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.
Product Strengths
- New Beryllium tweeter co-developed by Grimm and Seas takes over above 1500Hz
- New aluminum wave guide controls the tweeter's dispersion
- Cabinet is made of Hi-Macs, also called natural acrylic stone
- Digital electronics were reworked to push jitter figures even lower, using higher-quality parts and overhauling the power supplies
Product Considerations
- The LS1s subwoofer was always designed to augment the head's Magnesium woofer below 70Hz, using DSP to control phase and seamless handover via an active crossover
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Grimm Audio LS1, the LS1be has a new Beryllium tweeter, aluminum wave guide, cabinet made of Hi-Macs, and reworked digital electronics
- Vs Grimm Audio LS1a, the LS1be has a Beryllium tweeter, where the LS1a has a Seas DXT tweeter, and the LS1be has a cabinet made of Hi-Macs, where the LS1a is lacquered
- Vs Grimm Audio LS1s, the LS1be has upgraded electronics
Takeaway: The LS1be has enhancements with its new tweeter and cabinet material elevating it to a higher level. The upgraded components should offer improvements in sound and performance.
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Manufacturer details
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:
- The brand utilizes a custom-coded FPGA for precise digital filtering, which it believes outperforms standard DAC chip filters.
- Grimm Audio emphasizes clocking accuracy (low jitter) over achieving the highest possible PCM or DSD sample rates, incorporating a proprietary, ultra-stable clock design.
- The MU1 runs a custom Linux operating system and an optimized Roon Core Server implementation, moving away from standard libraries to exercise complete control over the code.
- They offer an end-to-end music system with a consistent design philosophy, from digital source to active loudspeakers, for an expertly-tuned audio chain.
Select products
MU1
- Positioning: Positioned as the ultimate digital music source in Grimm Audio's lineup.
- Description: Features an in-house-designed FPGA interface board that ensures high-quality format conversion and ultra-low jitter. Compared to the MU2, focuses more on digital output and integration with systems like the LS1. Supports a wide range of digital inputs and outputs, making it compatible with various high-end audio systems, but lacks the analog preamp and DAC integration found in the MU2.
MU2
- Positioning: Serves as a versatile hub in Grimm Audio's lineup, combining a music streamer, DAC, and analog preamp.
- Description: Features integrated Major DAC and relay-based analog volume control, offering seamless handling of both digital and analog sources. Unlike the MU1, includes a high-performance DAC and analog preamp, making it suitable for users who want an all-in-one solution for both digital and analog audio.
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Used
Grimm Audio
What if you spend more?
Product Strengths
- Excellent clarity, detail resolution, and agility in sound reproduction
- Impressive bass definition and punch, delivering huge amounts of bass effortlessly
- Combines muscularity, insight, scale, and attack for an engaging listening experience
- Design is unique and striking, with impeccable build quality and a flawless finish
- Offers extensive specification and numerous control options, all implemented expertly
Product Considerations
- Sonic presentation might be a little too 'safe' or 'civilizing', potentially losing some of the vibrant energy in music
- Lacks some features compared to competitors regarding connectivity and adjustability
- Requires a large listening space to avoid overpowering the room
- The provided remote casing feels cheap and insubstantial compared to the overall package
- Room correction (ADAPT) is not as automated or precise as some other systems and the application may crash
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs KEF LS60 Wireless: KEF LS60 offers more flexibility, including a subwoofer output, but at higher volumes, Focal Diva is the clear winner
- Vs Bang & Olufsen Beolab 90: Beolab 90 is in a league of its own and provides a more complete audio experience
- Vs Scala Utopia Evo: Diva Utopia is cheaper in the long run, as the Scala Utopia Evo needs additional components, such as Naim Classic components
- Vs Diablo Utopia Color Evos: The Color Evos may represent the ultimate Focal experience
Takeaway: The Diva Utopia is an all-in-one speaker with impressive sound that expertly combines performance and design. It offers a unique blend of luxury and high-end audio quality that can be enjoyed by anyone looking for a simplified audiophile experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Elegant and powerful, our BXT turns any pair of Kii THREE into unrivaled floor-standing speakers.
Our summary
Product Strengths
- When combined with the BXT module, the system delivers tight, dynamic, and nuanced bass reproduction
- The addition of the BXT allows the system to reveal subtle details in the lower frequencies that are typically missed
- The BXT system offers a balanced sound, with the midrange frequencies benefiting from the addition of the BXT module
- Are relieved of some bass duties, letting them focus more on the mids
- The combination with the BXT module creates a cardioid dispersion pattern, reducing reflections from side and rear walls—minimizing the influence of room acoustics
- Ease of use is another strength of the concept
Product Considerations
- Some perceive it as sounding 'too digital' or 'too analytical' on its own, lacking the warmth of other speakers, but the BXT module helps to address this
- The display on the Kii Control is considered small, making it difficult to read in poor lighting conditions
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Versus ATC speakers, ATC speakers have a warmer, more colorful sound
Takeaway: The system, especially when paired with the BXT module, delivers exceptional sound quality with deep, controlled bass and reduced room interaction. For those wanting a system with great clarity and power, this could be a good pick.
Video review
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Product Strengths
- Astonishing control, detail, coherence, and extension due to 200 Watts being connected directly to the bass driver
- The new ATC tweeter is more revealing yet sweeter than the SEAS unit it replaces, making the speaker more charming without losing transparency
Product Considerations
- Installation potentially difficult, as it is a large and heavy speaker, weighing 75kg each
- Bass performance reveals flaws in recordings that are tweaked to sound good on most speakers
Takeaway: The ATC SCM150 ASL speakers deliver clean and controlled sound with impressive detail and extension, making them ideal for critical listening. The new tweeter improves upon previous versions, offering a sweeter and more revealing sound.
Video review
Our take on the brand
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Visually appealing with a distinctive, elegant, and small form factor, fitting well in smaller spaces and under monitors
- Good build quality and finish, using excellent materials, which creates a sense of pride of ownership
- Powerful sound for its size, offering ample audio presence and dynamic headroom
- Comprehensive control app that is stable, logical, and offers extensive functionality, including room calibration
- Coaxial design of the satellite speakers aims to improve stereo focus and time alignment
Product Considerations
- Sound can be bottom-heavy or 'wonky' with an overemphasis on bass that dominates the overall sonic signature
- Treble can be sharp, edgy, or unruly, especially at higher volumes
- The included remote control is more stylish than ergonomic and can be unresponsive, requiring re-pairing
- Lacks an HDMI input, which limits connectivity options, especially for TV use
- Fixed wiring of the satellite speakers can be inconvenient if shorter cables are needed
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The KEF LS50 offers better-balanced sound and superior sound quality overall
- Genelec is more utilitarian in design
- The SVS Prime Wireless Pro and sub combo sounds better, but lacks the sex appeal
- The Devialet has more intense bass, but isn't as balanced or natural as The Pearl Keshi
Takeaway: The Cabasse Pearl Keshi offers audiophile sound in a stylish and compact package with innovative features. It could be a good fit if one wants a visually striking and complete audio system that can fit in a tight space.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Powerful and deep bass response for its size
- Clear and natural sound reproduction, with vocals being particularly noteworthy
- An 'all-in-two' system, the RIALTO includes a streamer, DAC, pre-amp, and amp, making it easy to set up and use, especially with the Cabasse StreamCONTROL app
- Effective room correction helps to optimize the sound for the listening environment
- Elegant design and build quality
Product Considerations
- The lack of seamless gapless playback between digital tracks requires a workaround or use of an analog source
- The RIALTO has a laid-back treble response, which may not appeal to listeners who prefer a brighter sound
- Potential for technical hiccups exists, because of the amount of technology packed into the RIALTO
- Many features are controlled with the mobile app
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The RIALTO provides a more balanced—and much more natural—listening experience than the Devialet Phantom II 98 dB Stereo
Takeaway: The Cabasse RIALTO is a compact and elegant audio system that offers powerful sound and a range of integrated features, making it a great choice for music lovers who want an easy-to-use and high-performing system. The sound quality and room correction allow it to adapt well to different listening spaces, offering an immersive experience.
Video review
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- ATC designs and builds every drive unit in-house, including voice coils, crossovers, and active amplification, allowing for complete control over every loudspeaker design decision
- In the active version, a more clearly defined soundstage has clearer, more well-defined individual elements, where everything pops out more from the background
- The active version has more energy, drive, and a more vivid overall presentation, resulting in a more tactile, energetic, and higher resolution sound
- The SCM50's woofer has an enviable ability to resolve textures and timbral colors, capably rendering the skins of bass drums, the flutter of tom-toms, or the dark voicing of orchestral bass viols as bows are dragged across their strings
- The SCM50 has an almost eerie immediacy that seems to glean the intent of the musician before their bow touches the string or a note escapes their lips, making piano reproduction breathtaking
- Connectivity is limited to a single XLR input, which may require adapters for single-ended sources
Product Considerations
- The active version is heavier than the passive version
- The owner must manually turn each speaker on and off, as there is no trigger or auto startup circuit
- The active version may pose challenges for owners of subwoofers needing high-level wiring connections, although workarounds exist
- Careful attention must be paid to positioning a pair of SCM50s, as the full-bandwidth—ported design means that placing them too close to a boundary wall will result in bass bloom
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- SCM50 wins hands down over PureAudioProject Duet 15s for resolution, clarity, and dynamic shading
- The active version excels over the passive in solidity of soundstage, neutrality, and ultimate detail retrieval
Takeaway: The ATC SCM50 offers exceptional sound quality, whether in its active or passive configuration, thanks to ATC's engineering and in-house design. The ATC SCM50 is a choice that will bring musical joy for years to come.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Improved phase or timing enhances stereo imaging and creates a clearer overall picture
- The active version removes a 'filter' between the listener and the original source, making music more intense, energetic—and vivid—resulting in higher resolution audio
- Vocals are presented bigger, taller, grander in scale, with more detail and insight—most impressively—how natural they sound
- Dynamics and micro-detail are impressive, expressed in ambient noises, breaths of singers—and fingernails of guitarists
- ATC monitors are designed to provide the best from both areas: detailed and accurate with limited dynamic range, and professional monitors with great dynamic range and fidelity
Product Considerations
- ATC speakers like to be played loudly, like the original event, and live music isn't created at volume levels for going to sleep; if you like to be lulled by your audio system, look elsewhere
- The speakers get quite a bit heavier with the amplifier packs in them
- You have to manually turn each speaker on and off, as there is no trigger system designed into them
- System organisation and cabling has to be considered because it might be quite different to how you have things wired now in a passive system, and this could mean extra cost on top
- If you don't have an amplifier to connect your high level wiring to, you would need to either use a preamplifier with an output you can use, or maybe use a splitter on the balanced cable
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs ATC SCM50 PSL (Passive): The active SCM50 ASL is more vivid overall, while the passive is more 'cuddly'
- Vs ATC SCM20: The 50s are more like the same person—only bigger
Takeaway: The SCM50 ASL offers a technically better and more vivid listening experience due to its active design, bringing listeners closer to the original sound. If one wants a speaker for serious listening and appreciate high-resolution audio, this could be a great choice.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Houses everything needed to play digital music
- Equipped with DSP and room correction for a seamless room-filling fit
- Reproduces music with superb control and an expansive sound image
- Offers finely textured and richly saturated sound
Product Considerations
- Speakers that don't look like every other speaker can be polarizing
Takeaway: The Pearl Pelegrina is a wireless active loudspeaker that houses everything needed to play digital music, offering a seamless room-filling fit with superb control and finely textured sound. It could be worth buying for those seeking an all-in-one speaker solution with a unique design.
Video review
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