Speakers

These 3 way extreme speakers deliver an incredibly dynamic and effortless performance. Utilising commercial cinema technology, the Theatrix are capable of producing high sound pressure levels with pristine fidelity and extremely low distortion. A dedicated midrange driver enhances performance and ensures superior vocal intelligibility.

The mighty Neuphonix is the top of the range of Krix floorstanding home speakers. Like a Mission 753 in configuration but much better performance.

There's no finer way to break one's own ribcage than to put a kick drum in the chamber and pull the trigger on the Krix flagship speakers. A true three way cross over ensures the crisp mids and high notes are not muddled by the awesome power of the 4-driver bass array.

There is an in wall version of this loudspeaker that is surely amongst the best architectural loudspeakers available.

These are very sought after pure British loudspeakers ... the A7 has been an outstanding success as an allrounder in conservative fine wooden clothing. The pictures do not do the cabinet quality justice and sound quality and tonality means that these are loudspeakers that you will keep for a generation.

The A7 floorstanding models are the largest models in the A series range that has been engineered to deliver dynamic, open and exhilarating sounds within realistic domestic spaces proving you don't need a huge room or vast budget to enjoy a highly entertaining musical performance.

 "What Hi Fi?" on the Spendor A7 

 "Sterephile" on the Spendor A7 

The Kantu Be speakers are a new and improved version of Legend Acoustic's reference passive speaker. A full 3.5 way speaker design which boasts a new beryllium tweeter.

Beryllium is extremely strong, light and stiff. Rod explains that this makes it a perfect material to make tweeters from however, it is expensive. Hence the modest increase in price as compared to the standard Kantu 14.

What you get though is more detail and naturalness in the sound. The beryllium material is able to react faster and more precisely giving the listener more detail and it's 'breakup frequency' is above 40kHz therefore it does not distort at high frequencies like other drivers. 

To note, these Kantu Be are only available in the Jarrah finish.

We try to have both the Kantu 14 and Kantu Be on the floor ready for demonstration in Carlton. Just ask and we will hook them both up for you for your very own Kantu shoot-out!

The smallest floor-standing loudspeaker, surprisingly powerful.

Sonus faber always found its inspiration in the highest Italian culture. This time we entrusted the history of our Literature for representing the new Sonetto Collection.
The Sonetto (Sonnet) is the most ancient Italian Poetic structure. Originally it meant ``Sound, Melody``and was traditionally used to accompany music performances. The first step in the Sonus faber world brings the name of the foundations of Literature history in Italy and in the rest of the world.

A sweet little speaker with a sweet sound. These are a classic BBC thinwalled Birch Ply built in what some may call the traditional style. Easy to listen to and very classically British.

If anyone walks into Carlton Audio Visual wearing a tweed jacket, we'd take them straight to these...

Cherry and Oak Add $0 to rrp

Walnut or Rosewood add $349

Ebony add $599

A true classic English speaker taking its aesthetics and ethos from the 60s. The cabinets are made from a relatively thin wooden casing which like a hand made violin will flex ever so slightly at lower frequencies where we don't hear as much and are rigid where it matters for the upper bass, mids and treble.

A gorgeous warmth to these just oozes out of them. Whereas the new tech D series Spendors are for seekers of truth and accuracy these Classic series are all about the emotional engagement.

This is how they've made speakers for the BBC for decades and those that love the 'Classic' sound will fall in love with these.

 We have always seen the Monitor Audio Gold range as where the Audiophile High-End really starts. The realism that these uniquely designed Micro Pleated Diaphragm tweeters produces are extraordinary.These tweeters work like an accordion to rapidly squeeze and pull out a thin bit of metal that is folded over itself. This technology was once reserved for the Platinum series but has found its way now into the Gold range. The 300s are the big boys of the Gold range and as such have that rubbling low-end extension. London Grammar 'Hey Now' is a shop favourite to show off what these bad boys can do.

The configuration and performance of these Acoustic Energy AE520s remind me of the original Mission 753 line array loudspeaker that was so loved in the 1990's. However this takes that now iconic slim front baffle with line array of drivers and adds steroids to the design. 

Although each of the five mid bass drivers are small in are these carbon fibre cones have a motor magnet behind them the same size as each cone ... so their their motor to cone ratio is higher than any other speaker in their class. 

The narrow front baffle makes for an excellent holographic portrayal of space and radically minimises the visual footprint of the AE520s.

The respected Australian originated review site Stereonet have awarded the AE520 "Product of the Year" for 2020

StereoNet on the Acoustic Energy AE520 

"Reveiwary on the Acoustic Energy AE520 

"Hi Fi +" on the Acoustic Energy AE520 

These 3 way extreme speakers deliver an incredibly dynamic and effortless performance. Utilising commercial cinema technology, the dual woofer Cinematix are capable of producing even higher sound pressure levels with pristine fidelity and extremely low distortion. A dedicated midrange driver enhances performance and ensures superior vocal intelligibility.

Epos has risen, like a Phoenix from the flames and has come out with a new version of their classic ES14, the ES14N!

They state that they have deliberately gone for a 'non lifestyle, classic' aesthetic with their design but I can't help thinking they have time morphed from the 90s. Of they fit in perfectly in the downstairs of Carlton's main demonstration area, that also hasn't seen a redesign since the 90s!

But the 90s are cool again, aren't they!?

There are of course more technical reasons behind their choices in box and driver design and you can read all about that here at the official Epos website.

After initially feeling that these were a slightly bass shy design it transpired that after running in, the ES14 became one of the deepest note capable designs we’ve heard from a box this size. They do that trick of allowing a new listener to hear bass notes clearly in a familiar piece of music that have been previously undiscerned. Also they offer you spatial awareness, detailed treble and engaging mids that are the hallmark of a classic design. Totally worth a listen.

Epos ES14N speakers and stands package $8795

On display now at Carlton Audio Visual

A review by "LowBeats" publication on the ES14N

A review by AV forums on the ES14N

From the origins of the loudspeaker industry in Glasgow comes this piece of musical intensity that is the Fyne Audio F700.
A very nice piece of engineering that proffers an explicit presentation with pin point imaging.

Fyne Audio F700 official site.

Rel has developed an all-new driver for this special edition subwoofer based on the Rel S/812 unit. This is the BlackWidow Driver. A 12" carbon fibre active driver. 

Like the other smaller siblings in the S series, these units are stackable up to three units high!

Only available in Gloss Black.

Read more on Rel's Carbon Special Website entry here.

Krix although it's very well known in cinema circles overseas is surprisingly underappreciated in its home Australian market. In 40 years, what started as a band of brothers making stereo speakers in an Adelaide garage has turned into one of the biggest players for speakers in the international commercial cinema market. And they're still made in Adelaide...although their garage has expanded considerably.

Krix do eyewatering High-End commercial theatre fitouts in places like the Middle East and China in a range of gear that is not really seen in commercial theatres in Australia. They've kitted out all of the Village Gold class theatres and many of the larger cinema chains and independent theatres choose Krix for the same reason our clients choose Krix...great value and fantastic sound.

Krix has adapted the 'speakers behind the screen' approach found in commercial theatres for the home with their MX series. Three speakers; Left, right and centre and two subwoofers either side of the centre make up the array. With the larger MX20 and MX30 systems, you really do need to build them in behind a screen. The beauty of the little MX5 system is that it can feasibly sit around a screen on the floor avoiding a costly rebuild of your whole wall and a new Acoutically Transparent Screen.

And even though it's little, boy does the MX5 deliver. Big dynamics, big room pressurisation and high impact. All with that warmth and depth of sound that never has you reaching to turn the volume down.

We find pairing a Krix system with a Marantz Receiver/amplifier gives the best results. We have the MX5 set up alongside the MX30 in our home theatre demo room. Come by for a demo!

The natural evolution of today’s Sonus faber, is enclosed in this new creation. Minima Amator II is the restatement of a fundamental product first introduced in 1992 when the company was establishing key principles that would go on to guide future productions: accurate design and high-quality materials, combined to obtain a sound reproduction as natural as possible.

We first saw this unique design as a tentative and secret prototype while drinking wine from the Krix Vineyard two years ago.

There is no doubt that Krix possess world class R&D facilities with state of the art instrumentation and analysis. It was with interest that I looked under a table in one of their laboratories and found the disassembled carcasses of B&W and Monitor Audio bookshelf speakers during that visit ...

It turns out that Scott has always nurtured an ambition to shake the audiophile tree for the high end bookshelf speaker. The Esoterix Altum is the result of that.

Now not everybody has grooved to their appearance it seems.

Think of them as that bespectacled fair haired girl who always sits quietly at the front of class while the cool kids hang shite on her. Then one day she’s on the front cover of Vogue while taking a break from studying medicine at Cambridge ... these speakers will one day be recognized as classics of sound and aesthetics ...

Matching stands for the Esoterix Altums are available at $1655.

The D7.2 is an unusual synthesis of absolute trad cabinetry and artisanship in woodwork allied to one of the most sophisticated high frequency drive units we have seen. They are aesthetically understated in a way that doesn't translate to imagery but draws people to them in the flesh.

Even the shipping carton is unlike that of other brands. It is made out of a stiff unlabled very high quality cardboard that itself feels like it has ben made by hand to survive a journey through time. Honestly it feels the way they used to make boxes for Hi fi gear in the seventies..

Hi Fi Choice on the Spendor D7.2

The brand new Monitor Audio Platinum PL100 3G have just been unboxed last week. These are a seriously nice speaker. Solidly made with a classic Monitor Audio liveness transparency and fun!

Darren is our resident Monitor Audio fanatic having owned a pair himself. His verdict? - 'hmmm, very good!'

Don't trust Darren though, come in and listen for yourself! We're putting some good mileage on them running them in so they're ready for a good demo listening session.

These will be a very popular speaker, no doubt.

The SP stands for Special Production or as we like to put it, Scottish Production as these are the sets not only specially designed with extra goodies but made in the U.K. in the Scottish factory. 

Unlike the ordinary F501s, these have the IsoFlare Drive. A dual concentric driver that delivers incredible detail and responsiveness. You can see in this driver design the influence of Tannoy where many of the designers came from. Back in the day when Tannoy was completely Scottish owned and made. Tannoy also used Dual Concentric Drivers.

Additional features over the F501s are upgraded crossovers and an aluminium sandwich plinth. All features of the pricier F700 series.