Speakers to hang on to for LIFE

I also have lost my mind over a pair of Coincident Pure Reference Extreme T's. Have never heard anything so satisfying or nearly flawless at any price, truly a breath of fresh air.

An easy load, highly efficient, fast, and dynamic like a good horn based loudspeaker yet without many of the down sides.

As transparent as an electrostatic and show little (if any) compression.

So many "Hifi" speakers play delicate detail and tonal neuance with some good degree of accuracy but when it comes to playing something like say Zeppelin style, amplified guitar stuff, fall flat on their face, they portray little energy or edge, not so with the CPRE's. Who says a Hifi speaker can't also be a pretty damn convincing Rock speaker??? Horn based Jazz sounds remarkably live and the reproduction of horns is like that of... well, percussion drivers or real brass and reed horns. Piano sounds like a percussion instrument as well as a stringed one, again unlike many, many speakers. Skins are apparent on drums, but not in an exaggerated audiophile way, yet not overly analytical, if that is at all possible?!

Nothings perfect or fits everyone's tastes, and ceramic based loudspeakers, including the Coincident can present so tonally neutral, a little too clean(?) and without a shred of warm tonal colours of their own. This leaves the up-stream component choices more revealed than ever.

I have recently had some extensive listening to the CPRE's with Atma-Sphere MA1 OTL's and can say that the combination is simply amazing. Many of my records for the first time (with exception of a friends C.A.R. T3's) sound terribly compressed and mottled on anything else.

I do find these speakers to be truth tellers though, so if hearing studio recording anomalies, variations in pressings, and up-stream cable/component limitations is like a lawn rack on a chalk board for you... and you long only for warmish tones, pretty, smooth sounds emanating always, forget about these babies.

Happy Listening!

My new Volti Audio Vittoras all Horn Loudspeakers are exactly what I have been looking for all of my audiophile life. They are smooth, detailed and warm. A cello is truly playing in my room rather than just being recreated. Definitely the best all Horn Loudspeaker under $15,000.

Dalecrommie, if the cello is playing in your room, they are the "best" speakers ever. I like the Volti Audio Vittoras ideas.

Well I can't say for life but I can say I have owned the Merlin VSM-M longer than any other speaker I have owned dating back to the mid 1960's, I guess that "dates" me. To me what has kept me with this design is this question "What am I going to find that does what these speakers do so well (coherence, low level resolution, smooth high frequency extension, tonal balance) that is going to work in my room? Are they the best? NO are they a great compromise of virtues? ABSOLUTELY YES! What is remarkable about these speakers, some will disagree with me I'm sure, is their ability rise to the occasion. I have owned the speakers for 10 years and it hasn't always been a lovefest but I HAVE been patient, recognizing what they do well and sometimes how difficult it has been to realize their potential. Many have written them off as bright, lacking in bass and overrated. I can understand these criticisms as they might apply to any speaker and certainly with these as well. What is undeniable is that if one DOES have the patience and DOES listen to the designer and IS inclined towards long relationships vs. short romances, this speaker is going to work in any number of applications and rooms at a high level. Also a great value for the money for the music lover with room limitations but not lacking for want of great sound in a small package. I truly respect the designer of this product, it is a classic in the same vein of the Vandersteen 2 series.

I had Acoustat 1+1's for about two year and let them go. They rendered acoustic material and my jazz collection like nothing I've ever had. Take a high ceiling and room to breathe and I had that. Quite amazing.

Now I'm hooked on monitors on good stands and pulled way out into the room. I'm a sucker for sound stage more than anything else. My current collection is Vienna Grand Haydn's, B&W DM 601's, Usher S520's and Sonus Faber Concertino's first generation, which I just picked up today. All budget stuff but to me all well-performing.

- Jim