[fwinston]

In 1994 I assembled an audio system consisting of a MicroMega CD player, Audio Research SP9 MKII preamp, Quicksilver Silver Mono tube amps, and ProAc Response 3 speakers.  This system served me well and gave me hours of listening pleasure.  But, in late 2002 I moved into a new home with a 5000 cubic foot area that included my dedicated audio room and my audio system was unable to fully energize a space of that size.

My first change was to replace the MicroMega CD player in 2004 with an Opera Consonance 2.2.   I was still quite happy with the ProAcs so in 2006 I decided to find out how much more performance I could coax out of them with different electronics.  Living in the Chicago area afforded me access to quite a few high end audio shops and after bringing home numerous preamps and amps for audition, my heart was won over by a Manley Neo-Classic 300b preamp and a pair of Manley Neo-Classic 250 amps.  This combination proved a great match to the ProAcs, making them perform much more dynamically.  I realized at some point I might replace the ProAcs but felt confident that the Manley electronics would drive just about any speaker I would consider.

After a year and half with this updated system I felt a curiosity to listen to other speakers.  I made the rounds of Chicago’s audio shops and listened to a variety of speakers in my budgeted $5-8K price range.  I was (pleasantly) surprised to discover that my ProAcs faired quite well against the current competition in that price range.  Not until I entered the $12K and above bracket did I begin to find speakers that outperformed the ProAcs.

Not wanting to spend $12K or more on new speakers, I began considering brands that sell directly to the customer.  While it’s more difficult to audition their products, these brands appeared to offer high quality parts and workmanship.  Four brands made the list: Tyler Acoustics, Salk Sound, Selah Audio, and Daedalus Audio.

Through a combination visiting people’s homes and attending several audio shows I was able to hear models from each vendor.

To my ears, there wasn’t a bad speaker in the group although they certainly sounded different from each other.  Choosing one requires considering what speaker characteristics are important to you.  For me it was 1. accurately portraying instrument and vocal tonalities, 2. the ability to deliver the music’s dynamic swings, 3. to sound as close to a live performance as possible, 4. and be non-fatiguing.

After multiple auditions of many hours each, I decided on the Daedalus Audio Ulysses and placed an order for a pair in ebonized walnut.  Communicating with Daedalus Audio’s Lou Hinkley was a joy.  A professional musician himself, Lou designs his speakers and uses materials that virtually guarantees reproducing musical events in the most natural and realistic way.  The Daedalus Audio website is a good source for additional information as well as numerous reviews and comments that can be found on various audiophile websites.

The Ulysses arrived at my door in early June. I opened the boxes and was taken by how the ebonized walnut had the look of fine furniture.  With eager anticipation I hooked them up, powered up the equipment, and sat down for a listen.
Right out of the box the sound was superb although I was told by Lou and other owners the speakers need about 100 hours of play to start sounding their best.  Compared to the ProAcs, the Ulysses have a richer tonality, smoother highs, deeper bass, and a greater sense of musical fullness and scale.  The sound is relaxed and natural with all frequencies blending well as from a single source.  One feels drawn into the music as it washes over you rather than feeling the sound is being projected at you. 
I immediately rotated through the stack of CDs I used for auditions:

Holst, The Planets; Jupiter; orchestral work, dynamically delivered and instruments beautifully layered in the soundstage

McCoy Tyner, New York Reunion; intimate performance with great interplay among the musicians; sounds like they’re jamming right in the room with me

Alan Broadbent, You and the Night and the Music; piano performance; I can hear and feel the power of the piano as the hammers hit the strings

Jazz at the Pawnshop; ah, the rounded sound of the vibes as they’re being struck

Holly Cole Trio, Don’t Smoke in Bed; Holly’s voice is suspended in space; rich, warm, and full of emotion

As I continue going through my music collection I’m discovering that many CDs which I thought were merely OK (such as Marsha Ball, Blue House) are filled with subtleties and a fullness of sound I hadn’t previously heard.

I can’t thank Lou enough for designing and building this outstanding speaker.  If you’re in the market for new speakers, try to give the Ulysses a listen.

[finsup]

Nice review.  Thanks for sharing.
 
What is your room like?  Did you spend much time experimenting with speaker location?

How much time do you have on the speakers now?  How has the music changed?  Can you elaborate a little more on the bass and mid-range?

You are driving these speakers with some excellent Manley equipment.  You mentioned a CDP but not what kind.  Is it also tubed?  Good speakers reveal the strengths and weaknesses of other components.

Thank you.

[fwinston]

Good questions.

The room is 15' wide, 20' long, and 9' high but opens on one 15' end to the dinette and kitchen area so overall lenth is about 40'.  I have ASC tube traps in the corners behind the speakers, three Echo Buster panels on the wall behind the speakers, and Echo Buster corner busters in the wall/ceiling intersections behind the speakers.

Yes, I did experiment with quite a few speaker locations.  I found that the locations recommended (by Lou Hinkley and in a review) were pretty much on the money.   The speakers are just over 10' apart (center to center) and 56" from the front wall to the face of the speakers.  They are toed-in to the point where I can still see some of the inside edge of each speaker.  I sit about 14' back from the speakers
from the speakers.

The speakers have about 125 hours on them right now.  The midrange has become smoother, and the bass become deeper and tighter.

The midrange is full sounding and dynamic but never harsh.  Trumpets, for instance, have an appropriate "brassy" sound but not shrill.  Clarinets have a nice "woody" tone.  On bass, such as a kettle drum, I can hear the timbre and impact of the instrument.

The Opera Consonance 2.2 is a tubed CD player; tube comes into play when using unbalanced (RCA) connection.  The unit was factory upgraded to include changing the output caps to Auricaps and to replace the 6h30 tube with a Jj Tesla EC-99 Dual Triode tube.

[jimdgoulding]

Good questions.

The room is 15' wide, 20' long, and 9' high but opens on one 15' end to the dinette and kitchen area so overall lenth is about 40'.  I have ASC tube traps in the corners behind the speakers, three Echo Buster panels on the wall behind the speakers, and Echo Buster corner busters in the wall/ceiling intersections behind the speakers.

Yes, I did experiment with quite a few speaker locations.  I found that the locations recommended (by Lou Hinkley and in a review) were pretty much on the money.   The speakers are just over 10' apart (center to center) and 56" from the front wall to the face of the speakers.  They are toed-in to the point where I can still see some of the inside edge of each speaker.  I sit about 14' back from the speakers
from the speakers.

The speakers have about 125 hours on them right now.  The midrange has become smoother, and the bass become deeper and tighter.

The midrange is full sounding and dynamic but never harsh.  Trumpets, for instance, have an appropriate "brassy" sound but not shrill.  Clarinets have a nice "woody" tone.  On bass, such as a kettle drum, I can hear the timbre and impact of the instrument.

The Opera Consonance 2.2 is a tubed CD player; tube comes into play when using unbalanced (RCA) connection.  The unit was factory upgraded to include changing the output caps to Auricaps and to replace the 6h30 tube with a Jj Tesla EC-99 Dual Triode tube.

Winston-  I heard the DA1's at a meet driven by a couple of Manley monoblocks and a VTL pre on 2/14/09 and was mightily impressed for precisely the reasons you cite.  I get to hear them again and I will bring a copy of The Planets, thanks.  As it was I brought a copy of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances performed by The Dallas Symphony on Athena Records.  It is a famous album going back a few years, sadly discontinued.  It made it to CD in 1991 but the sound is drier and flatter.  I've heard this numerous times on systems I've owned in the past and never really knew just how much dynamic slam it has.  I think it flapped my pants legs on this system!  One attendee played some Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne was rendered as photographically perfect as I can imagine.  These things do the little things plainly, too.  They may look too conventional for a lot of people to consider them but you know what they say about looks.  We were in a huge room.  The speakers were probably 12' apart with the group seated at 12' back and beyond in 5 rows.  I loved what they did for me.  They kill.

[JCC]

I still have my Daedalus DA-1's, and continue to see them as outstanding. Playing both Vinyl and CD's, the music is top notch. I did an original review on the DA-1, which is still posted on Audio Circle. One of the CD's that I spoke about was New York Reunion. It sounded like they were right in the room.

Congratulations on your speakers. I love mine.

[dart6]

congradulations on your purchase.To get an idea of the finish can you post some pics please

[fwinston]

You can view my ebonized walnut Ulysses speakers on the Daedalus Audio website.  URL is www.daedalusaudio.com
 
Click on Audiophile Speakers, and then on the Wood Options link.

[Double Ugly]

Lou builds beautiful speakers which simply produce music.  Like JCC, I've owned and enjoyed my DA-1s for years. 

Congratulations on getting your new speakers.  I hope you'll enjoy them for years to come.

[JCC]

Not too long ago, I had my DA-1's rewired by Lou, and now they sing even better. With the DA-1's and my vinyl setup, I have been listening extensively. My system really sings, and my CD's don't compare. I can hear highs and midrange like the best electrostatics, balanced with outstanding lows. Sometimes I think that you can't really appreciate Daedalus until you also have great vinyl setup.

The Daedalus design produces high efficiency, beautiful furniture and amazing sound. After several years, I am still obsessing with these speakers.

Congratulations on your new speakers.

[jimdgoulding]

Not too long ago, I had my DA-1's rewired by Lou, and now they sing even better. With the DA-1's and my vinyl setup, I have been listening extensively. My system really sings, and my CD's don't compare. I can hear highs and midrange like the best electrostatics, balanced with outstanding lows. Sometimes I think that you can't really appreciate Daedalus until you also have great vinyl setup.

The Daedalus design produces high efficiency, beautiful furniture and amazing sound. After several years, I am still obsessing with these speakers.

Congratulations on your new speakers.

You live near Houston, dude?

[JCC]

Not too long ago, I had my DA-1's rewired by Lou, and now they sing even better. With the DA-1's and my vinyl setup, I have been listening extensively. My system really sings, and my CD's don't compare. I can hear highs and midrange like the best electrostatics, balanced with outstanding lows. Sometimes I think that you can't really appreciate Daedalus until you also have great vinyl setup.

The Daedalus design produces high efficiency, beautiful furniture and amazing sound. After several years, I am still obsessing with these speakers.

Congratulations on your new speakers.

You live near Houston, dude?

Yes, I live in Houston!

[jimdgoulding]

Homes, you have a PM.

[Will2]

Thanks for posting this review - I'm in the process of selecting a pair of speakers in the same price range to match with my Atma-Sphere MA-1's.  My issue is that I live in Bermuda so it's kind of impractical to audition, making reviews like this a great resource for me.  Anyhow, I'm also very interested in speaking to people who have heard the speakers I'm trying to select from.  As I stand now I'm trying to choose between the Ulysses to the Audio Kinesis Dream Makers.  If any of you have heard both and are willing to spend a few minutes on the phone with me, shoot me a PM - it would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Will

[jimdgoulding]

Looks like you have a quality problem there, Will.  I think at the end of the day yer gonna be happy, tho.