Audiophilepure

One of the most difficult products to find in the world of audio today is a speaker that can deliver full-range music and do so with a degree of affordability. The audio world has also, in the last few years, seen a resurgence in two-channel audio. The golden age of two-channel was the late 70s. In that era, one of the most widely sought-after speakers was the Acoustic Research AR-90. It sold for $1,100 per pair or about $4,200 per pair in 2022 dollars. It was reasonably accurate, delivered 32Hz bass, and could play loud if one had a powerful enough amplifier. I had a lot of experience with those ARs during my college days from 1978-82. They were a speaker that, if one mentioned owning them, one received instant approval as an audiophile who knew how to rock n’ roll. Advent, Acoustic Research, Altec Lansing, and Electro-voice were all known for having audiophile speakers that were desirable, powerful, and affordable. Those wonderful speaker companies no longer make products that fill the need for a full range, two-channel system.

https://www.stereonet.com/au/reviews/klipsch-the-fives-mclaren-edition-powered-speakers-review

Overall then, Klipsch’s new McLaren Edition is a worthy ‘tune up’ for The Fives. I really liked it, and even cynical old me was rather taken by the fancy paint job and other stylistic tweaks. The product is easy to use and bolstered by a new version of the app that’s handy to have around. My only criticism at the price is that it’s not network-capable, so the streaming only comes via Bluetooth; this might be an issue for some but not for others. Well worth an audition then, especially if you’re a rock or dance music fan.

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At the back of the Hub there are a series of physical inputs: analogue 3.5mm, stereo RCA, a digital coaxial and a pair of digital optical sockets. There are also stereo RCA pre-outs alongside a subwoofer pre-out, and (naturally enough) there’s a ‘Link/Connect’ button given due prominence. DALI has also included two expansion ports on the back of the Hub, allowing for later upgrades if and when they become necessary. Our review sample has one of its plug-in module slots occupied by a BluOS module that features an Ethernet socket and two USB inputs, and brings MQA certification with it too.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/bw-805-d4-loudspeaker

The baby model of B&W’s 800 Series D4 range needn’t feel overshadowed by its bigger, costlier siblings. Everything you’d expect of a range-topping speaker is here: glorious build quality, lush design and a sound performance that puts the price tag to the back of your mind. Usual caveats about scale and heft apply, but otherwise this is a triumphant new addition to the B&W stable. Budget for the stands too

https://www.stereophile.com/content/vivid-kaya-s12-loudspeaker

Hypnotized and inspired, I listened to all four Viking of 6th Avenue sides, and at some point, it hit me: What was so different with the Linn and S12s playing Moondog was how intensely resolved and minutely detailed the reproduction was. I had never before peered this microscopically into the mechanics of the album’s construction. Tiny sounds I’d never heard before sounded precisely rendered and meticulously presented. I could easily identify every strange instrument and background Foley noise. I could see how the mix was laid out and marvel at every little paint stroke of Moondog’s surrealistic circus show.

In the hardbound manual that Qln supply they suggest that the Prestige Three be placed three to four metres apart and at least 50cm from the rear wall. Given that my room is on the bass light side I started with them at closer to 30cm and found the bass to be prodigious, a little too much so, so moved them out a bit further to what seemed like a better balance. However it wasn’t until I put Qln’s suggestion into practice did everything come together, the bass remained uncannily powerful for the size of speaker but was cleaner than a closer placement, and the mid and treble were better balanced against it. This is a calm sounding loudspeaker, it’s extensive use of damping and resonance control mean that there is little in the way of additive distortions that can be discerned, instead you hear the quality of the recording and ultimately of the music, loud and clear.

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/1083-audiovector-r6-avantgarde-loudspeakers

Audiovector’s R 6 Avantgarde is a gorgeously finished, methodically assembled loudspeaker, chock-full of innovative technologies. More importantly, a pair of them can effortlessly fill a room with sound and create images that are much larger in scale than their sleek, sexy profiles would suggest. The R 6 Avantgardes’ warmth throughout the midrange and sweet top end eschewed any possibility of listener fatigue while providing layer upon layer of meticulously imaged music, supported by a commanding bottom end. While I wouldn’t characterize the R 6 Avantgarde as a particularly neutral or revealing loudspeaker, I would say it is one of the more inviting sounding speaker models I’ve spent time with.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/jbl-4309-loudspeaker

In absolute terms – and here we’re talking about speakers both much larger and considerably pricier – these little JBLs do give away something in terms of rib-tickling weight, but then what would you expect with their dinky 165mm mid/bass drivers? What they do well, however, is cover their tracks with a sound so well-integrated and balanced that their sins of omission are easily overlooked, especially in smaller spaces where they shift more than enough air to turn on the thrills. And all this while delivering fine detail and bite in the midband and treble. Also, for the record, having tried them with the treble turned up and down, I returned to the default setting for the best balance of attack and sweetness.

And yes, my friend, they can certainly rock, as was proved with I Don’t Live Here Anymore, the big-production latest set from The War On Drugs [Atlantic SEL 2-666913]. There’s just so much going on here, and yet JBL’s 4309s do a great job of revealing the detail in the dense, retro-tinged mixes while still keeping the music moving along smartly. ’80s sound meets ’70s-styled speakers? Perfect!