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Anyone heard te Sony SS-AR1

I heard Sony's 27k new speaker today. Sony is obviously not a name you think of when it comes to high-end audio, but this speaker is sony's effort to get back into high-end audio. I'll be honest, going in, I thought anyone who spends 27k on a pair of speakers by Sony needs their head examined.
That being said, I was really, really impressed by this speaker. I compared it head to head with some dynaudio tempations (44k) and thought that the sony's at least held their own. The dealer told me that Sony is only planning on releasing 60 pairs in the US this year, and there are only 6 dealers in the country right now. Also, the wood that they use for the cabinets comes from a special Japanese tree that is specially aged, etc.
Apparently there is a review coming out in stereophile next week.
My question is, with all the great speakers out there at this range, Wilson, magico, Von schweikert, hansen, etc, has anyone heard these, and how do you think they stack up against some of the big boys?
dserota17
nmmusicman
276 posts
 
Why would you need/want to cover up the Sony badge??? Sony makes some damn fine products that compete on all levels of the high end audio scene. The issue is that most people associate Sony Audio with mid-fi and judging from the Sony products sold in the big-box stores, they are dismissive when presented with one of their high end products such as the SS-AR1.

Me personally, I would want to proudly display the SS-AR1's and then sit back and enjoy as I watched the jaws of unsuspecting/dismissive listeners hit the floor as so many did at RMAF... :-)
maineiac
649 posts
 
It is funny, when I started reading this thread I was thinking that the best way to market these would be to create a sub-brand because Sony although probably one of the very most recognized brands is not known for high-end audio. I would find/create an eccentric engineer at Sony and come up with a story of how he had been secretly working on this design for years and then they caught him or he unveiled his creation on the executives and they were stunned at how amazing it was and they all had to have it in their own houses, so they decided to release it to the public.

Here is the result of his secret labor of love and genius - I present to you the Sony "Arinori"!
dserota17 OP
16 posts
 
I was just kidding about hiding the Sony logo (I think). Apparently, Sony was considering giving the speakers a different name, but decided against it. I'm not familiar with it, but doesn't Pioneer have a fairly high-end
speaker under a different name?
I mean a Lexus is still made by Toyota, but would people really buy a $100k+ Toyota? I guess Toyota didn't think so, or else they wouldn't have called their high-end cars Lexus.
Personally, I just want to enjoy music as accurately and close to a live experience as possible on my system. At the end of the day, whatever brand of equipment that gets me there is fine. But, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have certain biases and pre-conceived expectations of products based on the company.
robr45's avatar
robr45
319 posts
 
Sonys high end digital has always held up well against just about anything. Scd-1 for example. They also had the ssm3,7,9 speakers which were acclaimed by audiophiles. Ssm9 was on the cover of stereophile. Then they had ssm9ed which played in the real big leagues. They have also had some real killer amps in their time.

I would buy their products without hesitation.
mr_bill
346 posts
 
I've owned the Sony SS M9ES and currently own the SS M9ED speakers.

Sony can build a reference speaker if they choose, which is evidenced by the SS M9ED.

I would jump on the SS-AR1 if I were you and had the chance. Kal's review was awesome.

Where cana you even hear the new SS-AR1? Aren't they producing a limited number of them for sale in the US as the did with the M9ED?
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