Arya Audio AirBlades

[cjfrbw]

You may have mentioned it already, but I don't want to go wading, at what frequency do you cross over the Airblades?

 

[spiritofmusic]

Wade away Carl, the water's clear and warm. Cocktail waiting for you.
Crossover points are 4 clicks btwn 1k and 3.5k.
I'm currently favouring 1k.

 

[Don Reid]

What is the vertical dispersion characteristic of the Airblades?

 

[spiritofmusic]

Interesting Q...will ask Arthur.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Don, Arthur informs me vertical dispersion is +/- 30°. Beyond that, SPL reduces rapidly avoiding ceiling/floor "bounce".

 

[Don Reid]

Don, Arthur informs me vertical dispersion is +/- 30°. Beyond that, SPL reduces rapidly avoiding ceiling/floor "bounce".

Thank you.

 

[JackD201]

Yeahhh, that does not make any sense to me. But if you are happy, then I am happy for you!

It's not so uncommon to have this effect Ron Typically when we change one end of the spectrum it can trigger a perceived change at the other end. It is very much like having complementary colors next to each other. Put yellow beside blue and at a distance it's green but close up the yellow looks brighter. Our brains are basically running pattern recognition non-stop. The tweeter plays counterpoint with the low bass. In active systems, bass definition comes back when the tweeters are turned on. Another of audio's cool phenomena

 

[JackD201]

So the Airblade has a pleated diaphragm like an air motion transformer but curved? Cool!

Along with it's originally intended use, I'd love to pair these with a pair of 8" drivers and use them as meter bridge monitors! Would kick ass on a large center speaker too!

 

[spiritofmusic]

It's not so uncommon to have this effect Ron Typically when we change one end of the spectrum it can trigger a perceived change at the other end. It is very much like having complementary colors next to each other. Put yellow beside blue and at a distance it's green but close up the yellow looks brighter. Our brains are basically running pattern recognition non-stop. The tweeter plays counterpoint with the low bass. In active systems, bass definition comes back when the tweeters are turned on. Another of audio's cool phenomena

Jack, they're working on multiple levels. I think their 180° dispersion is mitigating side wall effects. They're adding a certain ribbon-like transparency, air, speed and immediacy.
And weirdest of all they're helping low bass performance. Certainly it's been easier for me to select the best subs settings for my room.
And several months into ownership, unlike other tweaks changes and even some major component upgrades, they've maintained the major uptick I heard on audition and initial install here, the ramp up in performance is consistent and resolute.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

It's not so uncommon to have this effect Ron Typically when we change one end of the spectrum it can trigger a perceived change at the other end. It is very much like having complementary colors next to each other. Put yellow beside blue and at a distance it's green but close up the yellow looks brighter. Our brains are basically running pattern recognition non-stop. The tweeter plays counterpoint with the low bass. In active systems, bass definition comes back when the tweeters are turned on. Another of audio's cool phenomena

my bass tower adjustments (100% under 40hz) most definitely improved my high end extension. back in 2016 when i fixed my 30hz 10db room suckout and and then took 6 weeks to re-adjust my bass towers step by step with 4 bass tower amps each with 4 analog adjustments for each amp, i would constantly turn off the bass tower amps to check if the passive towers were better or worse by them selves. i quickly recognized the contributions of the bass towers to high end extension. at first i was surprised. it is the overtones from low frequencies that flesh out and balance the highs. one reason to aspire to full frequency coverage. more complete lows = more complete highs.

 

[JackD201]

It really looks like a killer design. This looks like what our Townshends would want to grow into. Rest in Peace Max. Just sayin.. Pricey too. You do that much growing up you are gonna put on the pounds, pun intended. The Townshend is literally a toy beside that.

 

[JackD201]

my bass tower adjustments (100% under 40hz) most definitely improved my high end extension. back in 2016 when i fixed my 30hz 10db room suckout and and then took 6 weeks to re-adjust my bass towers step by step with 4 bass tower amps each with 4 analog adjustments for each amp, i would constantly turn off the bass tower amps to check if the passive towers were better or worse by them selves. i quickly recognized the contributions of the bass towers to high end extension. at first i was surprised. it is the overtones from low frequencies that flesh out and balance the highs. one reason to aspire to full frequency coverage.

That first time was such a strange but cool experience right Mike?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

That first time was such a strange but cool experience right Mike?

absolutely.

never would have guessed things worked that way. serendipitous even.

 

[JackD201]

I want to try them. Arya shoot me a PM.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Jack, Arthur of Arya doesn't follow this forum that much. Can you PM me your email and I'll fwds it to him.

 

[JackD201]

Ok

 

[spiritofmusic]

It really looks like a killer design. This looks like what our Townshends would want to grow into. Rest in Peace Max. Just sayin.. Pricey too. You do that much growing up you are gonna put on the pounds, pun intended. The Townshend is literally a toy beside that.

Jack, I'd been running my Townshend supertweeters for a few years ahead of the Airblades arriving. In truth, there's no comparison, the Airblades are a step change in performance.

 

[Dimfer]

I want to try them. Arya shoot me a PM.

Tony Go is using them in one of his smaller setups.. but he said it also worked well with his Tidal La Assoluta. He said it is a must try experience.

I am curious how it will work with my Sierra Horns.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Quick update on the Airblades, a solid few months listening now.
First, they remain totally compelling. Despite many comments to the contrary made to me privately that they cannot work properly or I'd be "fooled" by them, they remain both seamless and transformational, not one album doesn't benefit from their presence here.
Second, time and effort spent dialling them in is fully rewarded.
I've decided to move them to the insides of my Zus. This has the effect of solidifying my central image, for whatever reason more successfully than when I recently moved my Zus to that position.
It's critical that the most forwards point of the Airblades doesn't protrude in front of the plane of Zus tweeters.
And I've decided to adjust them, from 1.5kHz xover point to 3.5kHz, and output level from 5/5 max to 4/5.

At this point they're totally seamless and undetectable as seperate from the main spkrs.
Any slight harshness I was getting from running them too prominently (audible as hardness or harshness on piano strikes in fast runs) is eliminated.
And the fleshing out of stereo image is very welcome.

Since installing them I've bought at least three dozen Tone Poets and Blue Note 2020 re-issues and a stack of classical vinyl, and have been to at least a dozen classical concerts.
My whole appreciation of sound at home, how it relates to live classical, and the opening up in fidelity of my presentation, has been a real learning experience.
And the Airblades have cemented themselves as an essential part of my late period system building, in a lot of ways as crucial as the night and day positives from this acoustic space at the chapel.

I took a real punt on the Airblades, no guarantee I wouldn't have had buyers regret on such an expensive left field move.

Buyers regrets? I've had a few, lol.
But zero on these, indeed the very opposite.

 

[Ron Resnick]

thank you for this update, Marc! I am glad they are working out great for you!