Speakers

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.

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.

A more traditional, modern chassis in the Atalante range of speakers that have been going for a very retro feel.

The same gorgeous wood finish but presented in a slim floorstander.

Revival Audio are the new kid on the block. Two chaps from Dynaudio who have broken out on their own and making speakers in a factory in France.

These are fantastic quality. You can tell that their engineers and design team know how to make a good speaker. Their sound is tight and controlled but relaxed as well. There isn't any shrillness to the sound just a nice easy listening quality. 

Very balanced and consistent accross the frequency sweep as well.

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.

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 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.

Do you like leather? We do and evidently Sonus Faber does as well!

That's one reason why people love Sonus Faber speakers. Leather trim on top of a swanky curved wood veneer. The other is that they sound so good! Rich and warm, never harsh. Big and enveloping, the sound feels like it washes over you and fills every corner of the room. And don't worry, the don't lack for detail and clarity either.

Read more about the Sonetto Vs on the official Sonus Faber site here

And a Review of the Sonetto Vs here from Home Theatre HiFi 

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.

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.

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.

Introducing the 212/SX, 1000W of goodness with a rear firing, down firing and two active 12" front firing. Upgraded with carbon fibre blades behind the drivers to stiffen yet in doing so adding nominal weight to the drivers.

This means more control, faster, even more agile and extended low bass.

Official Rel 212 site

"Home Theatre Hi Fi Secrets on the Rel 212SX

These are another classic design that channels concepts from the 70s. JBL, Klipsch and Spendor have been making speakers like this too. Unlike the Klipsch and JBLs, these have a really rounded, mellow mid and treble quality that make them easy and relaxed to listen to.

They have a big beefy bass like sinking into a plush lounge chair.

Revival Audio is a new speaker brand from Alsace, France. You could be forgiven for thinking the above accolades as prematurely bestowed upon a speaker maker just entering the market. Yet, Revival Audio are no simple start up. The company’s sole two speakers (at this stage) are the fruit of decades of combined expertise from ex-Dynaudio’s Daniel Emonts and Jacky Lee, Revival Audio’s founding members.

While Emonts was Senior R&D Engineer and Lee was Chief Commercial Officer at Dynaudio, they became great friends and together took the plunge in establishing Revival Audio by the end of 2021, with the ambition of crafting some of the best speakers in the world. Together they make a formidable team and are well paired to take on the industry heavy weights.

Come and try them out now at Carlton Audio Visual.

Matching stands are an optional extra at $750 a pair.

 "The Ear.Net" on the Revival Audio Atalante 5 loudspeakers 

 "Soundstage Australia" on the Revival Audio Atalante 5 loudspeakers 

The Big Reds are a no compromise design by Dr Rod Crawford. With amplifiers built in that perfectly match not only the speaker but each individual driver. Normally, when we build up HiFi systems that use a separate amplifier to power each driver, you're looking at a price tag of 10s of thousands of dollars. In this case you can get all of those benefits and more.

These Big Reds also boast an active crossover design that is handled by a separate box, the DEQX. This smart little box also adjusts for any discrepancies of each individual driver as well as those inherent in your listening room.

In whatever situation these end up in, they are sure to astound!

Krix is renowned for manufacturing speakers for High-end commercial cinemas all around the world. They are still a family owned business operating out of Adelaide and I often find them underappreciated in their home market when they're such a force overseas.

Their range of Home Theatre speakers is exceptional and the MX-10 is no exception. Perfect for a small to meduim sized room, it provides ultimate in dynamics control and clarity to your home theatre experience.

A beautifully finished tall floorstanding loudspeaker built like a high end musical instrument. These are the newest release incorporating the Yamaha harmonious design principle wherein all the drive units are made of the same material being a mix of high tech zylon and original Spruce pulp.

Yamaha NS2000A loudspeaker official site

"Soundstage Australia" on the Yamaha NS2000 The Manager of Yamaha Audio Japan who runs the design team for the loudspeakers came to visit us at Carlton Audio Visual and I made this little video of him discussing the inception of the Ns2000a. His English is a little broken but was very interesting: