East Coast tour - GT Audio Planars

Had been wanting to hear this for a while. The trip was worth it. These are hybrid planars, just like Logan hybrids, but instead of a Stat panel, they have an excellent ribbon + magnet panel. This is more of a DIY kind of speaker produced by a guy named Greg in NJ that has been getting some good reviews in shows in the US. 90db sensitivity, 4ohm impedance, and 2 10-inch woofers for mid and lower bass that are quite well integrated. the midrange and highs are beautiful, and the speaker is way more dynamic than any Stat or a Maggie. In fact, this is almost an Analysis, and while the Analysis Amphitryon with a Duelund crossover is $32k, this is $6.5k. I totally enjoyed the 3 hour session. It might lack the ultimate 10% refinement in audiophilia and on complex music, but the tonality, timbre, and dynamics totally make it something I would prefer over and Logan, Maggie, or Apogee. And I would probably be satisfied with it from a pragmatic point of view, only the audiophile would yearn for an Analysis. In fact in normal rooms, the two won't even show much of a difference.

Also it had been just brought over and dumped into the room, without spikes, so once set up properly, it can only sound better.

the designer also said he could cut me a center speaker. A Center panel without the ribbon and the bass would do 80 - 6k Hz.

What you see in the pic is just his working prototype, it can be designed with any wood color. It also has, on the back, controls to set crossover frequency and gain to tune to your room.

Look up www.gtaudioworks.com

The woofer in the pic is not being used, that is for another speaker

They look pretty good. After a while you'd realise (I expect you do already really from the "quite well integrated statement") a full ribbon system works better than a hybrid but that's not denying those are really good VFM I expect.

The whole point of excellence of a planar magnetic speaker is that it can be full range without differing driver operation/materials etc. Actually that isn't quite true, as bass panels are single ended and supported at the perimeter. But the coherence due to the same driver material being employed over the whole frequency range is unbeatable.

They look very nicely made.

User211 said:

They look pretty good. After a while you'd realise (I expect you do already really from the "quite well integrated statement") a full ribbon system works better than a hybrid but that's not denying those are really good VFM I expect.

The whole point of excellence of a planar magnetic speaker is that it can be full range without differing driver operation/materials etc. Actually that isn't quite true, as bass panels are single ended and supported at the perimeter. But the coherence due to the same driver material being employed over the whole frequency range is unbeatable.

They look very nicely made.

Click to expand...

Yes, I can hear something in the bass, but the integration and dynamics are really good. Accuracy makes a diff. Best thing about these speakers is they are musical and lively, from ACDC to classical, and will get rid of audiophilia and upgraditis. We listened to 3 hours of music, varied genres.

He is coming up with a new speaker, with bigger panels, the bass section amps are now higher quality to the ones I had heard, he said they were hypex class D400 watts, because the older class ab were passing some grunge. He is also using a new layout of the copper foil on the panel membrane, for better impedance

Most importantly he will be providing a variety of powered bass options, and one includes OB powered subs. Looks promising. Those near NJ should definitely get a listen and compare with Montis and Summit