For the $15K price point is has to be Yamaha NS-5000 designed by pro audio engineers. Visit the Yamaha Innovation Road museum in Hamamatsu, Japan and observe consumer audio's modest position inside the world's largest producer of musical instruments, and a household name in other durable goods.
The back wave absorbers look like tumble generators. The wood cabinet is basically a simple side job for their piano shop. As former serial users of toxic, brittle beryllium tweeters, they developed carbon fiber to get out of the beryllium business. They leveraged the carbon fiber for all drivers, for a single driver sound. Just move quickly to avoid the tariffs.
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@kennyc
After hearing both DeVores and Volti Audio my impressions are that the DeVores are more neutral but with a touch of bass bump and cabinet resonance warmth (I have a pair of O/93 incomming). The midrange and treble are much more neutral and clear than the Voltis I have heard many times (Razz, Rival) which can be super smooth and rolled off. Of course everything is system dependent too..
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@kennyc I am going to audition as many speakers as possible in my area, Devore and Legacy Focus SE are on my list so far…my Jeff Rowland 125 amp might fare well with the Legacy..
what are you using for amps Kennyc
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Using Constellation Inspiration Stereo on my Vimberg MinoD, Coincident M300B Frankenstein MK II for my Volti Rival.
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So I listened to the “Volti” khorn today. Gentleman was kind enough to let me listen in his home. Is a vintage speaker with all the hardware replaced by Volti gear. I believe that’s how Greg started getting into the business(please don’t quote me). Was an interesting comparison because they are very different from the Audio Notes I have. Their sound was big, engaging and oh my live music. Live recording sounds like you are in the 1st row. Wide soundstage and really perfect tone of voices and instruments. Very impressed with Greg’s work.
Now if I could take 20% of the Audio Notes and put it in the Volti then I might have the perfect speaker for me! I finally understand why some audiophiles keep multiple amps and speakers. If you want something great at x then it can’t always be great at y.
Was a good day and I might be visiting the bank very very soon. Lol
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@earthbound Hello, ..I think that’s how Greg got started, did you read my day two with the Razz?..I am moving on from horns, being retired I listen all day most days and for the long run horns are just to bright..I am on the look for a more mellow speaker that will marry up to my low powered amps…so going to audition different speakers…I do have a Jeff Rowland 125 amp for more power..heading over to a Devore dealer tomorrow for a listen, and next day Legacy Focus SE..Taking the Fortes to a charity Friday…I do have a Naim Uniti Atom hooked to some bookshelf’s in the meantime until I find something…
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Alright! I did a hard look at Devores as well. I was attracted to the bigger sound after having had that mellow Audio Notes sound for the past 2 years, which will be missed in some regards. Let me know if you’re interested in AN! Lol
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They have Audio Note too…
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Well keep us posted on what you audition and give us a small review of each please. Curious what your impressions will be.
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Keep auditioning horns before you buy…is there a Klipsch dealer close to you..
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What I learned today Charles, if you play jazz and easier stuff like Sade, Audio Notes are wonderful. There’s a reason they have a big following. Their mid range is really something special.
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With a high end with zero edge. I listen for hours at a time.
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For long listening periods keep what you have…no audition period
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I know that is one of its strengths. I just don’t listen to certain music anymore due to its sound. I still need my classic rock or heavy metal going sometimes. Trade offs I suppose.
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We played everything hard rock, classic rock heavy metal didn’t sound good too ear piercing…to much of a good thing…some of the electronic music was good..we had a lot of different amps that covered everything..
no audition period
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Well if you find that speaker that is just between AN and Volti let everyone know! Many are looking for just that combination of mellow when it needs to be and lively.
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Is that possible, I love my First Watt amps, I need to find the speakers…to bad Nelson Pass doesn’t make speakers…
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I think my retirement amp when I’m fed up with tubes will be the xa25.
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hard rock, classic rock heavy metal didn’t sound good too ear piercing
Early hard rock and metal recordings often prioritized loudness and power over sonic clarity, using techniques like heavy compression and limiting to achieve a "wall of sound" effect vs fidelity. As Volti is like an efficient clear window, I’m not surprised at your shrill findings. Horns strength is their high efficiency, sonic ease , and midrange fidelity which mates well to midrange focused tube amplification.
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Horn and SET lovers have to admit this presentation may not be for everyone. I believe its general presentation vs what any one individual speaker or system may or may not do. Any particular horn speaker may have unique tonality, timbre, imaging, sound staging, etc. but they all have, especially when mated to SET a unique and general presentation that may not be for everyone. I love the immediacy and sense of performers in room presentation, for others this may be too much in face presentation, they may prefer a more distant perspective. I've heard a wide variety of presentations with audio systems over the years and can appreciate other presentations. I've heard very compelling systems with high powered SS amps and inefficient speakers, about as far away from horns and SET as you can get. Learning what presentation I most preferred was one of the LAST things I learned in this audio journey. Short demos never did it for me, only long term listening with components I purchased was illuminating.
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@sns I agree with your take on things, and looking at the systems you have, that’s a lot of gear.
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@charles007100 I tend to hold on to components I like, I like to change out amps and dacs from time to time.
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@sns +1. Differences in presentation are precisely why I swap in and out 3 different speaker/amp combos in my main system. One is high powered SS, class A, driving 89db cones and fabric domes; another is 65 watts of class A KT150 coupled with 92db carbon fiber and beryllium drivers; a third is 8 watts of 300b SET driving modded Cornwall IVs. All provide distinctive yet equally valid presentations.
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i use a 211 amp with the 4367 from jbl. i have previously used Audio Note AN-E HE Spe, JBL 4344, Altec 604g, JBL 4349.
I listen to rock and pop. Not jazz or orchestral music most of the time.
with 4367 I don't find any "horn" nastiness. Zero. To me thats the benefit of the tube amp.
Bass is exceptional.
On decent footers, and set 0.7 m from back wall, I find the JBL 4367 delivers extraordinary presence and disappear totally. Feels like sound is conjured in space magically. Very resolving. Very dynamic.
I had a Gryphon Diablo to compare with 211 SET amp for bass performance. Both in room response testing and ears didn't highlight any issues with bass from tube amp relative to 300W brute force of Diablo. 4367s imo aren't well suited to solid state. It can hurt the ears just slightly. The way i see it the 4367 is the modern Altec Madrid etc with all the honkiness fixed. I feel they are overlooked for some reason not necessarily to do with performance. They do take a long time to run in and they don't sound great during the run in period is my experience.
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So much positive on the Volti's. I know they're very efficient and work well with lower powered amps. How would they work with 140 watt Conrad Johnson Premier 12 mono block power amps? Would that be a miss match? I like the design of incorporating horns...
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