I would have expected the bigger models to be more sensitive AND have higher impedance...
Alsyvox vs. Clarisys - What are the Sonic Differences? Anyone Understand Design Differences?
- Thread starter caesar
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I may be "sheltered" but I don't remember seeing all models of a brand with the exact same ratings????
Rhapsody has now sold two pairs of Alsyvox Caravaggio XX since the TAS cover and 11 page review which came out two weeks ago. We are waiting for a third pair as I did a THREE day demo last week with the C XX (Kondo, Pilium and VAC amplification) and expect another order for C XX soon. Pics will be forthcoming of all of the installations. The first pair will deliver in August, the second pair the end of September and not sure about the third pair as of yet.
It's now been 4 weeks since Philippe Perrot, Alsyvox's French distributor, installed the Botticelli X, and it's been nothing but delight: wonderful speakers, with exceptional transparency and presence; they reveal better than any other the qualities but also the weaknesses of the other elements in the system: in particular, a high-level source is needed, and everything must be aligned with the level of the Alsyvox. I had asked Bob for his advice because I was afraid my room would be too small: he kindly gave me the benefit of his experience, as did Daniele Coen and Philippe . I congratulate myself every day on my choice
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Congrats! Constantly evaluating to step up to other planar speakers. I recently had the chance to listen to a pair of Alsyvox Tintoretto vs a fresh pair of Popori electrostats and in terms of resolution the Electrostats are very hard to beat. They however need some subwoofer supports. Anyway, this is a great thread where there is a lot to learn.
Of the three Clarysis models I have heard, they are far closer to Apogee sound than Alsyvox. Not surprising the tech is fundamentally the same.
Ultimately, though, Alsyvox at Munich last year blew my mind. This year they did not, and I told Daniele I'd definitely prefer that setup with some tubes in it.
If you get the ancillaries right, Alsyvox are a superior design to my mind. But the cost is insane.
Best value is still the Apogee refurbishers, someone like Henk or Jon but you must get them to build you something way above Apogee build quality. They know how to do it. That said, wait times can be ridiculous to be fair. And I think it is a real advantage if you have some sort of engineering background and are capable of tweaking crossovers to your liking.
The fact is that the parts to make very decent planar magnetic speakers don't actually cost that much. That said, marketing and selling them is very hard, so big mark ups over actual build costs isn't really very surprising.
Ultimately, though, Alsyvox at Munich last year blew my mind. This year they did not, and I told Daniele I'd definitely prefer that setup with some tubes in it.
If you get the ancillaries right, Alsyvox are a superior design to my mind. But the cost is insane.
Best value is still the Apogee refurbishers, someone like Henk or Jon but you must get them to build you something way above Apogee build quality. They know how to do it. That said, wait times can be ridiculous to be fair. And I think it is a real advantage if you have some sort of engineering background and are capable of tweaking crossovers to your liking.
The fact is that the parts to make very decent planar magnetic speakers don't actually cost that much. That said, marketing and selling them is very hard, so big mark ups over actual build costs isn't really very surprising.
The real cost is the specialized tooling necessary for building, assembling , packaging and the exhaustive development time necessary , which is way more involved than doing dynamic loudspeakers. Most design , measuring and simulations software caters to dynamic loudspeakers and will require much chops to translate to proper Panel loudspeakers design.
IMO the Clarysis is way down on its design maturity and will only get better in time , the Alsyvox Is in a more mature design stage.
IMO the Clarysis is way down on its design maturity and will only get better in time , the Alsyvox Is in a more mature design stage.
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What I find exceptional about Alsyvox is its transparency, phenomenal dynamics, and finally exceptional bass for panels: no need for a subwoofer; I haven't tried a tube amp, but I can testify that with a D'agostino Progression it works very well. On the other hand, I didn't like the Clarysis in Munich this year: sure, the hall was very small, but we weren't in the same league.
On the topic of amps that might be suitable for Alsyvox, the Accuphase A300 mono blocks might be interesting: what do you think?
I had no idea of their pricing so I looked up the Alsyvox Botticelli.
If I understand their website correctly this is the model that would be correct for most US sized rooms.
$130,000 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not saying anything positive or negative. I'm sure they sound great. At that price point there are MANY speakers to compare against.
I would love to experience the Alsyvox in a system and environment that I am familiar with.
Having heard them in Munich I can say that I found them interesting but there were other speakers such as the Acapella that I enjoyed more. Basically I would have the same opinion on the Clarysis. My point would be that it's hard to really assess things at a hi fi show.
Sorry for going of topic in regards to Alsyvox vs Clarisys but when talking about speakers at this pricepoint and size/weight. Why does no one factor in the Neoliths? They have been around for a while and can be found at the 2nd hand market. Are they not in the same league?
I agree.
And they do things planar magnetics cannot do
That said, it is swings and roundabouts.
I think some of the best alternative technologies have a lot of merit in certain areas. A good AG setup really can play pretty loudly, for instance. So can a pair of Wilson's, though nobody ever really seems to comment on that in reviews. I think it is a massive strongpoint if you want to party and tell the neighbours about it. Easy sell in rich American environments I guess.
Couldn't live with a high end Wilson setup, though. Too sterile, no musical flow. But seemingly accurate, which I do respect them for.
Very good question. None of this is objective - it's all personal and subjective. Simple answer: hype, popularity, marketing, influence techniques, bandwagon effects, etc.
Maybe in a few years electrostatics will make a popular comeback for the same reasons as above...
yea, this has been discussed for years since they debuted although I believe that price includes external crossovers.
what should the cost threshold be for a planar which effectively has a frame and not a cabinet? the market clearly will decide. I don't believe high cost planars are exactly flying off the shelves as it's a very niche market within the larger audiophile one. same with horns imo. I would estimate <5% combined of the >$100k speaker market.
