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Avantgarde Duo(!) and Solo(?)

Posted by C Colby (A) on December 3, 2002 at 17:52:02

Last weekend I auditioned a pair of Avantgarde Duos at Music Lovers Audio in Berkeley. It was a singular experience -- as if there was that Duo audition in one hand and all the other auditions I've ever done in the other.

However, both price and size are showstoppers. I'm now wondering if that experience is achievable from any less expensive and/or smaller speaker. In particular, has anyone heard the new Avantgarde Solo? If so, how does it compare with the Uno/Duo/Trio?

A little about me. I'm a fair-weather audiophile, dropping out of the culture between purchases, and usually purchasing only when necessary. In this case, the need stems from redecorating a new house.

I'm typically pretty bad at picking up and describing sonic details when comparing systems, but in this case it was impossible not to be hit over the head with them (ouch). Here are a few things I heard when comparing the Duos to the Revel Studio Gems ($8K) and to a much less expensive ($2K) Revel model:

(1) The piano disc on the Avantgarde didn't sound like a piano played through a stereo system. It sounded far *far* more open, detailed, dynamic, and involving. When I went to the Gems, I heard the old familiar "piano through a stereo" sound. I kept turning the volume up, but it just got louder and more annoying. At all volumes, it sounded very muffled next to the Duos.

(2) I had the foresight to bring an adequately engineered mono opera recording from the early 1950s. I've listened to this recording countless times, but when I put it on the Avantgardes I suddenly became aware that I was listening to an adequately engineered mono opera recording from the early 1950s. This is a great thing! When I went to the Gems, it was like someone was trying to pull the wool over my eyes (and ears). After hearing it for real through the Duos, I may never be able to enjoy that recording in quite the same way again. And now I'm wondering what my hundreds of other mono discs *really* sound like.

(3) The lesser Revels weren't as good as the Gems, but their shortcomings when compared with the Duos were the same.

(4) I've heard people complain that horns "shout" and are badly colored. So when I was listening to the Duos, I tried to convince myself psychologically that the speakers were shouting at me and were coloring the sound. I think I could hear what people are talking about, but I just couldn't have cared less, and somehow I know I'd still feel that way after hundreds of hours. Oh, and the Duos were very colored -- a nice shade of red. :-)

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Kimber Kable

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