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High Efficiency Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Bastani Prometheus Speakers by mrfixit

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REVIEW: Bastani Prometheus Speakers

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Model: Prometheus
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $1575
Description: D.I.Y. Open baffle with active subs
Manufacturer URL: Bastani
Model Picture: View

Review by mrfixit ( A ) on August 25, 2004 at 08:33:33
IP Address: 68.85.186.162
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After many delays, our rough construction of the Bastani Prometheus speakers are completed. These were purchased in combination with a Joplin amplifier kit from DIY HiFi Supply’s Brian Cherry, and I believe at the time, one of the first sets shipped to the U.S. The Joplin has been configured via the flip of a switch, to use either 2A3’s or 45’s; we are running TJ 45’s at the moment.

We chose to go with ¾” Birch plywood and built the sub woofer boxes separately from the open baffle “mains”. The initial construction used screws to assemble the cut wood and in the case of the sub boxes, “T” style cross braces were installed attached to the four side walls and to each other. All subwoofer joints were sealed with silicone internally. Close attention was paid to the 45 degree chamfer for the mains woofer as directed, and all parts wiring etc. is currently “stock” as shipped. We have not yet gone over any finishing techniques (puttying over the screw holes, sanding, stain/lacquer, routing edges etc) since my client wanted to give a full evaluation of this speaker before this additional work is applied.

After assembly, I ran four tracks from the Stereophile test CD – pink noise and three sets of warble tone sweeps in an A-B repeat mode with the speakers out-of-phase, butted up against each other and covered in many layers of blankets, pillows and the like for approximately 250 hours (much to the dismay of my family). I did in fact give them a brief listen right after assembly, and as expected they were thin and lifeless (but still imaged like bandits!).

After the substantial break-in, they were set up in my main listening area driven by my D.I.Y. S.E. 211 amplifier. The listening space is a -bit- limited for a speaker of this type (the room is 16’ x 16’ with an 8’ ceiling) and the speaker-to-seat “triangle” is about 9’ apart and 9’ to the listening position with the mirrored tweeters on the –outside- edges of the baffles. I used a mono signal to tweak toe-in (they recommend that you start with the speaker parallel/straight) and I found that all of a ½” of toe-in “locked” everything in at center. The subs were within 6” of the mains, but set back approximately 12” due to space constraints. Sub levels were set at 80Hz. For whatever reason (I suspect due to my S.E. amp inverting), maximum bass was achieved by setting the crossover at 180 degrees.

My system (viewable on the Audio Asylum Inmates page - mrfixit) allowed us to listen with vinyl, CD and SACD; a D.I.Y. tubed phono and line stage, Thorens 126 Mk. II with an Infinity Graphite Black Widow and a Denon 207 Boron MC cart, massively modded Toshiba 3950 for Redbook and a Sony SCD-CE775 for SACD, feeding my S.E. 211 amp.

My first impression was as much a matter of getting used to the significant difference in presentation; I’ve lived with Celestion SL-600 for almost two decades in a nearfield configuration. The best generic description is comparing a small intimate jazz club to a well presented theater venue; the Bastani’s “fill the room” in a very different way than what I’m used to, but in a GOOD way.

Soundstage is wider and “taller” than my other setup, image is excellent, PRAT up the wazoo! Very good low level detail, very dynamic, and the subs are FAST; no tubby/sluggish bass here (at almost 2/3rds smaller than my subs, I was impressed). I also got to really “hear” my amp and head-end electronics in part due to the massively better sensitivity (~100db 1W/1M vs. 82db). My client stated “it was the best he has heard my system yet”.

I’ll have these for another week or so, I’ll try them with the Joplin and report back with more info, but I can without hesitation claim that these are a great speaker and worth every dollar, comparing to commercial products many times their price.

Recommended!


Product Weakness: It is a D.I.Y. project - some won't do that. Not widely available for audition and speakers are a "personal preference".
Product Strengths: Bang for the buck! Sensitive enough for lower power SET's, fast and deep bass.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: D.I.Y. 211 SET <18 watts
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): D.I.Y. Jadis JP-200 clone /VTL Ultimate clone
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Thorens 126 MK II /Modded Toshiba 3950/Sony SCD-CE775
Speakers: Reviewed
Cables/Interconnects: Mix of Teflon silver/copper, Monster Reference A, Musitex etc.
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Wide - vocals, 80's club mixes, Steely Dan, Wilco, etc.
Room Size (LxWxH): 16' x 16' x 8.5'
Room Comments/Treatments: Minimal treatments - reasonable sound
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 week so far (after extensive break-in)
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): D.I.Y. Risch power conditioner
Type of Audition/Review: Home Audition




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Topic - REVIEW: Bastani Prometheus Speakers - mrfixit 08:33:33 08/25/04 ( 7)