Audiophilepure

https://www.stereophile.com/content/vivid-kaya-45-loudspeaker-page-2

In general, the bass performance of the Kaya 45s was remarkable for their size. From a closely recorded Spanish guitar to pipe organ and large, dynamic ensembles, these relatively small floorstanders delivered respectable—and musical—bass. That’s not to say a pair of 5″ woofers per cabinet can push as much air as bigger or more drivers. What was wonderful about the Kaya 45s is that the quality and balance of the bass and upper bass in my altogether normal listening room was such that I lacked for nothing, except in direct comparison to bigger speakers (and Vivid makes those, too). With a classic recording of Mendelssohn’s Organ Sonata in F, performed by Thomas Murray on the E. & G.G. Hook organ at Jamaica Plain (CD, Raven 3901), the detail and fullness were immensely satisfying. As the tones descend in the fourth movement, there was a slight attenuation of the lowest tones, but that did not affect the progression or impact of the music.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/magico-m2-loudspeaker

The dual-mono pink noise track on Editor’s Choice sounded hollow if I stood up but evenly balanced, uncolored, and smooth when I sat with my ears level with the M2s’ tweeters, which are 38.5″ from the floor. The pink noise sounded mellower than it had with the Q Acoustics Concept 300s that I reviewed in the January 2020 issue, but the central image of the noise signal was appropriately narrow and stable.

Stable, accurate stereo imaging was a consistent feature during my auditioning of the M2s. I have been a fan of pianist Mitsuko Uchida since Stereophile‘s then-publisher Larry Archibald and I saw her performing at London’s Royal Festival Hall the February 1986 night we sealed the deal on my replacing J. Gordon Holt as the magazine’s editor. A recent purchase was Ms. Uchida’s live 2010 Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle with Simon Rattle conducting the Berlin Philharmonic 

https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/927-egglestonworks-nico-evolution-loudspeakers

“Having struck the right balance with the eager EgglestonWorks, I tried some instrumental fare. I’m an enormous fan of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons as “recomposed” by Max Richter and performed by the Berlin Concert House Chamber Orchestra under the direction of André de Ridder (24/44.1 MQA, Deutsche Grammophon/Tidal). I’d ordinarily thumb my nose at a reinvention of such a classic, but Richter so skillfully transforms several of the movements that I find myself preferring them to Vivaldi’s originals. Listening to Winter 1, which redeploys one of Vivaldi’s most famous melodies, I was smitten by the Nico Evolutions’ ability to capture the nuances of Richter’s subtle but deliberate opening. The lightly plucked violins resonated pretty far back on the soundstage, and the recording venue sounded big, even if it wasn’t re-created with the extension and effortlessness that I’ve heard through more linear, dead-neutral designs. Still, I was impressed with the smoothness of the Nico Evolution’s soft-dome tweeter, which never sounded hard or etched. The harpsichord sounded natural, as did the violin of soloist Daniel Hope, which was very well defined, and even had a hint of sweetness I wasn’t anticipating. The Eggies proved deeply engaging with this track, a quality I highly value in a speaker. If you’re after warmth, or a polite, relaxed sound, the Nico Evolution isn’t for you. But if, like me, you prefer a sound that’s highly resolving and articulate, the baby Eggleston may well fit the bill — it was great fun.”