-natural sound
-clear
-active crossover

-none

From the start the experience of purchasing these speakers has been a joy. However, I must confess my reservation about purchasing a set of speakers via direct mail, especially speakers of this quality. I suffered a few restless nights wondering whether this was the right decision. But, starting from the time the truck arrived it has been a pleasure. Shipping cartons were outstanding, directions were clear (sometimes even humorous), and the listening experience has been nothing short of awesome. Here you have the best listening experience currently available, at a price well within the price range of any serious music listener. And John Otvos is a special person to work with. I have had occasions to speak with him, and even though he very busy, he never hurries the call. He almost feels like part of the family. I have listened to many class A speakers and owned a few and although some come close, they never surpass. Then compare prices and you realize the Waveform 17 is a bargain.

Similar Products Used:

Kef 4

Active crossover, tri-amplification, frequency response &
build quality

none that I can hear!

I like others in this review section have been through the audio mill in search of the ultimate system. I listened to may systems but wasn't hearing the music!

I found the Waveform's thank's to a review in Vol.20 No 6 issue of Stereophile. I called John Otvos and we immediatly were on the same track about listening to music. A month later I ordered a set of Mach-17's with a Bryston BP-25 preamp and 5B-ST amplifier in August 1997.

I have been VERY satisfied with there performance. I will not be upgraging them for anything, unless John is developing an active version!!


John Otvos is a rare individual who puts music first and backs it up with a Class-A product.

System:
- CAL Icon-II
- Bryston BP-25 Preamp
- Bryston 5B-st Amplifier
- Mach-17 speakers with active crossover
- "plain jane" speaker wire/interconnects!

P.S. Listen for the music, Frank Burzik

Similar Products Used:

none

My wife and I went through a no-holds barred speaker search in the second half of 1998. We auditioned every speaker we could lay our hands on in the NY City area.

There are three major things that the Mach 17 does RIGHT besides putting top-quality drivers in a rigid cabinet. At the risk of sounding like a reviewer, here goes.

1) Isolate high-frequency drivers in a mini-monitor like enclosure which also has the significant benefit of excellent dispersion and imaging. Anyone who likes mini-monitors knows what I am talking about. Once you have heard the sound, floating free rather than coming from a box, you will never go back.

2) Use of fourth order cross-overs vs. first-order crossovers - A lot of speaker companies use first order cross overs to preserve time-alignment and preach this approach as an end in itself. However, this means that the drivers are handling frequencies they are not designed to. Put a speaker with fourth order crossovers next to them and you HEAR THE DIFFERENCE. The sound is clean, clean, clean.

3) Third, and probably the most important (no other speakers in this price range has it - you will pay mega bucks for this elsewhere) is the use of an active crossover and tri-amplification. This is what makes this speaker FAST and UNCOMPRESSED over the entire spectrum. The difference is unbelievable.

The result is a sound that is natural, unboxy, clean and unbelievably dynamic. It is just there. Not bright or dark or lush or anything else. We also encountered a lot of mumbo-jumbo by manufacturers selling speakers that cost upto 70K that did not make that much of a difference when it came to the bottom line - the sound. Needless to say, we bought them and we have been extremely happy with our purchase and upgrading is out of the question for the forseeable future.

Associated Equipment:

Bryston 8B amplifiers
Theta Miles CD player (directly driving the amps).

Other speakers auditioned - B&W N, Wilson Audio, JM Lab, Von Schwikert, Thiel, Hales, Audio Physic, Sonus Faber, Joseph Audio, NHT, Paradigm, PSB, Snell, Aerial.

Imaging, transient speed, smooth, smooth, smooth

None

I was in the market for a new set of speakers in the summer of 97' when I decided to attend the Sterophile show in San Francisco. I thought what better to place to find all of the top brands and models. I ran across a little room off to the side and sat down for a quick listen to the Waveform MAch 17s before moving on. I had just listened to the X-1 Grand Slamms in the Wilson room and wasn't expecting much. Wow! I got so excited I ran to get my wife to prepare her for the fact that I was going to buy those speakers right then. John was great and within 2 weeks I took delivery of the show apir that I heard in San Francisco

I had gone through every tweek in trying to get better sound out of my Apogee Ribbons. I'll just say that since I bought the Mach 17s I have not bought another item for my system. For the past two years I have been content just to listen

System:

Theta Data II Transport
Classe Dac 1
Classe Ca-150 amps
VTL Pr9 preamp
VPI Aries Turntable
JMW Arm
Transfiguration Temper Supreme Cartridge
Audioquest Cabling

Clarity, dynamics, focus

None

Having owned nearly every major player in the high end speaker field, the Waveform was the answer to my dreams! This speaker so effortlessly and naturally conveys music that it embarrasses most of the heavy high end hitters.

The dedicated crossover and amplifiers help ensure a klevel of performance unattainable by other means.

If you like to play with equipment, stick to your speakers with passive crossovers and mega-amps.

If you love music and want to get out of the "speaker of the year" club, but Waveforms.

Plus, John Otvos is one of the best guys in audio you will ever encounter. Honest, opinionated, fanatic.

Transparent, quick, dynamic and accurate. Powerful and tight bass, articulate mids and highs. Holographic image. No haze between instruments - just blackness! Phenomenal central image.

NONE!

I have been listening to your Mach 17 s for just over a month now and I figured I would send you a note on my impressions. I 'm sorry it has taken this long, but for some reason I can't pull myself away from the speakers long enough to write you. One word describes these speakers - FABULOUS- and my previous frame of reference were not you're garden variety discount speakers - they were considered a true reference a decade ago.

Prior to finding the optimal speaker placement in my room (basement, 26'L x 15'W x 8'H) I knew these speakers were a sensational magnifying glass into the music. The image placement is pinpoint and the depth , when present on recordings, is fantastic.

There is no haze, no "fill-in" between instruments - just music and space. The tonal balance of these speakers is also remarkable - the bass is the best I have heard - more impact, yet cleaner and tighter. The midrange is full - voices are clean and realistic. The treble is also clean with no hint of glare, yet still plenty of air around the instruments. Finally, the speakers are extremely agile and dynamic. And if you like to listen loud, they will do that too (at least 110 dB) without any hint of distortion.

I used to hear the differences between the flat, cardboard pop recordings and the correctly engineered jazz and classical recordings. However with the Mach 17s these differences are more visible. The pop recordings are not any worse, in fact they sound better. They are still relatively flat but there is more information and a flatter response. The good recordings,though sound considerably better than they did on my previous speaker system. There is so much more information on the recordings that my jaw drops almost every time I listen to another CD. Music just
sounds right!

My system is optimized for music first and video second. The positive attributes of these speakers have been equally apparent on video as well. In a simple 4 speaker surround system , the Mach 17s which provide the front image provide a better central image on dialogue while also uncovering more information and detail on either side of the central image than my old RS1Bs. For anyone thinking about these speakers in a home theater set-up - they ARE the ticket!

After years and years of spending hoards of money on tweaks that made minor differences, at best, I have finally found the big tweak that might satisfy my urge to tweak and just enjoy the music. These speakers have improved the sound of music so much that I just want to listen and forget about the magic dots and thousand dollar interconnects. Isn't that what it's all about?

Thanks John , I hope someday everyone can enjoy music through these speakers.

P.S. I did something I usually don't do - I bought these speakers without even hearing them. I guess I figured the class A rating from Stereophile and countless raves from other reviewers as well as the accolades from internet users was enough to convince me.

Associated Equipment:
CD transport: Theta Data 2
D/A converter: Wadia 2000 latest upgrades
Amps: Bryston 5BST (2x)
Interconnects: Canare
Speaker wire:(T, M, B)
Straight Wire flat 32, XLO type 6, MIT 750 SG

Open, natural imaging. Electrostatic speed with no lack of dynamics.

Not much to mention here.

The very first time I heard the Mach 17's demo'ed, I knew I was listening to something special. It wasn't a knock your socks off, steriod enhanced,hyped up sound - just free and natural. I ordered a pair on-the-spot.

These speakers are for those who base their audio equipment judgements on live concerts. The are not for those who feel they must spend $100K for speakers and amps to get a state of the art system. The MACH 17'S will sound fine with any high quality solid state electronics; in my case 3-Adcom 5802 amps, the GFP 750 preamp, and GCD 750 CD player.

While I considered the Celestion A3's to be an outstanding value, these are even better (though a bit more costly). The extra complexity of the active crossover and 6 channels of amplification is more than compensated for by the end result. High praise indeed, but well deserved.

Similar Products Used:

Celestion A3's and latest generation Klipschhorns.

Flat frequency response within 1 dB, 20Hz - 20kHz. Dynamic. Immediate. Beautiful cabinetry.

None.

Quite simply, the best there is.

These monitors are not for tweako/weirdos; they are for music lovers and those who want to have music accurately reproduced on demand.

The Mach 17s get out of the way and let the music shine through.

Well done, John Ötvös. You get five stars as well.

Similar Products Used:

Paradigm Studio Monitor

Great extension. COmpletely transparent. Sound like music!

No longer available.

A music lover's speaker.

Similar Products Used:

Martin Logan ReQuest.

Absolutely clear, linear sound, beautiful cabinetry

Lots of amps needed to drive the active crossover, but worth it

I built a 7.1 system out of 2x Mach 17s and 5x Mach MCs with
the excellent Paradymn 15" sub driven by the Lexicon MC-1.
The Mach 17s are stunning. The Mach MCs are a good match
but I find I want a Mach 17 for the center channel. This
will have to wait until I get a plasma display or a
projection system to get the screen above the speaker.

John Otvos was absoultly a joy to work with and what a
craftsman!

Similar Products Used:

Nothing like it at any price