http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/phy/phy.html
but before you go to it, read this - idiosynchratic and opinionated joy (by the way, he's dead. As per the copyright statement on the website, I e-mailed him for permission but he didn't reply. Busy I suppose.)
Acoustique &Lutherie's
Ocellia Kedros Speaker
FOR AT LONG LAST THE FIRST DUAL CONCENTRIC SPEAKER YOU CAN BUY IN A STORE THAT IS PROPERLY DESIGNED FOR DHT SET AMPS WITH ITS 16 OHM/99DB/ALNICO MAGNETS AND NO PASSIVE CROSSOVER.
I will shortly describe my experience with the "only store available speakers" I could be happy with. My hot roded Tannoy Westminster Royals are not sold in American. In other words, this is the first store buyable speaker I have recommended in five years. Not everyone is ready for what I am about to reveal. This eccentric French speaker is also the favorite speaker of Jean Paul Satre, Simon de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Andre Gide, Andres Malraux, Edith Piaf, Django Rheinhardt; all of whom, are enjoying it in Frog Heaven.
Consider this: If we compare the French soul to America's soul?We, The Guardians of the World's Democracy and inventors of the 39 cent hamburger, come up with "The Frogs are NOT normal".
The French are the masters of taste, ambiguities, subtle beauty, existential paradoxes, the weight of fate, free floating anxiety, betrayal and all things worth putting in the human mouth. The French are artists at suffering for art..and this makes them an alien (1) nation, (2) mind and (3)soul?? for Americans. This is a good thing because this is another audio journalism scoop for me, who, I remind you, has introduced you to more glorious exotic forms of audio art than any other brain damaged audio writer who wears a kilt and tube hat.
My interest in the French soul began in high school when Existentialism, the philosophy, was as cool as being "beat" and "hip". This meant that I had to be "cool" on the French Masters, like? Camus who died in his Facel Vega car doing battle with a tree at 100 MPH?how perfectly absurd.
Once again, when I entered the fashion business, after college, I faced the French Phalanx?French Taste was Taste in Fashion?and I had to spend a great deal of time in Paris?researching?smelling and snooping?eating?partying?..listening and watching?absorbing the French Groove.
That is why I can claim that this speaker represents a classic of French art, in the same way that Bridget Bardot, is a classic work of art. This speaker is a completely unique design that has emerged from the coalescence of two very eccentric minds. Two French audio masters are at work here, though I believe the work of designing and building this eccentric dual concentric driver is worthy of the French Legion of Honor. This is an eccentric speaker in the same way the Citroen and the Facel Vega (two of my favorite cars) are eccentric. I believe this speaker could only emerge from the French cultural tradition?and it is brilliant, in the way Rodin is brilliant, or Django is brilliant?or the way that a great French champagne is brilliant?I mean?..shines with beauty.
I have never encountered such a radical departure in speaker design that is so "classically" successful. The ultimate paradox is that the musicmaniacs who will appreciate it the most are the Japanese, because too few American men have reached a refined state of music connoisseurship?except?.. you of course.
A great deal of a French guts went into this speaker's gourmet recipe, and again, what I am writing about is a speaker that has no crossover?.and for the one man in America who revolts against passive crossovers, I am extremely excited about the results achieved. This is the only speaker that wont benefit from an active tube crossover.
When set up properly, played with extremely high quality input, and powered with extremely refined single-ended amplifiers, these speakers will produce an aural matrix that is so foreign and mysteriously beautiful that you too will be convinced that you are encountering a higher alien form of musical intelligence?and you are. These speakers do not sound like any "normal" speakers you have ever encountered at your local hi fi emporium?on purpose?thank God.
THE DUAL CONCENTRIC CULT GROWS
Since I started, as THE CONCENTRIC CRUSADER, to preach the unique virtues of dual concentric speakers (speakers which have their tweeter right in the center of the their woofer) nine years ago, more and more have joined the cult, mostly by buying classical Tannoys from the 1950-1970s. The new Tannoy Alcomax driver does not appear in any speakers that Tannoy brings into America, and is only available in Japan. Sunlight Engineering only sells drivers, which means you have to build your own very big and heavy cabinets for them. This means, again, that this is the only "Triode Guild Grade A" dual concentric speaker that you can buy in a store?.no construction, no tweaking?just spending time figuring out what amplifiers work best, and then putting down ten thousand smackeroons on the counter.
I have been comparing this $10K speaker to a highly modified $35K speaker, and I am impressed, so ride on.
Because you are smarter than "normal" I shan't spend one second in talking about neutrality because I have never heard it. All speakers are idiosyncratic, (NOTE: I am an authority on Quad speakers which probably get more praise from "normal" writers for their neutrality than any other speaker, yet for me, they are speakers with a very strong and distinct personality?and not neutral at all..what ever that means).
Trust me, something happens to our brain chemistry from the alchemy of alnico magnets and DHTs, and I discovered this in Japan in 1984, and it never left me?I was permanently imprinted. This combination is a favorite Japanese addiction, so be warned?.these speakers are potentially addictive, in the same way the Tannoy horns are?.they are so good at what they do right, none of their flaws matter, in perspective?.if you are into the unique aural matrix mystery created by the best directly heated triode amps.
French artistic confidence prevails: this is a narrowly focused speaker, and that is why it is so good at what it does. This is what it does: It has a simultaneous multiple orgasms with under ten watt amplifiers of the single-ended kind. There is no other speaker available in America that will mate as well with these amplifiers, other than the cultish Lowther which you must build. Or, think of the experience listening to this speaker this way?it is like getting a big juicy French kiss in your ear.
If you are a "normal" pentode push/pull/low efficiency ferrite magnet/multi-driver/ system, when you hear these speakers, properly demonstrated, you will be very confused?.it is like discovering a new form of sex. Why? Why? And, "Why you ask?" Because NO ONE in America has ever heard the glory of DHT SET amps, because there has not been ONE speaker, until now, that will properly demonstrate their musical powers?.in stores. Want to argue with me? I dare you. Before you make a fool of yourself buy a copy of Stereo Sound, the Japanese audio magazine, and check out all of the alnico magnet speakers for sale. No argument with the Guildmeister possible. Do you get my drift? Even if you can't afford the smackeroons, figure out how to con your local dealer into letting you bring your DHT SET amps to his store for some multi-orgasmic sex with these speakers. (HINT: You can get an audio dealer to do anything if you will wear two gold Rolex Oyster Perpetuals on one hand). Be prepared for the biggest shock of your audio life, and all that I am repeating is the Japanese wisdom that I discovered almost twenty years ago.
There is a business logic here for every store, in America, which sells any brand of DHT SET amplifiers to have at least one pair of these speakers on display. I can think of no other speaker which will demonstrate the unique virtues of these low powered amplifiers better?even if we are talking about entry level products.
to be continued.....................
but before you go to it, read this - idiosynchratic and opinionated joy (by the way, he's dead. As per the copyright statement on the website, I e-mailed him for permission but he didn't reply. Busy I suppose.)
Acoustique &Lutherie's
Ocellia Kedros Speaker
FOR AT LONG LAST THE FIRST DUAL CONCENTRIC SPEAKER YOU CAN BUY IN A STORE THAT IS PROPERLY DESIGNED FOR DHT SET AMPS WITH ITS 16 OHM/99DB/ALNICO MAGNETS AND NO PASSIVE CROSSOVER.
I will shortly describe my experience with the "only store available speakers" I could be happy with. My hot roded Tannoy Westminster Royals are not sold in American. In other words, this is the first store buyable speaker I have recommended in five years. Not everyone is ready for what I am about to reveal. This eccentric French speaker is also the favorite speaker of Jean Paul Satre, Simon de Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Andre Gide, Andres Malraux, Edith Piaf, Django Rheinhardt; all of whom, are enjoying it in Frog Heaven.
Consider this: If we compare the French soul to America's soul?We, The Guardians of the World's Democracy and inventors of the 39 cent hamburger, come up with "The Frogs are NOT normal".
The French are the masters of taste, ambiguities, subtle beauty, existential paradoxes, the weight of fate, free floating anxiety, betrayal and all things worth putting in the human mouth. The French are artists at suffering for art..and this makes them an alien (1) nation, (2) mind and (3)soul?? for Americans. This is a good thing because this is another audio journalism scoop for me, who, I remind you, has introduced you to more glorious exotic forms of audio art than any other brain damaged audio writer who wears a kilt and tube hat.
My interest in the French soul began in high school when Existentialism, the philosophy, was as cool as being "beat" and "hip". This meant that I had to be "cool" on the French Masters, like? Camus who died in his Facel Vega car doing battle with a tree at 100 MPH?how perfectly absurd.
Once again, when I entered the fashion business, after college, I faced the French Phalanx?French Taste was Taste in Fashion?and I had to spend a great deal of time in Paris?researching?smelling and snooping?eating?partying?..listening and watching?absorbing the French Groove.
That is why I can claim that this speaker represents a classic of French art, in the same way that Bridget Bardot, is a classic work of art. This speaker is a completely unique design that has emerged from the coalescence of two very eccentric minds. Two French audio masters are at work here, though I believe the work of designing and building this eccentric dual concentric driver is worthy of the French Legion of Honor. This is an eccentric speaker in the same way the Citroen and the Facel Vega (two of my favorite cars) are eccentric. I believe this speaker could only emerge from the French cultural tradition?and it is brilliant, in the way Rodin is brilliant, or Django is brilliant?or the way that a great French champagne is brilliant?I mean?..shines with beauty.
I have never encountered such a radical departure in speaker design that is so "classically" successful. The ultimate paradox is that the musicmaniacs who will appreciate it the most are the Japanese, because too few American men have reached a refined state of music connoisseurship?except?.. you of course.
A great deal of a French guts went into this speaker's gourmet recipe, and again, what I am writing about is a speaker that has no crossover?.and for the one man in America who revolts against passive crossovers, I am extremely excited about the results achieved. This is the only speaker that wont benefit from an active tube crossover.
When set up properly, played with extremely high quality input, and powered with extremely refined single-ended amplifiers, these speakers will produce an aural matrix that is so foreign and mysteriously beautiful that you too will be convinced that you are encountering a higher alien form of musical intelligence?and you are. These speakers do not sound like any "normal" speakers you have ever encountered at your local hi fi emporium?on purpose?thank God.
THE DUAL CONCENTRIC CULT GROWS
Since I started, as THE CONCENTRIC CRUSADER, to preach the unique virtues of dual concentric speakers (speakers which have their tweeter right in the center of the their woofer) nine years ago, more and more have joined the cult, mostly by buying classical Tannoys from the 1950-1970s. The new Tannoy Alcomax driver does not appear in any speakers that Tannoy brings into America, and is only available in Japan. Sunlight Engineering only sells drivers, which means you have to build your own very big and heavy cabinets for them. This means, again, that this is the only "Triode Guild Grade A" dual concentric speaker that you can buy in a store?.no construction, no tweaking?just spending time figuring out what amplifiers work best, and then putting down ten thousand smackeroons on the counter.
I have been comparing this $10K speaker to a highly modified $35K speaker, and I am impressed, so ride on.
Because you are smarter than "normal" I shan't spend one second in talking about neutrality because I have never heard it. All speakers are idiosyncratic, (NOTE: I am an authority on Quad speakers which probably get more praise from "normal" writers for their neutrality than any other speaker, yet for me, they are speakers with a very strong and distinct personality?and not neutral at all..what ever that means).
Trust me, something happens to our brain chemistry from the alchemy of alnico magnets and DHTs, and I discovered this in Japan in 1984, and it never left me?I was permanently imprinted. This combination is a favorite Japanese addiction, so be warned?.these speakers are potentially addictive, in the same way the Tannoy horns are?.they are so good at what they do right, none of their flaws matter, in perspective?.if you are into the unique aural matrix mystery created by the best directly heated triode amps.
French artistic confidence prevails: this is a narrowly focused speaker, and that is why it is so good at what it does. This is what it does: It has a simultaneous multiple orgasms with under ten watt amplifiers of the single-ended kind. There is no other speaker available in America that will mate as well with these amplifiers, other than the cultish Lowther which you must build. Or, think of the experience listening to this speaker this way?it is like getting a big juicy French kiss in your ear.
If you are a "normal" pentode push/pull/low efficiency ferrite magnet/multi-driver/ system, when you hear these speakers, properly demonstrated, you will be very confused?.it is like discovering a new form of sex. Why? Why? And, "Why you ask?" Because NO ONE in America has ever heard the glory of DHT SET amps, because there has not been ONE speaker, until now, that will properly demonstrate their musical powers?.in stores. Want to argue with me? I dare you. Before you make a fool of yourself buy a copy of Stereo Sound, the Japanese audio magazine, and check out all of the alnico magnet speakers for sale. No argument with the Guildmeister possible. Do you get my drift? Even if you can't afford the smackeroons, figure out how to con your local dealer into letting you bring your DHT SET amps to his store for some multi-orgasmic sex with these speakers. (HINT: You can get an audio dealer to do anything if you will wear two gold Rolex Oyster Perpetuals on one hand). Be prepared for the biggest shock of your audio life, and all that I am repeating is the Japanese wisdom that I discovered almost twenty years ago.
There is a business logic here for every store, in America, which sells any brand of DHT SET amplifiers to have at least one pair of these speakers on display. I can think of no other speaker which will demonstrate the unique virtues of these low powered amplifiers better?even if we are talking about entry level products.
to be continued.....................
