@stuartk
that’s the opposite of what all the reviews I have seen say, interesting.
at least you were able to try them and know for sure.
New Fritz Carbon 7 bookshelf speakers review!
Speaker shoppers and fans -- just glad to see this new review of one of my favorite speakers of all time.
HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UdO7g80-DA
Brief summary of his Fritz Carbon 7 SE Mark I Speaker Review
Speaker Overview
- Handcrafted bookshelf speakers ($2,950/pair) from respected boutique maker Fritz
- Cabinet dampening with Norz material; 7" carbon/paper woofer, 1" tweeter
- 88 dB efficiency, extends to 38 Hz bass
Sound Quality
- Exceptional clarity and detail with minimal cabinet resonance
- Wide soundstage, detailed bass texture, neutral warmth
- Excellent low-volume performance; reveals recording quality
Performance Comparisons
- More detailed than reference Buchardt S400 Mark I speakers
- S400s offer more aggressive bass; Carbon 7s provide superior width and detail
Amplification & Recommendations
- Efficient design pairs well across all amplifier types (tube, solid-state, Class D)
- 30-75 watts sufficient; quality matters more than power
- Room placement important
- ...
- 27 posts total
@stuartk - when I got a pair of his Carrera BE's a few years ago, they needed a well over a hundred hours of break-in time before they sounded right. I've had some speakers that needed that, and some that did not. |
I was very excited to try them. Based on the reviews that described them in glowing terms and the price, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. None of the reviews I’d read or watched mentioned anything about them being fussy about placement or the need for room treatment, as mentioned here. At least I live relatively close to Fritz, which minimized shipping costs. |
It’s entirely possible that fact was mentioned in reviews and I somehow overlooked it. Having said that, what I’ve generally found is the gear that I’ve kept has required break in BUT has not radically changed in the process. In other words, it’s sounded pretty good to start with and only improved with break in. The Carbons were, for me, painful to listen to, which disinclined me from going through the break in process. I can't say it wouldn't have paid off in the end but I'm extremely sensitive to fatiguing highs so I wasn't willing to run the experiment to find out. |
@stuartk - painful to listen to indeed; for me, it sounded like the mid-range and the tweeter had never been introduced to each other before, and they needed to date for a few weeks before they were a proper couple instead of an odd one. Same thing with my Marten speakers, which cost about 3x what the Fritz's do; they were awful for a few weeks, but when it all settled in..... |
- 27 posts total