Audiophilepure

There is no questioning that the DALI Epikore 11 are a superb-sounding pair of loudspeakers. Transparent, revealing, along with being almost insanely musical, and relentlessly appealing to listen to. They have just enough of a sonic personality to them to draw you in, yet not become tiresome or boring. You need to have the right room for them, though, because perceived bass output almost borders on the absurd (not that I minded at all). Much of the driver, crossover, and design behind the Epikore 11 are directly taken or adapted from DALI’s flagship Kore speakers, so the purely Danish R&D and craftsmanship involved here are tried, true, and essentially peerless. But beyond sounding wonderful, they also looked outrageously beautiful in the high gloss walnut finish that I experienced. For me, they legitimately crossed that realm into being an object of desire. It’s as if a Dane and an Italian got together and had an extremely pretty yet surprisingly sensible baby with a beautiful singing voice.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/devialet-phantom-ultimate-streaming-loudspeaker

On first listen, the bass output here will grab your attention. There’s no doubting the LFE reach as Devialet’s SAM technology works in the background to coordinate those two 200mm drivers in a fashion that would be impossible with a conventional passive solution. While this remarkable extension is combined with detail and fluency there are clearly practical limits to its bass amplitude [see PM’s Lab Report]. So there was a slight softening to the deepest, loudest bass notes in Paul van Dyk’s ‘Artefact’ [Vandit Records; 44.1kHz/24-bit], which is where a ‘bass-head’ might yearn for a dedicated sub, but this is a trifling niggle considering the all-round sonic appeal of these speakers.

As said, I used the ‘Monitoring’ mode for most of my listening. The app’s EQ tools are useful for adjusting the Phantom Ultimate’s sound to personal taste but remember to pay attention to Devialet’s presets. ‘Music’ mode invokes a ‘Loudness’ DSP by default, while the brand’s Active Volume Levelling is automatically switched on in ‘Movie’ mode. Also seen on Devialet’s Dione soundbar, this works to normalise dynamics – preventing, for instance, movie explosions from drowning out accompanying dialogue

https://www.hifinews.com/content/elac-concentro-20-m-807-loudspeaker

Notwithstanding the distraction of fiddling with those dispersion controls, and the need for a solid floor for the reflex port to achieve full potential, these big, complex speakers are a captivating listen. The sound integrates superbly, bass is as massive and powerful as anyone could want, and they’re as impressive with big, dense mixes as they are with super-clean, simple recordings. Notch one up for over-engineering, then

The unique trick used by Final Audio is that the roll-off frequencies for each driver section are determined by the relationship between the width of conductive coating between the driver sections and the assembly’s natural capacitance. Is that clever or what?!

The result is a multi-band speaker with separate sections for low bass, mid bass, midrange/treble, and uppermost treble. The added benefit is that the midrange- and treble sections can be made very narrow, resulting in a wide dispersion to cover a large listening area while providing excellent focus, independent of the precise listening position.

This also allows the creation of very narrow tweeter sections for improved high-frequency dispersion—traditionally a weakness of electrostatic speakers. The various printed sections also have different widths to help distribute and reduce resonances.

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/2021-arendal-sound-1528-monitor-8-loudspeaker

Eager to hear these two speakers head-to-head, I reached for an album I appreciate more with time, namely Tom Waits’s Mule Variations (CD, Anti‑ / Epitaph Records 86547‑2). I found the opening notes from Waits’s upright piano on “Take It with Me” sparkled a little more through the Monitor Audios, as if they had a bit more energy up top relative to the Arendals. The notes “popped” more through the 300s, helping draw my attention to them. However, I heard more texture in Waits’s voice through the Norwegian speakers. For example, when he sings the words “take it with me when I go,” the coarseness of his sandpaper baritone seemed rougher than when I heard it through the British towers. Additionally, the fuller-sounding Arendals communicated more of his voice’s warmth. The Monitor 8 is an incredibly revealing speaker, and in this instance, I could more easily tease apart what was happening in the lowest register of his voice. Compared to the Monitor Audios, the Arendals sounded more open.

Both sets of speakers have a fair amount in common, regardless of their obvious physical differences. It’s worth noting that in terms of their driver configuration and arrangement, they exhibit more than a passing resemblance to one another. Both the Arendals and the Monitor Audios sounded squeaky-clean, with each delivering a highly detailed, incredibly resolving sound that made it easy to uncover what’s happening in a recording. For example, the rapid-fire percussion that establishes the driving rhythm of “Hunter,” from Björk’s Homogenic (CD, Elektra E2 62061), was vividly conveyed by both sets of speakers. The drums sounded a bit tighter through the Monitor Audios, giving them a subjectively faster sound. For their part, the Arendals had a slightly warmer character that was fuller and more enveloping.

Their elegant, sculptural form expresses completeness—unlike most contemporary two-way designs—featuring a precision-engineered stress-resistant enclosure and an adjustable passive radiator that ensures ideal bass performance across varied listening environments. As a study in sonic, material, and aesthetic balance, the Diapason Didascalìa offers a distinctive artistic and throughout musical perspective. It sets a cornerstone atop Diapason’s rich legacy—a testament to enduring Italian craftsmanship, sculptural beauty, and expressive power that will continue to inspire and captivate for years to come. Ultimately, the Didascalìa stands as a reflection of where the industry is today—and where it is headed: toward a seamless coexistence of tradition and innovation, equally vital and equally inspiring across generations.