GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: Living Voice Loudspeaker

Post Subject: Vox OlympianPosted by de charlus on: 6/11/2013

Romy,

Thank you. Now that you mention it, perhaps 85% of the stateroom in question was indeed beneath the waterline, meaning that the potential for unruly resonances was perhaps less than I had at first assumed. The front and rear walls of the room were straight - or as straight as may reasonably be expected on an antique yacht - whilst the side walls possessed a gentle curve, narrowing from front to rear, hence the lute analogy. It was indeed a transcendent experience, one which opened up vistas of possibility to me that I had not imagined existed before - which was exciting, to say the least - and I am looking forward to applying my intellect, an intellect uncolored by commercial concerns and those of tradition, to a speaker design of my own loosely based upon the Vox Olympian premise and those of the few other speakers I've found rewarding. Living Voice seems to be one of those companies, like Harbeth, who are not afraid of cabinet resonance per se, and instead acknowledge and attempt to work with it; this is something that I will be studying as my own speaker progresses, although since I am now drawn to something comprised of spherical horns more or less structured in the fashion of the Cessaro Gamma, cabinet resonance will be but a minimal part of the equation. However, said notion is but a starting point; things could well change profoundly as I progress.

Recently I've found the smaller Living Voice designs to be fighting at above their weight class, so to speak, although very much more in a "Hi-Fi" sense than their flagship; for this and the above reasons, I believe that your visit to Definitive Audio will be illuminating. You're quite right about the difference between English and American homes; the former customarily possess far less potential for uncontrolled resonance, particularly those homes with a little age. I am from London, originally, and grew up in a home built in the early C18th, with thick granite walls; almost as a matter of course, speakers sound more precise and uncolored in such structures, sometimes to a dramatic extent, which perhaps explains why US exports seldom do well in the UK, and vice versa; Definitive Audio is housed in such a structure, and that, together with the quality of the components and Kevin's skill in setup, should all but guarantee an interesting visit.

As I said, I am originally from London and do return on a semi-regular basis; should you require recommendations as to where best to eat, stay, visit etc, let me know and I'll be happy to make some suggestions.

Regards

de Charlus

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