I misspelled the name. It's Cardeas. |
the Audio Physic website seems to be up and running
I agree I have not heard about them lately |
Once AP founder and chief designer Joachim Gerhard sold the company several years agao, it hasn't had the same notoriety/success it found in the 90s. |
That's why its important to stick with name brands...Audio Research, Ayre, Vandersteen, VPI, Wilson, etc.,etc. |
That's why its important to stick with name brands...Audio Research, Ayre, Vandersteen, VPI, Wilson, etc.,etc.
-06-25-11: Stringreen
Brand names......
Phew, for a minute i thought you were going to mention Infinity,altec,fisher,marantz,appogee,B&K,Aragon,Threshold to name a few..
:):):)
Regards, |
|
Audio Physic is still somewhat popular in Europe, I believe. Buy name brands? What brand doesn't have a name? Anyway...
I own a pair of Yara Evolution Bookshelves. Easily the best speaker I've heard in it's range. I could say the same for the other models I've heard. Their downfall is their US distributor IMO. When seeking my speakers for an audition, I e-mailed them several times. After about the 4th email, they finally responded with 2 dealers. I found about 4 more in my area within a few months (I live about 20 min outside of NYC). Due to problems with the idiot dealer who demoed them for me, I bought mine here on the 'Gon. One of the tabs on a grill snapped. I e-mailed about buying a new one a few times to no response. I called and was told that person is on vacation, and no one else could help me.
Their distributor is a joke. Not to mention, have you seen any pro reviews or ads lately? Shouldn't the distributor be pushing that too?
If the had a distributor with half a brain, APs would probably have a very good presence. The speakers are way too good to have these clowns involved with them IMO. |
Their distributor is a joke. Not to mention, have you seen any pro reviews or ads lately? Shouldn't the distributor be pushing that too?
If the had a distributor with half a brain, APs would probably have a very good presence. The speakers are way too good to have these clowns involved with them IMO.
-06-25-11: Kbarkamian
This has been an issue in the " hi-end " for decades, very few dealers /hi-fi shops are worth while and very little know anything about what they are doing.
Bad demo's, poor attitude and a lack of apathy towards their customers is the norm. Fortunately as the market continues to shrink only the very best will survive.
I can't wait ....
Regards, |
http://www.audiophysic.de/download/catalogue/AUDIO_PHYSIC_CAT_2011_1.pdf |
Cardeas are on demo at Alternative Audio
6, Hatt St.
Dundas, On. L9H 2E8
905-627-0899 |
I forgot - I hear them every day :-)! |
Cardeas review in HiFi+:
http://www.audiophysic.de/download/cardeas/cardeas_hifi_plus_2010_01.pdf |
Thanks Golo. How do they sound to you, maybe compared to Virgos or Avantis? |
Oh boy, trying to describe color or flavor with words...
Many things in common with Virgo or Avanti, great stage, space and 3D imaging, total disappearing act and unbelievably relaxing to listen to - you can go for hours of listening... Cardeas are another level of refinement, richness of nuances (tonally and dynamically). Bass is lean and quick with rarely heard resolution of bass melody - in a way they're unlike most speakers and closer to what I hear in a live performance, acoustic concert. Having said that, I realize that these are not for everyone's taste...
Virgo and Avanti are easier to approach for many people. In a way, Cardeas are kind of the "anti-speaker" if that makes any sense at all... |
Thanks Golo, nice, meaningful description. |
I live in Europe and used to be a big Audio Physic fan. I currently own a pair of the Cerubin, a pair of the Kronos (modified by Joachim Gerhard), a pair of the Medea II (modified by Joachim Gerhard) a pair of the Minos subwoofers and a pair of the Terra subwoofers. I can safely say that Audio Physic has moved from being at the forefront of high end speaker design to being a mid-fi company pushing quanity over quality. I have heard the Cardeas at a local dealer several times and HiFi Plus is surely wrong. The Cardeas is not even close to the Caldera III and Kronos speakers in terms of sound quality. The two latter are also failures compared to the former top models Caldera II, Medea II and Cerubin. Additionally AP used to be an enthusiastic company where customers could contact them directly and ask for advice, share experiences and ideas. If you send an e-mail to them now you will get a response from their former bicyle helmet selling president Dieter Kratochwil basicly telling you to f*** o** and contact your distributor. They don't want contact with the end user. The new cheif designer Manfred Diestertich is too busy beating his own chest and trying to establish his own sound signature as better than the products designed by the previous design duo Joachim Gerhard and Bernd Theiss that he has turned his back on the loyal following of the Audio Physic sound of the past. He now wants to bury the former slogan "no loss of fine detail" forever and instead create his "design sound" which is far from true to the source. They are from what I hear not far from releasing a new top model to replace the Kronos and a new big subwoofer. The new big speaker is supposed to be bigger than the Kronos and also with an active bass section but this time the active bass section can be bypassed and you will be able to use your own amplifier instead if you want.
I will never go back to Audio Physic again. From now on its Tidal Audio, Rockport Technologies and Magico which would be my favourites for truly high end speakers. |
