sound that easily approaches what one experiences with live music of most types with not a hint of congestion. The bass from the speakers is first rate. Listening to a jazz ensemble or symphonic music, one can easily hear the variations within the lower registers very distinctly. These speakers reveal information that other speakers I've owned or heard in other systems did not in the lower bass registers. It's amazing how much fuller and more lifelike the overall sound from a recording can be when the speakers can reproduce bass in the manner such as these speakers provide.
The midrange is slightly on the lush side absolute neutrality, which really draws the listener into the music. Vocals are among the best I've heard from speakers in a long time. With some recordings, if one closes their eyes and just listens, it's not hard to get the illusion that the vocalist is in the same space as you. Instruments are presented with a great presence region. Be it horns, strings, or woodwinds, the speakers deliver musical bliss in spades.
The treble region also is most extraordinary. What few reviews/inputs I could find on these speakers suggest that the vifa tweeter is what makes the speakers sound so good. The treble is very clean, detailed, and has excellent dispersion.
The speakers have a wide and deep soundstage. With a high quality recording, the soundstage fills the room with excellent placement of the various instruments.
The Mcintosh combination seems to be a excellent match with these speakers. Together, the system should provide many years of musical enjoyment. Looks like I'll be selling a pair of monitors and subwoofer, as these speakers will replace them.
In summary, these speakers were an excellent find. They may be a bit dated, but they more than hold their own against current offerings.