Rockport Avior?

Sound Components in Miami has the Mira2 and the Avior in the store at this time, and travel re imburesemt program for out of town buyers.

Sound Components in Miami has the Mira2 and the Avior in the store at this time, and a travel re imburesemt program for out of town buyers.

Hi all - This thread has been quiet for a while, just want to follow up to see if anyone has had the chance to actually audit the Avior yet? I am seriously considering a change in speakers?n I have found this in the What's Best Forum which is not very encouraging about the Avior.

quote
From a PM discussion with WBF member leyenda (posted with his permission):

"I have always admired the Rockport for its bass and mids, but would have liked a bit more sparkle in the highs (somewhat dark sounding as you put it in your post). I thought the Avior would rectify this with its berrylium tweeter so it was on my top shopping list. Turned out the Avior pair I heard had a very different presentation to the usual Rockport house sound so the journey continues."

and...

"The Aviors I heard was in a very small room. Bass was excellent - fast and tight. I even preferred the Avior bass to the Aquilla. Mids and highs were a let down to me. Beefy mids that I always like about the Rockport is gone. Voices that normally sound gorgeous on every models of Rockport from Mira to Altair is gone. I felt it was like a different speaker. The highs from the Berrylium tweeters really did open up, but to my taste, too much so. All in all, I would have accepted the Avior if it had the bass as it is, and the same old mids and highs, no need for that extra sparkle I originally dreamed of. It still sounds more pleasant than, say a Wilson Watt 8 that I really cannot stand listening for a long time, but perhaps my expectation was a bit too high in case of the Avior. The dealer asked me for a second audition, claiming that the speaker and set-up is more refined now, so I might give it another shot."
unquote

Appreciate your comments. Thanks

Well, I must say, I think ( no actually, I know) Leyenda has this one completely wrong.

A few months ago I went to Rockport and spent an afternoon and heard the entire line, back to back, in the same room, the same room location, with the same electronics - one right after the other. I heard the Arrakis, then Mira2 then Avor then Altair.

The Avior is not different from the Rockport house sound at all. As a matter of fact, I was stunned and how much the entire line sounded alike - down to the Mira2. The Avior was closer to the $97k Altair than it was compared to the Mira2.

When you do the comparisons in the same room at the same time - things become real clear. You are not listening to a total sound of room, equipment and speaker and trying to figure out what is contributing - when compared like I mentioned, you can be real sure, real quick.

Thank you sir for your comments above. Totally agree with your approach when comparing speakers however I must say that not many people would have a opportunities to do so.