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Esoteric MG-10 vs Volent VL-2 vs A. Zen Adagio Jr

I'm going to be getting an Esoteric AI-10 integrated amp for my small office, and using its built in DAC to run lossless music from my Mac. I'm considering the above speakers and wondered if anyone has heard any of them in a similar system. I listen to classical music and hard rock. I know Absolute Sound gave the Volents a great review, but then you hear from others not to trust the reviewers! It's hard to get a chance to actually hear these models in person, so any input or advice would be much appreciated.
liszt458
5 responses Add your response
devilboy
1,172 posts
 
Had the Volents for a while. Very clean, detailed and transparent. They threw a very nice soundstage. However, I didn't find the bass to be as deep as some have said it to be. My room is bigger than someone's post above, but I still was expecting more from the speaker's bass. I tried them with solid state and tube amplification. I preferred them with tubes, but ultimately found them a bit too forward. YMMV.
ben77059
29 posts
 
Liszt, wondering if you ever got the Volents? I've been reading about them and they sound impressive. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be many on the used market. I haven't even found a list of dealers who carry them.

Thanks,

Ben
liszt458 OP
15 posts
 
Thanks for your response, Jmbatkh. I may get a chance to hear the Esoteric speakers next week, but I'm still considering the Volents based on reviews only. I am a bit concerned, however, about the bass being too much on them for my 11x13 office. The speakers will be sitting on a second desk about 5 feet away from me.
jmbatkh
103 posts
 
BTW, in my office I use a modded Chinese DAC fed by a Sony 999 transport. I use Goertz cabling and a Red Wine Audio 30 battery powered amp. Nice sounding gear, not as good as what you have cued up. I would guess they will be even more amazing with your gear.
jmbatkh
103 posts
 
I use VL-2s in my 10x12 office, in the near field, about 5 feet away.
In that room setting the sound is heavenly. Detail, soundstage, transparency and musical rightness is astonishing.
They are never harsh or unnatural. I have stuffed the ports with foam to reduce the bass, which is too powerful otherwise.
I'm using them in my bigger room now, waiting for my new lkarger speakers to arrive, and they are wonderful there, but the image size is much smaller than in the nearfield.
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