[Danny Richie]

The new pages are up for our new Allie and Maddie models.

https://gr-research.com/allie/

What do you guys think of the sound clip samples playing through a pair of Allies?

[schw06]

I was wondering when you'd start a thread on the Allies and Maddies. I'm listening to the Maddies in my room as I write this! I hope you are stockpiling both models, Danny. I  look forward to connecting with the community of owners!! They are a perfect fit in my room and look even better in person than I expected.
P.S.-No subs needed with the Maddies in my 17x24x10 room

[NIGHTFALL1970]

The sound clips sound very good.
I was just listening to the Allies. I put on Black Sabbath “Lonely is the Word” from Heaven and Hell (1980) and the music just enveloped me! So mesmerizing!🤟




Just heard Black Sabbath “Falling off the edge of the world” from Mob Rules (1981). Dio’s vocals have a holographic almost tube like sound.

[jmimac351]

These are two sound clips I made of Danny’s Allie speaker while visiting him last summer to get my Line Arrays squared away.  I spent 2 days with Danny and the speaker. 

Danny Richie makes the best sounding speakers I’ve ever heard, and the Allie is an example of one of them. 

These were run by my Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty DAC thru his Dodd Audio preamp to his chip amps.  The preamp was high passing to the Allie at 60Hz(?).  Also being used were his triple open baffle subs. 

They are outstanding speakers… among the best I have ever heard - and they may be the best.  I know that my amps are better than Danny’s - so I didn’t even get a full taste with the stuff I really like.  I am running First Watt SIT-5 monos, Sony DIY Anniversary VFET stereo amps that can be run as mono (output stages setup by Nelson Pass himself).  Also Pass Labs XA25, XA200.5 monos… and a very special pair of cloned Pass XA160.8 monos.  Recently I sold a Pass Labs XA30.8 amp, and previously owned a First Watt SIT-3 amp. 

I have and have had a lot of great amps.

Every single one of those amps would be magic on these speakers - including the First Watt SIT-3 amp.  I shipped that amp and my DAC out to Danny for my visit. I wanted to hear it on his NX-Treme speakers.  Although that amp could not handle the NX-Treme (although on paper it should have), the First Watt SIT-3 would be MAGIC with the Allie speaker.  Nelson thinks the SIT-3 just may not have liked the number of drivers in the NX-Treme, even though the NX-Treme is an easy load.  It was likely a “current” issue… but on the Allie it would have been awesome, as it is on my Wilson Duette.

So, if you don’t listen loud… there are many amps that can be magic with the Allie speaker - particularly the midrange performance. 

What I was most surprised about with the Allie was the top end performance… it didn’t seem like a “tweeter” was missing, at all.  It had PLENTY of top end extension. 

The Allie speaker could be bought and paired with subs and you could legitimately be “DONE”.  You can buy those speakers and have World Class sound, and more importantly… I think everyone would actually enjoy them too.  Some people buy “World Class Speakers” for various reasons.

These are World Class Speakers that actually DELIVER the results.  I am currently working on a pair of Epiphany 6-6 Line Arrays Danny designed a long time ago.  They each will deliver their own kind of Magic.

If you’re thinking about whether the Allie is a great speaker, think no longer.  Just buy them… and a pair a subs.  Too much money for all of that?  TIP: Look for a used Rythmik F12 on FakeBook for about half the price new.  It takes patience, so be patient if you can’t buy new.  I just bought another pair of them yesterday doing exactly that. 

Have Fun.  I am. 

CLIP 1

https://youtu.be/4tX84Hpxqnk?si=ObYj1GLsytc1I6rk



CLIP 2 - Room Walk-around…

https://youtu.be/7gm3Fv4ikzU?si=pR47b0E7VG8gQUqt

[Hafgrim]

What's the final price for the maddie's? I don't see that yet on its page.

[Early B.]

What's the final price for the maddie's? I don't see that yet on its page.

It's here:  https://gr-research.com/product/order-maddie/

[ciphercomplete]

So, if you don’t listen loud… there are many amps that can be magic with the Allie speaker - particularly the midrange performance. 

Is this a caveat? Are they not dynamic sounding speakers?

[nlitworld]

Is this a caveat? Are they not dynamic sounding speakers?

I'd bet it's more an understanding they're moderate sized speakers so they need a little power to move big volumes and consideration should be given if you're looking for recreating Motorhead live in your house. They're not klipschorns that can make your ears bleed eith a fleawatt amp. I'd bet a high pass filter around 80hz and some subs underneath that and you'll be rocking out no problem with whatever amp you choose.

[seikosha]

Is this a caveat? Are they not dynamic sounding speakers?

My guess is that wideband driver is handling a much larger frequency range than a typical tweeter in a standard box speaker and is susceptible to more distortion when pushed.  It’s a tradeoff, but one I bet many would prefer.  You don’t buy a speaker like this to listen to at loud levels.

[goggle1824]

My guess is that wideband driver is handling a much larger frequency range than a typical tweeter in a standard box speaker and is susceptible to more distortion when pushed.  It’s a tradeoff, but one I bet many would prefer.  You don’t buy a speaker like this to listen to at loud levels.

And just like soo many other contexts, how everyone defines and experiences “loud” can be different. To me, volume is similar to horsepower, having, it just to have it, to ME, isn’t the point but to others, it may be the most important point. It’s like having 600hp in a car that’s used 99% for city driving or commuting. 🤔😣

[jmimac351]

Is this a caveat? Are they not dynamic sounding speakers?

They are "dynamic speakers”.  Will they slam like my Wilson Duette stand mount with 8” Scan-Speak woofer?  No. 

Two Things… I don’t listen loud, so I could use a 20 watt Sony VFET amp or a First Watt SIT-3 on the Allie - I’m doing it on the Wilson Duette.  My point about the gear is that I know the magic the stuff I have does in the midrange would be magic on these speakers… but they aren’t “party” speakers.

I would go for an amp that really has some magic in the midrange because that’s the differentiator in the speaker… it’s not crossing from a tweeter to woofer at 1200Hz, for instance, and is extremely coherent.   

With Danny’s amps, and probably either of those amps I mentioned… they can be plenty loud enough, for me. 

With the speaker being crossed at 60Hz, and using subs… you’ll have to be constantly playing music so loudly that how it sounds probably won’t matter after a while… you won’t hear that well anymore anyway. 

They play plenty loud enough for any sane person - although, I know a lot of people are insane, notwithstanding me.    If you want to provide SCALE… that is a different thing… and I am working on a 7’ tall thing that will do that, too - Epiphany 20-21 Line Arrays. 

Whether I will like the Line Arrays “more” than I would the Allie with subs - no idea.  I do not own a pair of Allie, but I know I would be happy either way. 

Before I heard the Allie speaker, I already knew the midrange would be tremendous - and it was.  The only question I had was how good the top end extension was going to be since it’s not a “tweeter”… and I really like a good tweeter.  Give me a Dynaudio Esotar tweeter and a paper cone woofer, all day long.  What Danny did with the very top end with the LGK being allowed to flare up a bit, by design, to my ears - worked great.

The reason I own so many amps is because I like playing with different flavors - same with speakers.  These are another great flavor with differentiators unlike most anything else on the market. 

One day I will order a pair of LGK drivers and make my own version with an 8” Duelund Coherent Audio / Scan-Speak woofer doing the work on the low end… after all, that’s all it’s doing. Danny could do that, the baffle would be wider, the speaker would be different… and it would cost over $1k more, at least. 

So, instead of doing that he’s keeping that woofer cost low and letting you use that money for an even better tool for the job… SUBS.

[Danny Richie]

Is this a caveat? Are they not dynamic sounding speakers?

The dynamics are great, but the sensitivity is 87db. So we recommend at least 30 watts of power.

[Danny Richie]

My guess is that wideband driver is handling a much larger frequency range than a typical tweeter in a standard box speaker and is susceptible to more distortion when pushed.  It’s a tradeoff, but one I bet many would prefer.  You don’t buy a speaker like this to listen to at loud levels.

We actually found out that the woofer will reach X-Max (mechanical limits) before the wideband has any issues.

[Danny Richie]

One day I will order a pair of LGK drivers and make my own version with an 8” Duelund Coherent Audio / Scan-Speak woofer doing the work on the low end… after all, that’s all it’s doing. Danny could do that, the baffle would be wider, the speaker would be different… and it would cost over $1k more, at least.

Hey Jim,

The Maddie version will play to a -3db of 40 Hz.