I've known Fritz for a number of years and I can say he is one of the few out there who understands that not everyone has money to burn. When you buy from Fritz you get drivers normally found in speakers three to four times the price he charges. He hand builds each cabinet and finishes them in the veneer of your choice.
You aren't buying a name brand instead you are buying high end quality speakers that use the finest drivers, crossovers and wire without the rediculous high prices some "brand name" manufacturers charge. From my experiences with Totem and Merlin to name two popular manufacturers, Fritz can build identical speakers. In most cases the name brand version will use high end components and so will Fritz, the difference is Fritz will opt to purchase the top of the line drivers from the same manufacturer, insuring that what you're getting in the finished product is a speaker heavy with value as well as exquisite sound. Rather than try to cut corners to increase profits he builds and voices every pair like he were keeping them for himself. He will usually hand deliver them too. Usually you get to demo his speakers for at least two weeks before making a commitment, who let's you do that? Because every pair is custom built wifey can choose the finish to her hearts content there is a plethora of choices. Driver and Tweeter choices of the highest caliber. Names like Seas, Vifa, Audiovox, Peerless, HiVi Research, Hemptone, Fostex, etc. Why settle for inferior speakers that use inferior drivers, crossovers and wire when you can have the best for less. Quality, quality, quality with prices unmatched, I can't say enough; you definatly can't go wrong when you choose a pair of Fritz speakers.
Whenever I'm asked what speakers I recommend I ask what brands they like and what models. As long as they aren't planeer or electrostat, I direct them to Fritz. He will construct an identical pair using better drivers, crossovers and wire and do it for less than they originally planned to spend. Leaving more money for other components.
Currently I have a new test pair of his limited production Monitor X that use the Hemp woofers with Vifa wide dispersion soft dome tweeters and an experimental crossover. At first listen they seemed a little unbalanced. I reported this to Fritz, the next day he showed up at my door with two other tweeter types and crossovers. We spent hours test listening and trying different combinations until we hit the holy grail. If you've heard and like a pair of his highly aclaimed Carbon 7 model, then you will go gaga over these. Ask to audition a pair. The drivers being hand made and limited production make it difficult to turn out multiple pairs, but if you're lucky enough to get a pair, you'll be so glad you did. The sound is very rich and balanced. The more you give them, the more they give you in return. They have a Tannoy quality in the sound that has to be heard to be appreciated.
If you frequent the trade shows you will likely see him there. He is comitted and loves to talk audio. By attending all the shows he keeps on top of the current design trends and speaker innovations. He is usually paired up with the best source and valve manufacturers in the business too.
