Daedalus

I'm using a pair of DA-1.1's which is the largest speaker in the "whole house"/home theater line. What Jax2 says is true--the Daedalus speakers are really very special. The DA-RMa is intended for use in high quality two-channel systems. I'd give Lou a call to discuss--he is a straight shooter who will provide helpful guidance on your system needs regardless of whether it leads to a sale.

Drjoe:

I agree with your description of the DA-1's--I had a pair for a number of years and would describe them as you have here. The new DA-1.1's are a whole other animal. The new model retains all the superlative characteristics you cite above but adds much higher resolution, more extended high frequencies, better (leaner, tighter) bass and vastly improved imaging and soundstaging--sounding in this regard more like a traditional "audiophile" speaker but with a much wider sweet spot. You are correct, however--even the new DA-1.1's do not have real focused (pinpoint) imaging. That is why Lou builds the DA-RMa and the Ulysseys, which do not have offset tweeters and thus provide more precise imaging than the whole house designs. I would encourage anyone interested in the Daedalus speakers to give a listen to both model lines and/or talk with Lou about your room and listening habits--some of us "audiophiles" actually prefer the "whole house" models like the DA-1.1's since they image really well but allow people throughout the room to enjoy the music.

Hey Lou--are we going to see a review of the new DA-1.1 anytime soon?

Lou:

I don't really follow the different mags and online journals enough to know which would be most open to and best qualified to review your gear. I thought Bound For Sound did a very good job with the original DA-1. They also seem very old school in terms of advertising and the influence it may have on their product reviews. Six Moons seems to review gear that is "off the beaten path" and so may also be worth considering. You know much better than I about how the mag review process works. I'd just hate to see them reviewed in the context of a home theater system since the DA-1.1's really excel in a two-channel application. On another note, you raised the issue of using a sub with your designs. Not that I need one--the DA-1.1's have plenty of bass for me and my space--but perhaps you could discuss what type of sub you have used successfully with your designs in case people want to get that last bit of low frequency response that is not reproduced in your DA-1.1's or Ulysseys.

I can confirm what Lou is saying here--when I went from the original DA-1's to the new DA-1.1's among the many improvements I noticed was a decided increase in speed, dynamics and openness. Though I had not changed amplifiers (or anything else in my system) it seemed as though I had doubled the power output of my amp. So while my ARC 150.2 does not qualify as a high current design, putting out a mere 20 amps peak, the new speakers presented a much easier load and so the amp took on greater ease and authority. I'm still shopping for a good quality high current design to replace my 150.2 and am curious what impact that will have on my system. I'll keep everyone posted.

Tvad:

I'll give it my best. In my experience speakers have to do a number of things really well to totally "disappear". First, they have to be tonally correct. At one point I owned a pair of Spendor S-100's. A friend came over on day who had not heard them yet. He walked in the door and from the entry way (without being able to see the speakers or setup) he remarked how it sounded like someone was playing a saxophone in the other room. The Spendors were so true in the midrange that they simply "disappeared" by faithfully reproducing the sound of the instrument. The Daedalus speakers do this as well as any I've heard. Another thing a speaker needs to do to "disappear" is recreate a soundfield wherein the speakers do not cue your ear as to their location. This my DA-1.1's do very well but are not in the same league as the best I've heard in this regard. Perhaps this has to do with the offset tweeter arrangement used on this model. Or maybe this is attributable to other components in my system that are not allowing the speakers to do the kind of disappearing act they are able to perform. It may well be that Lou's reference models (Ulysses and DARma) are better in this regard. I cannot say for sure. I do know the reference models are intended to image more precisely and I would expect that they create a better soundstage than the "whole house" models like the DA-1.1. In addition, a speaker must be totally coherent in order to fully disappear, otherwise you are able to hear drivers handing off to each other thus drawing your attention to the speaker and not the music. The Daedalus are the most coherent multiway speaker I've ever heard--period. Finally, in order for speakers to disappear the box cannot contribute to the sound you are hearing. Lou's cabinets are very dense and, while they may contribute more noise than some of the exotic materials out there, I do not sense that they are contributing to the sonic landscape. To summarize, my Daedalus disappear darn well--better than nearly anything I've heard--and the reference models are probably up there with the best that are available.

Marco:

I agree fully with both your observations. My house is modest and there is no extra room that could become a dedicated listening area. Perhaps this is making lemonade out of lemons but I don't think I'd go the dedicated room route even if I had the space. My wife and I like having the music where we get to use it daily--in the living area which is adjacent to the dining room and kitchen. I love to listen while I cook or while we are having dinner etc. This is why I chose the DA-1.1's instead of the Ulysses--they are more suited to an open floor plan whereas the Ulysses is more about listening from the sweet spot. Having said that there is no doubt that I do not have my DA-1.1's optimized for two channel listening. I'd love to have a larger room and move them further into the listening space. I also wish I did not have a large entertainment center to contend with between the speakers. All these things I'm sure diminish the ability of the speakers to "disappear" in the way Tvad would like. I will say, however, that the DA-1.1's are very forgiving in terms of placement and I'm getting really good sound--I've heard many, many other systems in many other rooms--just as things are. Though I haven't had the pleasure of hearing them, I'd also agree, Marco, that Lou's reference series speakers are probably among the best available in terms of the kind of disappearing act that Tvad would like to attain.

One last thing--not sure I got the tube trap reference--none are used in my room.

Gotcha! The bookshelf and plant are there for "decorative purposes"--I never really thought of them as having any sonic benefit but I suppose they do help to some degree. Thanks for clarifying and absolutely no offense taken regarding any of your remarks. Someday I'm going to head out to Lou's shop and see what his speakers can do in a dedicated space with the right electronics. It may be a real eye opener!

My experience confirmed what Lou has told you about break in--they just kept getting better over the first 20-30 hours and then at around 100 hours the midrange just opened up right before my ears. My DA-1.1's sounded great right out of the box but boy once you get through the break in period things really get special! Rrsclyde, what are you using for the rest of your system? Congrats and enjoy!

Rrsclyde: Pop back after you have them broken in and let us know what you think.

David12: In my experience if you have the choice it is better to go with a full range speaker than use a monitor and a sub. Proper integration of a subwoofer is tricky and compounds variables like room size, dimensions and construction. Even a good sub, like the Rel (I used a Stadium III for a while with my Harbeth Compact 7's) can be a challenge to work with. Lou's speakers are very coherent throughout the frequency range and I'd hate to see that compromised by application of a subwoofer. Your room, at 20 X 20 is fairly large and could easily take the DA-1.1's. Mine is 14 X 23 and open on one side and these speakers fill the room beautifully without overpressurizing the space. Rrsclyde, if you can't tell whether your sub is on or not you have probably got it set just right! I always mucked up the sound with my Rel trying to "hear" it--hey, I paid good money for it now let's hear this thing rock! Wrong approach. The best sub is the one you don't know is there. Hey Lou, how about some input for guys using (or thinking of using) subs with their Daedalus speakers?

Michael: Your membership needs to be updated! When are the new DA-1.1's arriving?

"it was striking how the Ulysses' provided a window on what was happening upstream. The invidual characteristics of the amplifiers were easy to discern".

Jazdoc: I couldn't agree more. In the past six months I've upgraded my preamp (from an Audio Research SP16 to an LS26) and my amp (from an Audio Research 150.2 to an SD135) and in each instances my DA-1.1's told me EXACTLY what was going on. In a way, the Daedalus speakers manage to square the circle by being both "ruthlessly revealing" and "utterly non-fatiguing". A lot of speakers that provide such a clear window on upstream changes can be unlistenable on a day to day basis. They may be a good "reviewers tool" but not not necessarily something you want around for the pure enjoyment of music. My DA-1.1's are now a year old and I continue to be impressed by their ability to raise their level of performance as you put higher quality components in front of them. It's like getting an extra $50 for every $100 invested in the signal chain. Fabulous speakers and it's great to see others joining in the fun.

In case people have not seen it there is a nice review of the DA-RMa posted at Stereotimes. The reviewer purchased the pair--no better endorsement in my view.

Rrsclyde--glad to hear you are enjoying the DA-RMa's. I've had my DA-1.1's for over a year now and the love affair continues. Lou--I was intrigued by your comparison of the different models since I did not get a chance to comparison shop within the line prior to purchase. Your remarks about the DA-1.1 being (ever so slightly) warmer than the other models is particularly noteworthy, as is your comparison to the "Harbeth" sound with which I am very familiar. What led me to the original DA-1 and now to the upgraded DA-1.1 was the likeness of your designs to my Harbeth Compact 7's across the midrange--an area where this speaker excels like no other. That you have managed to produce a full range floorstanding speaker that can compete with the Harbeth in this critical area but which is much more dynamic and capable of recreating a lifelike presentation of the recorded experience is why, I believe, your designs are receiving such unanimous critical acclaim. I am grateful to have found a speaker with which I can enjoy for a lifetime. Thanks again!

David:

Glad to hear they arrived safely and that you are enjoying the DaRMA's. What amp did you decide to use with them? Keep us posted as you move through the break in period--the sound will change somewhat (for the better) after 100 hours or so. Enjoy!