Clement Perry's new reference speaker

AudioGon Members,

A forum member sent me this post, so I felt compelled to respond.

Here goes...

Attempting to make sense of anything heard at shows i.e., CES or HE Shows is like trying to catch boomerrangs blind-folded. At the very least, from a manufacturers standpoint, they only can HOPE to get a good sounding room. From a potential purchasers standpoint, we can only PRAY whatever it is that interests us can be duplicated or bettered in our own listening spaces.

This is the sole reason why you should judge everything for yourself and never take any review or reviewer too seriously. With the exception, that is, you had the rare opportunity to know a reviewer personally, and/or, have visited their home, heard their systems and thus gained a trust in their ability to judge components.

I've heard the Shatki Hallographs blow me away at a show and did nothing of the sort when I got them home (but when I installed the second pair behind my listening seat things got very fascinating). Contrarily, I had the Acoustic Resonators do nothing at a show, yet they blew me away when I got them in my listening room. Go figure!

The BIG advantage reviewers have is they get a chance to audition products IN THEIR HOMES first to let you know what it is they think. I do things a little differently: I invite the masses over to hear what it is they think collectively.

As I wrote in the review of the Sunny loudspeakers, what I heard in 2007, using my own CDs of course really surprised me via the Sunny Cable Majestic loudspeakers. Considering how sparse the room was with no tweaks or acoustic treatments, I found it rather strange ANYTHING could sound good in a room so acoustically challenged. It wasn't perfect, but it had something there I've heard horn lovers refer to over and over as "alive." It also didn't hurt that I had experienced a horn system in France the proved the finest listening experience I've had.

Ultimately, there were certain things I heard in the Sunny room that had me second guessing my home rig. I've traveled the world over listening for the right sonics and synergy and rarely if ever have I second guessed myself or my home rig ...especially there in the Sunny room under show conditions.

That being said, I still refused the except the Sunny loudspeakers for review because of their humongous weight and because the Dali Megalines are sonic wonders on their own. I did however accept two of their new 250 lbs subwoofers, which (eventually with some fine tuning) easily outperformed the pair of Talon Thunderbirds they replaced (I was previously using subwoofers with the Dali Megalines, though I hear that some folks don't find it necessary. In my opinion, that's the Dali's achilles' heel).

After lengthy conversations with Sunny Lo, the designer behind the Sunny Majestics, that lasted for nearly 7 months, it made sense to finally give the Majestics a try and as I wrote, what I "got" far outweighed anything sonically I could have ever anticipated.

There's something frighteningly "real" about the sound of horns when done right. And I'll be the first to admit, I've never heard one done right. If it had it in the mids, it was wrong in the bass... and vise versa.

The Sunny Majestic is the first loudspeaker I've heard that can be considered a hybrid horn/dynamic design that does the best that can be expected from each driver. At 800 lbs per side, it's single 400 lbs horn cabinet weighs nearly as much as a pair of Dali Megaliens. Coupled to its 400 lbs woofer cabinet gives it a certain substance that is quite remarkable after hearing it.

No loudspeaker can play itself. It needs a source, wire and amplification. The Nova Physics Memory Player and the Behold line of electronics are in my opinon among the best available at what they do...to these ears (and as more folks get the chance to hear the MP, the more agree with its sonic capabilities). Ditto the Sunny Cables and Bybee Super Effect products.

The Sunny Cable Majestic loudspeaker has proven to be the sonic equivalent on the loudspeaker end.

All I can say is there's plenty of musicians, high-end manufacturers and importers and especially music lovers that pass through here often (make that very often with the addition of my neighbor The Audio Doctor). Of these, NONE has found the sound of the Sunny Majestics less than spectacular. And of these, there were one or two that surprisingly still preferred the sound of the Dali's as a personal preference. But those who love the Majestics said their qualities put them in an entirely different and sonically superior class. And that number was in the many, many dozens (and of course, I include myself in that count). Living in an imperfect world, I would suspect a vote of 45 to 3 says a lot about the Sunny Majestic's qualities (and that's only after 4 months).

Bottom line is, I am quite down to earth and don't review equipment from some far away hideaway. I'm very easy to get in touch with and I'm located right here in downtown Jersey City, NJ (five minutes from Manhattan). I'm quite poplular around these parts with the systems I've amassed over the past 15 or so years and my association to The Stereo Times. At the same time, I don't hesitate letting anyone in to listen that wouldn't mind spending a lazy afternoon enjoying some great traditional jazz music (another passion) or whatever else suits their fancy. And because of this I get the opportunity to see what type of sound appeals to the masses both musically and sonically. Trust me when I say I've dozens here every Friday night for music sessions that has been a tradition here for the past 8 or 9 years. So, when I say many industry folks pass through, trust me. And 95 percent of these stated with the addition of the Sunny Majestic loudspeakers, I've crossed into another dimension that is clearly superior to what I had previously.

That doesn't mean that $90k is a bargain, but based on what I've heard over the years and what that loudspeaker system in France cost ($275k), I personally consider the Sunny Cable Majestic loudspeakers as state of the art and a tremendous product worthy of only the highest praise. I don't want to put myself into a box, (no pun intended) but after hearing a horn sound this good, it will be very tough to return back to anything else except a better sounding horn.

Regards,
Clement Perry

Clement's warning about listening for yourself is, as always, the best advice, especially at shows. I find it appalling that brand new equipment is used, that there are alliances between manufacturers to split the cost of the room that often have poor electronic hooked to great speakers, that speakers often overload rooms, and that many manufacturers cannot set up a room or are indifferent to the sound they get. This was certain true of this years CES and THE Show.

I won't name poor rooms or praise good ones, as some named by others here and elsewhere IMHO were quite poor. I deliberately paid little attention to what I heard on Monday or Tuesday and stayed on until Friday to be assured that at least equipment would have some break-in and demonstrators would have some time to tweak their rooms.

I carried a copy of the FIM K2 sampler with me and listened to cuts 2 and 16 everywhere. On returning home, I listened here. Of course, we all think highly of our own systems, but I am just struck by how hard it is to get the best out of equipment and the hours it would take demonstrators to "tune" their rooms at shows.

I am also struck by the total lack of consensus on where there was good sound. Since my friends and I were in substantial agreement on what sounded good, there must be personal dynamics going on in terms of what one hears as good. Oh well, I enjoyed myself once again!

I have a theory about speakers at shows. If they sounded bad at the show it only means they sounded bad at the show. If they sounded good at the show then I feel they have a reasonable chance of sounding as good to much better in the home. That is if there are no show conditions that cannot be reasonably duplicated in the home. This means the speakers were not pulled out 8' from a wall or driven with prohibitively expensive electronics.

I count myself as one of the fortunate music lovers who just about a month ago was invited to listen to Clemet's current audio setup. I listened to his gear several times in the past and I was always impressed with the quality of sound he is able to reproduce in his dedicated listening room. Since this thread is about speakers I will stick to speakers alone. During my previous visits I was able to listen to Dali Megalines and Talon subs. The sound was great. The instruments, vocals and the surrounding venues of the few live recordings we listened to were so palpable you could almost "touch" the performers. Needless to say I was surprised when I called Clement in December and he told me he is listening to new speakers now, and........ they are horns. I have no experience with horns and my initial reaction was,...WHY? I was invited to visit, listen and judge for myself. Since I work in Jersey City it was easy to find a couple of hours and visit.

My opinion of the Majestics in combination with Clement's electronics and his dedicated listening room is that they are the best speakers I have ever heard under any circumstances. Yes they are big, heavy and financially unobtainable to the great majority of us. As to the listening experience, it was the best. To me it was as if I was in front of a live performance. Nnena Freelon's live performance of Tears of a Clown was the absolute best I ever heard. It was just so real and smooth but also incredibly dynamic. No edginess in high frequencies or booming bass and certainly no shouting horns. It's hard to believe that the integration between the drivers was so flawless.

I must admit I was little depressed on the way home from Clement's house knowing that replicating such high quality listening experience in my house is not going to happen anytime soon. The Magestics are... truly majestic.

My name is Greg Petan, I work with Clement at the Stereotimes.

I first heard the sunny speakers in Clements system with which I am very familiar. I have always marveled at the high level of quality sound Clement has managed from a less than optimum listening space. Yes, The Behold electronics with which I share in my system have a great deal to do with completing the delicate balance achieved. The Dali's were terrific. That ribbon is really magic.

HOWEVER.....After a few short moments in front of the Sunny, I got that uneasy felling that every thing was about to change. Like Clement, I lost no love over horn designs. Nor have I been a fan of large diameter bass drivers. The thought of combining the two was hardly a peanut butter in my chocolate moment. Yet The trick pulled off by the Sunny is mind blowing. There is a cohesive top to bottom balance, seamless bass to mid band transition and an open upper mid range and treble I have never experienced, any were. Then there are the dynamics offered up from the horn and the ease provided by the very high sensitivity. I will not go to much further as I am reviewing the model just below Clement's that use a 15"woofer in place of the 18" in his.

Whether there is a huge audience for these speakers is besides the point. As far as I am concerned, Sunny is a visionary, a purist unrelenting in applying everything he knows in the effort to solve the problems with speakers as he sees them to be. The fact that he has succeeded as he has is news that is well worth exploring. Like Clement, I welcome visitors to my SOHO loft. Feel free to contact me through Stereotimes. PS....please see my review of the Sunny 1000 series wire. Greg Petan, Managing Editor/Stereotimes