The system has evolved over a 20 year period and will probably continue to evolve. It is in a dedicated room that is approximately 19' by 27' by 10' with oak floors and oriental carpets. I also use a minimal number of diffusers on the wall behind the speakers and eight of the 16" ASC Tube Traps. The room has 5 dedicated circuits for the audio.
There have been a number of evolutionary changes over the last year, primarily with respect to the power cords, speakerwire and interconnect and one rather dramatic change, the replacement of the EMM Labs XDS1 with the Esoteric P-02/ D-02. This yielded lower noise and increased detail and bass control while maintaining the musicality of the EMM Labs. I would consider the Esoteric pieces breakthrough products. Funny how you sometimes deviate from your plans. My system seems to go through extended periods without major changes, then have a number at the same time. I do have my eyes on a new cartridge and perhaps a new preamp.
I purchased an early Sirius from Andy Payor thinking that I had purchased the ultimate turntable, only to spend the next five years updating. The updates have included the air isolation base, a series of different motors and tonearms, an outboard power supply for the motor, a 50# platter, new arm wiring and a variety of different belts culminating in a custom aramid fiber belt. As currently constituted, I think that it combines the high definition of the Sirius II without its tendency toward coldness.
Einstein The Tube Mk II
Similar in many ways to the CTC Blowtorch but harmonically richer and more complex with greater dynamics and significantly better image density. Phenomenal bass, ultra quiet, very extended upper octaves.
Yamaha CT-7000
Ebony with black faceplate. Particularly nice top end coupled with an ability under the best circumstances to recreate a three dimensional soundstage. After owning a number of Magnum Dynalabs, this has been a real eye opener.
Acapella Triolons
The Triolons are an imposing sight. Two woofer towers, each 14" by 28" by 7' tall, each weighing 650# plus a cross piece holding a plasma tweeter attached to the woofers and a sword bearing two horn loaded speakers, one horn 30.5" in diameter, the other 18.5" in diameter. The Triolons can be driven by a single amps of 18 watts or higher power but must be triwired and have an efficiency of 97 db. Each side weighs 850# total. The crossover points are 200, 700 and 5000 hz. The sound from 200 hz up to 40,000 hz emanates as a spherical wavefront. The Campanile Highs are similar but crossover to their woofers at 700 hz, use the plasma tweeter plus a single horn and are much lower in efficiency (92 db). The Triolons are typically a 6 ohm speaker but have an impedance at 30 hz of 28 ohms. The same is true of the Campaniles. Neither is a particularly easy load for an amp to drive; however the greater efficiency of the Triolons does open up the possibility of driving them with the right low power amplifier. Unlike the ribbon tweeter of the Magnepans, the Acapella's tweeter does not over shadow the other drivers. Extremely dynamic.
Jorma Prime
The Jorma Prime, either in balanced or single ended configuration is superb, particularly between amp and preamp but also on other inputs. I still use the balanced 7N Mexcel on the X01 and the Valhalla on the TT but otherwise have switched to the Jorma Prime.
Finite Elemente Pagode Master Reference
5 shelf version installed as well as the amp stands. Again a nice and very audible improvement. Amazing the things that you blame on the equipment until you solve the resonance problems. Basically a no brainer. More improvement than changing a major piece of equipment.
Jorma Prime
I have been mildly dissatisfied for a number of years with my JC-1 amps when used to drive the Acapella speakers but have yet to find something that combined the ability to drive the speakers and give me the other characteristcs that I desired although I have been much taken with some tubed amps (small, single ended or OTL within their power limits. Let's just say that the insertion of a combination of Bi-wire and single wire prime has cused me to re-think the amp question. The Primes are simply the most musical natural top to bottom cables that I have ever encountered.
I recently borrowed and subsequently purchased an Acoustic Revive RTP-2AC which is essentially a duraluminum box with a single duplex Furitech R-1 outlet and a captive cord. Although it is not touted as an AC line conditioner, the bottom of the case contains a layer of resin which has been impregnated with tourmaline and other proprietary crystalline material which has a distinctive green color and which in practice helps to damp vibration and appears to radically attenuate EMI and RFI without otherwise affecting the signal. Note that there are no active filtering devices in the AC path.
To date, I have only tried the ATP-2 with my Esoteric X01-D2 which had previously been plugged into dual Isoclean transformers and Isoclean's 80 amp filter/distribution box. The effect of plugging the D2 into the ATP-2 was revelatory. Initially, I noticed not so much a reduction in audible noise but a significant reduction of what I have come to think of as digital artifacts. That slight grit/glare/hardness that is almost inaudible but which prevents you from relaxing into the music and forgetting whether the equipment is digital or analogue. But for having heard the ATP-2 inserted into a system built around the EMM Labs SACD player, I would be tempted to say that the ATP-2 moved the Esoteric closer to the sound of the EMM Labs while not sacrificing anything in those areas where it is superior to the EMM Labs. Having heard the same change with the EMM Labs but to a smaller degree, I would say that the ATP-2 moved both players closer to reproduction of the music. There is still a question in my mind whether the ATP-2 subtly softens the top octave but at this point I think that I am probably hearing the reduction of noise artifacts rather than a change in frequency response. A secondary benefit of this process is that it somehow allows you to hear more low level inner detail and seems to allow more of the texture/complexity of instruments and particularly the human voice to come through. This is partticularly true for male voices.
Anyway, the point is that I would highly recommend the ATP-2 to anyone with digital equipment.
that's an excellent description of the Jorma Primes (don't think i could've described it any better myself). they really are fantastic cables. anyway, it's nice to know they hv the same characteristics on the Acapellas as they do with the Martens.
First, a clarification, at the time Paul heard the "inbalance" in the system, I was using Jorma No. 1 on all drivers and not using Prime on the woofers. The No. 1 cabling on the bass was new and going through break in while the bi-wire set of No. 1 on the remainder of the drivers was fully broken in. Nonetheless, the discontinuity that Paul described did exist and was quite audible. As Paul commented, inserting the Prime completely cured what was essentially a problem with the level of the bass (read too much and not well controlled) in comparison to the mids and highs. The Prime asserted an iron fisted control over the bass but also seemed to extend its reach about half an octave.
With respect to imaging, I think it fair to say that the Triolons do not image in the way that small monkey coffins do. That type of pin point imaging does not occur in real life! Just close your eyes the next time you attend the symphony or a live musical event, the sound that you hear (depending on your seating) will have width and depth but will not with your eyes shut ever have pinpoint imaging which spotlights each individual instrument. That type of imaging may be exciting with small ensembles and even enhance your sense that you are listening to live music, but is just not real.
Rereading my earlier comments, I still feel that I have failed to communicate what is so special about the Prime, so borrowing liberally from a note from a friend about what he values in his system, I am going to take another shot:
The Jorma Prime allows more inner detail to come through the system than any other wire that I have tried. "Take for instance a drummer playing the snare drum with brushes. A high rsolution system at its best, assuming that it was captured by the recording microphones to begin with, should allow you to hear individual strands of the brushes making contact with the snare drum surface." Likewise, you should be able to differentiate the sound of the metal tap on a flaminco dancer's shoe from the vibration that it sets up in a wooden floor when it makes contact. In both cases, this represents information immediately above the noise floor of the recording. It is exactly this type of low level detail that the Prime seems to get so well. Part of this is that the cable has very low self induced noise but does not try to achieve a blacker background by filtering out all low level information whether it is noise or content. The Prime also does not achieve this by favoring a certain part of the frequency spectrum or boosting selectively certain frequencies. Tonally, the Prime is fully fleshed out, but neither tubey or overly ripe.
I shy away from artificially tight or overcontrolled bass, just as I shy away from one note bass. The bass of the Prime is very natural and easily allows the differentiation among different types of drums and drumheads. Lastly the Prime preserves the leading edge but does not favor the leading edge over the decay of a note. It is a very balanced and highly musical cable and contrary to what Paul said about half the price of the Nordost Odin. In my particular system, it has caused me to re-evaluate the sound of my current amps.
I have had the pleasure of auditioning Fred's system through some of its recent developments. I can confirm that the involvement of the Jorma Prime has had a startling (positive) effect on the system. At first, a few months ago, the Prime was installed on the bass portion only of Fred's setup, with a lesser Jorma on the mids and highs (I am not familiar with the specific name of that cable). At the time I heard this setup, it seemed to me that the bass had been "unleashed". This wasn't really a good thing at the time, because it put the system out of balance, and even with the Triolon mids set at their highest setting, the bass seemed to be at such a level that this unbalance could not be ignored. In this regard, my impression at the time was that the system "half-Primed", was a step in the wrong direction.
Nonetheless, Fred doubtless heard the potential of the bass, and he persevered. I'm really glad he did. Now he has the Prime on the mids and highs as well. Now the whole system has been "unleashed", and in balance with itself. What he has said above regarding better bass, dynamics, and a new degree of low level detail is absolutely right. I have known for a long time that cables can make a significant difference, but this cable really is something special. Which is particularly annoying when one contemplates its price point! I would also add to his comments that his imaging has improved ever so slightly, which has been the one significant development area that I perceive with the Triolons.
I'd like to touch on that a little more, because I don't want to mention this development area without pointing out a special strength that these speakers have. I'll try to explain...
While each of us enjoy each other's music, Fred and I have, naturally, different foci regarding our taste. It has been my experience that Fred likes large orchestras with big crashing dynamics and very complex arrangements. It is for this reason that Fred's speakers of choice are very appropriately the Triolons. With the Triolons, every instrument gets its own space, and it really lives and breathes, unmolested, in that space. This is, of course, critical for the evaluation of complex, dynamic music. However, the price paid for this broad tapestry seems to be an inability to pinpoint in space just exactly where that instrument is in front of you.
I should mention at this point that I'm "image-spoiled". I've been living with big electrostats for a long time now, and I'm used to finger-pointable sound. BUT, that's only half the story when it comes to my preferences...
...because my musical focus is also on smaller bands. I like Classic Rock and Jazz, and am experimenting into some old Country stuff. I went to RMAF this year with Fred, and my preference there was the High Campanile Acapellas, over the Triolons. Now, it wasn't apples to apples at that show, and part of the magic in the Campanile room might have been the FM Acoustics amps vs. the Einsteins, and the rooms themselves were very different, as was the cabling, and even power conditioning, which 2007 taught me is very significant.
But since then I've been thinking a lot about this, and I think it is possible that I preferred the Campaniles because I like smaller bands, with less going on. There seems to me to possibly be a greater integration and image specificity (despite a comparative limit in "sonic scale") with just the single horn and tweeter, as opposed to the two horns and tweeter in the Triolon (I have to say "possibly" because, again, the system differences at RMAF [the only place I've heard Campaniles] were too great for a conclusive comparison). Bass extension and authority certainly is superior in the Triolons, but how much content below 40Hz is there in my classic rock? I am of course aware that in many recordings there is SOME, and I'm committed to getting at it, but whatever content that is down in that region certainly wouldn't have the kind of complexity that one would experience in an orchestra. I think with my tastes I could get away with pairing High Campaniles with 18-40Hz subs and be VERY happy.
So I think it's important in considering the Acapella line what kind of music you listen to most. If you like orchestras, then the Triolons are clearly going to be the champs. It seems extremely unlikely that the Campaniles will be able to handle that sheer quantity of instruments like the Triolons do, because the Triolons truly excel at this, and that's exactly what Fred is after. On the other hand, if you like intimate, 4 piece bands or rock and roll, and you want the performance to image strongly in front of you, the Campaniles might be where you should stop, because they will probably do everything you need. I'm sure this is just a non-technical way of stating what Fred has already mentioned about lower-bass authority and the other qualities of his speakers. Horses for courses.
Fred is right that the JC-1's are doing an outstanding job. It is the unfortunate curse of these and many other great pieces that rarely do they get a chance to demonstrate their best qualities in synergy with other components of the celsitude found in Fred's system. And even then, cable changes can still yield a surprise like this! I think the world of the JC-1's (I use them myself and they were my first piece of "great gear"), and am happy to hear them perform in this way, much closer to their potential than I can reach with my current setup. Naturally it goes without saying that I will be very keen to listen should Fred start experimenting with other amplifiers.
In conclusion, I have never heard Fred's system sound better than it does now, with the Jorma Prime speaker wire installed from top to bottom. To anyone considering fitting their system with the Prime, I personally wouldn't recommend doing it half and half, as the experience could be unsettling. Although expensive and wonderful cable, it does not seem to "play well with others", even in the same Jorma family. When you have it all installed from top to bottom, however, you are going to know about it. The performance is superb. I'm not surprised that this is in the same price category as Nordost's Odin. If I was in the market for Odin speaker cable, I'd definitely audition the Jorma Prime first.
I apologize if this comment is long-winded. It's my first review of Fred's system, and it's long overdue.
System edited: I have been mildly disssatisfied with the JC-1 driving the system but have not replaced them because I have been unable to find something else that overall would be better. The challenge has always been to find a single amp that could control the eight 10" SEAS woofers and sound like a small power SE triode or OTL on the horns. The other problem is finding a solution that makes the sound of the disparate drivers coherent. While far from perfect, the JC-1's are an acceptable compromise or so I thought. I recently replaced all of my speaker cables (a bi-wire set plus a single wire set so that the speakers are tri-wired) wiyh Jorma Prime which I had heard in Boulder and really liked. My primary expectation was an improved tonal balance and the Primes delivered that in spades; however, that was merely the tip of the iceberg. It also extended the bass (perhaps an octave), significantly tightened the mid bass and added significant additional dynamics. The sum of the changes has led me to disconnect my subwoofers as they are no longer needed. There has also been an increase in musically significant low level detail that sounds natural and does not call attention to itself. There has also been some extension to the top end but again in a way that is musically cosonant and a slight improvement in image specificity and stage, particularly the ability to hear things at the back of the stage. The icing on the cake, is that somehow the disparate drivesr are more coherent and cut from the same cloth. This has lead me to seriously re-evaluate the Mr. Curl's amps. Correctly interfaced to a speaker, they are certainly competitive with the best transisitor amps out there. They still do not sound like single ended triodes but neither do other transistor units and they offer their own unique set of pluses.
The soundstage begins in the plane of the speakers. Width is wall to wall or more limited depending on the recording with exceptional depth. In some instances (Q sonic recordings) the soundstage can extend in front of the speakers, particularly on the sides, but this is not generally the case.
In Ryan Coleman's review of the Triolons he noted that: "The Acapella's throw a stage that mimics reality not and the audiophile parlor trick 3-D stage." My question is: where is the fore-edge of the soundstage with these speakers? Is it essentially along the speaker axis? I'm currently using MBL 101Es and the fore-edge of the soundstage is behind the listening seat. In other words, the room is the soundstage and the soundstage is the room. Thanks.
Based on the experiences of a friend, I would probably avoid a used Wadia. I have no real experience with any of the others but really like the X01-D2 and the P03/D03. In your shoes I might consider an earlier version of the X01 such as the LE which have probably really dropped in price on the used market. The units are extremely reliable. I might also consider the single box EMM Labs but think that it would be difficult to find one used.
Any recommendation on a cd player, I plan on upgrading my marantz Sa8260 To either Esoteric SA60, PLinius cd 101, Cary 303/300 or maybe even the Wadia player, not New of course, I been trying to built my system over time, by upgrading pieces after pieces, Im looking to sound, details, mid, bass, you know the WOW thing, so suggestions are welcome Regards Jean
I general, the power suply should be as far separated horizontally and vertically from the main unit as possible, otherwise you will get 60 hz hum. The PS is also sensitive to power fields created by large transformers in other equipment. I would suggest strongly playing with the orientation of the PS for lowest noise. It also benefits from a wise choice of power cords. Two cords that sound very different but which I like are to Isoclean Super Focus and the top of the Acrolink Mexcel 7N copper which sells for about $2400 US. Any good power cord will work well, but avoid using the power cord supplied as it significantly limits the sound of the unit. Prior to the Einstein, I owned a Curl Vendetta SCP-2T that had been highly modified by both Crump and Curl which could be state of the art with the right analog set up. I believe the Einstein retains much of what the Vendetta did well but has a more natural tonal balance which suits my system better. I think that you will be very pleased with your purchase. One last suggestion, use the provided cartridge loading resistors to experiment with your cartridge rather than automatically accepting the manufacturer's recommendation. My Titan i works best with the 150 ohm loading. Experiment, have fun and most importantly , enjoy the music.
Einstein The Turntable's Choice. your comment re: the spacing of the P.S. from the phono unit? What is the optimum distance, if you please. As I have just ordered one for myself, I'm of course curious as to your long term impressions... Additionally what is the Power cord of choice, if any? cheers Craig
Rhyno, no hard-feelings likewise on my part. My current reference system is very different than the one you heard three or four years ago; yes some of the components are the same but the key players have been changed with very good results.
I do agree with you strongly on one of your points, your ability to write. Your reviews are well written and enjoyable. Keep up the good work.
As I said on my last post please feel free to drop by as I believe it will be beneficial for your reviewing duties to listen to what is possible in the art and science of sound/musical reproduction at home. I look forward to your visit at some point in the future, when you find the time.
no hard feelings meant; i do recall hearing your rig (champions forest, right?) years ago, and recall it being radical and easily the most complex thing i've ever heard, and did indeed remind me of being at a live event, but not like live musicians; you had no dynamic limits, but in that it reminded me of a live R&R concert w/ PA-type playback. but here's the thing: just b/c i write reviews doesn't mean i'm right. no one is right about how your rig sounds except you. if you like it, then everyone else can go screw as you've done what you wanted: you've create the art that suits you.
my life is out of control at present (i'm up at 4am to get to work and there til 5-6 regularly), but most appreciative for the invite. would very much like to make it for another visit, it just is a matter of finding the time.
Rhyno, Time to pay me another visit so that I can show you, and you can hear where I'm coming from. It's time for you to re-evaluate your references.
I have been at this for 21 years and have an indepth undertsanding not only of the technology involved BUT of the fundamental laws of physics, acoustics, psychoacoustics and electrical engineering involve in the art of sound/musical reproduction. I do not rush to judgement, as I have not judged Fred's system, as I have not heard it; ALL I have done is stated a few facts.
Ryan, keep in mind who you're talking to before you challenge my "opinion". I have been at this considerably longer than you have and have a range of gear that you have not ever even heard of. As far as my musical selection stated here, I was only offering the other side of the coin as I do also listen and own the typical audiophile fare.
Well listen, you live too closed-by that we do not need to discuss all this here publicly. Just come by for a visit and an audition and you'll agree.
By the way, while in Shanghai, I also heard an ALL top of the line Burmester reference system and left that audition unimpressed as well. Don't take it personally, it's hard to impress me after living with my reference system over the last year. And once you have listen to it you'll agree.
If you ever make it to Shanghai, China, you will throughly enjoy it as the highend stores/shops there give you access to listen to the best high-end systems one right after the other.
So swing by for a listen one of these days, as a reviewer you really do need to know just how good the art of sound reproduction can be in the home enviroment. I still got your number so don't wait for me to call you, this is an invitation that I think that you can use for your audio equipment/system reviewing endevours.
i never stopped soldering anything. question is simply where gear increases in complexity (much like autos), modifying it gets prohibitively difficult for the half-time / half-assed hobbyist like myself. modding a 30yr old tuner that's $100 used is a diff situation than digging into a $15k preamp. your hand twitches with the latter when the iron is hot. and i've been inside the einstein preamp a # of times, and i still cannot figure out what they do with the volume control. that said, i still build all the cables i can (esp AC) and have built / modded my AC conditioners, but as i wrote in my transparent review, some things the DIYer cannot replicate, no matter how hard he tries.
i review gear b/c 1) i like listening to new gear, and 2) i am a very capable writer. so, brand me as you will: someone who gets gear at no financial obligation, but do note: i've not bought one thing i've gotten in for review to this date. i'm sure that will change someday, but for now, this is purely for fun.
the wavac was sold for 1 reason only: the 572 tube has a single mfg, and its out of production. nothing else; as a trader, i know to cut my losses when info changes and turns against you, and i wasn't about to watch a multi-thousand $$ investment go to zero if tubes went the way of the dodo. the wavac remains to this day the piece i am most trying to replicate. it was ravishing, and i & my friends in town still talk about it as the reference of sexilicious music. re: the joule, experience begets experience, such my statements evolve. when presented w/ new information, what do you do sir?
oh, that's right: you say that the accapella tweeter is "inefficient". curious evaluation, i must say. methinks you may have a tendency to rush to judgement, and not just w/ audio.
but don't listen to me. trust your own ears, i'll trust mine. though listening to uber-compressed slayer CDs, methinks you may find you'll need to rely on others for accuracy in audio reproduction.
Albert, I have met Fred as well. He came to my house with Jim Meine about seven years ago and he never bothered to return the invitation.
While in Shanghai, China for business last year I was able to listen to not only the Acapella Triolon's but the Acapella Excalibur's and Sparon's driven by Audionet Amp II's, FM Acoustics and Halcro monoblock amplifiers. I left the auditions unimpressed. The ion tweeter sounded inefficient and had a hard time integrating with the collage of other drivers.
I have also met Ryan, the author of article. He went from a frugal, "I tweak everything I ever get" guy who wrote reviews on Audioreview and audio Asylum in which everything that he had just bought or listen to was the greatest ever: You remember how he felt about his Joule Electra preamp (read the audioreview review) and Wavac amplifier (talked about by him endlessly here on audiogon) (those were supposed to be torn from his cold dead fingers). Now all of the sudden Rhyno is not Mr. Frugal but one who believes that the more expensive, the better it sounds (at least that's what he said in an exchange here in our local audiophile Yahoo group).
Like I said, The system looks Great on paper and in the pictures but based on what I heard from the Acapella's in Shanghai, China, I reserve judgement.
Even in Germany, where I conduct a great deal of business, Stereo Testmagazin Der High Fidelity Februar 1994 issue Pg. 124, they gave the A capella Campanile a luke-warm three stars.
I was surprised to see that Rhyno has become a "reviewer" and the system that he has put together for himself; as I remember him as an excitable young guy who used to brag about using his soldering iron and brains over his wallet. On my, how things have change.
Albert, why don't you come down and have a listen over at Fred's and then stop by my house for a listen so that you can compare and contrast the difference between a wallet approach and what a brain, knowledge of physics/acoustics/psychoacoustics & electrical-engineering and exprience, can put together.
If Fred's system matches the quality of Fred himself, it certainly is a world class system.
Fred Crowder works his butt off to pay for his passion and I suspect it's quite excellent sounding. In any case it's what he loves and thankfully there are those who still have the passion to follow their dreams and goals, even if they turn out to be expensive.
I have known Fred for many years, a courteous, humble and sweet person with no agenda other than devotion to his family, job and his passion for music.
Frankly, that's pretty easy stuff for me to relate to.
"A couple thoughts": Fred all that money invested in your system and Rhyno says that it's only good for orchestral music or live recordings of any kind?
Shouldn't a "World Class" system be able to excel at the art of reproducing any type of music?
Is your system up to the task of reproducing the:
Cubanate - "Cyberia" Slayer - "Reign In Blood" Napalm Death -"Scum" Afro-Cuban Allstars - "A Todo Cuba Le Gusta"
Recordings or is the system only dedicated to the reproduction of simple and un-amplified arrangements?
On paper and in the pictures your system looks GREAT! But the bigger question is, does it deliver the goods?
Congratulation Fred on your achievement: assembling one of the worlds most expensive systems; Lets hope that its performance, caliber and degree of realism and enjoyment can match that level as well.
There is a review of the my Acapella Triolons with further pictures of my system at http://www.dagogo.com/Spotlight/AcapellaTriolon-Crowder.html. I have just received Jorma No. 1 speakerwire to use on the Triolons and will be posting about the differences between it and the current Isoclean speakerwire.
The Mexcel power cord for the X-01D2 finally arrived. Esoteric markets the Mexcel cables in Japan, so it came as no surprise that the Mexcel PC worked extremely well with the D2 and that the PC was strong in the same areas as their IC's., namely, extremely low background noise level so that the notes seem to pop out of surrounding darkness, excellent retrieval of low level detail; increased depth of field, better leading edge definition but not at the expense of decay, and increased bandwidth and dynamics. The combination of the Mexcel power cord and their balanced IC when used with the D2 made a rather audible improvement in the sound and certainly moved the D2 a big step toward analogue. I am sold enough on the Mexcel to be considering the purchase of a three meter pair to run between my amp and preamp.
Just a few thoughts after having lived with the Triolons for about a month and making a few associated changes to the system. First, I continue to be amazed by the resolving power of the Triolons (and the associated stress that puts on the remainder of the system) and the seamless blending of the various drivers. The Campanile Highs were very good in this area, particularly after breakin and proper set up but even at their considerable best there was ocassionally a tendency of sounds at certain frequencies to localize on the horns and a feeling that the midbass was somewhat slower than the upper bass. I am perhaps over emphasizing what was a minor issue; but for whatever reason, the Triolons do not suffer from either of these problems and are very easy to set up in ones room with no sounds ever localizing on the horns and with absolutely no discontinuity in the sound as the music moves between drivers.
I have made two additional system changes, I have retired the Clearaudio Accurate replacing it with another Titan i. Do I need to say that there is no comparison? Secondly, I have replaced the balanced cabling between the Esoteric and the Einstein preamp with the Acrolink Mexcel 7N top of the line. In compatison, the Crystal Reference was much leaner tonally with a touch of grain in the upper mids and lower treble. The Mexcel is quieter, more dimensional and lacking any audible grain. It is also more than twice the price, but is an extremely good match with the Esoteric. Next week I should also have the Mexcel power cable and will comment then.
Sorry to hear that your Violons are having teething problems. They can sound great and are probably the best buy of any of the Acapella speakers. They are quite reliable once you get them running properly but they do not like to be shipped. Note that the packing has improved on the latest production.
