Avantgarde?

[Joey_V]

Any thoughts on the Duo? I've been eye-ing this speaker for some reason now... perhaps a bit of boredom and with my system out of commission due to the crappy 5ar4 rectifier tube that I currently have in my Cary 05 pre....

Man, if I could only get the Duo, the 802D, and perhaps the new Sonus Faber Cremona M in my room for an all out brawl - I'd be a hermit for atleast a week!

 

[Tj Bassi]

Joey-

I've sat in on a demo of a used Trio and came pretty close to plinking down the cash, stopping only because I wasnt convinced that the sound bettered what I already own (and also had to justify the significant price offset).
Never saw a Duo, but the Trio was one sexy speaker (OK, so the wife or girlfriend might not think so) and they're unbelievably sensitive....throw a few SET watts at them and hold your ears.
On the downside, I recall the soundstage not being as deep as with my Logans, and they sounded a bit 'harsh' in the midrange. Horns are not for everybody so make sure to demo a pair before jumping in.

To be honest, on looks alone, I regret not purchasing the Trio. Walking away was a tough call.

Tj

 

[MiTT]

If you're going to audition the Avantgarde's (which are very good indeed), you should also audition the Accapella line. Believe it or not, they are significantly more expensive than the Avantgarde's, but the ion tweeter in the Accapella's is without a doubt the best high frequency transducer (can you even call an ion tweeter a transducer - I think not), I have ever heard. The Avantgardes do have an ever so slight "horn" sound - think of your hands cupped around your mouth as you shout to someone, but they are certainly more refined than many in this regard. The Accapella's however are just a cut above all other horn systems to my ears. I'd be proud to own either though!

 

[sleepysurf]

Joey, I saw/heard a pair of Duo's when a local audiophile was first setting them up in his new home. They were gorgeous. Can't really comment on the overall sonics, as he had just started tweaking their setup, and hadn't yet experimented with tube vs. SS components. Looked like they'd be just as difficult to ideally set up as ML's... and probably equally revealing of poor recordings. They are huge, so a large room is paramount. How big is your new abode??

 

[Joey_V]

New abode is 23x13 deep, Alan.... much bigger than what I got now which is... ahem... a bedroom.

I gotta hear these Avantgarde...

Although I know Tim loves the Avalons, which is another speaker company that's worth looking at. I am definitely smitten by the musicality of the BW802D last I heard them with some Macs... but I just wasn't too sure of their staging and coherence - perhaps I was sitting too close.

Anyway, gotta think some stuff through.

 

[MiTT]

I gotta hear these Avantgarde...

Although I know Tim loves the Avalons, which is another speaker company that's worth looking at.

Joey, I am indeed a big fan of the Avalons and if I had $20K of disposable income laying around I'd snatch up a pair of Indra's in a heartbeat (the recent purchase of my CLS's not withstanding). They are musical bliss to my ears.

But, the speakers I was recommending above in comparison to the Avantgarde's are the Accapella's. Both of these are horn based systems - both very different indeed than the Avalon's. My point was that IF I were to be looking at expensive horn based systems and I were willing to spend the $30K+ to get into the Avantgarde Trio's, I'd also have to audition the admittedly more expensive ($40K to $415K) Accapella line. Even the smallest Accapellas that I have heard are among the most musically seductive speakers I have yet encountered. In my opinion they are much more refined than the Avantgardes, but I must add that I have only heard the Avantgardes in show condtions, not in a real room. The plasma tweeter that Accapella uses is a thing to behold, both visually and sonically.

 

[Joey_V]

Acapella would be nice.... I've read about those Ion Tweeters for some time now.

In doing my groundwork for the Avants and the Acapellas, it may seem as they are very room dependent and require large amounts of space (i.e. looong) to fully integrate and coalesce. Tough order...

I think my numero uno speaker for further consideration is the Quad 2905. As a point source array, it performs well rather nearfield as well as farfield. Side walls are not as much an issue - biggest will be back wall, which is the same for our MLs.

 

[rtagle]

I heard the Acapella Violon Mk III powered by Plinius amps. All I can say is it gave me goose bumps!!!! That's what I'm itching for right now. There's one on sale at Audiogon for $22k although I had the chance to get one at $17k but hesitated to pull the trigger as I have to upgrade the amps and the whole shabang and might end up in a bottomless pit! Know what I mean?

 

[Joey_V]

I heard the Acapella Violon Mk III powered by Plinius amps. All I can say is it gave me goose bumps!!!! That's what I'm itching for right now. There's one on sale at Audiogon for $22k although I had the chance to get one at $17k but hesitated to pull the trigger as I have to upgrade the amps and the whole shabang and might end up in a bottomless pit! Know what I mean?

When you getting your pair?? :bowdown:

 

[rtagle]

When you getting your pair?? :bowdown:

When I come across another deal locally that's hard to refuse. For right now, I'd like to upgrade my source. I'm waiting for The Memory Player by Nova Physics Corp. with the video upgrade which I expect to get hopefully by July. If I hear a big improvement, it might relieve my itch for the Acapellas.

 

[Joey_V]

When I come across another deal locally that's hard to refuse. For right now, I'd like to upgrade my source. I'm waiting for The Memory Player by Nova Physics Corp. with the video upgrade which I expect to get hopefully by July. If I hear a big improvement, it might relieve my itch for the Acapellas.

You hearing a big improvement will not relieve the itch, you'll be wondering how the Acapellas will sound with that player.

 

[rtagle]

I'm hoping that the Summits will come close with the MP upgrade. I'll give my impressions once it's hooked up.