Audiophilepure

https://www.stereophile.com/content/estelon-xb-diamond-mk2-loudspeaker

How’s the maximum volume? More than ample for my needs—I never came close to running out of power—though I’m not sure I’d choose speakers with ceramic membranes as party speakers. These are too good for that anyway.

And the bass? Ample quantity, approaching full-range depth while perhaps not quite plumbing the lowest reaches. Certainly, the bass was present at full volume down to the bottom note on acoustic or electric bass (41.2Hz), and it comes very close to full volume down to the lowest notes on a standard grand piano (27.5Hz). Acoustic (double) bass was lively and articulate. On tracks with lots of bass—I’m thinking of EDM tracks like Cristoph’s “Reachin’,” from Consequence of Society Vol.1 (16/44.1 FLAC, Noir Music/Tidal), the bass is fun, although the XB Diamond Mk IIs don’t quite provide the bass massage of the big-sister Forzas. In a room smaller than mine, perhaps they would.

If you are wondering about my emphasis at the start of this review on how impressed I was with IRS Reference and Genesis I in their day, let me stress that I’ve been reviewing for far too long to let hope or nostalgia substitute for real-world performance in a constantly evolving high end. If anything, I tend to be a bit hypercritical in evaluating anything I consider for purchase. The FR30, did more than live up to my hopes, however, and one way to sum up is to state that I’m buying my review pair as another set of reference speakers. The FR30 is truly outstanding, highly recommended, and well worth the set-up effort necessary to make it perform at its best!

More speaker makers are introducing powered speakers and I think that is a great thing. It’s fun to review these products and read up on their design philosophies to see how each one sets out to produce a versatile and sonically superior product. The Totem KIN Play Tower Speakers met my expectations and make me want to explore some of their higher-end speakers, like the Element Metal V2 or Wind. Some of these come in a gloss red or real wood veneers…yeah, baby! If you are in the market for good-sounding towers that are easy to install, easy to move, and don’t call a lot of attention to themselves, place the Totem KIN Play Tower Speakers on your shortlist.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/goldenear-brx-loudspeaker

Its styling might not suit all listening rooms, but the final GoldenEar loudspeaker design from Sandy Gross is a triumph. Low-end power and poise, courtesy of its ABRs, is a standout trait, and the BRX doesn’t overdo it at the expense of instrumental and vocal presence, nor fall short when the volume is set high. When compact speakers can be this good, you might wonder why slender floorstanders even exist!

Bottom line: The LRS+ is a big improvement over the original LRS. It adds enough color, power, detail, and extension in the midbass and smoothness and coherence in the upper mids and lower treble to make it far more of a true full-range contender than its predecessor. Though you can do better in the Maggie line for about three times the money (the MG1.7i), you’re not going to get the same condo-friendly form factor from the 1.7, which is a foot and a half taller and a half foot wider than the Plus. In cone speakers, you can find much smaller boxes at this price point and, for a bit more money, some self-powered models, but not a one of them that I’ve heard comes as close to sounding like the real thing as this baby Maggie. For folks who are new to the high end or have small listening spaces or are working with limited budgets or just want a second high-fidelity system in a different spot for music or TV, I can think of no better choice for the dollar, particularly if you treasure the sound of acoustic instruments. Its limitations notwithstanding, this is a great little loudspeaker and a sure-fire nominee for one of TAS’ 2022 Product of the Year Awards.