Popori Electrostats - Top of the Food Chain

Housteau · « **on:** 21 Apr 2025, 05:36 pm »

My first new speakers in many years, the Popori WR3. They are simply amazing, placing all other panel speakers I know far behind them. A crossoverless design with the panel playing all frequencies top to bottom. Speaking of the bottom, they can do real bass down to 25 Hz depending on the model. Mine go down to 35, but only 40 in my room. The bass towers in the photo roll in at 37 Hz.

They are a 6 ohm load, 88dB efficient. Other models are high into the 90s for efficiency. They image like a point source and are simply fantastic in all areas. They will even play high SPLs if called on to do so.

SlushPuppy · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 Apr 2025, 05:52 pm »

Congrats on the new speakers! I've seen all the footage from Audiophile Junkie and these are truly an end-game speaker. They must be amazing because so many of you featured on his channel are buying them!

Cheers!

Dave

John Casler · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 Apr 2025, 05:53 pm »

Hi Dave,

The RM v60 are some big shoes to fill. Glad to see you found a worthy upgrade.

You had me with the "cross-overless" design, which presumably makes them "phase coherent" since the big plus for VMPS was phase coherence. While the VMPS did have XO's their special sound came from the Neopanels covering such a large section of the frequency response.

ENJOY!

Housteau · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Apr 2025, 06:03 pm »

Quote from: John Casler on 21 Apr 2025, 05:53 pm

Hi Dave,

The RM v60 are some big shoes to fill. Glad to see you found a worthy upgrade.

You had me with the "cross-overless" design, which presumably makes them "phase coherent" since the big plus for VMPS was phase coherence. While the VMPS did have XO's their special sound came from the Neopanels covering such a large section of the frequency response.

ENJOY!

Hello John. Yes, they are quite something and so was the RM60. That is why it took until the Popori for me to do the switch. I still have the V60s stored to the back sides of my room. It is such a unique and rare system with those bass towers that I want to keep it together as a whole.

Housteau · « **Reply #4 on:** 21 Apr 2025, 06:07 pm »

Quote from: SlushPuppy on 21 Apr 2025, 05:52 pm

Congrats on the new speakers! I've seen all the footage from Audiophile Junkie and these are truly an end-game speaker. They must be amazing because so many of you featured on his channel are buying them!

Cheers!

Dave

Thank you and yes, the Popori really are all you have seen them presented as and more.

JakeJ · « **Reply #5 on:** 21 Apr 2025, 08:34 pm »

For the curious. Above my paygrade but maybe I could catch an earful at a show.

Housteau · « **Reply #6 on:** 21 Apr 2025, 10:35 pm »

Quote from: JakeJ on 21 Apr 2025, 08:34 pm

For the curious. Above my paygrade but maybe I could catch an earful at a show.

Yes, you really should, just to be able to set the benchmark of what is achievable. Mine are the entry level at 17K, not chump change for sure, but certainly far less than others posing as state-of-the-art designs. From the bottom of the line to the top the sound signature is the same, that is to say no signature at all, just pure transparency to what they are presented. As you go larger in panel size you get the availability of lower frequency bass and higher SPLs. If one plans to augment with sub-bass and has no need to push +110 dB SPLs, then that doesn't matter much.

Jeff_From_Michigan · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Apr 2025, 05:35 pm »

Quote from: JakeJ on 21 Apr 2025, 08:34 pm

For the curious. Above my paygrade but maybe I could catch an earful at a show.

I can't believe my eyes when I see the TOTL XR1's numbers:

Frequency response: 22-21 000 Hz
Sensitivity: 96 dB
Maximum sound pressure: 110 dB

And the upcoming Hypersail's looks are just beyond stunning. I couldn't help but be reminded of the Clarisys Audio Piccolo, with that beautiful sail-like design. (The Hypersail has better frequency response and sensitivity numbers than the Piccolo.) I have no idea how the prices compare. That's OK, since these are both speakers that I can dream about but most likely will never be able to afford.

jac1920 · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 Apr 2025, 09:30 pm »

According to Roger West of Sound Lab, his electrostatic speakers sounded wonderful with the Benchmark AHB2 amps. I wonder if the Popori stats would sound equally good (or better) with the Benchmarks...

JakeJ · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 Apr 2025, 11:00 pm »

Mentions in the press with some pricing. Stereophile & Mono and Stereo

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 03:31 am »

Very nice. What is the model? I would go with the smallest ones and augment the bass.

Do they beam the highs as that wide of a panel is doing highs as well.

Looks to me the larger speakers use a small high frequency driver off to the side. Do you know where those are crossing at.

Anyway, we will look at your photos and be jealous, ha. Good for you. What amps are you driving them with?

Rocket Ronny

mick wolfe · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 03:32 am »

Quote from: jac1920 on 22 Apr 2025, 09:30 pm

According to Roger West of Sound Lab, his electrostatic speakers sounded wonderful with the Benchmark AHB2 amps. I wonder if the Popori stats would sound equally good (or better) with the Benchmarks...

It appears the Popori's are in a completely different category when it comes to amplifier choices. Much less fussy and much easier to drive compared to a Sound Lab. This to a point where tube amps are even mentioned. Looks to be a pricy club to join though.

Housteau · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 06:57 am »

"Very nice. What is the model? I would go with the smallest ones and augment the bass."
Mine are the WR3s, the smallest model. My bass towers are coming in around 38Hz.

"Do they beam the highs as that wide of a panel is doing highs as well."
I do not notice any odd beaming.

"Looks to me the larger speakers use a small high frequency driver off to the side. Do you know where those are crossing at."
No. It is a crossover less design. Since the panel does all frequencies top to bottom, it can slightly reduce the highs when producing deep bass. That slit is a high frequency ribbon in parallel to the main panel that adds some high frequency above 7000Hz. The panel is full range without crossover.

"Anyway, we will look at your photos and be jealous, ha. Good for you. What amps are you driving them with?"
Thank you. Klaus with Odyssey had recently made me some custom amps that sound wonderful on these. I also have my older Primalunas, which are a bit too soft sounding. My Ampzilla 2000s also do a fine job.

cheesey · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 01:40 pm »

Curious as to the longevity of some of these newer and pricey electrostatic designs. Wonder how many will still be functional in 40+ years like many Acoustats still are...?

Housteau · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 03:44 pm »

Quote from: cheesey on 23 Apr 2025, 01:40 pm

Curious as to the longevity of some of these newer and pricey electrostatic designs. Wonder how many will still be functional in 40+ years like many Acoustats still are...?

So am I having once owned the 1+1s. However, I have also decided that life is far to short not to take some chances and enjoy what is here today and tomorrow.

mick wolfe · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 04:03 pm »

Quote from: Housteau on 23 Apr 2025, 03:44 pm

So am I having once owned the 1+1s. However, I have also decided that life is far to short not to take some chances and enjoy what is here today and tomorrow.

...couldn't agree more.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 05:12 pm »

Quote

laus with Odyssey had recently made me some custom amps that sound wonderful on these.

Do tell?

Can you capture some music from you phone for us to hear?

I just got the Verum 2 headphones yesterday and can say finally a high end headphone. Did not have the same impression on the Focal Utopias on a 12 grand dac/amp, although it was not a good demo. The Verums make me think of the Popori's, or my GR-Research Super Minis.

Thanks

Rocket Ronny

Housteau · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 10:26 pm »

Quote from: Rocket_Ronny on 23 Apr 2025, 05:12 pm

Do tell?

Can you capture some music from you phone for us to hear?

I just got the Verum 2 headphones yesterday and can say finally a high end headphone. Did not have the same impression on the Focal Utopias on a 12 grand dac/amp, although it was not a good demo. The Verums make me think of the Popori's, or my GR-Research Super Minis.

Thanks

Rocket Ronny

The Odyssey website shows all the standard units and their options. But there are levels above those. I asked Klaus to basically just take the gloves off and build for me the best of his current state of the art without needing to fit into a specific budget.

My room recorded on my phone would be a very pale facsimile to actually being here. Music is about the subtleties and spacial cues that a phone cannot pickup or reproduce.

SlushPuppy · « **Reply #18 on:** 23 Apr 2025, 10:48 pm »

Quote from: Housteau on 23 Apr 2025, 03:44 pm

However, I have also decided that life is far to short not to take some chances and enjoy what is here today and tomorrow.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Apr 2025, 02:30 am »

Quote

My room recorded on my phone would be a very pale facsimile to actually being here.

Well, true, but I can gain a lot from those iPhone recordings. Basic response, relative clarity, openness, etc.

Here is my system in the living room. Lost my dedicated room in the move. So you can tell the room is somewhat live and the phone sounds a bit hard, but gives a good idea of what's up.

https://youtu.be/Zd6FzH5ZYek
https://youtu.be/So0MKWhFXds

Rocket Ronny