GMA Callisto vs. Reference 3a De Capo i

>> 05-13-06: Jaybo
>> neither have real bass,

Jaybo,
re. the GMA Callistos you have no idea of what you are talking about!
I have heard the Callistos in the GMA factory listening room which is a very modest room. The bass from the Callisto was big for a 6" woofer! it was surprising to hear & also commendable.
Have you actually heard the Callisto?

>> 05-15-06: Crgolfer
>> ....
>> I would say that that the 3As would be more dynamic
>> with rock music while the Callistos better at female
>> vocals.
>> ....

this is a very odd statement re. the Callistos! I'm afraid that I do NOT agree! I've not heard the Decapos but have heard the Callistos. We played all kinds of music on it: female vocals like DK, bluegrass like Garcia/Grisman, boogie-woogie like Memphis Slim, jazz that had double-bass. I can confidently say that the Callisto excelled at ALL of these genres. It slighted NONE of them + it favoured NONE. It had, what I'd call, chameleon-like characteristics. Very laudable for a speaker its size. I also like the "accurate but musical" description by Drubin above - another succinct & correct description for it.

>> 05-15-06: Drubin
>>Pardon the small diversion, but I want to ask
>> Bombaywalla how he would compare the Callistos to his
>> Contiuums.

the 1st words that came out of my mouth after hearing the Callistos were "hey, these sound like a mini Continuum!"
I would say that they have the same GMA house sound - accurate but musical. They image very well, like my Continuums. The bass is not as deep & as heavy, which is perfectly expected. The bass sounds ported (because it is!) vs. my Continuums, which are a sealed box. I, for whatever reason, prefer sealed box bass. Just my preference. I have another 13 yr old Infinity Reference Three that is also a sealed box. So, I'm a long-time fan of sealed box bass. I must say that the Callisto port is quiet in that there is no bass overhang. Also, the port gets activated only at very lowest frequencies of the driver & not above. So, most of the time one is listening to the bass thru the driver & one can tell when it is reinforced by the port - one can hear the richness in the bass. The transition is very smooth - the port gets activated, reinforces the bass & then gets out of the way for the next music note. It's a superbly delightful speaker to listen to. Very easy on the ears.

>> 05-16-06: Drubin
>> Thank you, sir. I like sealed boxes, too. But I think
>> all of Roy's current designs have ports, don't they?

welcome!
yes, all present designs are ported.
ALL his ported designs are superbly executed in that the port is excited only at the bottom end frequencies of the woofer.
When I was @ visiting the factory, there was a cabinet of the Calypso (3-way floor stander). I stuck my face into the woofer driver opening & tried to excite the port. My voice couldn't go down to 35-40Hz! Maybe some of you members have deep resonant voices & could. Altho this is no scientific/measured confirmation that the port does indeed respond to only the lowest frequencies, it certainly points to the fact, that the design of the port has been carefully thought out. From my audition of the Callisto, I found the same care taken in the design of its port.
I've hardly come across a speaker w/ a port that I like. There are a few but only a very few. However, w/ the care that Roy takes w/ his ported designs, I might want to change my mind!
Happy listening!