YG Acoustics Carmel 2
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I heard the YG Carmel 2's recently & have to say I was impressed. They are a big improvement over the original Carmel. Here are my listening notes and video below..
System: YG Carmel 2's with Bel Canto Ref1000 mono blocks, Dac2.7, CD3T transport and Siltech Royal Signature Series cables.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good the diminutive Bel Canto gear sounded. Not it's not Vitus, but for its size and cost it's a winner for sure. The YG's looked and sounded more refined and coherent thanks to a new, heavier reinforced cabinet, new cabinet shape including a more curved front baffle and new crossover. The Carmel 2's also gains 'new' in-house drivers filtered down from the YG Hayley & Sonja. The result is a more refined and smooth sounding speaker than its predecessor.
Overall the Carmels 2's are MUCH better than the originals & sound more composed, natural and are no longer fatiguing. The Bel Canto gear held its own which was impressive! whilst the Siltech cables added a bit of harmonic richness as expected and helped the good staging. Kind of wets my appetite to hear the Hayleys again ^-^.
CD - Joni Mitchell, Blue DCC 24kt gold remaster.
System: YG Carmel 2's with Bel Canto Ref1000 mono blocks, Dac2.7, CD3T transport and Siltech Royal Signature Series cables.
I was pleasantly surprised by how good the diminutive Bel Canto gear sounded. Not it's not Vitus, but for its size and cost it's a winner for sure. The YG's looked and sounded more refined and coherent thanks to a new, heavier reinforced cabinet, new cabinet shape including a more curved front baffle and new crossover. The Carmel 2's also gains 'new' in-house drivers filtered down from the YG Hayley & Sonja. The result is a more refined and smooth sounding speaker than its predecessor.
Overall the Carmels 2's are MUCH better than the originals & sound more composed, natural and are no longer fatiguing. The Bel Canto gear held its own which was impressive! whilst the Siltech cables added a bit of harmonic richness as expected and helped the good staging. Kind of wets my appetite to hear the Hayleys again ^-^.
CD - Joni Mitchell, Blue DCC 24kt gold remaster.
Lol, well that was captured on my Iphone 6, then loaded to Youtube with its standard settings (ie: horribly compressed). The main reason for posting was just to get up close and personal to the speakers, and of course to post my impressions which I suspect will be of more value than the (sq of the) vid
MDP
Behavior Moderator (be nice police!)
I've never had the chance to hear YG speakers, I hear from people that the overall sound has improved through the years.
I've always been impressed with the sound of the Hayley's, especially with Vitus and Soulution amps (though not cheap). As for the Carmel 2's, as good as they sound, for the same or similar money you would have to throw the Magico S3 into the mix. That would be an interesting a-b comparison
KeithR
Active member
Have a pair of Carmel 2s being dropped off today for an in-home demo 
It will be very interesting to have a more, traditional "hifi" speaker in my room. I've thought about Magico/YG for awhile and now will get to hear it up close and personal.
It will be very interesting to have a more, traditional "hifi" speaker in my room. I've thought about Magico/YG for awhile and now will get to hear it up close and personal.
Have a pair of Carmel 2s being dropped off today for an in-home demo
It will be very interesting to have a more, traditional "hifi" speaker in my room. I've thought about Magico/YG for awhile and now will get to hear it up close and personal.
Congrats Keith! Looking forward to your impressions.
KeithR
Active member
Some thoughts after 10 days with the YGs- first, I expected this to be a lean, cool speaker and it happily isn't I wouldn't consider it warm though like a SF or Harbeth. I have them paired with DarTZeel which isn't bleached harmonically and it seems to drive them adequately. The speakers ooze quality- these guys machine even the drivers out of billet aluminum. 25k seems a lot for a small floorstander, but when you examine them you understand why.
They have excellent coherency- this is one of the first things I notice, although its only a 2-way so considerably easier. No disparate sound from drivers. The tweeter is extended, but natural with no zing (or beryllium bite)- although on a track or two the top end seemed elevated, but was that the tweeter or recording? I honestly started thinking it was the latter- its also the most extended soft-dome tweet I've heard. Transparency was off the charts- you really hear detail that other speakers mask. This is a very low distortion transducer. Bass out of this small of a cabinet was killer- tight and hard hitting but with excellent texture and I certainly believe the mid-30s specification. I've lived with sealed, active bass for 5 years, so i made that decision a long time ago...
A few weaknesses (all speakers have them, including my own). Sensitivity is low and while they do macro dynamics much better than I expected, I found myself having to crank them up more than others. There is a compressed feeling that I sensed from time to time unlike high efficiency speakers (and especially horns)- they aren't as fleet of foot as larger speakers. My guess is this gets better as you move up into the larger cabinet speakers. I also found myself wanting a bit more warmth in timbre- whether that is accurate, I haven't a clue (mostly on strings, not as much on piano). Mids actually had quite good body and resolution- vocals sounded fantastic. Perhaps a different amp (Luxman or Vac) would be an even better mate.
Overall, YG has stepped up there game considerably in the past two years starting with the Sonja and now ending with the Carmel 2- to be perfectly honestly, I always found them bright and lean before. The house sound is definitively more musical (as mentioned in the TAS CES writeup where they received rave reviews in both rooms) The new drivers and crossovers have really transformed the sound into something. I know people worship Alon and Magico's footsteps, but I think Yoav and YG are right there with them. Now onward to hear the Haileys...
I wouldn't consider it warm though like a SF or Harbeth. I have them paired with DarTZeel which isn't bleached harmonically and it seems to drive them adequately. The speakers ooze quality- these guys machine even the drivers out of billet aluminum. 25k seems a lot for a small floorstander, but when you examine them you understand why.They have excellent coherency- this is one of the first things I notice, although its only a 2-way so considerably easier. No disparate sound from drivers. The tweeter is extended, but natural with no zing (or beryllium bite)- although on a track or two the top end seemed elevated, but was that the tweeter or recording? I honestly started thinking it was the latter- its also the most extended soft-dome tweet I've heard. Transparency was off the charts- you really hear detail that other speakers mask. This is a very low distortion transducer. Bass out of this small of a cabinet was killer- tight and hard hitting but with excellent texture and I certainly believe the mid-30s specification. I've lived with sealed, active bass for 5 years, so i made that decision a long time ago...
A few weaknesses (all speakers have them, including my own). Sensitivity is low and while they do macro dynamics much better than I expected, I found myself having to crank them up more than others. There is a compressed feeling that I sensed from time to time unlike high efficiency speakers (and especially horns)- they aren't as fleet of foot as larger speakers. My guess is this gets better as you move up into the larger cabinet speakers. I also found myself wanting a bit more warmth in timbre- whether that is accurate, I haven't a clue (mostly on strings, not as much on piano). Mids actually had quite good body and resolution- vocals sounded fantastic. Perhaps a different amp (Luxman or Vac) would be an even better mate.
Overall, YG has stepped up there game considerably in the past two years starting with the Sonja and now ending with the Carmel 2- to be perfectly honestly, I always found them bright and lean before. The house sound is definitively more musical (as mentioned in the TAS CES writeup where they received rave reviews in both rooms) The new drivers and crossovers have really transformed the sound into something. I know people worship Alon and Magico's footsteps, but I think Yoav and YG are right there with them. Now onward to hear the Haileys...
Great write up Keith. Looking forward to your comments on the Haileys.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
the professor
Well-known member
Thanks
I agree with you - YG imo has come a long way in a short time.
I agree with you - YG imo has come a long way in a short time.
Thanks for the detailed write up Keith. Good job! I agree with your observations which pretty much reflect what I heard from the Carmel 2's vs the original Carmel. The only thing I disagree with is this reference "I know people worship Alon and Magico's footsteps". I can't say i've seen any alters erected for Magico speakers or their designer, Alon Wolfe. Though I note many envy their success..
KeithR
Active member
Thanks, guys. I should also add that depth of soundstage and layering of instruments is really excellent on the YGs- that's a function of their low distortion i'm sure.
Mike- I'm actually hearing the S5/Vac combo this weekend, but a friend has Haileys so will hear them at some point. Hopefully you guys will have some recommendations post-Axpona that I can hear in Newport.
Mike- I'm actually hearing the S5/Vac combo this weekend, but a friend has Haileys so will hear them at some point. Hopefully you guys will have some recommendations post-Axpona that I can hear in Newport.
socfan12
Active member
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Keith, nice writeup on the Carmels! I heard them at the NYAS 2 years ago, and the Hailey's and Sonja's a few months ago. They are all excellent speakers. Loved the Sonja's in Bill Parish's big room. WOW!
Look forward to your impressions of the S5/Vac combo!
Look forward to your impressions of the S5/Vac combo!
Keith - have you ever heard Estelon's? I just love them, but they don't seem to garner a lot of interest.
As for YG, I've heard them sound quite good (Sonja's) and not so good. But shows aren't the best for that really.
I know you want something that is ideally somewhat efficient. My obvious recommendation is STRADS - they are NOT overly warm and I am really looking forward to folks impressions of them post Axpona and they will be shown in the Resolution Acoustics room.
The other thing is Focal. Don't do anything as there is some VERY exciting new stuff coming down the pipe from them. Stay tuned!!!
I will also be VERY interested in your thoughts on the S5's.
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As for YG, I've heard them sound quite good (Sonja's) and not so good. But shows aren't the best for that really.
I know you want something that is ideally somewhat efficient. My obvious recommendation is STRADS - they are NOT overly warm and I am really looking forward to folks impressions of them post Axpona and they will be shown in the Resolution Acoustics room.
The other thing is Focal. Don't do anything as there is some VERY exciting new stuff coming down the pipe from them. Stay tuned!!!
I will also be VERY interested in your thoughts on the S5's.
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I've heard the YG Hailey and obviously own S5's. I think the Hailey has lower distortion and is a bit more refined as you would expect given the price. Bass is also excellent and goes deep, though the S5 is a bit warmer and has more soul/emotion imho. Ultimately I found the S5's more fun to listen to. I also prefer their look. That said, i'll be interested to read Keith's view of the two speakers as well all hear things differently.
KeithR
Active member
I have heard the Estelons at shows and been impressed paired with Concert Fidelity electronics- but a recent experience with ceramic drivers has turned me away from those types of speakers.
As far as SF, I've historically thought the brand was too warm for me (never heard past the Cremona though)- it might be worth a demo now. The Devore Gibbon X is the other wood speaker that interests me, but they are taking forever to get production to dealers.
My Zus aren't the most resolving speaker out there- and I get that. But they have a beguiling combination of free, open, dynamic sound with a huge sound stage and great tone. Its the benefit of not having a crossover. What's interesting is the dealer brought over a KS Emotion cord to use on my Dart with the YGs (which YG recommends)- it indeed was the perfect match. However, the same cord doesn't seem to work at all with the Definitions.
KeithR
Active member
Onward to the Magico/Vac demo...
It was at a local dealer in a large, dedicated room- I'd estimate 20' x 30'. The S5s were on an all Vac setup (the 450s) with Synergistic cabling- quite a few room treatments, ART, etc. They just seemed a bit dynamically restrained and while the dealer professed how easy they are to drive, I felt the opposite. The S5s had a very extended treble, but natural and not bright- it was perhaps a bit softer beryllium than the Focal demo I heard a few months ago. Whether that was the amps or the speakers, hard to say. Mids were reasonably fleshed out, but not as full or transparent as on the YGs. The S5s also didn't disappear like the narrow baffle YGs, but are more like my own speakers (which use 2 10" drivers as well, only full-range). On the (in)famous Magico bass, I think the warmer bass of the S series wasn't a good match for tetrode tubes but output was fine for my taste. I could feel the woofer location if that makes any sense. The dealer did say the S5 has a darker balance than the S3 which I found interesting. That said, I concluded I would want the extra bass of the S5s and to hear the S5s again on SS. I just didn't feel the S5s drew me into the music enough or were dynamic this particular morning, but since Magico is so sensitive to inputs its hard to say what the culprit was and of course this wasn't in my own room.
Overall, I think BlueFox has the S5 setup I'd like to hear- big Pass or Constellation Class A/B to really deliver effortless sound. I know some folks on this forum are going to disagree, but that's what I heard...
I also went to Pitch Perfect Audio's music night last night and heard the A23 Hommage and Shindo Latours- yes, a 180 degree, totally different kind of sound. But each had an effortless and tonality that was lacking in my morning demo, probably at the expense of some resolution. Clearly different strokes for different folks. The Shindos are 100db and the A23s 94db. btw, the A23 has remarkable presence, but is limited to certain music (they have no real bass)- if you're a 60s jazz head, this might be the speaker for you. I found the finish beautiful in person and usually I'm not into the retro stuff at all.
It was at a local dealer in a large, dedicated room- I'd estimate 20' x 30'. The S5s were on an all Vac setup (the 450s) with Synergistic cabling- quite a few room treatments, ART, etc. They just seemed a bit dynamically restrained and while the dealer professed how easy they are to drive, I felt the opposite. The S5s had a very extended treble, but natural and not bright- it was perhaps a bit softer beryllium than the Focal demo I heard a few months ago. Whether that was the amps or the speakers, hard to say. Mids were reasonably fleshed out, but not as full or transparent as on the YGs. The S5s also didn't disappear like the narrow baffle YGs, but are more like my own speakers (which use 2 10" drivers as well, only full-range). On the (in)famous Magico bass, I think the warmer bass of the S series wasn't a good match for tetrode tubes but output was fine for my taste. I could feel the woofer location if that makes any sense. The dealer did say the S5 has a darker balance than the S3 which I found interesting. That said, I concluded I would want the extra bass of the S5s and to hear the S5s again on SS. I just didn't feel the S5s drew me into the music enough or were dynamic this particular morning, but since Magico is so sensitive to inputs its hard to say what the culprit was and of course this wasn't in my own room.
Overall, I think BlueFox has the S5 setup I'd like to hear- big Pass or Constellation Class A/B to really deliver effortless sound. I know some folks on this forum are going to disagree, but that's what I heard...
I also went to Pitch Perfect Audio's music night last night and heard the A23 Hommage and Shindo Latours- yes, a 180 degree, totally different kind of sound. But each had an effortless and tonality that was lacking in my morning demo, probably at the expense of some resolution. Clearly different strokes for different folks. The Shindos are 100db and the A23s 94db. btw, the A23 has remarkable presence, but is limited to certain music (they have no real bass)- if you're a 60s jazz head, this might be the speaker for you. I found the finish beautiful in person and usually I'm not into the retro stuff at all.
Bones13
Active member
I heard the Carmel 2s at Axpona. One of the rooms I really liked. These speakers sounded really good, even in show type, hotel room, setup. I was impressed.
Also listened to the Zu Audio Druid V, which I am really glad to have on order. Hopefully they will show up this month, they were reportedly in the paint shop. I thought they were a good step up from my Zu Audio Essence speakers, and fit well in my small room, with low watt amps.
For a lot more money in both speaker, and amplifiers, I would be happy with the Carmel 2 speakers.
Also listened to the Zu Audio Druid V, which I am really glad to have on order. Hopefully they will show up this month, they were reportedly in the paint shop. I thought they were a good step up from my Zu Audio Essence speakers, and fit well in my small room, with low watt amps.
For a lot more money in both speaker, and amplifiers, I would be happy with the Carmel 2 speakers.