An Extraordinary Find

The Frieds were powered by a Audible Illusions preamp and 50 watt solid state monoblocks whose name I don't recall. One of the nice things about these speakers is how easy they are to drive. A very stable 4 ohm load and 90+db efficiency. The 50 watt monoblocks absolutely filled a huge room with sound with excellent control in the bass. A recent review in Bound for Sound recommends tubes all the way around--both because they are easy to drive and to achieve a slightly warmer tonal balance. However, these were preproduction units under review and several small changes have been made between then and the current production, which I heard. Having said that, I do agree that the tonal balance is slightly on the cool side of neutral. However this is not an analytical speaker--as I said, it is one of the most musical I have ever heard. It is just that there is none of the midbass bump many speakers posess which provides a warmer balance. In fact, if anything, there is a slight dip in the frequency response in the midbass region. What you hear in the bass is just a shade cool but with incredible power, drive and tautness. From there on up I would call the speaker very open and neutral in its presentation. And again, it sounds like live music--not hifi. This is what makes the speaker magical. I don't know if it is the first order crossovers or the tranmission line loading of the bass and midrange drivers or what but no other speaker I have heard sounds so real to my ears. In fact, the only other speaker which I have found similarly engaging is the Vandersteen 5A--at $15K! The Vandersteen has a similar musicality (also due to first order crossovers?) but with a warmer more liquid tonal balance. The Vandy doesn't have the dynamics and speed of the Fried but it is a warmer sounding speaker, which I actually prefer. Unfortunately, I can't do 15K and therefore that leads to the Fried as the best possible alternative. BTW, the Fried sells for 6.5K. Give a listen, you won't be disappointed. (Sorry to sound like a sales pitch--I have no relationship to the company whatsoever and am simply a consumer like most of us)

Trelja. I had the fortunate pleasure of hearing them with Dr. Raines. Since you are affiliated with the company that may put the listening room and system components in clearer perspective. I am inclined to think that the tile/stone floor, wall of window and lack of any rear wall behind the speakers may have conspired to muck up the imaging. In fact, I am really surprised at the sound quality I heard given the surroundings. I am hoping to set up a demo at an area dealer as soon as one comes on line to hear the speaker under more ideal circumstances (and conditions closer to those in my own home). Dr. Raines indicated that there would soon be a pair at an outfit on the Upper West Side of Manhatten. As far as the price is concerned--I agree. I wish they were still 5K and am not clear as to the rationale for the price hike. Certainly the falling dollar can't be the culprit to any large degree. I also think it may be an error to price them above the original 5K since this is a company that is trying to get a toehold in a very competitive marketplace. Once you move above 5K you are looking at a somewhat different class of consumer. While I'm not really in that class, I will scrape together the extra 1.5K if the performance of the speaker warrents. Having said that, I stand by my statement that 6.5K is a bargain given what you get. I have heard a number of speakers that cost more that don't offer half the sound of the Fried's.

Drubin. Thanks for the tip on the Vandy Quatro. It is on my list and actually the last speaker I will hear before making my decision. It will have to be pretty darn close to the sound of the 5A to win out over the Fried. We will see.

I can certainly confirm Trelja's comments on the cabinets. The veneer work is beautiful! Build quality is superb. This is one handsome speaker with a high WAF. Interestingly, one cannot really appreciate any of this by looking at the sales literature and website. The graphics really do not do the speaker justice. I was also taken back by the depth of the Studio 7. I really was not expecting such a deep speaker. The photos do not indicate this and even though the website says the speakers are 20" deep you really can't appreciate this until you see them.
Glad to have you confirm my suspicions regarding the room acoustics and the sound. As I said, if they sounded THAT GOOD in THAT ROOM I can only imagine what they will do in a normal space and placement. Trelja, what is your affiliation with Fried, if I might ask? If I were to list my current equipment, could you provide any insight as to system matching for the Frieds?

Fiddler. I'm told it is around 24K. A whole different kettle of fish price wise. I've also heard tell that it is one of the best speakers out there, period.

Joperfi. I agree, shows are not the best place to listen to speakers. I believe I am correct in saying that the speaker you heard was a preproduction effort similar to the one reviewed a while back in Bound for Sound. The current production models reflect some significant changes that have addressed the concerns many heard in the pre-production units and sound considerably different. Not sure if my facts are correct but that is my recollection of the chain of events.
Bottom line is the whatever is currently coming off the production line is a damn nice speaker!

Trelja. Thanks for all of your thoughtful commentary. My quest, which began over a year ago, was to find a pair of attractive floorstanders to replace my Harbeth Compact 7s. I very much have enjoyed the Harbeth's. They are so thoroughly "right" in the midrange and are listenable on the widest range of recordings. Nothing really sounds bad through them. They lean toward a warmer sound--a bit of midbass bump, a slightly recessed midrange and gently rolled off treble. I am used to this presentation and enjoy it greatly. However, they are fairly large, ugly boxes that sit on metal stands in our newly decorated living room. In addition, the Harbeth's do not have the dynamics, speed and authority in the bass that this new, larger room requires. They are polite and this is mostly good. However, when I reach for the rock n roll, they sometimes leave me unmoved. Acoustic music, chamber ensembles, small combo jazz are, except for the low end, handled beautifully.
My hope was to find a speaker below 5K that preserved the qualities of the Harbeth's that I like and did not have their shortcomings. I have found this to be much easier said than done. Most of what I have heard in this range (you name it, I've heard it--I've been at this a while now) was very disappointing. I would come home after the audition, put some music on through the Harbeths and say "Overall, these sound better" and cross another one of the list.
As a result, my price point began to rise--and in retrospect, beyond all relation to my budget. I heard a number of speakers that were in the 10-15K range. Some of them sounded good, others did not. In fact, I began to think this was all really going nowhere until I heard the Vandersteen 5A and the Wilson Sophia. I could easily live with either of these. In fact, the Vandy's are the best speaker I have ever heard. I also think that they are the most intelligently designed and the best value for money out there. In the end, once I came down to earth (after discussing with my wife) even the regular 5's were more than we could spend.
Now the task became harder still. After being seduced by the Vandy's how do you go back to the 5K price point? I decided to take a little time off this hamster wheel. Then I saw the ad for the Freid's in the one of the mags and contacted them.
Basically, I listen to all kinds of music--though as I get older it invaribly gets more mellow. I want a speaker that will rock my world on Saturday afternoon AND take the edge off the day with a glass of wine and Karrin Allyson at 11pm on Wednesday night. I'm no soundstaging nut. I am really not into picking out the chair screetching in the back of the orchestra. It is nice to have a pretty good idea of where everyone is but much more important is the tonal integrity of the sound. I want a basson to sound like a basson, a Rickenbacher to sound like a Rickenbacher. I want bass that is deep, tight and most of all tuneful. I cannot tell you how many speakers (including megabuck models) that give you lots of really awful bass. I want to be able to follow the electric bass line--every note, with excellent pitch delineation. I want it to be fast, dynamic and I want to FEEL it. I want all this without overloading the room, boom, mud. Most of the speakers that do this well tend toward slight overdamping. The bass is a little dry rather than full. My old Spendor S100's come to mind. So do the Frieds. This is why I like the Vandy 5's--you can tune it to your liking and to the room. Brilliant. Finally, I want the music to sound real. Inner detail, phrasing, PRAT, everything that makes it seem as if the musicians are playing in your room. This is one thing the Freids did so well--I don't know if it is the first order crossovers or the transmission line or a combo of the two or what. They just sounded like real music to me.
I guess these are my listening priorities and preferences. Sorry if I have bored everyone following this thread--I'm more responding to Trejlas questions than anything. To summarize as to what I heard with the Studio 7s (noting prior comments about the room):
Bass--excellent though slightly too lean in the midbass
Tonality--the cool side of neutral, very accurate
Musicality--one of the best I've heard.

Hope this helps you to help me. I appreciate your thoughts.