Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Speakers by Adi

These are one of the speakers I was impressed with in store auditioning, so brought it home of 3 day home auditioning. Listened this system B&K, proceed integrated amp, VTL integrated amp.

These speaker's midrange presentation is something special, rich and lucious. Frank Sinatra's voice was something to listen to from these speakers. Highs are sweet and pleasent. They sound big for their size. Soundstage is deep and wide. Presentation is a little forward and airy. Images along the speaker plane do not seem to focus well, but images deep inside the soundstage do not have the same problem. Have tried several placements. Base has good punch and fun to listen to at the expense of accuracy. Had a feeling of congestion/compression and boxy sound on certain passages. Could not nail it down completely.

I almost bought these speakers, until I spoke to Sumiko, the US distributors to confirm a sales pitch. Sumiko admited speaker's tweeters are wired in inverse phase to the woofer. The explanation I was given was to make them sound big. They complained Stereophile measured the speakers too close, but did not give any details. Few days later and spoke to another Sumiko representative who responded to my post in AA. This person told me the reason of inverse phase wiring is to bring them sonic back into phase after the crossover, and crossover point is beyond the range of vocals at 4kHz.

Recently, I got hold of Stereophile magazine. JA's measured 83dB sensitivity and 18dB dip at the crossover point of 2.8kHz measure at 50". Sumiko instructs it dealers to tilt the speakers as far as back as possible. According to JA, this is the only way to get reasonable mid-treble balance.

After reading the Stereophile, I am glad to have delayed the purchase. Makes to question intentions of Sumiko for all the misinformation they gave me.

Anyone looking for musical speakers and not worried about audiophile jargon, would be satisfied by Mozarts.

Ordered for Silverline Audio Sonatinas.

Adi

REVIEW: Vienna Acoustics Mozart Speakers Review by Adi at Audio Asylum