First full review of the Verdant Blackthorns in Enjoy the Music

congrats scott... am sure you are feeling great as the proud papa 

👍👍👍

Thank you guys.  I really appreciate it!

Congratulations. I hope to hear them at Axpona if you will be there. You are a good guy and excellent dealer.

Thank you.  We are planning on being at AXPONA but don’t have a room assignment yet.  I know the JD Events people are working on it.

Let me know as I can supply you with dac, phono, pre and class A monos.

These speakers may be very fine, but I find that particular reviewer all over the place in his reviews. There's way too much personal back slapping, and I don't think that he did the maker any favors in the end when he mentions all of the different things that he plans to try in the future; like tower speakers, different bass loadings (isobaric, transmission line) and crossovers. I left me with the impression that he may be gifted, but that everything he does is an experiment, and a work in progress rather than a finished product. 
Who wants to buy a $10k work in progress?

upon reading and re-reading this review scott, the only comment i would make is that this one, like too many others, as well written as they are, do not compare the review subject with other likely competing ones that a potential buyer may consider...

to me, i always get a better understanding of how something new on market sounds when it is compared to others, one or more of which i may have personally owned or heard, and thus can better place the new kid on the block ’on the sonic spectrum’, so to speak

perhaps you would, when you have time to do so, give readers here a sense of what your objectives were in designing this flagship monitor, and how it may compare, as you voiced it, to other well known higher dollar standmounts, say

-- focal kanta 1
-- proac k1
-- wilson tt
-- sonus faber electa am 3
-- lesser priced but excellent monitors from atc, harbeth, salk, fritz and so on

@roxy54 To be clear, these speakers are not a work in progress.  This speaker (Blackthorn 1) and the Nightshade 1 are complete and will remain unchanged so long as the drivers remain available from Eton.  

@jjss49 It is an interesting challenge to compare.  I have to pick speakers that I am very familiar with and on your list, you managed to pick several that I have never heard.  

The goal with this speaker was clarity and detail without brightness or the metallic edge you can get with some of the poorer beryllium implementations.   The cabinet is dead and what sound goes back into the cabinet is damped far more effectively that you can with MDF and insultation.  This means I did not increase the output of the tweeter so it tends not to be fatiguing and you don't get any smearing in the midrange.  

This is a touch warmer than the Focal Sopra 1 but not warm.  Where I feel you are more limited with amp pairing with the Sopra, you have a little more flex with these.  

Tonally similar to the Wilson Benesch Vertexes (which I have here) and are probably the most natural comparison since both are made from Carbon Fiber.  The Blachthorns sound bigger and more energetic.  The Vertexes are good for a small room but sound a little small as you get into a bigger space.  The Blackthorns work in medium room.  

Compared to the Vivid Kayas they are a touch more forward.  I am comparing them to the 25s or 45s as I haven't heard the S12s yet.  

Magico A1s are a natural comparison and the soundstage is similar to Magico in a lot of ways.  Tonally, it is maybe a bit more forward.  I have been surprised at how relatively neutral the A line is vs the S line from Magico.  These are more energetic and sound bigger.  What you would expect if Magico had a monitor in the M line.  

Wilson is a completely different animal with the soft dome tweeter.  The TuneTots are tonally similar to my Nightshades which is maybe a little less pure in terms of tonal accuracy but in many ways are a more fun, engaging listen with certain types of music like female vocals.  

Harbeth (just did a side-by-side with 40.2) is in tonally like what you would get with the Nightshade.  If you love Harbeth, you may not love this speaker but I am optimistic you would love the Nightshade as there is something about paper and silk.

The Blackthorn is a very accurate, clear, detailed audiophile speaker.  The Nightshade is slightly colored in a fun and engaging way that brings out the best in some types of music while also being detailed.  

excellent reply scott

thank you and good luck on the launch of your flagship product!

next time i get the itch to try a new speaker .... :)

verdantaudio,
Please excuse my misunderstanding. I always wish the best for new designers starting out because I think that they often have fresher perspectives and approaches to design.
I spoke out of turn because the comments at the end of the review gave a confusing impression.
I hope that you have great success going forward. The speakers are certainly beautiful.
John

Excellent!!!!!

@roxy54 no worries.  I clarify in case someone was scanning this thread.  
Thank you all for the kind wishes