Avalon Tesseract

[Robert]

My initial reaction is very positive. This photo may only be a rendering. I like how they integrated the cabinets much better compared to the Sentinel. The angles and design appear very complex and unlike any other speaker. The Isis are physically imposing and stunning - I can only imagine what it would be like to see these in person. If it sounds half as good as it looks, we are in for a treat.

 

[LL21]

Having seen a few illustrations which I am not at liberty to share just yet and that photo doesn't show how striking it is from the side. I find them really interesting. I have to audition these wonders. I just whish they could make a completelly passive version with an outboard active crossover instead of an internal bass amplifier.

You mean like the Arrakis II? I just got done speaking with Andy Payor this afternoon...what a gentleman. First class.

 

[LL21]

I am a huge fan of Avalon designs and find them to be the most easthetically pleasing high end speaker around. However, to me these are off the mark. Appear to be Inspired by star wars or a batman movie, and I totally don't get the pointy top. Like two klansmen staring you in the face..... I'll have to pass on these one .

To be fair, I find few if any very large speakers overly attractive looking, including my very own MM3's (giant telephone receiver) and Wilson (stack of boxes). Martin Logan statements in light wood are quite pretty though.

Arrakis? Genesis Dragon?

 

[Roysen]

You mean like the Arrakis II? I just got done speaking with Andy Payor this afternoon...what a gentleman. First class.

Yes, I mean like the Arrakis 2. Andy is a true gentleman.

 

[A.wayne]

Agree LLoyd,

Both are great looking speakers and must admit to being a fan of the Avalon look, my issue is more technical and not only directed at Avalon, but the same for the other single high frequency driver SOTA systems (XLF,Q7, et al ) ..

What these guys are building is equivalent to placing a 502CI big block with a 40 MM TBI, all bottom end TQ, no top end BHP ..

When running a single driver point source system, your dynamic signature is limited to the dynamic output of this driver, so while all of these systems can be prodigious in the bass/midbass , they are prone to dynamic compression in the mid/high Frequency area , this is technically and subjectively obvious when compared to speakers with multi-pointsource or linesource drive units. ( genesis, NOLA, Analysis, et al ), so I'm suprised to still see these companies pursing SOTA status with a single point source driver...


Regards...

 

[edorr]

Arrakis? Genesis Dragon?

Yes! I forgot. The Rockports are a thing of beauty. The Genesis not so much.

 

[LL21]

Agree LLoyd,

Both are great looking speakers and must admit to being a fan of the Avalon look, my issue is more technical and not only directed at Avalon, but the same for the other single high frequency driver SOTA systems (XLF,Q7, et al ) ..

What these guys are building is equivalent to placing a 502CI big block with a 40 MM TBI, all bottom end TQ, no top end BHP ..

When running a single driver point source system, your dynamic signature is limited to the dynamic output of this driver, so while all of these systems can be prodigious in the bass/midbass , they are prone to dynamic compression in the mid/high Frequency area , this is technically and subjectively obvious when compared to speakers with multi-pointsource or linesource drive units. ( genesis, NOLA, Analysis, et al ), so I'm suprised to still see these companies pursing SOTA status with a single point source driver...


Regards...

Interesting...i have not heard a multi-pointsource before (like Infinity or Genesis). Does a ribbon tweeter/mid count in terms of the sound characteristics?

 

[A.wayne]

Interesting...i have not heard a multi-pointsource before (like Infinity or Genesis). Does a ribbon tweeter/mid count in terms of the sound characteristics?

The genesis is a line-source (Gen1 ,jr) the Nola's for eg are multiple point source , decades ago we had developed a model with iso-diametric point source technology , to combat this issue .

Multipoint source gives you the imaging of a point source speaker with the Dynamic signature of a linesource. Remember you half the distortion everytime you double driver area...

With an linesource setup the distortion is even lower without lobing issues , Karl at Nola tackled this simply and effectively , by carefully spacing the drivers to lower the effect , simple and brilliant ..

Baffle design is another issue , but thats an even longer topic ....

Give a few linesources a listen if you are into choir ,Opera or any large scale musicals , the difference is immediate and apparent, unfortunately not many are paying attn to baffle design and this kills their imaging, (stay away from flat baffles ) but give them ago , it may or maynot be your cup of tea, after experiencing multi point source 30 years ago i never looked back ..

Regards,

 

[andromedaaudio]

Hmmm i dont know really what to say after seeing the tesseract picture , it looks stealthy but also bulky .

specs scroll down : http://www.audioaficionado.org/general-speaker-discussion/18938-avalon-flagship-tesseract.html

 

[Roysen]

The picture or rendering of the Avalon Tesseract doesn't give a good impression of how it looks from other angles than straight from the front. I have seen an illustration from the side and it looks like a cross between Vivid Audio Gaya and Wilson"s bigger models MAXX, Alexandria and XLF. It does however have its distinctive look due to all the facettes from the Tesseract shape. It's a real work of art and maybe the most striking shape of any loudspeaker enclosure I have ever seen. I haven't seen it from behind, but I guess it must feature two 15" bass drivers on the back too since the specification indicated 4x 15" bass drivers and only two are mounted on the baffle and none on the sides.

With a 2500W internal bass amplifier and 4x15" bass drivers in each speaker, it should be a monster on par with the Evolution Acoustics MM7 but in a more compact package.

 

[LL21]

The genesis is a line-source (Gen1 ,jr) the Nola's for eg are multiple point source , decades ago we had developed a model with iso-diametric point source technology , to combat this issue .

Multipoint source gives you the imaging of a point source speaker with the Dynamic signature of a linesource. Remember you half the distortion everytime you double driver area...

With an linesource setup the distortion is even lower without lobing issues , Karl at Nola tackled this simply and effectively , by carefully spacing the drivers to lower the effect , simple and brilliant ..

Baffle design is another issue , but thats an even longer topic ....

Give a few linesources a listen if you are into choir ,Opera or any large scale musicals , the difference is immediate and apparent, unfortunately not many are paying attn to baffle design and this kills their imaging, (stay away from flat baffles ) but give them ago , it may or maynot be your cup of tea, after experiencing multi point source 30 years ago i never looked back ..

Regards,

thanks. What multipoint source speakers do you recommend in case i can hear one of them here? Is it challenging to have all the drivers properly integrated for the same frequencies, and then also crossed over to the next set of cones/drivers for the other frequencies?

 

[andromedaaudio]

One bass driver could be mounted inside , out of sight , there are other possibilties as well .

http://www.google.nl/imgres?q=isoba...29&start=21&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:38,s:0,i:202

single reflex bandpass , dual reflex band pass :

http://www.mobileinformationlabs.com/HowTo-1Woofer-BoxPaid-New.htm

Or like they did with the old Opus , a extra bassdriver was mounted in the underside of the speaker , out of sight

 

[Roysen]

One bass driver could be mounted inside out of sight , there are other possibilties as well .

http://www.google.nl/imgres?q=isoba...29&start=21&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:38,s:0,i:202

or single reflex bandpass :

http://www.mobileinformationlabs.com/HowTo-1Woofer-BoxPaid-New.htm

You are right.

 

[JackD201]

Shape inspired by Nicki Minaj?

 

[A.wayne]

The picture or rendering of the Avalon Tesseract doesn't give a good impression of how it looks from other angles than straight from the front. I have seen an illustration from the side and it looks like a cross between Vivid Audio Gaya and Wilson"s bigger models MAXX, Alexandria and XLF. It does however have its distinctive look due to all the facettes from the Tesseract shape. It's a real work of art and maybe the most striking shape of any loudspeaker enclosure I have ever seen. I haven't seen it from behind, but I guess it must feature two 15" bass drivers on the back too since the specification indicated 4x 15" bass drivers and only two are mounted on the baffle and none on the sides.

With a 2500W internal bass amplifier and 4x15" bass drivers in each speaker, it should be a monster on par with the Evolution Acoustics MM7 but in a more compact package.

Absolutely and with a single Ironman Tweeter .....

 

[A.wayne]

thanks. What multipoint source speakers do you recommend in case i can hear one of them here? Is it challenging to have all the drivers properly integrated for the same frequencies, and then also crossed over to the next set of cones/drivers for the other frequencies?

Yes it is quite challenging vs single point source ...

 

[flez007]

This new speaker surely deserve a visit back to Boulder, Co. - interested please PM me....

 

[wizard]

 

[Emre Üçöz]

I think visually one of the greatest master piece of art for music reproduction. hope that it reflects what it stands for music too.

 

[andromedaaudio]

From what material is it made ???