How do Newforms sound?

In one word, bad. Demo’d them and could not find many redeeming qualities. They went back to Newform under their 30-day exchange program. Want more? E-mail me directly.

I also owned a pair of 645s and while I liked them I wasn't as over the moon as some. For the retail price they are good value, but even better value are the Boeringer-Graebener ribbons you can buy new on uBid for around $1500.

To my ears the Newforms lake life and sparkle and the listening height requirements are a little severe for my liking.

I've never heard them and I don't like them already. Fiddler's post was rude. (I won't use that "s" word, but if the shoe fits . . . .)

Will, I'm sure you knew that people who owned them would say they're great, people who have heard but not bought them wouldn't like them and people who once owned but sold or gave them back would hate them. I think what you wanted to know was(were) the reason(s) people have rejected or sold them. Before I bought my Harbeths I emailed former sellers on r.a.m. and asked them why they had sold. Got all sorts of interesting and "informative" responses (too cold, too warm, too bright, too dark - i.e., nobody agreed on what was wrong with them - which told me something about their lack of coloration). I think that's what you want to find out, and some of the posts above have been responsive to your request.

Good luck.

Paul

I had Module 30s used with a sub. I really liked them. I compared them to my Merlins VSM-Ms and Green Mountain 1.5s. They offer excellent value, and come amazingly close to these much more expensive speakers. The 30" ribbon was a bit phasey, and the frequency balance changed when you stood up. This is a speaker you have to sit in front of to here a correct sound. No big deal for some, a big deal for others. I imagine the 45" ribbon is better about this. I thought they had excellent detail, imaged very well, and sounded very natural. I sold them to a friend who heard them and had to have them. I do think cone speakers will always give better dynamics than ribbons, stats, or panels. That's just physics. But I didn't think the Newforms were poor in this regard. One other thing....John Meyer at Newform has to be one of the best manufacturers on this planet. He treated me exceptionally well, and I would never hesitate to buy from him again.

"The 30" ribbon was a bit phasey, and the frequency balance changed when you stood up. This is a speaker you have to sit in front of to here a correct sound. No big deal for some, a big deal for others. I imagine the 45" ribbon is better about this."

I think phasey is an accurate description. Unfortunately, the 45" ribbon now sits on a woofer cabinet which houses 2 7" woofers so that to actually focus the ribbons you really must tilt the speaker forwards, a rather unwieldy solution. That's so weird.