No sub Woofers needed:
Well they say timing is everything. Here I was listening to my Janszen zA2.1 speakers with a pair of JL Audio E110 subwoofers, along with careful setup in my listening room, and as always, I was enjoying my system. As fate would have it, I just happened to blow a woofer about the time David Janszen was getting ready to release a new version of his Valentina speakers. The new version comes with new, improved and larger 8” woofers and some magician like tricks in the crossovers. After a talk with David, I was convinced the new version would be sonically superior. So that’s all it took and what the hell, I had to send a speaker back anyway. I have the first test pair, and the test has passed with flying colors.
The original wonderful sounding but bass shy zA2.1 Valentina has had an impressive upgrade. Slam, bang, these woofers are delivering the goods. I have always considered these among the sweetest sounding speakers I’ve ever heard with very few short comings. With the most significant short coming removed, they are the sweetest and complete full range speakers I’ve ever heard.
Now the 3D Image is more prominent than ever. Plucked bass strings are deep and tight. The difference in bottom end output is night and day. The sound stage has grown and even the sweet spot feels bigger, although I don’t know how thats possible. Integration between the woofers and panel are seamless. I still have my subwoofers but have yet to turn them on. I could get that last bit on the bottom with them but I’m enjoying what I’m hearing so much I don’t want to mess with it.
I’m going by memory but when I heard the active version of this speaker at our DC HiFi group meeting, it didn’t go as low and full as I’m getting now. Sorry Brad. David is great guy and will patiently explain the changes he’s made but me not being an engineer, my eyes start to glaze over after a few minutes. I’m sure he will chime in here to explain.
I played Bela Fleck’s “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo” and Victor Wooten’s bass was subterranean sounding. Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture sounds like cannons instead of pistols. I really can’t believe it. I’m not just comparing these woofers to the old woofers but to any other 8” woofer I’ve ever heard.
Of course speaker quality will be effected by upstream gear. The synergy of Janszen Valentina speakers and Linear Tube Audio ZOTL40 amplification is the pinnacle of my listening enjoyment. I have owned more expensive amps and speakers but nothing sounding on this level of beauty and refinement.
Lance
