musicality

hard to position and drive

I'm writing this after nearly 3 years of listening to GP in my system and can tell you they're getting better and better. Matched with proper electronics will make EMOTIONS flow like very few speakers or anything can. System: CD:Arcam Alpha 9 CD modified with FMJ23 DAC board Pre:Modified C-J PV-10 AL Power: C-J Sonographe SA-400 Interconn: Nordost Red Dawn Spr. cable: Transparent Music Wave Plus Music: Jazz, Jazz, Jazz....and anything else (Ethno, Classic, Rock, Folk, Funk, Soul..)

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many from B&W, JMLab, Sonus Faber...

Ability to handle fine equipment with control and finess.

Must find the right location for sound.

First let me start by saying that these speakers are superbly focused in the music domian. I started with a denon 3600 receiver and boston speakers. This left me longing to give these puppies a system that whould mesh well together.My first move was to get a Bryston 9B amp and a AV SP1 pre pro also by bryston. Next I purchasted Audioquest bedrock for my speakers,Acustic Zen Wows (xlr) for my interconnect,and audioquest Vsd-4 digital coaixal plus power cords all around.The result is slamming detail,lots of air,vice grip control on the bass and the voices in the upper region as good as it gets.

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My 23 year old JBL 4311's.

Excellent music reproduction and build quality.

None

This is a follow-up on my previous review. I have just acquired a pair of Quicksilver mono tubed amps rated at 60 wpc which is a perfect match for my Audio Research SP 9 Mk II hybrid preamp in driving the SF Concerto Grand Piano. The GP's have improved further on all sound departments-more crystalline highs, accurate mid range and decent bass plus better imaging and sound stage-compared to the previous performance with the custombuilt 50 wpc tube amplifier which has been relegated to my secondary system. As I have been hooked on this loudspeaker masterpiece, which I believe could withstand the test of time, the GP's will be a mainstay in my sound system as long as future upgrading in source, amplification and ancillary equipment/gadget will permit.

Fit and Finish (the walnut is drop dead gorgeous and the leather feels great). Sonic beauty and musicality revealing layers of harmonic content not before heard on my records and CDs.

Very sensitive to placement in my room. It took 4 days of moving around and measuring with test CDs and SPL meter and ears to get them to disappear and create a huge soundstage.

Incredible speaker. Not just beautiful to look at but amazing detail and smoothness. Biwiring at first made the treble a little harsh but after 3 days the harshness is completely gone and only smooth detailed highs remain. Huge soundstage with rock solid imaging but very sensitive to placement. I started with them where my last speakers (Coincident Speaker Technology Coquests) were but they sounded congested and weak. The frequency response was all over the place and the soundstage had no depth. That was about 4' from the rear wall, 3.5' from the side walls, 6 feet apart and 7 feet from the listening position. My room is 20' x 13' x 8'. I moved and measured and moved and listened and moved etc. Based on Michael Fremer's review and decided to try something that seemed strange but why not? I put the speaker about 7 feet apart (only 3' away from side walls) and moved them out until they were only 6' from my listening position, toed in so that the tweeters are right at my ears. Bingo! Huge soundstage with great depth and amazing rock solid imaging. Lots of air and all the congestion was gone. Until then the speakers held on to some instruments on the speaker plane but now the speakers disappear completely and the soundstage has moved way back. Now instruments come from behind the speakers and far out to the edges of my room. Frequency response still shows a bulge at around 100 Hz and a rise from 4 KHz - 8 Khz but it isn't audible. I love these speakers. And to think only 2 days ago I was considering selling them because they didn't sound quite right....My advice is buy them if you can and then take the time to find their placement in your room. It is an advantage having a dedicated listening room as they are about 5 feet out from the rear wall fo me. PLACEMENT IS EVERYTHING.

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Coincident Speaker Technology Conquests, Triumph Signatures, Sound Dynamics 300ti, Mission 775e, Polk Audio RM10.

Midrange, ability to handle complex and dynamic music, style, natural presentation

Careful placement needed and don''t buy them unless you have excellent source components

This is simply a stunning speaker, both sonically and (in wood/leather trim) aesthetically. I have recently had the opportunity to audition it with the following equipment: Arcam FMJ DV-27 Arcam A-22 Integrated Amp Nordost Valhalla cables This was the most relaxed and natural musical presentation I had ever encountered, and I have listened to a $300,000 sytem is an acoustically-designed listening room. There was not an ounce of etch or grain, vocals were astonishingly accurate and even heavy, complex rock music did not get strained or congested. Please note: last weekend, I heard the Grand Pianos at a different dealer, on inferior equipment in a "live" room, and the whole presentation was almost unlistenable. I blame this more on the front end and cables, but this adds credence to some of the reviwers'' warnings that the GPs require excellent source components. I also found that the speakers sounded better about 1 foot from the back wall than they did 3-4 feet from the wall, which surprised me because in my first audition I found that bringing the speakers out into the room about 6 feet helped. There seems to be a "dead zone" from about 2-6 feet in the speakers.

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Audio Physic Tempo III

Just for prospective I have owned the following speakers for a length of time for which I feel I can comment on and that serve as a reference point for this review. B&W DM 3000; B&W Matrix 805; Kef Ref 2; Sonus Faber Concertos; ProAc 2.5.

Secondly you really should read my review of the ProAc 2.5. They are great speakers. But, after a few months I missed that Sonus Faber sound. That is it. So, I sold the 2.5's and was able to get the GP on the used market. I am so happy with them. Getting them back was like inviting an old friend over for dinner.

Here is the rub, the GP are a bit more fussy about what they are fed then the 2.5's so I had to do a little adjusting here and there. And it wasn't until recently that we made a huge leap towards.....what ever it is that we as audiophiles aspire to...when I picked up the Bel Canto Evo 200.2. The GP's backed by this amp are nothing short of amazing!!! I will review the Evo, but I have not fully comprehended their full potential as of yet. Bass is deep and rib-rattling, mids now have as much silk as the 2.5's. All with that SF touch of emotion. I am sticking with these for what I hope will be a very long time (for me that seems to be 6 months)

Fatique free and natural presentation of the music. Soundstage depth.

Bass (depth); Soundstage witdh.

THIS IS TO CORRECT MY PREVIOUS REVIEW IN WHICH I MISTAKINGLY GAVE AN OVERALL RATING OF 1 STAR!

For the price, this is a very musically sounding speaker. It stimulates to listening to the music, rather than focussing on the sound quality. There are however some minor ctritisms to be made with respect to the latter. First it could benefith from a bit more bass extension. Bass is dry and agile but not reaches the depth of some other models in the market. Compared to the soundstage depth, the width is staying behind. Also the lifeliness is not on the same level as some of the best speakers I've heard (that can have a bit more 'presence'; the CGP's sound a bit more subdued).
Let not these critical remarks give you the wrong impression! I've owned these speakers for over two years now and I still find myself enjoying listening to music for a couple of hours a day. Isn't that what it's all about??

Associated equipment:
Krell Kav 300i (integrated amp)
Linn LP 12/Valhalla/Akito/K9 (record player)
Rotel RCD 965BX (CD)

Cabling is Transparent Music Wave Plus; also I use Silltech tails to interconnect the High and Low frequency connections

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Sonus Faber Concertino's (better bargain at the price, law of diminishing returns??)

Exceptionally involving, warm, emotive...

Hmmmmm...

Few things have touched me so deeply.

For the past 10 years I have embraced the audio industry with a passion. In that time I have seen the technology improve to the point where a dollar actually buys you more (better sound quality, overall quality etc.) than less.

Several years ago, I spent upwards of $20,000 US for a audio system. It was comprised of Mark Levinson, B&W and audioquest components. It sang a decent note. It did not, however, compel.

Several years later for less than half the money, I stand ready to purchase a system that not only compels, but blows the doors off of my previous system. I believe that there are two reasons for this; Sonus Faber Grand's and a move to tubes.

I have listen to a great number of speakers in my many auditions, all the time trying to establish as a constant the front end and the power. I can say that I have been reasonably successful, but as you all know changes are enevitable.

One thing proved quite constant, however, and that was the beguiling beauty, the emotive passion, the love, if you will, which moved forth from the Grand's regardless of upstream components. No speaker (ProAc, Martin Logan, B&W, Vienna Acoustic, Wilson etc.), in my opinion, has to date bested these truly wonderfull speakers.

Am I gushing? Yes. Will you be gushing after a listening session? Perhaps. Do yourself a favor, listen to the Grands and a moderately powerful (20 plus amps) tube amp. Your life may change, for the better.

Thanks,
Kurt

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Alon Lotus, B&W 802's

Holographic imaging, totally out of the box sound, non fatiguing sound, precise and deep soundstage, very wide and 3D!!

Power hungry, like tubes, they keep me listening for hours!!!

I managed to get holographic imaging with lots of air and soundstage by tilting the speakers backwards with the supplied spikes and optional stone base. These are killer speakers!! Totally blow away the Maggies in terms of subtlety and bass. These speakers like a lot of toe-in BTW. Just make sure you play around with the placement and setup and they won't disappoint!

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Maggies (absolutely no comparison!!)

Excellent imaging, clarity and detail

folks inability to correctly place the speaker for accurate bass reproduction. two feet off of wall minimal for good bass

I primarily listen to classical and jazz quartets recorded live. if you truly own these speakers allow a couple months of break in but, the key is to get them out of the "dead zone" which is at least two feet from a wall. also experiment with the "rake" angle by turning the screws at the base of the speaker and listen over a couple mins to notice the imaging difference, also tow the speakers in a little. in other words experiment to place these speakers correctly, if your dealer is worth thier salt they should be able to help you with this placement issue. when properly set up and after an initial break in period these speakers shine!!!!!!!

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KEF Model4