Has anybody auditioned Whise HA-1500?

Here is the site for this ESL:

http://www.reality-design.com.au/

Whise HA-1500 Forum:

http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/showthread.php/13510-Whise-Ha-1500

It it $5000.00 a pair.

Reality Design will attend CES 2012.

Any thoughts on this?

Yes, I've heard them. Whise is an Aussie company (see my subwoofer) - but these are from a JV with Nakamichi. They're good, but the company has since been bought out, and this particular model (it was an experiment, if memory serves me correctly) is discontinued.

I wouldn't buy them.

Hi Adam,

You're correct. They're discontinued. Just the last few pair left. They look very nice for the price but I was wondering about sound quality. For sound quality, which ML speaker can you compare them with?
They dont have a dealer in the states, that means practically zero service. On the other hand, the designer comapres this set to Summit. Of course, he is biased since he designed this speaker. But in your opinion, was this set as good as Summit?

That's a graceful looking speaker, but if that's a subwoofer cabinet, it sure is tiny.

amey01 said:

Yes, I've heard them. Whise is an Aussie company (see my subwoofer) - but these are from a JV with Nakamichi. They're good, but the company has since been bought out, and this particular model (it was an experiment, if memory serves me correctly) is discontinued.

I wouldn't buy them.

Click to expand...

I have checked out your Subs they are outragious, wish that stuff was here.........

sharok said:

Hi Adam,

You're correct. They're discontinued. Just the last few pair left. They look very nice for the price but I was wondering about sound quality. For sound quality, which ML speaker can you compare them with?
They dont have a dealer in the states, that means practically zero service. On the other hand, the designer comapres this set to Summit. Of course, he is biased since he designed this speaker. But in your opinion, was this set as good as Summit?

Click to expand...

These speakers were made by a subwoofer technology company, as an experiment. When Nakamichi showed interest in licencing the design, production was ramped up, however we all know where Nakamichi is these days. Nakamichi's debt caused the cancellation of the order, and the subsequent cancellation of the ES design.

Support is fragmented as Whise are essentially a licencing company. Whatmough, among others (www.whatmough.com.au) have bought their subwoofer technology (have a look how similar their "Impulse" subwoofer looks to my Whise sub), and the holding company (Reality Design) is actively engaged.

So firstly, it depends on what you think of all this?

As for the sound, they are very different to the Summit. But all this is from memory, as I heard them about two years ago. They sound a lot warmer overall, and the bass is fantastic (as you would expect). The top end is a bit reserved though. It doesn't jump out at you from the 3D soundstage like with MLs. They make the Summit sound a bit clinical by comparison, but I do think the Summit has the edge in the overall panel design and response you get from that.

All from memory though - haven't heard them in two years.

But to answer your question - no, you can't compare them to ANY ML design. Just too different.

Hello Adam,

Thanks again for your comments. My wife loves the design (and the price since it is powered). I was wondering about the SQ. I'm going to meet the chief designer in CES. He also designed Nakamichi Dragon. The issue I have with this speaker is the support and customer service which is located in AUstralia. A little too far for me in Arizona

I use 100Hz crossover to my Descent i. So mid and high are what I'm concerned with. But you think Summit has a better top end. I use my speakers 90%movies/10%music.

At the moment I have a pair of Purity (which are powered just like HA-1500). I'm planning to upgrade them. This seemed to be a good choice.

My understanding from your comments is that HA-1500 may not be as good as Summit, but it is better than the low end ML speakers.

Hi sharok,

Two caveats.

1) Long term company stability.

2) Does it's sonic signature fit with your own personal biases and system synergy? Try in your own room before you buy.

They certainly are very attractive.

Good luck.

GG

Gordon Gray said:

Hi sharok,

Two caveats.

1) Long term company stability.

2) Does it's sonic signature fit with your own personal biases and system synergy? Try in your own room before you buy.

They certainly are very attractive.

Good luck.

GG

Click to expand...

Hello Gordon,

This speaker was first called Phoenix and it used to be made by Nakamichi. Nakamichi went down and the speaker (licensing) was sold to another company and Reality Design has the rights to this speaker now. I cannot try this speaker since they don't have a dealer in the states (located in Australia). So much for company stability and home audition :-(

This speaker was made to compete with Summit and as Adam said, it is not inferior to Summit (Adam preferred Summit).

I've a pair of Purity, Stage (center), Descent i and a pair of Script i (surrounds). I'm planning to upgrade the Puritys. Purity is a powered speaker, so is this one. I can have a pair for $3500.00 (new). It is a very good price for a pair of powered speakers that were made to compete with Summit ( I purchased Puritys for $3000.00 a pair). what bothers me is the fact that the company is located in Australia and I need to ship the speaker back there if there is a problem.

The sound quality may be not as good as Summit X, but the design beats ML's cheapest and most expensive sets (CLX) by far (IMO, CLX is the ugliest set of ML's floor speakers).

Based on people's review regarding sound quality, price and design, it is very tempting.

I'm going to meet the CEO in CES 2012 and I'll talk to him about this speaker. I'll update you on this set.

sharok said:

My understanding from your comments is that HA-1500 may not be as good as Summit, but it is better than the low end ML speakers.

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That, I did not say. It is different. At the level we are talking about, it is not better, not worse. Just different. My preference would be for the Summit. Your preference may be for the HA1500.....nothing wrong with that!

Thanks Adam. Technology Design will attend CES. I'll talk to the designer there. The real problem for me is the support. To Audition this at home and return it to Australia in case I change my mind, is neither cheap nor easy. I'm debating on what to do. I may not even buy this and go for a ML eventually.

sharok said:

Hello Gordon,

This speaker was first called Phoenix and it used to be made by Nakamichi. Nakamichi went down and the speaker (licensing) was sold to another company and Reality Design has the rights to this speaker now.

Click to expand...

I am not under the impression they were ever made by Nak - They were designed and made in Australia by Whise, however Nak wanted to licence the technology (effectively, buy and rebadge the speakers). This deal was the reason for the design getting off the ground in the first place, as Nak promised a significant number of orders per month. When Nak went belly-up, the whole project became un-viable. Hence, what you seen now.

I love this ballsy feature... just to label the control "Room Brightness" is rebellion enough, but then to add the "dull" position. That's awesome!

Room Brightness Control:
Dull, Normal, Bright (+- 3 dB)

counter-audiophile control labeling and seemingly under-powered internal amplification aside, they are sleek looking for sure.

sharok said:

Thanks Adam. Technology Design will attend CES. I'll talk to the designer there. The real problem for me is the support. To Audition this at home and return it to Australia in case I change my mind, is neither cheap nor easy. I'm debating on what to do. I may not even buy this and go for a ML eventually.

Click to expand...

What did I miss? You haven't heard these , know the support is suspect, can't return them without mega shipping costs. Why would u consider these at a 5k pricepoint? You can get used summits on the 'gon for under 5k or check out some Maggie 3.7s for that. Again what did I miss. Why would you even consider this?

Nakamichi - Whise electrostatic loudspeakers

Hi

I just discovered this forum and I am in a good position to comment on this topic being a former owner of a Martin Logan Summit and being the designer of the Nakamichi - Whise HA1500.

Both are great speakers but the HA1500 really does win in terms of

1 better left right dispersion (guess what curved arrays do not improve dispersion - sorry)
2 More extended and for less "lumpy resonant bass"
3 It is a full actively driven design - not just the bottom end
3 The polar pattern is almost circular - it even has a flat response 90 degrees off axis.

Yes I fully admit to being biased as I designed the thing but for more independent comment please visit.

http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/ind...e-and-fortune-nakamichi-dragon-electrostatic/

and to see what we are dong today:
http://involveaudio.com/audio.php?id=34&pid=10

http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/for...-Reality-Technologies-New-surround-technology


Regards

Charlie

Heard these yesterday, excellent speakers, very warm and logan like. Best of all, good WAF and they are active. Get a dac with a built in pre and you are ready to go. Given the lack of support one should bargain a very low price