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Review: EFE Technology T-22 Loudspeaker
Ed Frias of Ed Frias Enterprises(EFE Technology)is a small speaker builder in Southern California. He builds five models of high performance, reasonably priced models ranging from a small two-way mini-monitor,the B-15, to his five foot tall,$4,500 T-60's. The speaker I am reviewing are his MTM design called the T-22. The T-22 costs $990 and features two 6.5 inch poly midwoofers surrounding a 1 inch titanium dome tweeter. The T-22 are basically the top half of his flagship T-60s. My speakers are covered in a deep luster, mirror-like mohogany laminate(you can also get it in white or black). The laminate is on top of 3/4 inch MDF and looks stunningly beautiful, as nice as any veneered speaker that I've ever owned. There is a pair of gold-plated binding posts on the bottom rear and no port, that's right, it is a sealed cabinet design.
Ed Frias is an electical engineer by trade and pays very close attention to designing his crosssovers. They are all signed by him personally. He also uses heavy fourteen gauge wire internally. The T-22's are an 8 ohm speaker and have a frequency response from 50hz to 20 khz.
The first thing that struck me when I opened the box was how large they were. I new the deminsions were 22x9x10 and weighed 30 pounds but they looked massive pulling them out of the box. When I put them on stands they looked very odd, like elevating small floorstanders. Perhaps it's because I've only had mini-monitors on my stands but I'm used to it now. In fact they look quit nice.
When I hooked them up to my Audio Refinement Complete amp and heard them I was amazed at how clear and open the sound was. The music just flowed out of the speakers effortlessly. The are very lively speakers and are extremely dynamic. Ed beleives that dynamics are a key part in creating the illusion of hearing a live band and I have to agree with him. They certainly sound closer to live music than any speaker I've ever heard. The T-22's sound so "alive" and my bedroom gets electrified with music. Loud music is no problem with the T-22's. They sound clear as a bell with no distortion at extremely high levels. What really separates these speakers apart from the ones I've owned is its low level performance. Many speakers I've heard get flat and uninvolving at really low levels, not the T-22's. These beauties keep all of the transparency and detail as they had at moderate levels. They don't loose certain parts of the frequency band.
Another surprise with the T-22's is the bass. They have tremendous impact and go much deeper than their rated 50 hz. In my room the bass and midrange are very tight a controlled, no doubt helped by the sealed cabinet. They have a full, rich sound and don't need a subwoofer, even though I have one. Detail and transprency are fantastic(better than my Magnepans MMG's) and the imaging is first rate. Vocals are centered right in the middle and the speakers totally dissappear. When I turn off the lights and listen I get the "wall of sound" effect which I love so much.
I've never recieved such special treatment from a company as I have from EFE Tecnologies. Ed constantly updated me on the progress of my speakers(they are built to order. Mine took two and a half weeks to complete. He even emailed me pictures of my speakers and crossovers which was a nice touch. I also recieved a classy pen, an expensive one.
The T-22's are everything I want in a speaker and the closest thing to real life as I heve ever heard. I you're looking for a speaker with no coloration, crystalline transparency, and an energetic, full sound then the T-22's are for you. Ed doesn't have a website but would be glad to send you an emailed brochure of his speaker line. You can email him at [email protected]. There are some great reveiws on Audioreview.com also.
Pete
System:
EFE Technology T-22 Loudspeakers
Adire Audio Rava Subwoofer
Audio Refinement Complete integrated amp
Audio Refinement Complete Tuner
Motorola digital music box
Parasound transport with ART D/IO DAC
Tekline TL-650 and DH Labs T-14 speakers cables
Tekline, Audio Magic, Tara Labs interconnects
Absolute Power Cords
Ed Frias is an electical engineer by trade and pays very close attention to designing his crosssovers. They are all signed by him personally. He also uses heavy fourteen gauge wire internally. The T-22's are an 8 ohm speaker and have a frequency response from 50hz to 20 khz.
The first thing that struck me when I opened the box was how large they were. I new the deminsions were 22x9x10 and weighed 30 pounds but they looked massive pulling them out of the box. When I put them on stands they looked very odd, like elevating small floorstanders. Perhaps it's because I've only had mini-monitors on my stands but I'm used to it now. In fact they look quit nice.
When I hooked them up to my Audio Refinement Complete amp and heard them I was amazed at how clear and open the sound was. The music just flowed out of the speakers effortlessly. The are very lively speakers and are extremely dynamic. Ed beleives that dynamics are a key part in creating the illusion of hearing a live band and I have to agree with him. They certainly sound closer to live music than any speaker I've ever heard. The T-22's sound so "alive" and my bedroom gets electrified with music. Loud music is no problem with the T-22's. They sound clear as a bell with no distortion at extremely high levels. What really separates these speakers apart from the ones I've owned is its low level performance. Many speakers I've heard get flat and uninvolving at really low levels, not the T-22's. These beauties keep all of the transparency and detail as they had at moderate levels. They don't loose certain parts of the frequency band.
Another surprise with the T-22's is the bass. They have tremendous impact and go much deeper than their rated 50 hz. In my room the bass and midrange are very tight a controlled, no doubt helped by the sealed cabinet. They have a full, rich sound and don't need a subwoofer, even though I have one. Detail and transprency are fantastic(better than my Magnepans MMG's) and the imaging is first rate. Vocals are centered right in the middle and the speakers totally dissappear. When I turn off the lights and listen I get the "wall of sound" effect which I love so much.
I've never recieved such special treatment from a company as I have from EFE Tecnologies. Ed constantly updated me on the progress of my speakers(they are built to order. Mine took two and a half weeks to complete. He even emailed me pictures of my speakers and crossovers which was a nice touch. I also recieved a classy pen, an expensive one.
The T-22's are everything I want in a speaker and the closest thing to real life as I heve ever heard. I you're looking for a speaker with no coloration, crystalline transparency, and an energetic, full sound then the T-22's are for you. Ed doesn't have a website but would be glad to send you an emailed brochure of his speaker line. You can email him at [email protected]. There are some great reveiws on Audioreview.com also.
Pete
System:
EFE Technology T-22 Loudspeakers
Adire Audio Rava Subwoofer
Audio Refinement Complete integrated amp
Audio Refinement Complete Tuner
Motorola digital music box
Parasound transport with ART D/IO DAC
Tekline TL-650 and DH Labs T-14 speakers cables
Tekline, Audio Magic, Tara Labs interconnects
Absolute Power Cords