JMR Offrande Supreme V2 vs GMA Calypso

Shakeydeal, I cannot overrule what you say, but I am yet to be convinced with the tone and body these stone-enclosure speakers produce. In my experience tone is something that doesnt require setting up to be judged.

I can't comment on the GMA's because, as noted earlier, they weren't available for listening at RMAF. However, what I love about the Offrandes is the way they pick up the natural warmth and woodiness of instruments like acoustic guitar and bass. And female voices are to die for. There is nothing artificial sounding about the Reynauds.

I've owned more modestly priced speakers from both GMA and Reynaud and for my ears it was no contest -- the Reynauds win every time. I had a basement full of speakers, several Spendor models (great warmth but a bit fuzzy and inarticulate) and the GMA Europas (very clean, articulate, and great timing). No cabinet resonance from the GMAs, as was said, but they did have a characteristic "ping" of marble that annoyed me greatly. Besides, I want to hear wooden instruments sound like wooden instruments. I found a pair of Reynaud Duets (now called Bliss) and sold all my Spendors and the GMAs and never looked back. The Reynauds gave me most of the articulation of the GMAs without the annoying "ping" and coldness and gave me all the warm natural woody sound of the Spendors without the bit of fuzzy smearing in the midrange. The only speaker change I would make now would be to buy the Offrande Supreme V2s if my room could take them.

Thanks for the revived commentary. I had to go to Boston on business in January, so I drove two hours to Amherst to listen to the OffSV2s. Bob Neill is a very personable guy, and we spent several hours listening to the music I brought along. My first observation was that it was clear that the OSV2s and the Trentes were in the same family of speakers. The OSV2s were warm and exuberant in their presentation of intimate recordings of the human voice. They were clear, articulate, good at staging, more effective at orchestral presentation than the Trentes, not as edgy in the upper register as the Trentes. I will be buying a pair in the future.

Although I am a dealer, I have no dog in this hunt but can say unequivocally that the Offrande is a music lover's speaker and Bob Neill is a stand-up guy, a class act. I heard the Offrandes at RMAF in October and was impressed with the evolutionary improvements made.