GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Audio News
In the Thread: High End 2012 in Germany

Post Subject: ProgressPosted by guy sergeant on: 5/9/2012

I don't think Silbatone has any obligation to 'progress' a concept in the same way that an art gallery or museum has no obligation to modify or improve on its exhibits. They are just showing what is or rather what was.

For what it's worth, I do think that the pre-amp contains some interesting ideas. Someone somewhere has allowed for investment in the materials necessary to make good wound components and, from what could be heard at the ETF, the pre-amp did deliver the performance that it promised. But, as they don't seem that keen to sell many it's largely irrelevant other than as an exercise in what might be done. I think it probably would stand comparison with most other pre-amps. With regard to the power amps, I don't know enough about them to know whether the same can be said.

It is interesting to have the opportunity to hear an old speaker system such as the WE15 alongside supposedly the best other commercial offerings albeit at a show. The Cessaro room was just along the corridor but I didn't find that engaged me at all. I can appreciate the thinking behind it and the quality of its construction but as a system I couldn't enjoy it. On the other hand, I did think the Greek horns were working quite well.

I wasn't inspired by many of the other systems there. The Ocean Way speakers had some promise perhaps.

I'd like to see Silbatone attempting to make a large scale 'modern' speaker, perhaps even using the GIP drivers if those are what they like and addressing the shortcomings of the WE designs. They have the resources to do it but whether they will or not, I don't know.

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