Heard the Avalon PM3's today

[Bartolo]

I had an appointment with Alan Goodwin to hear Magico A5's and some Rockports. But he'd had a customer in the day before to hear the PM3's and had left them for me to hear too.

I was pretty blown away by them. I'd never heard any Avalons in the past. I could rattle off a list of things that great speakers do really well and they'd all apply to the PM3's. But I'll single out driver integration as perhaps one of the A+ scores.

I listened to the A5's immediately afterwards and my comment to Alan was that "that wasn't a fair fight." (At close to twice the price I suppose it shouldn't be.)

I'll return to listen to the PM2's and ideally get those in my home for a demo. The PM3's could deliver a bit of gut-punch bass which I'm looking for, but it would be nice if the PM2's satisfy both price-wise and overall size-wise.

 

[bonzo75]

The Avalon is quite superior when set up nicely. So much more organic, nice midbass coherence. I haven't heard the PM3 but the compass diamond. The smaller transcendants were also good

 

[Whbgarrett]

Which electronics and source components were being used?

 

[Addicted to hifi]

i have heard Avalon before and they are very good speakers.

 

[Bartolo]

Which electronics and source components were being used?

Spectral amplification and Wadax streamer player via Roon.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Spectral amplification and Wadax streamer player via Roon.

Spectral amps are what I heard with the Avalon diamond.sounded excellent

 

[south]

The Avalon is quite superior when set up nicely. So much more organic, nice midbass coherence. I haven't heard the PM3 but the compass diamond. The smaller transcendants were also g

I had an appointment with Alan Goodwin to hear Magico A5's and some Rockports. But he'd had a customer in the day before to hear the PM3's and had left them for me to hear too.

I was pretty blown away by them. I'd never heard any Avalons in the past. I could rattle off a list of things that great speakers do really well and they'd all apply to the PM3's. But I'll single out driver integration as perhaps one of the A+ scores.

I listened to the A5's immediately afterwards and my comment to Alan was that "that wasn't a fair fight." (At close to twice the price I suppose it shouldn't be.)

I'll return to listen to the PM2's and ideally get those in my home for a demo. The PM3's could deliver a bit of gut-punch bass which I'm looking for, but it would be nice if the PM2's satisfy both price-wise and overall size-wise.

Even is this comparison was not fair, pricewise, Avalon makes great speakers, usually with fantastic driver integration and the ability to disappear from the soundstage. On the newer PM series I am only familiar with the PM 1, which is a good speaker. Keep us posted about the PM 2.

 

[Bartolo]

I returned to Goodwins today, with my wife. She has a better ear than I do, and I did not tell her any prices beforehand. First we listened to the Magico A5's. She (and I) really like the Magico presentation, and she liked the A5's a lot. A sound we're used to. Just more of it in good ways.

We then swapped in the Avalon PM2's. Within 45 seconds she didn't like them. The mids and treble were 'too much' and I found myself turning the volume down because of that. (I use a few Norah Jones tracks from Come Away With Me for this; if the mids are TOO pronounced her voice gets grating and tiresome on that album.) And of course they did not have the bass punch. They got a downvote by comparison.

Just for fun we then listened to the PM3's. The bass punch was immediately appreciated, and we immediately put on those Norah Jones tracks again to hear if the mid/treble issues persisted. They did not. Much smoother mid/treble. The PM3's came out on top.

Only on the ride home did she ask the relative prices and I had to tell her that the PM3's are close to 2x the A5's.

I just need to enlist some help to get 'em home for an in-home demo.

 

[Bartolo]

Of course now I realize that well less than an hour north of me I can hear Stenheim (a friend near Chicago just heart the Alumine Fives and raved about them to me), Vivid, and more.

 

[defride]

I heard PM2, PM3 and Time recently, all with Analog Domain amplification and source

The 2's were new with only a few hours. Awful, incoherent in an overly loose sort of a way. Down to a lack of run in I should think though I'm not so surprised at your assessment. The 3's were much better, decent resolution and depth of soundstage but it seemed to me nothing more than good overall. Having heard much less expensive Verity, FS Ktema and Lumen White around the same time they really didn't justify the price hike from what I was hearing elsewhere. I went back and heard Time and liked them a lot. Seemed to me that top to bottom they fleshed out the imaging better and so delivered a better sense of tone and flow, resolution was good. What surprised me was that while I expected and hoped to be blown away I didn't feel that in this implementation they were delivering very much more than the Lumen White's I was demoing at home at the time.

It ended my search and I bought the Lumen White.

Of course my experience is based on the rooms and systems the speakers were dem'd in, others experience may differ greatly. Certainly worth exploring other options, Stenheim should be very interesting.

 

[Bartolo]

I heard PM2, PM3 and Time recently, all with Analog Domain amplification and source

The 2's were new with only a few hours. Awful, incoherent in an overly loose sort of a way. Down to a lack of run in I should think though I'm not so surprised at your assessment. The 3's were much better, decent resolution and depth of soundstage but it seemed to me nothing more than good overall. Having heard much less expensive Verity, FS Ktema and Lumen White around the same time they really didn't justify the price hike from what I was hearing elsewhere. I went back and heard Time and liked them a lot. Seemed to me that top to bottom they fleshed out the imaging better and so delivered a better sense of tone and flow, resolution was good. What surprised me was that while I expected and hoped to be blown away I didn't feel that in this implementation they were delivering very much more than the Lumen White's I was demoing at home at the time.

It ended my search and I bought the Lumen White.

Of course my experience is based on the rooms and systems the speakers were dem'd in, others experience may differ greatly. Certainly worth exploring other options, Stenheim should be very interesting.

Thanks for the review! Certainly the price has to be considered, and the PM3's are at a rather lofty price. In the range of the A5's to the PM3's there are quite a few options including Stenheim, Rockport, and Vivid and all can be heard within an hour of my home. Wilson too!

It's hard to tell where Lumen can be heard; not sure if they are in New England.

 

[defride]

Thanks for the review! Certainly the price has to be considered, and the PM3's are at a rather lofty price. In the range of the A5's to the PM3's there are quite a few options including Stenheim, Rockport, and Vivid and all can be heard within an hour of my home. Wilson too!

It's hard to tell where Lumen can be heard; not sure if they are in New England.

Don't think LW are widely available in the US, seem to be more focused on their Asia markets

Lot's of good options by the looks. If available locally Kharma are worth a look, heard good things about their pairing with Naim.

 

[Bartolo]

Don't think LW are widely available in the US, seem to be more focused on their Asia markets

Lot's of good options by the looks. If available locally Kharma are worth a look, heard good things about their pairing with Naim.

I did read about that pairing from a Kharma dealer....but I'm sure it's a lovely pairing nevertheless. They are not available locally and I'm not flying anywhere these days much less to listen to speakers. Im so fortunate to have so many options within the hour's drive!

 

[Mdp632]

I did read about that pairing from a Kharma dealer....but I'm sure it's a lovely pairing nevertheless. They are not available locally and I'm not flying anywhere these days much less to listen to speakers. Im so fortunate to have so many options within the hour's drive!

Also consider listening to YG Acoustics (If you haven't already)

Looks like there is a dealer in NH

Fidelis is proud to announce that we have been appointed the sole New England dealership for premium speaker brand YG Acoustics. / Fidelis (fidelisav.com)

 

[Bartolo]

Also consider listening to YG Acoustics (If you haven't already)

Looks like there is a dealer in NH

Fidelis is proud to announce that we have been appointed the sole New England dealership for premium speaker brand YG Acoustics. / Fidelis (fidelisav.com)

Yup YG are at the same dealership. I'll need more than one visit; they have quite a selection of brands represented!