docfoster
19-01-2014, 19:07
I was very struck by Paul's Tannoy driver based RFC Fidelos last year. Big Tannoys had not often been to my personal tastes on the odd occasion that I had heard them previously. Paul's Fidelos were more musical and airy than I was expecting.
I have been very interested in the recent development of his new, smaller, speaker design The Rhapsody.
Somewhere in the meantime, Paul was able to make some time to take some business from me and pimp my Goodmans ride. Again, results were impressive. The old Goodmans were completely reinvigorated.
It was interesting yesterday to see them all together...
http://i1003.photobucket.com/albums/af151/docfoster/RFC_zpsa15b4307.jpg
I took the Goodwoods because I wanted a familiar point of reference against which to judge the Rhapsodies.
The Rhapsodies are breathtaking. Imaging is utterly convincing. Frequency repsonse sounds flat as a pancake from way down low to way up high. There is a wonderful smoothness too. They have the same eerie realism that for me characterises Paul's speakers. However the Rhapsodies are different beasts to the Fidelos. The Fildelos inevitably are to some degree coloured by the fun and games of their Tannoy driver. The Rhapsodies sound more like a purely Paul speaker. They are cleaner, more revealing, more out of the way. The music that comes out of them has so much to merit it and to make you want to keep listening. Simply mesmorising performance. They don't quite have the all mighty impact of the Fidelos, but overall, the Rhapsodies sound more musical and for me, even more listenable than their larger cousins. They have as much bass as anyone outside of a Jamaican dance hall would need, but that bass isn't pounded into your soul like the Fidelos do.
Paul is very up front about the Rhapsodies' up front cabinet looks. He wanted me to understand that the cabinet design priortised sound quality above all else. He used a wide baffle design for sonic reasons (e.g. increased sensitivty). Paul is aware that this design flies in the face of the fashion for narrow floorstanders and seems surprised that those people who have heard the speakers have commented favourably on their looks. (I love them as to me their no-nonsence looks resonates serious audio credibilty rather than standing waves.) I understand that the current demo pair do not sport the real wood veneer that is an option for future pairs.
As for the comparison with the Goodwoods. Well, I was very pleased and relieved that my RFC/Goodmans were not shamed. In fact it was gratifying to feel that they sounded as if they were from the same stable. Clearly they were some way behind the Rhapsodies, but with similar qualities around imaging and a realistic and extended frequency response. Overall a highly pleasing and enticing sound.
I am really hoping that Paul will shift some of the Rhapsodies. They deserve to do well. Every moment that Paul has put into their design is evident is how just how musically they perform. To me they sounded remarkable.
I have been very interested in the recent development of his new, smaller, speaker design The Rhapsody.
Somewhere in the meantime, Paul was able to make some time to take some business from me and pimp my Goodmans ride. Again, results were impressive. The old Goodmans were completely reinvigorated.
It was interesting yesterday to see them all together...
http://i1003.photobucket.com/albums/af151/docfoster/RFC_zpsa15b4307.jpg
I took the Goodwoods because I wanted a familiar point of reference against which to judge the Rhapsodies.
The Rhapsodies are breathtaking. Imaging is utterly convincing. Frequency repsonse sounds flat as a pancake from way down low to way up high. There is a wonderful smoothness too. They have the same eerie realism that for me characterises Paul's speakers. However the Rhapsodies are different beasts to the Fidelos. The Fildelos inevitably are to some degree coloured by the fun and games of their Tannoy driver. The Rhapsodies sound more like a purely Paul speaker. They are cleaner, more revealing, more out of the way. The music that comes out of them has so much to merit it and to make you want to keep listening. Simply mesmorising performance. They don't quite have the all mighty impact of the Fidelos, but overall, the Rhapsodies sound more musical and for me, even more listenable than their larger cousins. They have as much bass as anyone outside of a Jamaican dance hall would need, but that bass isn't pounded into your soul like the Fidelos do.
Paul is very up front about the Rhapsodies' up front cabinet looks. He wanted me to understand that the cabinet design priortised sound quality above all else. He used a wide baffle design for sonic reasons (e.g. increased sensitivty). Paul is aware that this design flies in the face of the fashion for narrow floorstanders and seems surprised that those people who have heard the speakers have commented favourably on their looks. (I love them as to me their no-nonsence looks resonates serious audio credibilty rather than standing waves.) I understand that the current demo pair do not sport the real wood veneer that is an option for future pairs.
As for the comparison with the Goodwoods. Well, I was very pleased and relieved that my RFC/Goodmans were not shamed. In fact it was gratifying to feel that they sounded as if they were from the same stable. Clearly they were some way behind the Rhapsodies, but with similar qualities around imaging and a realistic and extended frequency response. Overall a highly pleasing and enticing sound.
I am really hoping that Paul will shift some of the Rhapsodies. They deserve to do well. Every moment that Paul has put into their design is evident is how just how musically they perform. To me they sounded remarkable.