KeithR's "Dream Speaker" Search

[spiritofmusic]

Your thoughts on the O/Ref and pricing? Personally, it may be v reasonable. If it delivers on the promise of an holistic, coherent sound (which I believe Devore is famous for), w added scale, bass extension etc.

It'll be interesting to see where Sean of Zu eventually pitches pricing for his flagships (if ever see the light of day), maybe $30-35k for Experiences and $60-75k for Dominances.

It looks like $75-100k is a v interesting price bracket for spkrs that have to really pack a lot in to justify their existence against the competition.

Almost easier to pitch a spkr at $200k.

I wonder if I'd choose the O/Ref ahead of, eg, ACerat Symphonia horns, both priced similarly.

 

[KeithR]

I'm not enamored with the design, truth be told. I would like to know what cabinet improvements have been made. I realize all the bronze horns, driver baskets, etc. cost a lot of money in these quantities- see here:

https://www.tektonics.com/devore-fidelity

Using a 4-box system takes a lot of horizontal real estate and I'm curious what scale sounds like. I do like the sealed bass cabinets with a true midrange vs. the Orangutan.

Sean's sweet spot is $5k-$15k, not changing anytime soon imo.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Well Keith, it may be that the O/Ref subs cabinets go in the corners/on front wall, leaving the main spkrs seperate. But yes, they're by definition not gonna fit in every room.

Re Definitions VI, I think $20k will be the projected price, w the flagships somewhat dearer. Indeed Sean's bread and butter designs in the range you stated.

$80-90k is a big call for a company like Devore, they're playing in deeper waters w much bigger fish like Wilson, Magico and YG, and left-field choices like ACerat and Alsyvox. Brave or stupid, time, and the market, will tell. Let's hope the company has at least a few devoted customers with v deep pockets to offload to.

 

[morricab]

Keith, can you spare $80-90k for the new Devore flagship Orangutan Reference 4-spkrs system?

Is it so much?

 

[spiritofmusic]

I believe so. Asiufy posted as such, and most links I've seen state $85k.

 

[bonzo75]

I believe so. Asiufy posted as such, and most links I've seen state $85k.

So close to the same price as the plinth from SAT

 

[KeithR]

People complain at the cost, but have no issue with $10k outriggers (!) for a Magico. The M3 is 85k with them (and limited bass output).

 

[spiritofmusic]

Keith, a product like this fulfils a few functions.

It gets useful exposure for the company as people coo over the pricing.

It shows their ambition in aspiring for a piece of the high end (if we classify $60k+ as such).

It offers people looking in this price range a proper alternative to the usual suspects of Magico, Wilson, Rockport, YG etc.

It offers an interesting mid 20th century/Art Deco aesthetic to the usual stealth black boxes.

It offers the richest Devore customers who can afford these a proper flagship in their fave marque.

And maybe it really does take yr breath away even at $85k.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Count me in as a bit of a fan of the 0/96 monkeys, there is an honest function and form thing going on there and they have a refined almost zen quality to them. They are lovingly composed, subtle and physically rich looking speakers and I find the finish on them striking the way they play with the grain patterns on the veneers. They are characteristically quite lovely and elegant looking beautifully proportioned wooden boxes.

For me though less is clearly more here and the four box derivative is at best kind of awkward looking, impractical in its physical scale and one of the physically least elegant looking speaker solutions I’ve seen being just really not subtle and also not at all well composed. It’s actually a surprising product from a company that usually gets the design aesthetic very right. I’m surprised it got past sketch plan stage.

As a statement speaker it’s just not making a particularly good statement for Devore. There may be other factors playing in on the bill of materials but it looks like just twice as many speakers but for many times that more the cost. I’d never imagined the typical Devore buyer were into ostentation yet the four box seems to fall into the trying too hard trap. They have put the loud back into loudspeaker. I hope it sounds amazing but it’s outcome is kind of like being in a speaker showroom with those multiple boxes just stuck side by side... definitely not an appearance I’d go with even if they were only twice the price of the 0/96 monkeys. John Devore has done so many things right up to now but unfortunately I think this one probably isn’t going to go down as his landmark legacy as a designer.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Count me in as a bit of a fan of the 0/96 monkeys, there is an honest function and form thing going on there and they have a refined almost zen quality to them. They are lovingly composed, subtle and physically rich looking speakers and I find the finish on them striking the way they play with the grain patterns on the veneers. They are characteristically quite lovely and elegant looking beautifully proportioned wooden boxes.

For me though less is clearly more here and the four box derivative is at best kind of awkward looking, impractical in its physical scale and one of the physically least elegant looking speaker solutions I’ve seen being just really not subtle and also not at all well composed. It’s actually a surprising product from a company that usually gets the design aesthetic very right.

As a statement speaker it’s just not making a particularly good statement for Devore. There may be other factors playing in on the bill of materials but it looks like just twice as many speakers but for many times that more the cost. I’d never imagined the typical Devore buyer were into ostentation yet the four box seems to fall into the trying too hard trap. They have put the loud back into loudspeaker. I hope it sounds amazing but it’s outcome is kind of like being in a speaker showroom with those multiple boxes just stuck side by side... definitely not an appearance I’d go with even if they were only twice the price of the 0/96 monkeys.

100% concur.

 

[KeithR]

As a statement speaker it’s just not making a particularly good statement for Devore. There may be other factors playing in on the bill of materials but it looks like just twice as many speakers but for many times that more the cost. I’d never imagined the typical Devore buyer were into ostentation yet the four box seems to fall into the trying too hard trap. They have put the loud back into loudspeaker. I hope it sounds amazing but it’s outcome is kind of like being in a speaker showroom with those multiple boxes just stuck side by side... definitely not an appearance I’d go with even if they were only twice the price of the 0/96 monkeys. John Devore has done so many things right up to now but unfortunately I think this one probably isn’t going to go down as his landmark legacy as a designer.

+1

Couldn't have said it better. But will give it a fair shake on Saturday - and report back.

 

[spiritofmusic]

There must be sound engineering reasons to go to four boxes, obv it's a decision to be taken on it's merits, the cons as well as the pros.

It's interesting that tall slim spkrs can wk as four columns eg EA MM7 and Martens, not so aesthetically right w shorter squatter boxier designs such as these.

Let's see if reports on SQ are enough to obviate the visuals.

 

[Zero000]

The four box DeVore sounded quite wrong at Munich. Bright, edgy, uninvolving and basically like the frequency response was wrong.

I felt no matter what room they were in they were going to sound bad. They were in a poor room no question but even so - really not good.

Pretty, though. Some nice woodwork. But you'd hope so at the price.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

There must be sound engineering reasons to go to four boxes, obv it's a decision to be taken on it's merits, the cons as well as the pros.

It's interesting that tall slim spkrs can wk as four columns eg EA MM7 and Martens, not so aesthetically right w shorter squatter boxier designs such as these.

Let's see if reports on SQ are enough to obviate the visuals.

Hi Marc,

There are reasons for and against going 4 cabinets. Call me a cynic but I believe the cabinet is the same as 096 so there are considerable advantages to the company economically for selecting to use this approach.

To me the pricing is absurd for the ref model based on the 096 pricing. Caveat - I haven’t heard it.

 

[bonzo75]

The four box DeVore sounded quite wrong at Munich. Bright, edgy, uninvolving and basically like the frequency response was wrong.

I felt no matter what room they were in they were going to sound bad. They were in a poor room no question but even so - really not good.

Pretty, though. Some nice woodwork. But you'd hope so at the price.

I have no idea how the 4 box will sound (i did hear at Munich with my own music), but at Munich even the normal 096 would have sounded bad in that room and with those amps.. Devore orangutans might look like AN Es but they actually need a lot of space from the side walls and front wall.

 

[spiritofmusic]

These remind me a little of the rather exotic short lived DaVinci spkrs from 10-15 years ago. However they were standard 2 boxes, but extra wide to accomodate all the drivers.

Cannot these Devores be considered 2 box w pair of subs, latter being able to be placed clear of the main pair as in any other 2.2 ch install?

Re pricing on them, it would be good to know what is compelling about their design to justify the price.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I have no idea how the 4 box will sound (i did hear at Munich with my own music), but at Munich even the normal 096 would have sounded bad in that room and with those amps.. Devore orangutans might look like AN Es but they actually need a lot of space from the side walls and front wall.

Ked, if they need a ton of space around them, that will make this 4 box system even more challenging for even medium size rooms.

 

[BruceD]

Concurring with comments above--with what I've heard with Devores range previous and sorta feel they are an Ok Speaker but not my cuppa.

This version at $80k--is he serious ?

Ah well!

BruceD

 

[jeff1225]

Concurring with comments above--with what I've heard with Devores range previous and sorta feel they are an Ok Speaker but not my cuppa.

This version at $80k--is he serious ?

Ah well!

BruceD

There is just as much craftsmanship and material in these new Devores as the Wilson ALEXX that cost $20K more.

What am I missing?

 

[Rob181]

There is just as much craftsmanship and material in these new Devores as the Wilson ALEXX that cost $20K more. What am I missing?

Price for a standard pair Vs the new 4 box product - there is a complete disconnect between the two.