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  3. 1198362006

Anybody else heard the Avalon Acoustics Isis?

I spent a delightful afternoon on friday listening to the Avalon Acoustics Isis speakers. These retail for $62000.00, so I was expecting a high level of performance, but was still surprised at how wonderful these speakers were at creating the sound of real music.

Even though this was in a store environment with electronics that are not my favorite cup of sonic tea, current Mark Levinson gear, the Isis's offered the following:

1) I'm quite enamored of the type of soundstage and natural layering that planer dipolar speakers provide, my home reference are MG-20's, the Isis was one of the few box enclosure speakers that offered this type of illusion regarding space. They just did not disappear, but offered this very natural 3D imaging without making individual players sound like "cutouts" against a background, but layering in a very natural way that sounds more like live music.

2) Great macrodynamics and resolution without sounding etched or in your face, and this was with electronics that I personnally don't find to be very musical! I would want to hear these speakers with a great tube pre and SS amps like Pass Labs XA's.

3) The whole sonic presentation was seemless, again reminding me of what great planer speakers have to offer, with a quick and rock solid bottom end.

I have listened to Wilson's, Kharma's, B&W's, Magico's, Dali's reference speakers on other occasions, and I was not as impressed as I was yesterday. Am I trading my MG-20's for the Isis's, no but if you have a chance to hear them I think you find it a very enjoyable experience.
teajay

Showing 2 responses by nilthepill

nilthepill
842 posts
 
Branimir and Sydsrig,

May be the difference you are hearing could be due different to cabling? Cables do make difference. Something to think about.

That said, I also find an All MBL system to be overly mettallic and tad on brighterside. The 6010d and MBL 9008s on the other hand used in different pairings (like my Dunlavy V and Zanden front end, can produce ' believable' life like sound. With Zanden preamp everything goes few notches up.

Sorry to barge in on Avalon Isis Thread with MBL 101E opinion. To be relevant, I have heard only the EIdelons ( with mbl 6010d and 9008s) in fact and although I liked the sound, it was not my cup of tea ;-). Although the Isis could be better...
nilthepill
842 posts
 
Hate to continue comments on MBL 101E but I think I need to respond to Dev adn Sydsrig's questions.

Dev, Looking back on the auditions at two different set ups many time last year, I am not sure which components of all MBL system contributes to my perception of Mettalic or excessive upper mids/low highs sound. Digital front end or the 101Es. In any case at times, with right material, the system sounded uncannily life like, err in a lively amplied way. But alas with only select few cds. The strongest suit of MBL 101Es was the bass/mid bass, so much filled with life like nuances, definition and dynamics. Another aspect was the unusually high soundstage of this system. Same system when heard later this year in well designed 'large' room sounded easily acceptable and less metallic. Trust me I love MBL electronics(preamp/amps) and am not trying to bash MBLs. In fact I am thinkibg I may be able to get in to 101Es, with right front ends. The smaller MBLs 116 (?) did always sounded good to me.

Sydsrig,
The other amps auditioned was Pass Labs X250 and sounded equal or little better than the MBL 9008 in stereo mode(not monos). I found the set up lacking in lower freq range and sound to be rather boxey. IMHO of course.
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