Avalon Isis

i heard it at RMAF this past weekend. if you like the Avalon/Boulder sound, you will love this speaker. it did improve from Friday to Sunday.....it was a little more natural and less 'clinical' on Sunday.

the room was huge and the speakers were brand new. in a more intimate room and broken-in it could be very involving.

i thought it needed 'big tubes' to bring out some tonal color....it sounded somewhat washed out.....but that is a characteristic of the Avalon/Boulder sound (from my perspective).

my friend captured our perspective perfectly.....he said; "it's like making love to a beautiful woman while she is reading the paper".

i have heard both Avalon speakers and Boulder amps sound very good......but together they can be 'hifi'.

'hifi' is when the elements of the musical presentation are all there but the 'soul' or 'nuance' or 'sparkle' or 'whatever' is missing.

it is not the same as an 'edge'....but it can be related to the tonal character or lack thereof.

does what i am hearing transport me someplace?

does it pull me in?

i can enjoy a 'hifi' sound but over time it is less satisfying. this can be quite a personal issue.....one person's 'hifi' may be another's 'music'.

getting back to the Avalon/Boulder.....it reminds me of my Levinson/Wilson Watt Puppy days. great sound, i loved it.....but i moved on. i do think Avalon, Boulder, Wilson and Levinson can be 'musical' and not 'hifi'....but it takes great care to get there.

sorry, i did not want to hijack this thread.