Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.

What reviewers think

Magazine reviewers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below.

How useful are hifi reviews? We consider them useful for three things: (1) Surfacing new products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've ever heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's unique attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we  discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on everything—rarely being negative for fear of souring relationships with manufacturers. Further, they seldom have more than a couple products on-hand at once, relying on their imperfect memories to compare to past products.

Compared to their other products

We think it's helpful to understand how this product fits into the brand's full lineup (below). To learn more about these products, visit the brand's page.

PM3:  

  • Position: A budget-friendly integrated amplifier designed for simple setups and small rooms.  
  • Description: Offers straightforward circuitry that delivers clear sound for users on a tighter budget, making it ideal for those with basic functionality needs. Compared to the PM4 and the higher-end Signature series, it has fewer advanced features and connectivity options.

PM4:  

  • Position: A mid-tier integrated amplifier that balances improved performance with affordability.  
  • Description: Incorporates refined circuitry and added controls that provide cleaner and more stable audio. When compared to the entry-level PM3 and the more advanced Signature series, it strikes a middle ground in build quality and feature set.

Tesseract:  

  • Position: A high-end integrated amplifier positioned in the Signature series for discerning listeners.  
  • Description: Introduces design elements in both digital and analog processing that enhance sound detail and clarity, suited for moderate to larger rooms. Compared to the Precision series and other Signature models, it offers improved performance while maintaining a more accessible premium price range.

ISIS:  

  • Position: A premium integrated amplifier in the Signature series aimed at achieving advanced performance.  
  • Description: Features circuit design and processing that provide a wider soundstage and smoother midrange. Relative to Tesseract and Saga, it elevates sound quality without reaching the flagship price.

Saga:  

  • Position: A flagship integrated amplifier in the Signature series intended for top-tier audio performance.  
  • Description: Uses advanced digital processing and high-precision analog circuitry that markedly improve sound precision and connectivity, making it suitable for larger rooms and sophisticated setups. In comparison to the PM3, PM4, Tesseract, and ISIS, it stands out with its advanced features.
See all the brand's products

Read the reviews

Manufacturer's notes

Precision Monitor 3.2 is Power. The goal was to create the most dynamically impressive high energy capability from a transducer of nominal size. With network topologies derived from our Signature Series transducers, we have achieved a low frequency reproduction standard never before attained in a loudspeaker of this size.
Precision Monitor 3.2 is Power. The goal was to create the most dynamically impressive high energy capability from a transducer of nominal sizePrecision Monitor 3.2 is Power. The goal was to create the most dynamically impressive high energy capability from a transducer of nominal size With network topologies derived from our Signature Series transducers, we have achieved a low frequency reproduction standard never before attained in a loudspeaker of this size. Impedance is absolutely flat below 200 Hz, creating a non-reactive load with no back EMF seen by the driving amplifier. The result is a clear and powerful low-frequency presentation without group-delay error. The resultant phasing accuracy produces consistent staging stability throughout the frequency spectrum, with focused and vivid imagery, regardless of volume
  • Driver Complement: 1" Convex Beryllium dome/Neodymium tweeter, 3 1/2" cone/high BL Neodymium midrange, 2 x 9" Composite/low Q magnetic structure woofers
  • Sensitivity: 90 dB
  • Impedance: 4 Ohms Nominal
  • Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 50 kHz
  • Recommended Amplifier Power: 25 to 400 Watts
  • Wiring Methods: Two Position Binding Post
  • Dimensions: 46" (125 cm) High, 11" (30 cm) Wide, 17" (43 cm) Deep
  • Weight: 105 Pounds (48 kg) each
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Average Price
$75,001-$100,000
Used Products
19
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Brand Popularity
369
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Top 50 Brand
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Products
10
Founded
1988

Our take on the brand

Avalon Acoustics is distinguished by its unique faceted cabinet designs that minimize diffraction and create an immersive, holographic soundstage. Their speakers feature meticulous hand-crafted construction and use proprietary materials like corduroy fabric inside the cabinets for superior acoustic damping.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi
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Most data on ExtremeHiFi is proprietary—researched and reviewed after thousands of hours of loving labor. We archive our site's data and its pages on Archive.org and take legal action against those repurposing the data. We also fingerprint data to know when text and numbers came from us first.
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What if you spend a bit more?

BC150
150000
150000
/
7
Reviews
Burmester
Burmester, a high-end audio brand renowned for its German craftsmanship, designs and handcrafts its components in Berlin. Known for its distinctive industrial aesthetic with chrome finishes, the brand supplies premium sound systems for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Detailed, exciting, dynamic, and transparent sound
  • Vanishingly low cabinet coloration, contributing to speed and detail
  • Lung-emptying, bowel-clearing, demolition-grade bass
  • Bass integrates well with the rest of the frequency range for an integrated musical performance
  • Voices have breath and contour, yet the result always retains a minimum of warmth

Product Considerations

  • Room acoustics should be a strong consideration, as the BC150 reveals room issues
  • Needs a lot of quality electronics upstream
  • Requires firm control and ample current capacity from the amplifier

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • The BC150 sounds more like a Burmester B38 with greater abilities to scale

Takeaway: The Burmester BC150 is a high-precision audio instrument that is both musically communicative and musically analytical, offering a detailed and transparent listening experience. It offers clarity and purity of sound, and brings music to another level.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Burmester, a high-end audio brand renowned for its German craftsmanship, designs and handcrafts its components in Berlin. Known for its distinctive industrial aesthetic with chrome finishes, the brand supplies premium sound systems for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit our
BC150
page
Product Page
M3
283975
283975
/
6
Reviews
Borresen

The M3 is equipped with 4 unique 4.5" M-series speaker drivers. These drivers are connected in series in pairs so that one pair acts as a bass/midrange and another pair acts as a bass speaker driver. This approach ultimately results in increased speed, precision, and depth, which enriches the speaker with much more musicality.

The M3 and M6 are both offering the option of bi-amping, allowing you to feed the bass and midrange/treble sections individually. This not only provides sufficient power to each section, but also results in a cleaner, more precise sound.

The larger cabinet has also improved the ventilation behind the bass/midrange drivers. This provides less compression and thus a much faster and more agile speaker driver, which has a significantly positive impact on the overall sound image. Furthermore, the bass speaker drivers are equipped with a bass reflex section inside the cabinet, which ensures a dynamic and harmonious balance between midrange and bass.

Børresen Acoustics stands out for its iron-free magnetic motors and cryogenically treated metal components, which reduce inductance for clearer sound. The brand's speakers feature unique elements like zirconium-based 3D-printed baskets and a patented ribbon tweeter design, combined with series crossover networks for phase-locked electrical current across frequencies.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • The M3 presents music with an unprecedented degree of individuality and specificity, without sacrificing tonality, texture, or body
  • Remarkable level of resolution
  • Astonishing transparency and is resolute
  • Accurate tonality and represents timbre faithfully
  • Exceptional high-frequency detail and speed due to a planar tweeter
  • Accepts only banana terminations

Product Considerations

  • The planar tweeter misses the very last measure of extension, shimmer, and effortlessness accomplished by the very best available today
  • Low-frequency extension was limited to the high 20 Hz, low 30 Hz range

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Compared to Magico M9, the M3 has recalibrated the resolution yardstick by which all other loudspeakers must be measured and compared
  • Compared to Von Schweikert Audio ULTRA 9s, the M3 has recalibrated the resolution yardstick by which all other loudspeakers must be measured and compared

Takeaway: The Børresen M3 loudspeakers boldly represent the realization of striking potential in audio and push known boundaries. People who choose the M3 will enjoy a specific level of playback that is unavailable from other loudspeakers.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Børresen Acoustics stands out for its iron-free magnetic motors and cryogenically treated metal components, which reduce inductance for clearer sound. The brand's speakers feature unique elements like zirconium-based 3D-printed baskets and a patented ribbon tweeter design, combined with series crossover networks for phase-locked electrical current across frequencies.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit our
M3
page
Product Page
Alexx V
154000
154000
/
5
Reviews
Wilson Audio

Open Gantry

Inspired by natural elements found in Utah one quickly sees more svelte lines in the Alexx V™ like the XVX. The exposed "skeletonized" architecture allows an airy and openness currently only found with the WAMM Master Chronosonic® and the Chronosonic XVX®. Given the open architecture gantry design, the gantry grilles are seamlessly attached via embedded magnets, allowing for quick and simple installation and removal. Alexx V's overall size is only 1" deeper and 1" taller than Alexx Series 1.

Process of Handcrafting Alexx V Gantry

Alexx V is an extraordinarily adaptable design. Carrying over elements from its larger siblings, such as the XLF reversible woofer port and independently adjustable modules, allow this system to be elegantly tailored to your listening room. These tools built into the DNA of Alexx V allow for greater ease of installation into a wider variety of listening spaces, thus permitting the listener to truly experience the depth and ability of this system.

Gantry

The open architecture gantry first launched with WAMM Master Chronosonic, followed by Chronosonic XVX, has now found a home with Alexx V. Not only does this benefit the overall appearance of the loudspeaker, but critically, it also enhances the overall rigidity of the entire upper module section and minimizes pressure trapped behind the enclosures, resulting in greater fidelity. Easier access to the upper modules makes for quicker adjustments. Similar to our innovative lighting solution (Sono 1™ from Coolfall®) featured in Chronosonic XVX, Alexx V has an illuminated cross brace at the rear of the gantry, which aids in speaker module setup and time-alignment fine-tuning.

Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode

Building upon the research and development of Pedestal, the Special Applications Engineering Team is excited to announce the Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode™ (AD Spike for short). At the heart of the Acoustic Diode is our proprietary "V-Material." This superior constrained layer damping composite is unsurpassed in vibration absorption and resonance control.

Energy from the enclosure migrates into the V-Material where it is faced with the effective damping properties of this efficient material. The mass of the loudspeaker concentrated onto the very small ends of the spike tips results in significant levels of PSI that prevent detrimental vibrations from traveling upward into the footer. Those vibrations that do travel up the spike are absorbed by the mass of the Acoustic Diode and have to travel through the V-Material to have a chance to influence the enclosure.

Keeping the spike and threaded post separate prevent a direct path for vibrations to travel, or interplay, and are therefore dissipated and absorbed in either the V-Material or the footer housing. This distinctive design, combined with advanced vibration-mitigating materials, provides the best of both worlds; a solid base from which the drivers can launch as well as preventing the transmission of energy from the floor to the loudspeakers.

Convergent Synergy Carbon

Alexx V features an entirely new Convergent Synergy Carbon (CSC) tweeter, which builds upon a modified version of the previous Convergent Synergy motor while embracing an outstanding and intricately innovative rear-wave chamber. This carbon fiber design is completely manufactured in-house using several 3D printers. The sonic results of this tweeter development cycle have been nothing short of dramatic. The CSC offers far greater and more linear high frequency extension while providing unprecedented ambient retrieval and superior harmonic detail.

QuadraMag

With the midrange band managed by two dissimilar sized drivers we opted to leverage the incredible advances of our Alnico (Aluminum, Nickel, Cobalt) QuadraMag® design. This 7" mid was originally developed for XVX Chronosonic and has a warmth, beauty, and texture that brings to life all the elements in your favorite recordings. The QuadraMag driver combines four separate magnets, arranged in an innovative quadrature geometry, further enhancing the delicate intricacies of the all-critical midrange reproduction quality.

Wilson Audio is often considered the quintessential American high-end hi-fi brand, a staple in premium audio dealerships across the country. Many reviewers use Wilson speakers in their own home systems, reflecting their reputation for outstanding dynamics, bass depth, and the ability to reproduce classical music with remarkable realism. Wilson focuses on creating an uncolored sound, aiming to replicate the experience of live, unamplified performances.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Sublime image size and expansiveness, coupled with an ability to be driven as hard as your ears or your amps can take
  • A sense of balance to the sound of the Alexx V makes renewal possible, expressive and articulate from the deepest bass to the highest treble
  • Trickle-down benefits from the WAMM Master Chronosonic and Chronosonic XVX
  • Bass performance is otherworldly
  • The Alexx V has the ability to uncover and continue to deliver micro-details at extremely high SPLs, even after that slam of a transient

Product Considerations

  • Some power behind the throne is needed, because the loudspeaker's impedance plot drops to two ohms at 250Hz
  • The dome tweeter does sacrifice the last ounce of micro-detail, compared to the insane resolving power of the best diamond and beryllium drivers
  • The choice of finish needs to be considered with care
  • Cable management can impact performance

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Compared to the original Alexx, the Alexx V is a massive improvement—closer to a baby XVX in so many ways
  • Compared to the Alexia 2, the Alexx V was more than a mere additive sum, a step-function improvement
  • Compared to the Wilson XVX and WAMM Master Chronosonic, the tweeter is effortless and resolving by normal standards, but no match for the extraordinary levels of detail retrieval

Takeaway: The Alexx V offers a sublime listening experience with excellent balance and dynamic range that allows the listener to get closer to the music. It is a worthy contender for those looking to upgrade their listening experience.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Wilson Audio is often considered the quintessential American high-end hi-fi brand, a staple in premium audio dealerships across the country. Many reviewers use Wilson speakers in their own home systems, reflecting their reputation for outstanding dynamics, bass depth, and the ability to reproduce classical music with remarkable realism. Wilson focuses on creating an uncolored sound, aiming to replicate the experience of live, unamplified performances.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit our
Alexx V
page
Product Page
360
110180
110180
/
4
Reviews
Linn

Sumptuous form conscientiously follows function in a visibly remarkable aesthetic that breaks ground beyond traditional cabinet design. The shapely and extremely robust cabinet is built up from scrupulously formed 3D laminates – pushing and exceeding the limitations of ply engineering to construct a fluid front baffle which reaches right around either side of the speaker.

Machined into the 360 Array trim piece are a series of concentric arcs – themselves redolent of the grooves of a vinyl record in a conscientious nod to our origins and the Sondek LP12 turntable upon which Linn was founded. These grooves are set adjacent to a tweeter protector, which draws the eye in with its chrome-plated Linn icon feature. The engineered trim is machined in-house from 5754-grade aluminium, and incorporates ingenious waveguides to help facilitate optimum performance from the drive units which they surround.

Designed expressly for 360, The Glasgow Collection is a range of curated cabinet finishes, that demonstrate pride in our origins and celebrate our Scottish home. These three special finishes are dynamic and complex; colour and texture play off the curves of the 360 cabinet under different lighting conditions and when viewed from different angles.

The Classic Collection offers a more subtle, monochrome palette: the timeless elegance of Piano Black, and the minimalist chic of Alpine White.

Linn is a hifi brand known for its modular designs, particularly the Sondek LP12 turntable where users can upgrade virtually every component over time to maintain performance across decades. The brand stands out for developing its own technologies in-house, including the Organik DAC with FPGA processing and Space Optimisation, which models room acoustics without needing microphone measurements.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Excellent imaging, providing a strong stereo image for multiple listeners due to wide dispersion and Space Optimisation+
  • Flexible and capable of playing all kinds of music, getting out of the music's way, and suitable for both large and smaller rooms
  • Dynamic, detailed, and can play at a wide range of volume levels, from quiet listening to near PA levels
  • Features a new driver array, including a Beryllium dome tweeter, thin-ply woven carbon fiber midrange (used on NASA's Mars Rover), and aluminum-magnesium alloy bass units
  • Incorporates new amplifier technologies—'Power DAC' for the lower bass and 'Adaptive Bias Control' for the mid and treble—reducing distortion

Product Considerations

  • The midrange dome is exposed, which might be a concern with children
  • Owners of previous Linn systems may find the price difficult to accept
  • Some audiophiles may prefer Linn to trawl its past rather than building its future, and they will want an Isobarik
  • Some audiophiles may not be able to see past the LP12

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • The 360 offers significantly improved imaging and soundstaging compared to the Klimax 350

Takeaway: The Linn 360 is a high-end loudspeaker that provides excellent sound quality and flexibility, making it a great choice for enjoying music with friends or for personal listening sessions. Its innovative design and technology deliver a detailed and immersive audio experience.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Linn is a hifi brand known for its modular designs, particularly the Sondek LP12 turntable where users can upgrade virtually every component over time to maintain performance across decades. The brand stands out for developing its own technologies in-house, including the Organik DAC with FPGA processing and Space Optimisation, which models room acoustics without needing microphone measurements.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit our
360
page
Product Page

What else competes at this price?

Precision Monitor 3
78659
/
Released
2021
Avalon
Precision Monitor 3 is Power! The goal was to create the most dynamically impressive high energy transducer of nominal size, a smaller version of our award-winning SAGA. By directly transfering the crossover topology and high-current elements of SAGA into PM3, we have acheived a standard of low frequency reproduction never before attained in a loudspeaker of this size.
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Avalon Acoustics is distinguished by its unique faceted cabinet designs that minimize diffraction and create an immersive, holographic soundstage. Their speakers feature meticulous hand-crafted construction and use proprietary materials like corduroy fabric inside the cabinets for superior acoustic damping.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Reveals the sonic characteristics of each component in the audio chain, acting as a precise monitor
  • Combines monitor-like precision with musicality, appealing to a broad range of listeners
  • Boasts an exceptionally wide soundstage and excellent resolution, capturing fine details and ambiance
  • Its design minimizes sound diffraction for improved focus and soundstage
  • Offers a 'raw' and uncolored sound, presenting music as it is, without added coloration

Product Considerations

  • The felt covering on the grill is now permanently affixed to the enclosure, though the reviewer prefers the sound with the grill removed
  • Can reveal the limitations or changes in source components, requiring careful system matching

Takeaway: The PM3/Precision speaker is worth buying because it offers a highly detailed and revealing sound, acting as a versatile monitor that also brings out musicality. It allows the listener to fully appreciate the nuances of their audio system and music.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Avalon Acoustics is distinguished by its unique faceted cabinet designs that minimize diffraction and create an immersive, holographic soundstage. Their speakers feature meticulous hand-crafted construction and use proprietary materials like corduroy fabric inside the cabinets for superior acoustic damping.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit
Precision Monitor 3
Page
Product Page
Hyphn
95000
/
Released
2023
Monitor
Unique in shape, unparalleled in performance, Hyphn is the result of an intense collaboration between our designers and engineers, who set out to build the best loudspeaker anyone has ever heard. Featuring the new M-Array high- and mid-frequency driver array and four force-cancelled 8" bass drivers per speaker, Hyphn is capable of delivering an unrivalled listening experience.
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Monitor Audio is an independently owned hifi brand that has earned multiple Editors Choice awards for their Silver Series speakers, which feature proprietary driver designs. Their speakers are distinguished by unique technologies like the MPD tweeter and C-CAM drivers, which provide exceptional clarity while resisting distortion and listener fatigue.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Unique design where form follows function, resulting in a contemporary and sleek aesthetic
  • Incredibly tight, impactful, articulate, and controlled bass response with impressive dynamic power and clarity
  • Seamless integration of midrange and tweeter via the M-Array, creating a virtual point source for maximum imaging and soundstage
  • Exceptional clarity, transparency, and detail retrieval across the entire frequency spectrum
  • Soundstage is incredibly wide, deep, accurate, and immersive with instruments placed precisely in a three-dimensional field

Product Considerations

  • Significant power from amplifiers is required to perform optimally, with recommendations ranging from 200 to 1600 watts RMS
  • The Hyphn is a large and heavy speaker, needing a decent-sized room and strong flooring
  • Sensitivity is rated at 86 dB, which is considered low and necessitates high-power amplification

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs Sonus Faber: Hyphn has a far more forward-sounding presentation compared to the more relaxed and recessed soundstage of Sonus Faber
  • Vs JBL Everest DD67000: Hyphn's bass is not as 'huge' as some monster high-end speakers like JBL's Everest, but it is tighter and more tuneful

Takeaway: Monitor Audio's Hyphn is a state-of-the-art loudspeaker with a unique design, delivering exceptional clarity, deep bass, and a wide soundstage. If unrestrained performance and a forward-looking aesthetic are desired, the Hyphn is worth considering for an immersive listening experience.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Monitor Audio is an independently owned hifi brand that has earned multiple Editors Choice awards for their Silver Series speakers, which feature proprietary driver designs. Their speakers are distinguished by unique technologies like the MPD tweeter and C-CAM drivers, which provide exceptional clarity while resisting distortion and listener fatigue.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit
Hyphn
Page
Product Page
Trio G3
91000
/
Released
2022
Avantgarde
Welcome to the world's most exhilarating, uncompromising, natural and by far the most extraordinary speaker system, the Trio. The unique Trio. Unique because its indescribable sound takes the listener straight to a place where the mundane is forgotten. World off. Music on.
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Avantgarde Acoustic is known for its spherical horn speakers that deliver exceptional sound uniformity and can produce high volume levels with minimal power input, thanks to their unusually high sensitivity of over 104dB. Their flagship products feature advanced digital processing that corrects time and phase issues, while their Zero 1 Pro model stands out for integrating amplifiers and digital crossovers directly into a compact horn speaker design.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Impressive midbass solidity
  • Remarkable fidelity at lower volumes due to the alacrity of its drivers
  • Comprehensive and dynamic sound signature with plenty of detail and clarity
  • The newly developed tweeter allows for faster response and a frequency range that easily extends to 28,000Hz
  • Features a modular design, offering flexibility with passive, iTron active, and all-in-one wireless streaming versions

Product Considerations

  • Integrating the Spacehorn subwoofers requires careful alignment
  • High-quality source components are needed to match its performance level
  • Some reviewers found that the iTron amplification did not produce the requisite bloom and musicality for classical and jazz music

Takeaway: The Avantgarde Trio G3 speaker is a top-tier audio system known for its exceptional sound reproduction and flexibility with different configurations. If you appreciate high-quality audio performance and aesthetics and want a sound system that sounds exciting and sophisticated, it is an excellent option.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Avantgarde Acoustic is known for its spherical horn speakers that deliver exceptional sound uniformity and can produce high volume levels with minimal power input, thanks to their unusually high sensitivity of over 104dB. Their flagship products feature advanced digital processing that corrects time and phase issues, while their Zero 1 Pro model stands out for integrating amplifiers and digital crossovers directly into a compact horn speaker design.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit
Trio G3
Page
Product Page
101 E MKII
90000
/
Released
MBL
Distinguished by its large, melon-shaped aluminum and magnesium alloy radial woofer, the 101 E MKII is a proven, legitimate successor to the original MBL speaker – the legendary MBL 100 – launched in 1979. Known then, and now, as the Radialstrahler (radial emitter), this convention-defying omnidirectional speaker enriched musical playback with revolutionary sound reproduction. The audio world was amazed, first and foremost, by its avant-garde design, then astonished when it evenly distributed the sweetest of harmonics and deepest of bass notes throughout listening rooms.
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MBL is a German hifi brand known for its unique Radialstrahler technology, which uses petal-like drivers that emit sound in an omnidirectional 360-degree pattern, eliminating the typical "sweet spot" found in conventional speakers. Their speakers are designed to fill rooms with concert hall-like sound through both direct and reflected waves, creating a more natural and immersive listening experience throughout the entire space.
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Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • An all-encompassing sound keeps listeners rooted to their seats
  • A unique 360° sound wave design creates a natural balance of direct and reflected sounds
  • A truly huge, yet meticulously crafted, soundscape is created
  • Not physically evident in the aural landscape, offering a sound that seems to have no origin
  • Integration of the woofer's and melon's outputs was far smoother than previous models

Product Considerations

  • High-powered amplifiers capable of delivering ample amounts of current are required due to its insensitivity (around 80dB)
  • Placement can be tricky, needing more space away from room boundaries than some rooms can provide
  • The biggest problem has always been the audible lack of seamless integration between the bass box and the stack of omnis atop it
  • A 'chesty, compressed, almost grainy midbass coloration' can be exhibited if placement and other factors are not optimized

Takeaway: The MBL Radialstrahler 101 E MkII loudspeaker offers a distinctive and immersive listening experience thanks to its unique omnidirectional design. It can fill the room with a natural and balanced sound, creating a captivating musical soundscape for the listener.

Video review

Our take on the brand

MBL is a German hifi brand known for its unique Radialstrahler technology, which uses petal-like drivers that emit sound in an omnidirectional 360-degree pattern, eliminating the typical "sweet spot" found in conventional speakers. Their speakers are designed to fill rooms with concert hall-like sound through both direct and reflected waves, creating a more natural and immersive listening experience throughout the entire space.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit
101 E MKII
Page
Product Page
Model Seven XTRM
94000
/
Released
2021
Vandersteen
Meet the Model Seven XTRM, the newest Vandersteen Audio flagship! The original Model Seven was introduced in 2009 and remains firmly ensconced as a Stereophile Class A Recommendation, a perennial TAS Editor's Choice winner, and a winner of universal praise from reviewers and consumers worldwide. All of which is testament to the fact that the Seven was a formidable speaker to improve upon!
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Vandersteen Audio is distinguished by its time and phase coherence in speaker design, where all drivers move in unison through their first-order crossover design and Perfect-Piston drivers made of carbon-fiber and balsa wood. The brand's speakers feature a minimum baffle approach to reduce reflections, while focusing on high-quality internal components over elaborate cabinet designs, with models like the Seven XTRM offering precise bass response customization through adjustable trim pots.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Upgradable from older Model 7 versions, representing long-term value for owners
  • Features a 'CounterForce Bass' system with opposing woofers to minimize cabinet movement and improve clarity
  • Offers extensive bass adjustments for room integration, including 11 trim pots for precise frequency adjustments
  • Time-and-phase coherent design ensures that all drivers move in unison
  • Provides a relaxed ease and warmth that fosters musical engagement

Product Considerations

  • Sensitivity is relatively low at 85dB, requiring a powerful amplifier to achieve its full potential
  • Requires careful rake angle adjustment for optimal performance
  • Bi-wire capable, the mandatory HP-7 filter costs extra

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs KEF KC-62 subwoofer: Both use counter-opposing force woofers to stop cabinet movement

Takeaway: The Model Seven XTRM is a technologically innovative speaker designed for music lovers. It offers powerful bass, harmonic beauty, and exceptional tonal realism, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking a high-fidelity audio experience.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Vandersteen Audio is distinguished by its time and phase coherence in speaker design, where all drivers move in unison through their first-order crossover design and Perfect-Piston drivers made of carbon-fiber and balsa wood. The brand's speakers feature a minimum baffle approach to reduce reflections, while focusing on high-quality internal components over elaborate cabinet designs, with models like the Seven XTRM offering precise bass response customization through adjustable trim pots.
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Visit
Model Seven XTRM
Page
Product Page

Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.

What reviewers think

Magazine reviewers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below.

How useful are hifi reviews? We consider them useful for three things: (1) Surfacing new products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've ever heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's unique attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we  discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on everything—rarely being negative for fear of souring relationships with manufacturers. Further, they seldom have more than a couple products on-hand at once, relying on their imperfect memories to compare to past products.

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