Hi Neil.
I debated long and hard about the colour. My initial instinct was the obvious gloss piano black but then though it would be like having two of the obelisks from 2001 at the end of the room, then I considered in-your-face Ferrari red, but eventually settled on white and I'm really pleased with it.
When it's against a white or near white wall, the cabs nearly disappear and leave the drivers floating.
Anyway, the sound, great sound stage - both width and depth, especially listening to vinyl. Smooth yet detailed treble, but where they really shine in in the mid and bass.
Volt mid-bass drivers are used by REL, PMC and at the Royal Opera House and I rate them every bit as highly as ATC. They have a 3" voice coil, so the dust-cap is basically a 3" dome mid-range and vocals are superb, which seems weird because you wouldn't expect it from a 10" driver. In fact the main driver is so good in the upper-mid that it means the x-overs can be very simple with a really gentle roll-off.
But as good as the mid is, it's the bass that is the real killer, it's just effortlessly deep. I've never heard them get flustered and I've never felt the slightest need for a subwoofer.
I estimate that in total they have cost me about £1200, which includes about £700 of drivers, components and internal wiring, and the only speakers I've heard which I'd swap them for would be a pair of Sonus Faber Extremas (which I owned, bought 2nd hand but sold in a time of financial need), or a pair of big ATC SMC50s which would be about 4 times the price.
Steve aka 'Twelvebears' (it's a long story)
System: Technics 1210 Mk5, Jelco 750 arm, AT33EV via MF X-LP2 Phono Stage, Oyaide mat and record clamp. SB Touch via Marantz PM-11S1 amp and Wilson Benesch A.C.T. speakers. Mark Grant cables and PS Audio Power Plant Premier mains regenerator.
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