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
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
All
Living Voice R80 RBX
reviews
Manufacturer details
- Sensitivity: 93dB/W
- Frequency Response: down to 25Hz
- Impedance: 6 Ohm
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- Border Patrol amplifiers utilize tube rectification and choke input filtering in their power supplies, a design choice they consider critical to their sound and not commonly found in other amplifiers.
- Border Patrol's DACs use vintage R2R DAC chips like the Philips TDA1543, intentionally avoiding oversampling, upsampling, and digital filtering to achieve a more natural sound.
- Border Patrol products emphasize their hybrid tube/solid-state design to blend strengths of both technologies.
Select products
BorderPatrol DAC SE
- Positioning: A mid-range digital-to-analog converter designed for natural sound reproduction.
- Description: Features a copper chassis and a unique combination of solid-state and tube rectification. Uses a discontinued converter chip, which contributes to its distinctive sound signature. This makes it ideal for users seeking a natural and less digital sound.
BorderPatrol S20EXD Amplifier
- Positioning: A high-end parallel single-ended amplifier known for its power and control.
- Description: Uses interstage transformers, which provide significant technical and sonic benefits over capacitor coupling. It offers superior power, control, and dynamics compared to other amplifiers in the lineup. Its dual mono design and external power supplies enhance its performance.
BorderPatrol P20 EXD EXS Amplifier
- Positioning: A flagship push-pull amplifier offering exceptional musical authority and dynamic response.
- Description: Features dual-mono external power supplies and oversized transformers, providing strong voltage regulation and noise rejection. It delivers a solid and planted musical presence, outperforming other models in the lineup in terms of dynamic integrity and speaker control.
Our take on the brand
Look inside the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
Not sure about technological innovations, as my products unashamedly use old-school tech (valves and R-2R DAC chips), but strong opinions would be:
- I prefer electronics that have minimal signal processing, i.e., DACs without oversampling and digital reconstruction filters, and amplifiers that do not use negative feedback.
- I believe that power supply quality is very, very important and can often define the product’s sound.
What's your approach to customer support?
Direct contact with me. Fast reply, advice on how to get the best from my products or solve technical issues. Quick turnaround with updates on progress of any repair or service issues. I have been in the audio industry for over 35 years as a dealer, manufacturer, designer, service engineer, and just about everything else. Clients get the benefit of that experience when they buy from me.
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
This one is hard, as it changes a lot and I listen to lots of different things:
- Wagon Wheels – Sonny Rollins, Way Out West
- Five Feet Tall – Lady Blackbird, Black Acid Soul
- Symphonic Dances – Rachmaninov, Eiji Oue, Minnesota Orchestra
What other products pair best with yours?
Living Voice Loudspeakers
Used
Border Patrol
What if you spend more?
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
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
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
IT'S ALL IN THE TIMING. The Model Seven XTRM continues a tradition of pushing time-and-phase correct audio reproduction to the ultimate extreme. With new pistonic side-firing drivers matched to the patented mid-range and tweeter, the XTRM brings further clarity and harmonic accuracy in a way that surprised the designers and the expert listening board. Give yourself a treat and take a listen soon. Full XTRM updates are available to the original owner within the USA, and the cost is $30,051 to $45,633, depending on the vintage of your Model Seven.
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
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Reaches down into the mid-20Hz region and needs only a few Watts to come alive
- High sensitivity and wide bandwidth are due to the Ellipticor drivers, which use treated paper diaphragms for the bass/mid and treated fabric diaphragms for the HF
- Reproduces body, tone, and texture well, appealing to the body more than the intellect
- Combines a rich, earthy, full-range voice with real in-room impact and grace without needing gobs of power
- Offers a deep physical connection to music, singing with authority, weight, and a deep, rich voice while sounding light on their feet and nimble
Product Considerations
- The detail of securing the plinth with 'Blue Tack' is less than ideal for a speaker of this price and build quality
- Weighs about 100 lbs a piece, making setting them on their plinth ideally a two-person job
- Some may find that they offer less finely resolved sound image
- Tube amps don't disguise the use of compression or limiting and albums that have too much sound a little thin and squashed on this system
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Qln Reference 9 Loudspeakers, the Living Voice sound bigger and richer with more emphasis on body and weight than resolution, while the Qln offer a more refined sound and better-defined sound image
- The Rockport Atria II demand real power to make them sing
- The Living Voice R80's strengths align more closely with horns and vinyl lovers, offering a related kind of in-room energy that is more about body, tone, and texture than resolution and nuance
Takeaway: The Living Voice R80 OB-X speakers offer a rich and immersive listening experience with a deep connection to the music, making them ideal for those who value tone, texture, and a full-bodied sound. The Living Voice R80 OB-X's high sensitivity also makes them suitable for use with lower-powered amplifiers.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Clean, easy-going, and refined presentation is suitable for detailed classical and jazz music
- Remarkable ease on the ear, with exceptional refinement and no indication of working hard
- Captures the warm balance and delivers music with a sense of total effortlessness
- Excellent levels of detail
- Proximity to room boundaries is a key issue for positioning
Product Considerations
- Less sympathetic towards rough and aggressive music, like EDM
- Lower notes can overpower everything else in recordings with massive tonal and dynamic ranges
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Bowers & Wilkins 801 D4—the 801 D4 brings extra bass control, openness, and presence
- Vs KEF Blade One Meta—the KEF Blade One Meta gets closer to the ideal of a full-range 'point source'
- Vs PS Audio aspen FR30—the PS Audio aspen FR30 offers an exquisite blend of planar-magnetic mid and treble with alloy-coned dynamic bass drivers and ABRs
Takeaway: The Living Voice R80 is a beautiful floorstander that provides hours of aural delight if recordings are chosen with precision and care for their quality. It's a handsome option for audiophiles who appreciate detailed and refined sound.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Each detail of the Signature has been carefully crafted and sees numerous updates over the standard 801, including crossover upgrades and a modified cabinet with a refined downward firing port
- The bass presentation on the 801 Signature was better across the board, it was tighter, a little more pronounced and forward, and definitely more defined
- Bass goes beyond just hitting the low notes, the woofers showcase some of the clearest, most audible detail and texture
- Vocalists and actors have better inflection, greater scale, and detail playing at low volumes
- When properly set up, the Signature is one of the most holographic windows to music experienced
- Speakers need power, the Arcam was impressive and even got the 801s to play loud, but the Macintosh MC312 made the Signature sound flow-like water
Product Considerations
- The Signature's impedance fluctuates wildly, ranging from a nominal 8 ohms and dipping lower than 3, so you need an amplifier that does more than just work
- Placement matters: if placed too close to the wall, the bass response became too pronounced and even boomy at times
- The Signature can come off as bright, and in extreme cases, it might be fatiguing to some
- Poor recordings won't get a free pass, there's bound to be a track or two that's going to leave your playlist rotation
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the Klipsch La Scala, both speakers excel at the recreation of space in true-to-life dynamics
- Compared to the Wharfedale Elysian 4, the Elysian doesn't play as deep, is richer in the mid-range, and nowhere near as extended up top, so it's not the Signature's equal
- Compared to the Wilson Audio Want Puppy, the two speakers are similar in size, driver complement, build and finish quality, price, and target market
- Compared to the SVS Titan, the Titans sound two-dimensional and fat, compared to the Signature's far more realistic and natural-sounding bass
- Compared to the KEF R11 Meta, the Signature's beefy presence makes for a far grander statement
Takeaway: The 801 Signature is a speaker that elevates the listening experience to another level because it is designed with incredible attention to detail. It will be an emotional and immersive experience to own these speakers.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Powerful and deep bass with fast transient attack and rich tonal shades
- Sweeter-sounding tweeter that integrates more fluidly with the midrange without sacrificing detail
- Balanced and coherent presentation across the frequency range
- Sounds are reproduced with clarity, detail, and dynamic contrasts
- Impressive soundstage imaging with accurately-sized images, providing a wide, tall, and deep soundstage
Product Considerations
- High-quality amplification with plenty of power is required, designed for use with amplifiers of up to 1000W
- Due to its size and the power it requires, it needs to be placed in a large room
- The weight of over 100 kg per speaker can make placement difficult—requiring assistance for lifting and maneuvering, especially on non-smooth surfaces
- The grilles can be a tricky fit
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs 800 D3: Faster and tighter bass register with a sweeter-sounding tweeter and improved decoupling
- Vs 802 D4: More bass, the 802 D4 had better blend
Takeaway:
The 801 D4 is a high-performance speaker known for its powerful and nuanced sound, exceptional imaging, and refined design, and it is capable of delivering a captivating listening experience. It is worth the investment for audiophiles who want detail and high-quality sound.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Alexia V brings many of the qualities of the Chronosonic XVX to a smaller and more affordable loudspeaker
- Spectacular bass performance delivers powerful weight and muscularity without sounding thick or overblown
- Midrange shares harmonic beauty and warmth with the XVX, offering smoothness and ease
- The Alexia V presents real life to the listener in a way that previous versions cannot match
- Every detail of the design and build exudes the highest level of quality and craftsmanship
Product Considerations
- Premium-priced, putting it out of reach for many music lovers
- Alexia V sounds a bit more forward, incisive, and "extraverted" compared to the XVX
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Alexia V shares many sonic characteristics with the Chronosonic XVX, but sounds a bit more forward, incisive, and 'extraverted', the XVX is more subtle, refined, darker in tonal balance, and 'bigger' sounding
- Alexia V is unequivocally superior to the Series 2 in every way
Takeaway: The Alexia V brings many of the best qualities from Wilson Audio's top-of-the-line speakers into a more manageable size and price point. The sound is both powerful and refined, making listening to music an engaging experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
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