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
- Hand-applied lacquer finish seals the cabinet and lowers its resonance frequency
- Offers the 'Aerotune System' that tailors their frequency response
- Unerring textural connectedness and an innate sense of momentum and flow
- Obvious, even copious bloom throughout the midrange and into the upper bass
Product Considerations
- Setting up Contriva speakers requires experimentation due to their sensitivity to placement, especially toe-in and distance from the listening seat
- Bass is a touch lean in its middle region, somewhere around 200Hz
- Large-scale dynamic prowess depends on the amplifier used
Takeaway: The Contriva is a speaker for true connoisseurs, providing a standard of beauty and urging listeners to lose themselves in music. The Contriva will provide experienced listeners tonal and harmonic rightness along with high-frequency sophistication.
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Manufacturer details
- Cabinet Material: TIRALIT™ and TIRADUR
- Tweeter: 30mm Gen3 diamond tweeter with neodymium under-hang motor
- Midrange: 173mm Gen4 black ceramic with neodymium under-hang motor
- Woofers: 2 x 220mm carbon-fiber aluminum with neodymium long excursion under-hang motor
- Nominal Power Handling: 150 / 300 VA
- Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohm
- Recommended Amplifier Power: > 30 watt
- Weight: 114 Kg (251.3 lbs) per speaker without packaging
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 130 cm x 27.5 cm x 48 cm (51.2" x 10.8" x 18.9")
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:
- TIDAL combines luxurious aesthetics, often featuring high-gloss piano lacquer finishes and stainless steel accents, with advanced acoustic engineering.
- They uniquely integrate their phono stages as an integral part of their preamplifiers, rather than an add-on.
- Tidal meticulously selects high-quality components for their crossovers, such as Dueland silver-foil capacitors and Mundorf parts, regardless of cost.
- TIDAL loudspeakers often employ Accuton ceramic and diamond drivers custom-made to their specifications.
Select products
TIDAL Piano
- Positioning: The entry-level masterpiece in TIDAL's lineup.
- Description: Features sophisticated simplicity and high build quality, with proprietary TIRADUR cabinet material for reduced vibrations.
TIDAL Contriva
- Positioning: A mid-range model in TIDAL's lineup, offering a balance of performance and luxury.
- Description: Known for its elegant design and deep bass, uses TIRALIT cabinet material and carbon-fiber aluminum woofers for enhanced sound clarity. It stands out from the Piano with its more advanced driver technology.
TIDAL Akira
- Positioning: A high-end model, positioned just below the flagship La Assoluta.
- Description: Features a 1 carat pure diamond tweeter and TIRALIT Ultra cabinet for superior resonance control. It offers a more refined sound than the Contriva.
TIDAL Sunray
- Positioning: Positioned between the Akira and La Assoluta, offering a unique blend of both.
- Description: Distinguished by its use of diamond and ceramic driver technology, providing an exceptionally fast and deep bass. It offers a more powerful sound than the Akira.
TIDAL La Assoluta
- Positioning: The flagship model, representing the pinnacle of TIDAL's offerings.
- Description: Renowned for its groundbreaking sound quality and luxurious craftsmanship, featuring custom components and a massive build. It surpasses all other models in terms of performance.
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Used
TIDAL
What if you spend more?
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The all-new TIDAL Sunray (G3). For more than two decades, the Sunray has been renowned as the world's first reference speaker equipped with diamond and ceramic driver technology. Tall, elegant, and powerful, it remains a bold and unique statement, both then and now.
Positioned perfectly between the TIDAL Akira and TIDAL La Assoluta, the Sunray captures the essence of both and does become something extra ordinary. The new Sunray features completely new proprietary speaker drivers with, incorporating directly coupled passive radiators tuned in cascaded frequencies to deliver an extremely fast and deep bass.
Frequencies above 300 Hz are reproduced using pure diamond diaphragms, while those below 300 Hz are reproduced by our signature black ceramic technology and aluminum-hexacone diaphragms. As with every TIDAL masterpiece, the exceptional quality stems not just from advanced technology and premium components, but from meticulous construction, profound expertise, and a passion for detail that sets TIDAL apart from anything else on the market.
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Product Strengths
- Natural suppleness balanced with quickness gives transients a purity and completeness suitable for all kinds of music
- The diamond tweeter blends the characteristics of different tweeter types, reporting treble accurately without editorializing
- These are uniquely revealing and musical speakers whose spatial characteristics and tonal sophistication befit their stature and unusual design
- The midrange has physicality and roundness to singers, sounding light and sprightly, while balancing presence and transient agility
- The Sunrays disappear into the soundscape they create and conjure powerfully real images in the listening room
Product Considerations
- The Sunrays don't possess the ultimate in bass weight, power, and bloom
- The sensitivity of the Sunrays may be too modest for some single-ended triode (SET) amplifiers
- The cabinet is made of HP-MDF, which some may perceive as less refined compared to other high-end speaker cabinets made of composites or aluminum
- Initial setup may prove unsatisfying and requires some fine tuning for optimal soundstage
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Tidal Contriva Diacera SEs: The Sunrays are significantly better, sounding bigger, more transparent—especially in the midrange—and wider in bandwidth
- Vs Wilson Audio MAXX 3s: The MAXX 3s have more bass weight, power, and bloom, and are more coherent across their range
- Vs Wilson Audio MAXX 3s: The Sunrays walk a fine line between in-room and within-the-recording energy, with more variegated high frequencies than the MAXX 3s
Takeaway: The Sunray speakers are uniquely revealing and musical, offering a natural and detailed sound that brings recordings to life. They are an alternative to other big and expensive speakers and could be valued because of their spatial characteristics and tonal sophistication.
Video review
Our take on the brand
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
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.
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
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.
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
What competes at this price?
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
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
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
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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
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Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Superb resolution, incredible mid/low synchronicity, and uncanny bass extension
- Phenomenal, tight, and fast bass, playing below 15Hz
- Great balance, detail, and articulation at every volume level
- Amazing imaging and natural space in the soundstage
- DSP9 is easy to install and place in a room, due to the DSP controls available
Product Considerations
- At £60,000 per pair, the DSP9 is still expensive
- Fairly generous footprint
- Finishes other than piano gloss black are available at a premium depending on cost and complexity
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Meridian DSP8000 XE: DSP9 is smaller, lighter and more svelte, but aims to offer equally top-line performance
Takeaway: The Meridian Audio DSP9 is a sensational loudspeaker with amazing imaging, natural space, and incredibly tight bass, suitable for various music genres and volume levels. The active configuration, design, and range of finishes make it a strong proposition for premium installations.
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