Red Rose Speakers (From Mark Levinson)

I have heard them with the "entry level" Red Rose system for amplification and an old Luxman tube-output CD player at a friend's house, who bought them. They have surprising bass (sort of like the smaller Totem speakers), but it is limited, probably to the 40hz range. What makes them special is the ribbon tweeter, which, together with the Red Rose/Audioprism tube amplification, gives them a natural, fast, detailed and extended high end. Certainly not perfect, but excellent imaging, soundstaging and dynamics. Well worth a listen.

The system is very good, really. There is an excellent synergy between the electronics and the speakers, and the system really is something special. As for them flying off the shelf, Mark's store location in the Whitney Museum here in NYC sure doesn't hurt. He's got a large group of, for the most part, well-heeled arts lovers most of whom, considering the lack of press the high end audio community gets, have never heard a good high-end audio system. Selling package systems, including cables, also appeals to the non-audiophile music lovers who don't really want to get into mixing and matching--a set it and forget it, good sounding system. I think that's great marketing.