What audio system do you have, or plan on getting?

[AnotherSpin]

Haha, well,  I never said they were better than 16 gauge lamp wire! Besides, there are far more expensive cables, but I didn't want to seem ridiculous. 

It's quite amusing that you can degrade sound quality even by using the simplest wire, like one from a lamp. For example, if you solder the end — sometimes such an idea might occur, especially if the wire consists of numerous individual strands that have frayed.

[DavidW]

I listened to the Bernstein/NYPO recording of Mahler's 6th last night. I know it has a great remaster, and between that and those glorious KEF R11 Meta speakers not only didn't sound like an old recording, but I felt like it was there. Those KEF speakers are both forgiving AND detailed. Man, I love them!

[Kalevala]

I listened to the Bernstein/NYPO recording of Mahler's 6th last night. I know it has a great remaster, and between that and those glorious KEF R11 Meta speakers not only didn't sound like an old recording, but I felt like it was there. Those KEF speakers are both forgiving AND detailed. Man, I love them!

Nice! Which recording was it of and CD or?

K

[Rinaldo]

Because, you know, around here, people swear that any random piece of wire does the job just as perfectly as those fancy products

Yeah, those pesky people and their physics!

[AnotherSpin]

Yeah, those pesky people and their physics!

Who would dare argue that reading other people's opinions isn't far more thrilling than hearing the obvious with your own ears?

[Harry]

If I am lucky, I can purchase a set of these Avalon Acoustics Eidolon Diamond, Maple speakers second hand in perfect condition, and trade in my Avalon Ceramique speakers. Fingers crossed. They sound the works. So if the first responder changes his mind, which I hope, its mine.

[An Avalon Eidolon Diamond sounds like no other speaker. Even the standard Eidolon doesn't come close. With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians. So you're listening to the performance of the musicians. Very special and rarely heard as clearly as here. The Eidolon Diamond cannot be located in terms of position. The enormous sound bubble is built up in the room, and does not seem to come from the Avalon Eidolon Diamond. This is music reproduction at a very high level, and is diametrically opposed to the many loud and exaggeratedly dynamic sounding speaker systems that are often built at the moment./i]

[Kalevala]

If I am lucky, I can purchase a set of these Avalon Acoustics Eidolon Diamond, Maple speakers second hand in perfect condition, and trade in my Avalon Ceramique speakers. Fingers crossed. They sound the works. So if the first responder changes his mind, which I hope, its mine.

[An Avalon Eidolon Diamond sounds like no other speaker. Even the standard Eidolon doesn't come close. With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians. So you're listening to the performance of the musicians. Very special and rarely heard as clearly as here. The Eidolon Diamond cannot be located in terms of position. The enormous sound bubble is built up in the room, and does not seem to come from the Avalon Eidolon Diamond. This is music reproduction at a very high level, and is diametrically opposed to the many loud and exaggeratedly dynamic sounding speaker systems that are often built at the moment./i]

Are they in a physical store or was this on something like eBay?  In any event, fingers are crossed for you.

K

[Fëanor]

If I am lucky, I can purchase a set of these Avalon Acoustics Eidolon Diamond, Maple speakers second hand in perfect condition, and trade in my Avalon Ceramique speakers. Fingers crossed. They sound the works. So if the first responder changes his mind, which I hope, its mine.

[An Avalon Eidolon Diamond sounds like no other speaker. Even the standard Eidolon doesn't come close. With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians. So you're listening to the performance of the musicians. Very special and rarely heard as clearly as here. The Eidolon Diamond cannot be located in terms of position. The enormous sound bubble is built up in the room, and does not seem to come from the Avalon Eidolon Diamond. This is music reproduction at a very high level, and is diametrically opposed to the many loud and exaggeratedly dynamic sounding speaker systems that are often built at the moment./i]

"With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians."  That stretches credibility close to the breaking point. 

[DavidW]

"With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians."  That stretches credibility close to the breaking point. 

I read it in the voice of an old TV commercial!

[Humungus]

If I am lucky, I can purchase a set of these Avalon Acoustics Eidolon Diamond, Maple speakers second hand in perfect condition, and trade in my Avalon Ceramique speakers. Fingers crossed. They sound the works. So if the first responder changes his mind, which I hope, its mine.

Fingers crossed! I bet those speakers are great.

My speakers have similar drivers. They are Speaker Heaven Network T2, the manufacturer is a small bespoke company and is working with Accuton ceramic and diamond drivers.
My pair of T2 was built with blackened ceramic drivers.

The picture is from the manufacturer´s listening room.

[Harry]

"With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians."  That stretches credibility close to the breaking point. 

Well yes a little hyperbole is to be expected. I listened to these speakers many years ago, and found them to be very good, and very much to my liking. I could not pay the 60.000 euros' at that time being young and penniless. Second Hand they are affordable, still expensive but I am able to buy them. Its the first time I see those speakers second hand and from the first owner who treated them well. I am slightly worried about the big woofer and how much pressure it will give. My listening room is not small but still, from my Ceramique to the Eidolon is a big step.

[Harry]

Fingers crossed! I bet those speakers are great.

My speakers have similar drivers. They are Speaker Heaven Network T2, the manufacturer is a small bespoke company and is working with Accuton ceramic and diamond drivers.
My pair of T2 was built with blackened ceramic drivers.

The picture is from the manufacturer´s listening room.

Well if one reads the reviews all speak of fabulous, the best balanced speaker Avalon every build, I know and expect no less as what is promised. What I remember from many years ago when listening to it in Hilversum, my heart lost a few beats. I do not know the speakers you have but they indeed look similar, and well build!

[Harry]

"With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians."  That stretches credibility close to the breaking point. 

I am sure the reviewer meant well, and that's all that counts

[Harry]

Are they in a physical store or was this on something like eBay?  In any event, fingers are crossed for you.

K

In a store that sells High  Res equipment.

[71 dB]

[An Avalon Eidolon Diamond sounds like no other speaker. Even the standard Eidolon doesn't come close. With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians. So you're listening to the performance of the musicians. Very special and rarely heard as clearly as here. The Eidolon Diamond cannot be located in terms of position. The enormous sound bubble is built up in the room, and does not seem to come from the Avalon Eidolon Diamond. This is music reproduction at a very high level, and is diametrically opposed to the many loud and exaggeratedly dynamic sounding speaker systems that are often built at the moment./i]

This kind of marketing nonsense is a red flag to me. No person with proper education in electric and acoustic engineering with good understanding of audio can look at that and take it seriously.

The speakers are probably very good (they should be at their price range). I haven't listened to them myself. This is about the marketing pitch. The talk about "enormous sound bubbles" indicate plane waves, but there is nothing to these speakers that makes it physically possible to generate plane waves. For that you need something like speaker arrays. These speakers radiate sound similarly to all speakers of the same driver count and size. Depending on the crossover frequencies the radiation pattern can be fine-tuned/optimized, but not anywhere near "enormous sound bubbles" aka plane waves. Given these facts, whether you can locate Eidolon Diamond in terms of position depends on various factors starting from room acoustics, speaker/listener placement and what kind of spatiality the recordings contain. Even the best speakers in the World struggle if these things are not taken care of.

Spending 5.000 on speakers and 55.000 on creating an acoustically fine-tuned listening room gives much better results in regards of sound quality than spending 60.000 on speakers alone. However, audiophiles rarely like all that acoustics stuff (feels boring) and instead they need to justify irrational purchases believing in marketing nonsense of audio manufacturers.

[Kalevala]

If I am lucky, I can purchase a set of these Avalon Acoustics Eidolon Diamond, Maple speakers second hand in perfect condition, and trade in my Avalon Ceramique speakers. Fingers crossed. They sound the works. So if the first responder changes his mind, which I hope, its mine.

[An Avalon Eidolon Diamond sounds like no other speaker. Even the standard Eidolon doesn't come close. With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians. So you're listening to the performance of the musicians. Very special and rarely heard as clearly as here. The Eidolon Diamond cannot be located in terms of position. The enormous sound bubble is built up in the room, and does not seem to come from the Avalon Eidolon Diamond. This is music reproduction at a very high level, and is diametrically opposed to the many loud and exaggeratedly dynamic sounding speaker systems that are often built at the moment./i]

So, Harry, when will you know whether or not you can purchase them?

K

[DavidW]

I am sure the reviewer meant well, and that's all that counts

Wait, that was a review!? I thought it was the marketing.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your new speakers.

[Kalevala]

Wait, that was a review!? I thought it was the marketing.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your new speakers.

That's only if the other person who had called dibs on them changes their mind!

K

[Fëanor]

"With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians."  That stretches credibility close to the breaking point. 

I am sure the reviewer meant well, and that's all that counts

There is no reason to doubt the reviewer's sincerity. But for my part I've given up on purely subjective equipment reviews, (after consulting them for over 50 years).  Nowadays I look to reviewers who do measurements.  Some reviews do measurements without subjective comments, some do both.  I will take either over exclusively subjective reviews.

Worthy of note, IMO, is the review site, 'Erin's Audio Corner'.  Erin does both measurements and subjective evaluations, e.g. for the KEF Blade 2.  Erin's is small-time site that doesn't get nearly as many makers loans as the likes of Stereophile, but he make effort to get a range of speaks and price points.

Also highly recommendable is 'Audio Science Review', although the Amir, owner and the principal review, often omits subjective impressions.

[Harry]

If I am lucky, I can purchase a set of these Avalon Acoustics Eidolon Diamond, Maple speakers second hand in perfect condition, and trade in my Avalon Ceramique speakers. Fingers crossed. They sound the works. So if the first responder changes his mind, which I hope, its mine.

[An Avalon Eidolon Diamond sounds like no other speaker. Even the standard Eidolon doesn't come close. With the Avalon Eidolon Diamond you're not actually listening to the Hifi system, nor to the recording itself, but you're listening directly to the performing musicians. So you're listening to the performance of the musicians. Very special and rarely heard as clearly as here. The Eidolon Diamond cannot be located in terms of position. The enormous sound bubble is built up in the room, and does not seem to come from the Avalon Eidolon Diamond. This is music reproduction at a very high level, and is diametrically opposed to the many loud and exaggeratedly dynamic sounding speaker systems that are often built at the moment./i]

They have finally arrived at the dealer, be it in a different color, Premium Myrtle Cluster Burl, and has a few minor scratches and a small stain on the veneer. As long as it is technical in order. The set I posted was sold from under my nose, and by pure luck this set came along which no one expected. so I will make an appointment to listen and see of course.

See this excellent review.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/avalon-eidolon-speaker