I’ll be doing a full review in the not too distant future.
Z should get a set of Linton’s and do an A / B against the Heresy. They are very different designs in some respects, but in others they check some similar boxes. Retro appeal in the exterior design. Speakers that are aiming to be more fun and dynamic than precision accurate. Speakers where the mid-range is the clear star of the show. I’d be really interested in what he thinks of them in a comparison.
I’m still getting the sense that the bass driver is breaking in. I maybe have a good 30 hours of so of music on them, sometimes walking away to allow them to break in at slightly above normal volume. Without a doubt the tweeter has settled in, out of the box that needed a good 10 hours of being driven to relax a bit. Once it did, it’s actually the least fatiguing tweeter I have ever heard. It’s fast and articulate but it’s not as detailed as some high quality metal tweeters I have heard. If you have ever head a good MQA file where they restore the “Air” to the recording, you don’t get as much of that here, but what you do get is fast and articulate and totally non fatiguing but it does take at least a good 10 hours or so to get it there, out of the box it’s a little harsh, but once it’s broken in it’s gorgeous.
Out of the Box the mid driver is extremely forward, after 30 hours the woofer is starting to come in a bit more and it’s creating a much more pleasant balance. It’s beautiful with female vocals in a way I can’t really describe. With a more romantic bendy electric guitar player, think David Gilmour, the notes have this beautiful syrupy quality to them. The mid range is the star of the presentation and 30 hours in I’m not sure if it’s more relaxed or if the bass driver is integrating better to the point where the total presentation becomes more balanced… I think more the later.
The Bass driver is still breaking in I think. I need to give it longer before I fully judge it. Out of the box you will say… Okay for big speakers the bass is kind of disappointing, what’s there is extremely pleasant but it’s just not moving the air it needs to yet. 30 hours in the character has changed quite a bit. It’s got more thump and grunt by far and it’s really integrating with that forward mid presentation much better now. I’m thinking another 30 hours and it should be broken in completely, I can still hear it improving a little with each session. The bass is tight and articulate, very musical, but its not forward. If you are a heavy bass head you will still want a sub to crossover at 40 Hz but I find it to be unnecessary.
I’ve done some testing with home theater stereo,dialog is perfect, center imaging is gorgeous, bass dynamics for actions scenes is quite nice, but not mind blowing to a point where some people won’t miss a powered sub. I’m fine without it because I’ve reached the point in my life where I value simplicity a bit more than perfection. Let me give it a good bit more break in to really judge it fully but right now I think my final review is going to be pretty stellar.
When I think I got the speakers and Arcam SA20 integrated for only $2,700 total and I may have finally gotten to my endgame in speakers and amp, I’m really pleased with that, and my wife will be too because she is sick of me flipping my gear every eighteen months or so.