A new signature ...

[Bobvin]

Nice big caps in those piliums .
Do they sound dynamic ?

View attachment 82674

That must be a Hercules mono… the caps are a bit smaller in the dual-mono Achilles but still they are the size of, say, a big can of tomatoes. Here’s how it looks inside my Achilles:

I can confidently say Pilium won’t ever be mischaracterized as lacking dynamics either micro or macro, and with virtually unlimited headroom.

 

[andromedaaudio]

looks like a serious power supply

 

[Bobvin]

Alsyvox are FINE with a reflective back wall. They prefer it vs. a dampened wall. With Diesis and Bayz pretty much the same. Won't be giving up anything sonically and you have the magical view as well!!!

This is great news for audiophiles whose systems are part of the home and not in a dedicated space. My wife is so thrilled with the looks and sound of Botticelli she’s telling everyone (friends, colleague) to come visit. She is spending more time with me listening than she has before (she still is only good for about an hour). She’s being interviewed for an Oregon business magazine and plans to speak of her time “actively” listening to music as a way to decompress after a busy day (with a glass of fine wine, of course.) They will be coming to photograph the room, so a pretty nifty advert for “Rhapsody-out-West“ as I like to call the Portland Rhapsody Listening Room.

 

[Nuprin]

Alsyvox are FINE with a reflective back wall. They prefer it vs. a dampened wall. With Diesis and Bayz pretty much the same. Won't be giving up anything sonically and you have the magical view as well!!!

Speakers that allow you have a big window with a great view changes the game for potential future room build...

 

[Bobvin]

Keeping the tease alive, the “Courante” speakers are getting their first taste of the Pilium juice.

Color shifted a little weird on the last one, but this is just a tease.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Keeping the tease alive, the “Courante” speakers are getting their first taste of the Pilium juice.
View attachment 82742View attachment 82743View attachment 82744
Color shifted a little weird on the last one, but this is just a tease.

These speakers look amazing.would love to hear them one day I hope.

 

[Nuprin]

Beautiful room and view. And oh the equipment isn't too shabby. Hopefully one day I'll be able to build a room like that.

You must post some pictures when it snows...would look amazing.

 

[PeterA]

Nice photos, Bob. Is Rhapsody a Transparent Audio dealer? I notice TA speaker cables. Also, how do you know where to set up the three different speakers? I don't see any reference tape or anything on the carpet?

 

[Rhapsody]

Nice photos, Bob. Is Rhapsody a Transparent Audio dealer? I notice TA speaker cables. Also, how do you know where to set up the three different speakers? I don't see any reference tape or anything on the carpet?

Rhapsody is not a Transparent dealer, but Bob had the T cables. No reason to change right now.

Rhapsody represents Nordost ( Supreme Reference Dealer), TelluriumQ, Kondoand VYDA cables.

 

[Bobvin]

Nice photos, Bob. Is Rhapsody a Transparent Audio dealer? I notice TA speaker cables. Also, how do you know where to set up the three different speakers? I don't see any reference tape or anything on the carpet?

With Diesis and Alsyvox setup is exceptionally easy. I was amazed how little effort to get really good sound. Of course, once everything is run-in I will take more time to tweak and optimize. Then I’ll use some colored thread to mark where each speaker goes. The Bayz are ported, so they’ll take a little more tweaking I’m sure (to dial in the bass), but like the others they really fill the room with sound. Of course the Pilium kit helps!

All this kit is very new. By Thanksgiving I expect I’ll have things at their best. Now… its just a matter of getting acquainted. Unlike my bachelor days, I don’t think the speakers will get jealous when I spend time with the others. Each is seductive though in their own ways.

 

[andromedaaudio]

That amp is a big boy

Beautifull setting by the way

 

[Bobvin]

A different angle, and the morning light keeps the color balanced much better. The speakers are big enough sound-wise, but I think I’d like the larger model in the room from an aesthetic point-of-view. Maybe next year.

 

[Audire]

A different angle, and the morning light keeps the color balanced much better. The speakers are big enough sound-wise, but I think I’d like the larger model in the room from an aesthetic point-of-view. Maybe next year.

View attachment 82774

Awesome looking setup. WOW!

 

[bazelio]

Nice, Bob. How does toe in effect the sound of a speaker like the Bayz? They don't look to be directional?

 

[rando]

I retract my former expectation WAF of Courante would be low. The scale and interaction with aesthetics of your room work fine. Well enough they pass as architectural sculpture complementing how light plays across your view over the course of a full day. Wow, as already relayed, these were not expected to have visual appeal.

The morning photo would not look out of place in a magazine.

 

[Bobvin]

Nice, Bob. How does toe in effect the sound of a speaker like the Bayz? They don't look to be directional?

Toe-in or toe-out has no real effect, but these are ported in the back, so it is the orientation of the port that will connect the speaker’s bass response to the room. I've seen pictures with them facing straight back, ports pointing into the corners, or as in Matthew Clott’s latest review he likes them oriented with ports to center wall between speakers. I just hooked them up yesterday so won’t experiment much until the speakers have 100 hrs or so of break-in.

Bayz Audio Courante 2.0 Loudspeaker Review A new and innovative design in speaker technology. Review By Dr. Matthew Clott

Bayz Audio Courante 2.0 Loudspeaker Review A new and innovative design in speaker technology. Review By Dr. Matthew Clott of Enjoy the Music.com's Superior Audio Audiophile Music and Equipment Review Magazine

www.enjoythemusic.com

 

[Lee]

Keeping the tease alive, the “Courante” speakers are getting their first taste of the Pilium juice.
View attachment 82742View attachment 82743View attachment 82744
Color shifted a little weird on the last one, but this is just a tease.

Beautiful room!

 

[Addicted to hifi]

A different angle, and the morning light keeps the color balanced much better. The speakers are big enough sound-wise, but I think I’d like the larger model in the room from an aesthetic point-of-view. Maybe next year.

View attachment 82774

In this big and beautiful room these speakers would just disappear leaving only the music.

 

[rando]

@Bobvin

How many hours do you have on your Achilles / Alexander?

Have no doubts you've been working very hard to get so many new RALR items past the initial stages. If you already started listening to Classical. This indoor listening season is going to be incomparable.

Can I ask for a stylistic description of music you are currently finding exemplifies equipment in house. Obviously better sound is yet to come if you are just now getting some expressions of energy welling up.

 

[Bobvin]

How many hours do you have on your Achilles / Alexander?

Have no doubts you've been working very hard to get so many new RALR items past the initial stages. If you already started listening to Classical. This indoor listening season is going to be incomparable.

Can I ask for a stylistic description of music you are currently finding exemplifies equipment in house. Obviously better sound is yet to come if you are just now getting some expressions of energy welling up.

I can't put a number on the hours, only that I think I have just recently crossed the "burned in" threshold. I was told the sound changes quite a bit after a couple hundred hours—and there were the typical good and bad days along the way. But, as Pilium is SS I didn't need to worry about using up tube hours, so was comfortable using Roon Radio and playing for good long stretches then shutting things down for a few hours and starting again. That said, things improved more when I started "exercising" the system with music at 70-90db levels. If anything, the Alsyvox Botticelli external crossover is probably still the piece of kit that can benefit from more hours.

The Pilium kit is remarkable—it will compete with any of the top level kit, excelling in a liquid delivery that completely gets out of the way. Detail with delicacy and nuance, without a hint of harshness anywhere.

My wife has invited her office team over this afternoon for a social gathering. She's very, very fond of Botticelli X, so those are moving into position shortly. They'll stay until at least next week as I have a visitor interested in hearing them.

I'm unsure of your question re: "stylistic description" so I'll just say I am primarily a jazz, blues, and funk kinda guy. Pop-rock, classic rock too. Melody Gardot to Van Morrison, with Daft Punk, Yello, etc. Classical—I can enjoy it so long as it is melodic (same for jazz) and dynamic. Otherwise, to me, classical is one of the best sleeping pills I know of. Chamber music... I'd rather eat broken glass (with some exceptions).

Every night I have a very big smile on my face. I never imagined having such top level kit to enjoy, it is so much fun!