Gayle Sanders Returns with Launch of New Company at AXPONA

In the article he says he wants this to be available to everyone.
At $24K I don't think that is going to happen.
The technology is going to have to trickle a long way down before I can afford it.

I have owned multiple Martin Logan systems and like electrostatics in general but went back to cone drivers, got tired of the narrow sweet spot.
 
with respect to the 24k price point, not the 'sweet spot' for the price/performance ratio at all, out 10k high IMO.
 
Just read about this. Kind of intriguing that Sanders is doing a cone speaker now.
 
mep said:
If they need DSP for help sounding good, something is amiss.
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I think DSP is more about dialing the bass into the room. When DSP is just used for bass (below 150hz say), then I'm a fan. Too many crummy rooms with bass problems. DSP is a Godsend for that.
 
Appears from the info on the website that he is using a variation of the Wavlet processing first seen with the top end Legacy speakers. Seems to do wonders for the bass response on their speakers.
 
The entire speaker is digitally controlled, not just the bass. Great for those that want to drive down that road.
 
mep said:
The entire speaker is digitally controlled, not just the bass. Great for those that want to drive down that road.
Click to expand...

LOL. AJ will have a field day with this one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
According to Gayle, I was the first listener to hear the system on Fri! Unfortunately, I didn't realize he had a second setup in an adjacent room (to the left), and friends later told me that room sounded better.

I didn't care for the electronica/synthesizer tracks he was playing, so it was hard to judge the sound. At that time, I thought the bass was a little mushy, and overall tone and imaging were good, but not great. However it sounded much better when I went back Sun (adjacent room not playing at that time).

The system indeed uses the same Wavelet Pre/Processor as Legacy, and on Sunday the Wavelet guy was doing the demo, with more acoustic and vocal tracks. That demo sounded much better, with a deep and wide soundstage, tighter bass, and slightly warm (yet very musical) presentation. The Wavelet guy told me the speaker uses the latest IcePower Class D amps (vs. NCore), but overall tone, including highs, were fine.

Fit and finish are superb, and the angular design (which reminded me of Avalon Acoustics), has great "WAF!"

The only downside, IMHO, is the Wavelet Room Correction requires uploading the acoustic measurements to their server, for the DSP EQ calculations, which are then downloaded to the Pre/Pro, so you're totally dependent on their ecosystem (but no subscription fees).

The ~$24k price point seems a bit high, but then again, it's a "turnkey" system that includes all pre/power functionality, measurement mic, room correction, remote, etc. All you need to do is add a source, and you're good to go. Gayle is clearly targeting the "affluent music-lover" vs. the "audiophile" demographic, and given that perspective, I think it really hits the mark. I could even see myself eventually going this route, if/when I get tired of cobbling together and tweaking a disparate collection of speakers and electronics.

Looking forward to seeing what other colors, models will be forthcoming.

BTW, here's the link to his (now functioning) website... http://eikonaudio.com Check out the videos as well!
 
mep said:
Nothing new. Not even all digital diehards want to own digital speakers.
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True, as I've maintained, some audiophiles are inherently masochist. They love suffering through bright recordings, excess bass, lack of spaciousness and every other aspect that can make listening to music far more/less pleasurable.
All doable with the touch of a button from the easy chair...via DSP speakers.

cheers,

AJ
 
AJ Soundfield said:
True, as I've maintained, some audiophiles are inherently masochist. They love suffering through bright recordings, excess bass, lack of spaciousness and every other aspect that can make listening to music far more/less pleasurable.
All doable with the touch of a button from the easy chair...via DSP speakers.

cheers,

AJ
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AJ-I'm beginning to think you are the Ethan Winer of AS. Are all of your speakers that you sell utilize built in DSP?
 
AJ Soundfield said:
Nope. But some do, for those non-luddites who don't enjoy masochism.
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Or those with a significant collection of LPs who choose to maintain an analog signal path for playback without digitization. Maybe we're considered luddites by some, but we're enjoying our music in its unadulterated native analog format (at least for pure analog recordings of acoustic instruments and voice.) To each their own!
 
audio.bill said:
Or those with a significant collection of LPs who choose to maintain an analog signal path for playback without digitization. Maybe we're considered luddites by some, but we're enjoying our music in its unadulterated native analog format (at least for pure analog recordings of acoustic instruments and voice.) To each their own!
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You hit the nail on the head why the vast majority of analog centric audiophiles wouldn't come close to owning digital speakers. Lots of digital diehards don't want them either.
 
AJ Soundfield said:
His evil twin? Well, I do like cats and strippers.
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Think about it. You both are in the business of selling products to audiophiles that you both constantly denigrate-even if you want them to be your customers. You both share the same mission of pointing people towards your beliefs. The biggest difference is Ethan has a cheap Pioneer receiver and you love Class D amps. The ironic thing is that people who buy the room treatment products that Ethan sells are the same people he calls audiophools.

AJ Soundfield said:
Nope. But some do, for those non-luddites who don't enjoy masochism.
Click to expand...

Winer calls them audiophools, you call them luddites who are into masochism. Not a great way to talk to people whom you want to sell your products to. You really are the Ethan Winer of AS.
 
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