Audiophilepure

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“The fact that the Sanders, because of the vertical size of the panel, presents a sonic image that is not fettered at a particular height while not theoretically predicated one way or the other (stereo does not have theoretical height impression) will add for some listeners an additional dimension of realism. Certainly those speakers that make one feel one is looking down at the music diminish the naturalness of the spatial impression. Point source speakers that present the height at ear level can be very natural, however. But there is a special impression generated by speakers that are enough like a line source to float the images vertically (so that the image moves up or down if the listener does), which to me seems natural as well, in a different way.”

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“At more typical listening levels, the improvements in the mids and the highs revealed themselves readily when I played any good recording of acoustic piano. Hammer strokes sounded purer and more deliberate than I recall from the One — I was consistently drawn to the clarity and consistency of the References’ reproduction of pianos. In “Spanish Steps,” for example, it was always Morrison’s sax that drew most of my attention, but through the References, Neil Drinkwater’s piano held my focus just as much. The sound of cymbal crashes was also improved, in terms not only of cleanness but of liveliness — through the References, the highs were just a little more immediate, precise, and unrestrained.”

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“Perhaps the Cesti Ts’ greatest strength was their ability to resolve a detailed soundstage with large-scale orchestral music. Mahler’s Symphony No.5, in a concert recording by Yuri Temirkanov and the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra (SACD/CD, Water Lily Acoustics WLA-WS-76 SACD), offered an excellent example of this. Through the Cesti Ts, the orchestra was spread out in front of the room across a superbly wide and deep stage. Recorded with only a single pair of microphones and produced without noise reduction, equalization, or compression, this CD is one of the most lifelike- and natural-sounding discs I own. The music was well served by the Cesti Ts, making it easy for me to close my eyes and visualize the performance unfolding in front of me. Even the occasional cough picked up by the mikes and clearly reproduced by the speakers served only to enhance the intimacy of my listening experience and increase the sense of authenticity.”

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“The first clue to just how engaging the Amati Tradition could be was when I cued up the title track of Ludovico Einaudi’s Una Mattina (16/44.1 FLAC, Decca). I was immediately aware of previously unheard details, such as the sound of Einaudi’s foot working his piano’s pedals, the longer notes when he pressed the sustain pedal, and the piano’s tonal color. In combination with how convincingly the large Amati Traditions seemed to “disappear” from the room, it all added up to a compellingly realistic and emotionally evocative experience.”