Speakers, speakers ,speakers.

[Barry]

I've heard their smaller siblings Geoff, and what they did well they did superbly well, especially Piano and vocals. However, for me, money-no-object, it would have to be the Tannoy Kingdom Royals as some of the best all-rounders available today:



Only problem being that you'd need a pretty large room and these aren't the sort of speakers that stand neatly towards the rear wall!

They're both hideous to look at IMO. Haven't heard the Avant Guard horns, but there are very few horn loaded speakers I can live with.

[walpurgis]

Haven't heard the Avant Guard horns, but there are very few horn loaded speakers I can live with.

I suspect they'd surprise you Barry. They don't sound like horns, not to me. In fact they sound like no other speaker I've heard.

[User211]

And?

A few thoughts on this page.

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showth...=kondo+User211

[YNWaN]

I've heard a number of Avant Garde horns a number of times, including those pictured. I'm afraid that every time they exhibited the colouration aspects expected of horns - that didn't stop them from being entertaining though.

[User211]

I disagree, Mark. I think they are about the least coloured horns going. The Duos and Nanos have bass integration issues, but the Trios and basshorns work superbly well together. I think that's due to the way the basshorns disperse sound i.e. it is not dissimilar to the horns.

Of course any AG model at least partially sounds like a horn, because that is what they are, but they just aren't that coloured to my ears when compared to many other horn designs. The Trio/basshorn setup, in a large room, is well capable of casting a very believable large soundscape that sounds very accurate, really. Absolutely world class, without any shadow of a doubt.

[Reffc]

As with all of these things, it is a very personal choice. There are some horn systems that I could easily live with sound-wise and top of the list would probably be these:



Ok...not a true all-horn system, but uses twin 12 inch front loaded bass units driven by 1200Wpc SS active amplification to 80Hz, above which, they are passively driven. To hear these with TRON amps taking care of the mids/highs was mighty impressive. One of the best systems I've come across but demands large space and high ceilings not to mention deep pockets! To my mind, betters the Aventgarde Duos that I heard although those were pretty fine too.

[YNWaN]

User 211, that's fine - we can agree to disagree (though I do agree about the bass integration issues you mention). No doubt the Avant Garde's are less coloured than most horn systems, I don't disagree there, but I still feel those remaining colourations are sufficiently invasive. I've also heard the Cessaro's Paul mentions and felt they suffered even less from horn colourations.

[User211]

The Lizst has that conventional driver versus horn dispersion problem, though. What's more, it is more marked than the latest Duos i.e. more obvious. I prefer the Trio / basshorn setup, in a huge room, by a good margin.

Good name, though. Franz Liszt was an interesting chap. Check Wiki out on him etc.

I'd like to hear Duo Mezzo or Duo Primo XD. I think they might work seriously well with the horn bass drivers.

[walpurgis]

Is that an Acapella model Paul?

I have heard earler Acapellas and been very impressed, especially with the pure top/mid. But with no moving mass apart from the plasma that's not surprising. It's a bit odd having speakers that 'twinkle' at you.

I think the Avant Garde Trio assembly would be my preference though. Not that my pocket is deep enough for any of the foregoing speakers.

[User211]

Cessaro Liszt.

I shot this at Munich.