| Model: | Gibbon Super Nine | | Category: | Speakers | | Suggested Retail Price: | $9,900 | | Description: | Floor Standing Tower Speaker | | Manufacturer URL: | DeVore Fidelity |
This is a review of the Devore Fidelity Gibbon Super Nines, which are two-and-a-half way floor standing tower speakers with .75 inch tweeters and dual seven inch woofers. They are ported in the back, have a single pair of binding posts and are constructed of solid bamboo, with the front and back panels made of MDF. Their claimed specifications on the Devore Fidelity website are as follows:
Frequency Response: 28Hz-30kHz
Sensitivity: 91dB/W/M
Impedance: 8 Ohms, 6 Ohms minimum
Dimensions: 37"H x 8.5"W x 13.75"D (not including feet)
Finish Options: Cherry Bamboo, Mahogany Bamboo, Mink Bamboo
I bought a pair in the Mahogany finish this past September, and have been enjoying them immensely ever since. At this point they are fully broken in, though I will admit to being wowed by them right out of the box. I would say the improvements during break in have been modest, mostly resulting in a bigger soundstage and more precise imaging.
I'll start with the required audiophile categories, which will include some listening impressions, and then I'll close with some descriptions of how they are to live with.
Please check my profile for the rest of my system.
Dynamics. The dynamics are excellent. As an imperfect illustration, they combine the macro dynamics of my older Klipsch KLF20 speakers with the finesse and micro dynamics of my recently replaced Dynaudio Focus 160 speakers. But really, aside from the sheer sound pressure award going to the Klipsch, the Super Nines do better than either.
Treble and Midrange. The Super Nines have more energy in the midrange and treble regions than the Dynaudios, which were dark by comparison, especially at lower volume levels. The result is a clear improvement: They're more fun, without adding any harshness, hardness, graininess, or other bad "nesses."
Bass Quality and Extension. Both the Klipsch and the Dynaudios lacked the bass extension for music to really open up in my system and room. As large as the KLF20s are, they don't go deep. In fact, the little Focus 160s were in some respects more convincing in the bass. The Super Nines sound bigger and fuller than both, and have terrific base extension and control. I could omit subwoofers (other than for home theater use) without missing much, but I have two REL T7 subs.
Subwoofer Integration. A subcategory of bass, but worthy of its own mention: The Super Nines integrate with subwoofers effortlessly. Truly. Whereas the Dynaudios required careful tweaking of the output and roll-off levels to sound fully integrated with the subs (and even then not consistently on every recording), the Super Nines automatically blend with the subs as though a single source of sound. You find yourself simply adjusting the settings to a preferred sound profile.
Integration of Drivers. There is no sense that these speakers have separate drivers or a crossover network. They present music naturally without any distractions. So, I don't find myself even thinking about how great the drivers are, though I guess they must be.
Soundstage. The depth, width and height of the sound stage are quite large and open. Not universally huge, but recording-specific. Music and vocals can certainly extend beyond the plains of the speakers, and startle you with sounds that appear next to you, behind you, or quite distant, but only if the recording calls for it.
Imaging. The imaging is precise and holographic. As an example, I had forgotten to turn on the amplifier that powers the center and rear channels while watching a stereo TV broadcast and assumed it was in 5.1 because the center image was entirely convincing (as noted in my profile, these are in a dual function system). This misconception continued as I changed channels until I hit a very center-channel oriented 5.1 broadcast, at which point I thought the center speaker must have come unplugged. It took me awhile to realize that the amp was off the whole time. With music, you do need to sit in a relatively narrow sweet spot to get a sense of exact placement of the musicians, but boy does that trick work when it's in the mix. And even off axis, the sound never seems to come from the speakers themselves; rather, you just lose some of the precise placement.
So that's the nuts and bolts of my listening experience with these lovely "apes" (because Gibbons). Now some more stuff about luscious, lovely life with them.
You needn't get a monster amplifier for these, but you'll want one that sounds really good! My Conrad Johnson solid state amplifier, with 120 watts per channel, can drive them as loud as I can take and with excellent control. Also, if you're electronics have outpaced your speakers historically, the Super Nines will let you know just how good they are for the first time. I'm really impressed with my historical choices! Nice job, self!
The music can leap out at you, but always with a sense of trueness to the recording itself. A performance that exemplifies these strengths is Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances conducted by Eiji Oue with the Minnesota Orchestra. Mostly soft and sweet, it has explosive passages that catch you by surprise, and the Super Nines are delightful in how clearly and cleaning they present the entire performance. Any orchestral music will be well served!
They have great drive and rhythm on anything rock or pop oriented. The band Morphine sounds deep and full, as always, but cleaner and more detailed as well. Cowboy Junkies is all subtle, specious and hi-fi-ish, but also liquid, lush and musical. Jonny Cash's voice on mono recordings floats in the middle of the room right out of reach. Beck's better recordings are sublime, and his low fi stuff is low fi but extra fun. I'm now on a Hope Sandoval kick, including her solo stuff and her work with Mazzy Star, Massive Attack and Warm Inventions. Her voice on Fade Into Me will wrap around you and hug you and make you feel all squishy and protected and safe. Her voice on Paradise Circus will make you think dirty thoughts, put a blanket on your lap if friends are over, and go to confession the next day (sorry not sorry). All rock and pop subgenres are fun to listen to. For real.
They make small group Jazz infectious. You can see and touch the instruments! Drumheads are almost palpable! You can taste the resin on them, and feel the drumstick hitting you in the eye, and literally see the glistening, shimmering, undulating umm . . . the . . . umm . . . the . . . Where was I? My point is they bring music with fine detail to life I've been enjoying exploring new jazz on Roon Tidal, including some amazing Fela Kuti stuff. I am probably most impressed by piano, guitar and drums, but horns are great too.
If I have any quibble with the sound, I would say that, perhaps, on some recordings, I feel that there might be a slight dip in the upper bass region. Maybe less punch to the chest at times? But then I don't notice that on other recordings, so it might be in contrast to my old Dynaudio Focus 160s, which reportedly had a bit of an upper bass bump.
They are also quite beautiful in my opinion. The Mahogany colored stain on the bamboo is at once both very convincing and yet clearly something other than wood. The front panels are beautifully shiny and fancy-pantsed in their piano black finish. And they are so much smaller than they sound, so are super easy to place and integrate into a normal room. Some might find their traditional rectangular box design a bit boring, though, and I will say that I'd prefer the screw heads surrounding the drivers to be painted to match the piano black panel. But overall I think their appearance is a strong positive.
Well, what else? Oh. They are expensive! At close to $10,000, they are very expensive, which is always going to call into question their value when compared to any number of amazing speakers at even less than half that price. But they are the best speaker I have ever heard and they make my system in my home sound better overall than any other system I've heard, including at dealers and friends' houses.
This system has now evolved over 21 years. I owned my Klipsch KLF20s for about 14 years and my Dynaudio Focus 160s for about 7 years, so I'm not a flipper. The Devore Super Nines make me listen to music and smile, and I'm expecting they will be my forever speakers for this system. Of course I'm getting old, so I'm not sure if that's such a bold statement.
| Product Weakness: | They are expensive and so they face a lot of really great competition. Physically, they are traditional boxes, which might not visually impress some people. | | Product Strengths: | Very musical and fun. They sound big, dynamic, clear, lively and liquid. And with all that, they sound true. They clearly distinguish the quality of the recording without listener fatigue. They are surprising small, and they are easy to place in a room. Made in Brooklyn, USA. |
Associated Equipment for this Review:| Amplifier: | Conrad Johnson MF2259 | | Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Rogue Audio RP-5 | | Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Roon Nucleus to Simaudio Moon 280D networked DAC. VPI Scout. | | Speakers: | As Reviewed | | Cables/Interconnects: | Various | | Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Rock, Jazz, Pop, Classical | | Room Size (LxWxH): | 20 x 18 x | | Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | None | | Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
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"If you are the owner of a new stereophonic system, this record will play with even more brilliant true-to-life fidelity. In short, you can purchase this record with no fear of its becoming obsolete in the future."
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