Associated equipmentDAC/ Source: MSB Premier with Powerbase and network renderer or Jays Audio CDT2 MKIII
Preamp: Pass Labs XP22
Amp: Pass Labs X250.8
Interconnects: Acoustic Zen Absolute Copper XLR x2
Digital: Acoustic Zen Absolute 110
Power cords: Acoustic Zen Krakatoa on all gear except Pass X250.8 which uses Gargantua II
Speaker Cables: Acoustic Zen Hologram II
Subwoofers: REL Carbon Special x2
Room:18’x30’ with a ceiling that is varied height so over 6,000cuft total fully treated by GIK Acoustics
My Spatial Audio Lab X4s have 350hrs on them and within those hours have been driven hard with dynamic music. To that end I am fairly confident that they are broken in but if they somehow get better so be it but I am going to
call it good where they are.
To cut to the chase, if you have a large room and can properly place these speakers paired with gear to set them up for success then you are in for a treat. With that out of the way who are these speakers for? My view is that they are for those who value a large open sound with dynamics.
OK great but define open and dynamic… Deep and wide soundstage with precise imaging, high resolution that is capable of delivering material contrast in quiet vs. explosive and do so effortlessly.
Can they scale and reveal system changes? I ran these speakers with Pass XP12 and then XP22. Denafrips Terminator II and then my current MSB DAC. Each time the change in sound was material so these speakers can really scale in any system.
Do you need subs? No you do not however I am using them due to the volume of my room to gain some pressure below 35hz. In my room the X4s alone measured with an F6 at 34hz and dropped off relatively sharp after that which I totally expected. Not many instruments generate bass below 40hz so I really debated adding subwoofers. When I A/B with and without I could live without the subs for 85% of music but I am not one to half ass anything so screw it…
As I have said before my favorite system to date was Magnepans with JL subs in a former setup (Pic below shows some former systems). I got out of this hobby and decided to get back in and found some great systems and speakers over the last 2 yrs. That said what I have in my room now is what I was searching for. It is the last word is resolution without harshness (if you set them up properly), soundstage is insane and the dynamics will freakin startle you if the music calls for it.
The pairing with the REL Carbon specials takes everything up a couple of notches as the stage gets even wider, well beyond the speakers and the foundation of the bottom octave from 16-32hz is there when it needs to be (confirmed with room measurements). Zero integration issues and no issues keeping up with the X4s. Standing in the room with 20hz test tones is not something that I would want to do for 5 mins.
Do I recommend the X4s? Hell Yes I do.