Displaying items by tag: speaker - StereoLife Magazine

Piega is probably Switzerland's most famous loudspeaker manufacturer. Founded in 1986 by Leo Greiner and Kurt Scheuch, the company was initially a typical hobbyist, garage-based manufactory. Kurt concentrated on developing transducers, while Leo took on design matters and the company's finances. At some point, ribbon drivers became Piega's trademark and have remained so to this day. The cheapest models use drivers built with this technology to reproduce high frequencies, while the top-of-the-range speakers also use larger ribbon midrange panels. Because the designers allow them to play backward, the result is unique loudspeakers resembling electrostatic panels, supported by dynamic drivers only in the low frequency range. Piega's flagship designs demonstrate technical capabilities and audiophile splendor hidden under the guise of a minimalist design. During my test of the Coax 711 LTD speakers, their coaxial midrange/tweeter ribbons and aluminum enclosures fascinated me so much that I decided to find out more about them, which led to an interesting conversation with the brand's head of research and development, Roger Kessler.

On the occasion of the 2023 edition of the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, Octavio, the Lille-based start-up specializing in the democratization of audio systems, announces Maestro, its connected speaker, at the cutting edge of innovation. Thanks to the Wi-Fi sound technology developed by Octavio, this new speaker offers a high-fidelity soundstage, without any coloration, for daily listening without auditory fatigue. Octavio Maestro completes Octavio's Hi-Fi offer, already composed of the Octavio Stream, the high-fidelity audio streamer, and the Octavio AMP, the compact and connected amplifier.

The French brand Focal expands its collection of loudspeakers for Home with Vestia. This line comprises five models and has been designed for high-quality music enjoyment and Home Cinema experiences delivered by Focal's renowned savoir-faire in acoustic. The brand which is recognised by the French government as a French “Living Heritage Company” chose its exclusive Slatefiber cone for Vestia range.

Among lovers of audio equipment, there is no shortage of people who believe that the greatest improvement of sound quality can be achieved by replacing cables, buying a power conditioner, or an anti-vibration rack. Sometimes, however, it's worth coming down to earth and reminding ourselves of the basic rules that govern this world. If we want to build a decent stereo system, we should first choose loudspeakers that match the size and sound of our listening room and then select a suitable amplifier and source. Everything else can be taken care of later, choosing cables and accessories to spice up the effect. Unfortunately, many music lovers trying to buy hi-fi equipment stumble at the first stage, ending up with too large speakers or positioning them so as not to disturb the rest of the household rather than achieve a balanced and spacious sound. It's believed that monitors are the optimal solution, especially in smaller rooms, but are they? In many cases, they have to be placed on stands anyway, so they take up as much space as medium-sized floorstanders. And where's the upside? That we won't experience any problems with a booming bass? Perhaps a better solution would be to buy small floorstanding speakers which, if wisely designed, will offer an equally healthy but a bit more powerful sound? It's a very tempting prospect, only where to find such speakers? One interesting suggestion came from a distributor of Davis Acoustics.

Designers of hi-fi equipment will never cease to amaze me with ideas for the names of their products and brands. We have already seen gear lineups inspired by celestial bodies, mythological characters, precious stones, weather phenomena, and popular drinks. I remember when a friend working in one of the showrooms told me with some disbelief that he would now sell cables called, for example, "Root Beer" or "Vodka." At first, I thought he was screwing me, but it turned out that he was earnest, and now these cables can be found in Audioquest's catalog. Hendry Ramli, the founder of Vermouth Audio, went one step further.

Bowers & Wilkins has long convinced audiophiles that the only way to achieve total listening satisfaction is chasing the original - the sound recorded in the studio. This leads to the obvious conclusion that our home stereo system should be the last element of the chain, which starts with the microphone, and that gaining more at the end means losing less during the whole process. It's hard to argue with that. And while it's a bit pointless to compare home electronics with professional equipment, I appreciate any manufacturer who stays true to this straightforward philosophy. While the idea can be explained in a single sentence, putting it into practice is quite complicated. Transport the sound from the recording studio to the home? But, wait a minute, isn't that what almost all the people involved in this subject have been trying to achieve for 145 years (that's exactly how long it's been since the invention of the phonograph)? Yes, but no one can deny that we have made tremendous progress in this field and are still moving forward.

MoFi Electronics introduced its new SourcePoint 10 loudspeakers at Capital Audiofest in Rockville, MD. The speakers are the result of 18 months of research and development led by Chief Speaker Designer Andrew Jones. Designed like a cost-no-object loudspeaker, SourcePoint 10 is completely custom-tooled with proprietary technology to deliver the highest sound quality and value. "Regardless of what an audio product costs, my passion is to deliver a level of sound quality and an experience that is far beyond the asking price." - says Jones.

Neat Acoustics has been designing and manufacturing loudspeakers since 1989. The company was founded by Bob Surgeoner, who has devoted most of his life to music, playing primarily blues, rock, jazz, folk, country, and bluegrass. The company's other key employees also work as musicians, which is virtually unheard of in the audio industry. In 2006, Bob was joined by Paul Ryder, who plays guitar in several bands in northern England. Since Paul is also an experienced sound engineer, the company set up its own recording studio. The professional approach to recordings is also intended to be a benchmark for the sound of the loudspeakers. A variety of musical instruments are on hand at the Neat Acoustics factory, including piano, string organ, harp, double bass, synthesizers, and a wide range of electric and acoustic guitars and other stringed instruments. High-resolution recordings can be played back instantly in the listening room. Bob and his team let music rule the tuning and sound of its speakers to the exclusion of almost all other criteria. All aspects of the design are evaluated empirically. This time-consuming, iterative process can take months before a design is considered finished.

The Danish manufacturer of premium audio is returning to the ultra-high-end loudspeaker segment with its new flagship loudspeaker. The Kore is a masterpiece of stunning visual design and ground-breaking technology, representing the pinnacle of DALI's loudspeaker traditions and decades of research. Although the DALI Kore is a 'clean slate' design, it stays true to the sound principles and draws on a rich bloodline of high-end loudspeakers that have been pushing the boundaries of loudspeaker design and technology since 1983, including the MegaLine, DaCapo, Skyline, 40 SE and Euphonia.

Bowers & Wilkins launches a new 700 Series 3 speaker range, with technologies passed down from the 800 Series Diamond. The new Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series is empowered with many of the same technologies found in the brand's flagship range, the 800 Series Diamond, as trusted by many of the world's most famous recording studios. The new 700 Series brings studio sound home, with elegant, high-performance models that will suit every décor and preference.