Those baffles look remarkably similar to the Troels Gravesen designed diy 'ellam' baffles. 'Other designs include multi box 'wilsonesque', a TQWT, vintage style large boxes, OB etc.
Good job Tarun and thank you for reviewing obscure companies that don’t get the exposure the large manufacturers take for granted. Surprised that more manufacturers haven’t caught on to the time alignment of drivers. The earlier flagship KEF loudspeakers, the 105 series, had this feature and I happen to like and agree with this design philosophy. When you eliminate the timing issue, it allows you to hear into the recordings with great ease. The KEF 105s were the first to offer this design. It was the only three way before their 104 series that I would ever own. You already know I am partial to two way monitors with subs as my go to, so this is a statement. When the original KEF owner sold out, there went their quality and position in high end. A sad day indeed. On the Ayals, the composite would be superior to the Baltic birch version, but I could make the Baltic birch version sing by doing a few things to it. There is usually a way if you are willing and able. This is a product that will cause a partnering dilemma. Without the best performers, these speakers won’t convey their true capabilities. These deserve it. I would like to see a dual woofer version with the same design philosophy just with two woofers to see if the bass output could be drawn up a notch. A small change in the tweeter section of the crossover would yield that extra dB you are looking for. Easy changes to an already great design. Shame they have no US distributor. Love to hear a small monitor with fabulous sound quality. Always willing to give my upgrades to make this a giant killer of a mini monitor. I’ll be watching for more from this manufacturer. Their philosophy fits my goals very well by your review. Your viewership is growing Tarun. Been noticing?
@@abritishaudiophile7314, these are just the sort of manufacturers which push the rest of the industry in the correct direction. We need more of this sort in this world of mediocrity and settling for just ok or the status quo. High end or don’t bother is still the way to go!
Once again bringing us incredible audio components I have never heard of. Thanks for broadening my knowledge! I think they look really cool and would fit in on the bridge of the Enterprise.
Hey Tarun. Interesting speakers. I just picked up a pair of Lii Song Emmo F-6 speakers in white...Still running them in. They have a strange church altar vibe thing happening. I love it though! All in the eye of the beholder! Cheers.
Thanks for another great review for a relatively unknown British product. After years of hearing about ProAc and Exposure I purchased a pair of D20R speakers and a 2010 amp (which might be replaced by an NVA integrated), both second hand. The amp has yet to arrive but so far I'm finding the speakers to lack mid bass warmth. Would love to see a review on Harbeth and Spendor speakers, which might be more my taste. Also another small UK amp company- Zinamp. Cheers Tarun.👍🏻
@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the reply. I think you're right. The ProAcs expose any weakness in the chain. I'm finally joining your patreon page as I need advice
I love the look of my JBL 530s and they have a Darth Vader vibe to them. My wife not so much. Seas makes some great drivers. I have a pair of dipole DIY Seas subwoofers that can keep up with my Magnepan LRSs. Thinking about building a Seas two way bookshelf with a first order crossover for a fun project. Thanks Tarun!
Ah the first order crossover brings me back to the 60`s and 70`s when so many speakers like the AR6 and others made me listen to the music first .Regarding your tweeter comments this could be due to the resistor value being just a tad too high , for example it is easy to tell the difference between say a 3.3 ohm resistor and a 3.4 one. Some may scoff at this but I assure you as one with much experience in DIY speakers it is the truth.
I love how these speakers look and an “Outstanding” from you makes them all the more intriguing. As for interesting products I’ve heard, I’m old school and only listen to my Linn, Quad, KEF-REL set up so I can’t comment on modern products. I get my new HiFi fix through your channel and Pearl Acoustics, so please keep the excellent content flowing Tarun 😎
They remind me of the old leak 30 series linear phase speakers from the 1970's. I had the 3030's , fabulous punch and sound stage but overall needed a sub woofer because they were a sealed cabinet . They would not have partnered well without an amp supporting tone controls, and I suspect the apparent treble deficit from these Ayals would equally have been mitigated by an amp with tone controls. For me tone controls are essential for poor room acoustics and I learnt that from the Leaks,
Thank you very much, sir. These are very interesting speakers, form follows function. I like the look and the philosophy of these speakers. Really appreciate it.
Hello Tarun, I like vintage gear...that's all I have. I'm finally considering some new speakers, something off your favorite list. Your review just put them on my short-list. Great review, as usual.
I currently run an Nva P50SA and S150 /S80 bi amped to Visaton VIB AL170 I buillt from plans, I've (well the wife) has decided that book shelf speakers are the way to go and while I wait delivery of my M600 mono's ( following your review ) I have been looking at suitable Speakers, at first I thought I had narrowed it down to Proac DB1 but now maybe the Ayals may fit the bill, I need to auition both to be sure, but the ascetics of the Ayals may be a sticking point for domestic harmony :D
You released this review right when Sonus Faber releases their gorgeous Duetto powered speakers. I guess someone had to keep balance in the Force 😅😅Jokes aside, great review, as always, Tarun! I’m curious of your thoughts about the Choco Sound Emei. Will you be reviwing other Kinki Studio products in the future?
I actually really appreciate and like the look of this speaker and based on your well balanced review and with you on the upgrade model to this. I would have preferred a slightly larger mid woofer as it has a lot to do and maybe they can revise the tuning of the tweeter. Thanks Tarun 👍😎
🤗 I HAVE TO AGREE 💯 % ABOUT THE LOOKS FOR THE SAME REASONS, AND YOUR GIVING THE “small guy an opportunity “👍…I PERSONALLY PREFER QUALITY FIRST AND…IMHHO ,THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO BE AN AUDIOPHILE (BEARS REPEATING)😬💚💚💚
I find myself curious about the bigger Translator modell.. reminds me of my allmost 25year old Proac respons 2.5 clones that will allways stay with me as a "reference". As for strange speakers.. my main setup today is the Egglestonworks Nico Evo(all Egglestonworks speakers look special..). They replaced my Proac DB1's. Night and day in sound.. But it is easy to hear that the Eggleston is a much more "high end" speaker. And i do understand why many have Eggleston in studios and so on. :)
I'm building a pair of DIY linesource planars in Valchromat. It's a great material, that's actually cheaper to use then mdf, because you dont have to paint them.
Can we take it by the featuring of this speaker on your end of year awards in the £1000-£3000 category that you prefer this to the Neat Petite Classic which you also reviewed in 2023?
I'd like to hear those some day. Perhaps they will offer a larger model that can get a tad deeper in the HZ and higher in the DB's. Regardless, a sub will be required for full range sound no doubt. I like their industrial clean look too.
I was hoping one day you would get your hands on a pair of Closer Acoustics OGY speakers. They are a single driver speaker in a transmission line design. To me it looks like they have put an old transistor radio speaker in a fancy box. Im undecided wether they are a legitimately good speaker or a snake oil product. I have a pair, oops. Im a bit weary about spending money on partnering equipment (sub etc) until a reviewer such as yourself especially could cast you ears on them.
Nice review -- thanks! As to component design aesthetics, I'm not really bothered much. Stuff has to have some size, shape and finish I suppose. Ideally, it'd be unobtrusive to the point of invisibility. As it is, my stuff is governed mostly by the sound I'm after, plus to some extent by ergonomics. It's pure luck that my huge speaker baffles, which I'm very fond of (but some think look like a pair of giant toilet seats), dominate my listening area, and are made of attractive danish-oiled solid oak. But frankly, it wouldn't matter -- so long as they sounded as good -- if they were made out of Lego blocks.
One of your best reviews Tarun. Interesting and with good technical insight into what helps make a great sounding speaker. And of course giving exposure to an unknown/new brand.
In terms of aesthetics, I am a sucker for eighties gear with multicoloured vacuum-fluorescent displays. They scream "quality audio" and "good design". I don't think many audio enthusiasts find them attractive beyond the nostalgia factor... Otherwise, another very satisfying review of a brand I've never heard of. Thanks, Tarun, keep them coming!
"And that takes a lot with this head." Ha! I feel you there, brother. Funny, as you're describing these speakers I'm shouting at my computer "drive them with the Hegels!" And you did.
I heard the Ayal speakers at the NWAS it was for me the most impressive room…for reference my speakers are “the loudspeaker 3” designed by Troels Gravesen. £2000 seems a lot but in reality is a good deal given the performance
Great review Tarun, I simply cant believe the woofer and tweeter arrangement provding such great sound , do they have any measurements ? that bump where the woofer is hosted is messing with the tweeter signal, so I am very skeptical of the performance! to both on-axis and off-axis sound will be muddled, tweeter seems to be flush mounted not sure if the woofer is surface mounted
My first proper hi-fi speakers were B&W DM6 (bought in 1975). Known as "pregnant penguins", they were a 3-way design in which all the drivers were stepped to time-align their acoustic centres. They were rebuilt a couple of years ago and are still performing well in my son's house.
Great review again. Got a pair of these recently, and they are indeed superb for an average-sized UK domestic room. A very balanced, cohesive, detailed and stable sound. Personally I find the treble well balanced (bright recordings still sound bright), but I agree they aren't open and airy in the upper midrange like say modern Kef speakers are. But all the more natural sounding for it! Driven by an Arcam SA30, which does a good job, but would love to hear them on the end of a Hegel H190 (or H390!). Did you find adding a sub/s improved the impression of dynamics too, rather than just bass extension?
Great review! I recently got to hear Harbeth speakers for the first time and was impressed with the natural and true to life tone. Do these have that same quality? Are there any areas they keep up with your more expensive and also UK made Castle speakers?
Correct me if iam wrong. The midwoofer ca18rly seems to be a 6.5inch. The specified 4.7 inch is ?ca12rcy ie 120mm. The official site link also corresponds to a 6.5 inch woofer.Excellent review as usual.
Thank you for giving exposure to small manufacturers mare somewhere else than China. Is that a Kinki Choco amp on your shelf? I've witnessed two rave reviews on that amp.
I bought the Kinki Monoblocs, but took a financial bath quickly unloading them. 😣😖😫Too thin for this guy. I hear that the Choco solves what was lacking in the Monoblocs.!👍🏼 I went all in on a McIntosh MC152….been smiling ever since. 😊
Great review, Tarun. As far as design classics go, I think B&W must be in for an award for their Nautilus. However, with their multi-box and tack on tweeter designs, they often take the road less travelled with their mid and high end ranges. Shame I haven’t heard a pair I like yet.😮
Thanks Mark. I agree, not normally my sound but can sound great if you get the partnering equipment right. Just don’t put Naim amplification on the back of them 😉
Another great review! I think a product with deep british history, deserves a place in this channel.. Heed audio Obelisk with the external X2.. Hope :)
Hello Tarun. Great review as usual, I will try to listen to these speakers if I can. From what I see in this video I can guess what would be the next amplifier to be reviewed in your channel. Clue : Chocolate. 😊
Great review as always, these kind of remind me of the old klark acoustic jade 1 which employs the same stepped baffle arrangement and having heard a pair not that long ago can agree with your comments on the excellent time alignment properties that such arrangements have. I love the fact that you give the driver details, especially the manufacturer and the model number, it really is one of the little details I love about your reviews and being a bit of a DIY speaker enthusiast always gives me ideas of what drivers work well together. Regards
Tarun…Love your reviews! Also…I wish that there was a Northwest Audio Show here in The U.S. That show sounds great the way you described it in that vid. You mention it several times during this video…I just cannot get past the visual design of these speakers. I find it to be extremely "fugly" 🫨. You do sound quite thrilled about their sonic output, tho! 😀👍🏼
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I’ve just built Troels Gravesen Revelator-66 with a stepped baffle , cannot believe how much of a difference it makes , fabulous
I see that these were being demo'd at the UK Audio Show via NVA pre and monoblock power amps . . . Obviously the makers think they work well together. I'd like to hear them on the end of my NVA chain :)
I appreciate it's been a while since you had the speakers in for review, but do you recall any sense of boxy resonance or excessive bloom, for want of a better expression, in the midrange (mainly to female vocals, and falsetto male vocals)?
Stuart has shown dedication to 3 Square audio all my life, its so nice to see him get the recognition he deserves!! Love the depth and detail you go into as well
Great review. Function dictates form. Every pair of speakers I've built over the years has used a stepped or angled baffle to time-align the drivers and simplify the crossover. It is the more high-fidelity means of reproduction and that is the goal after all. PS. I'm curious to know if that tweeter is removable.
Hi Tarun, I totally agree with you that small companies that make (niche) audio, that can stand their own, deserve our support. Regarding the design what can I say? If Daleks where audiophiles, they would own black satin Ayal speakers. Personally I would prefer the birch wooden version, at least for the looks. Also, the looks of audio gear I conciser very important, comparable to the presentation of food in a fine dining restaurant. Possibly the best looking commercial speaker on the market today according to my taste is the Mission 770. The best looking turntable on the market right now according to my taste is the Thorens TD 124 DD. For modern electronics, Luxman looks great to me.
Absolutely love the look of these, they look like a very small version of some previous generations of Eggleston Works. Nothing like a articulate stand mount.
Love the channel Tarun and I know it has been mentioned ... however .... your listening room sounds like it has a lot of reverberation. Doesn't everything sound rather bright?
Thank you. When filming, I have to remove the furniture and sit in a spot where the room opens up to the kitchen. Not ideal for acoustics but looks better 😊
My Goldenear Aon 3s are odd looking ducks, Ive got mine mounted on a set of chunky stands & I think they loook great. Come to think of it, my Denon Heos Link HS2 streamer is a bit strange too! 🧐
Love the video and your reviews in general. They are so informative and translatable. One of the speakers I heard that could come to the mark of retiring the ProAcs is the Black Ocean Audio (BOA) LeChiffre or their new Nick Nack. Definately worth a listen. I have and order in for both. The LefChiffre with the Pale King bass cabinate for my living room and the Nick Nack for my audio and production and mixing studio.
Thanks for another great review and educating us on lesser heard of brands, specially the interesting ones. Any indication how these would compare to Sonus Faber Sonetto on the Hegel?
Thank you, Tarun for yet another interesting review. The small companies so often get overlooked. Been thinking about style a bit lately. Form should follow function, but given modern materials and manufacturing processes, it seems we needn't be restricted to box shapes anymore. Obviously, sound quality is the most important factor, but some style would be great. Wouldn't it be cool to have a CD transport or player that looks like the Kalista. Maybe my living room could look like the Jetsons!
Low feedback, high bias Class AB, bipolar on input, Mosfets on output…that’s how you get the good American amp sound. British amps can only be like 2 inches tall so there are some constraints there…funny you Brits don’t make fat amps with sharp fins
As others have said in the comments definitely a Darth Vader look going on there but the plywood version really stands out for me especially with the matching stands and rack. Somehow very pleasing overall and with a more modern industrial look that stands out from the crowd. They would match my maple Linn turntable nicely. I appreciate you and the manufacturers say that the black ones are sonically superior but in the real world you have to live with your hifi and how things look in your house is also an important consideration. It would be interesting to get a percentage of the sound difference to make the choice easier, if it’s only by a tiny fraction or a night and day differences. I do appreciate we spend fortunes on our hifi to get tiny improvements though.
Hi there. The Birch version is certainly very close in sound to the Valchromat. In listening tests the Valchromat gave a blackness to the soundstage, giving the impression that the Birch cabinet was adding to the output of the speaker. It's audible but subtle.
I tell you what I have been looking at and that is the Quested H108 Passive Monitors, take a look. I like the physical size at 404mm height and its an 8" driver. 90.5db sensitivity. And it come with a cover.
Listening to your description on these Ayal, I think you would be in heaven with my Fritz Carrera 7 BE Speakers. $2,500 now on special. SD Acoustics BE tweeter, Scanspeak 6.5" Revelator mid base. Series style crossover. These are Joseph Audio Pulsar Killers!! They will retire your Proacs. PM me for a set to review!
The SEAS drivers aren't pronounced "CS" like you're calling them. It's pronounced more like "C AZ". In addition 1st order crossovers SUCK as noted by Dannie Richie, who's designed more speakers and crossovers than this 3 Square outfit will ever design. Any half decent speaker designer can choose 2 off-the-shelf drivers from SEAS or Scan Speak, throw them into a box, add a 1st order crossover and bone folks out of $2.4k USD. NICE review, Tarun, but there are plenty of better speakers out there to blow this kind of money on.
I like the appearance of the speaker but the name plate on the front does the speaker no favours. Using that old British colloquialism, it looks naff. Also I have no need to be visually reminded of the brand or model of the consumer products which I purchase.
It's going to be hard to better the proacs for mid and high frequency performance, that tweeter, old as it is, is unbeatable, and those proacs are timeless👌👌👌
That's a nice speaker. I like the different approach to design. Question about your reference ProAc speakers. Have you done a recap of the crossovers due to their age? I have 4 sets of vintage speakers I'm going to replace the electrolytic caps.
Great review i like the fact you bring out videos of these small companies that i have never heard of . Currently searching for some new active speakers to pair with a Chord HugoTT2 dac , the usual ATC and PMC etc keep coming up however are you aware of any smaller companies making decent sounding active loudspeakers ? Thanks.
Thank you. You have named the two that I would shortlist. I have been encouraging Acoustic Energy to do some more active speakers. Their AE1 are unmatched at a lower price point 👍
I know the answer is obvious, but did you use the NVA's with the Amphions for this comparison? I ask because I get the distinct impression that the Amphions are happier with a more aggressive choice of electronics. I wrote that before the steup&partnering section, but the question that naturally arises from that part of the video is, how many of the amp choices were used for the speaker comparison? It would be the most reasonable thing in the world to say that one amp was used to conduct speaker comparisons, for time, sanity, *and* scientific control, but by the same token I'd be surprised if you thought the Ayals with the NVA electronics were still that much better than the Amphions with the Hegel, straight head-to-head. And if they are, that's got my undivided attention.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I knew it! (Hahahaha.) So the question becomes, for purposes of assessing how the Amphions did "against" these, which amplifier choices were serving each pair? So that if, for example, these sounded better than the Amphions even with the Hegel, now we've really got a stop-the-presses moment on our hands.
@@CinemaDemocraticaTarun said with the MF A1 it’s the best the Amphion 1 has ever sounded, at this price point (perhaps ever). I was previously considering something like the Exposure 3510 and the Petite Classics, but the A1 and Argon 1 combination is £1500 cheaper. When funds allow that will be my first demo. I need to get on Patreon to ask for some feedback.
Those baffles look remarkably similar to the Troels Gravesen designed diy 'ellam' baffles. 'Other designs include multi box 'wilsonesque', a TQWT, vintage style large boxes, OB etc.
It would be great to see a tapered quarter wave tube or transmission line bass loading with time aligned drivers like the Ayals 🙂
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Troels Gravesen TQWT is just that!
Do I spot a Choco Sound EMEI integrated on your rack? If so, looking forward to your thoughts on that one!
Review coming soon 😊
Looking forward for you to review it. )@@abritishaudiophile7314
Good job Tarun and thank you for reviewing obscure companies that don’t get the exposure the large manufacturers take for granted. Surprised that more manufacturers haven’t caught on to the time alignment of drivers. The earlier flagship KEF loudspeakers, the 105 series, had this feature and I happen to like and agree with this design philosophy. When you eliminate the timing issue, it allows you to hear into the recordings with great ease. The KEF 105s were the first to offer this design. It was the only three way before their 104 series that I would ever own. You already know I am partial to two way monitors with subs as my go to, so this is a statement. When the original KEF owner sold out, there went their quality and position in high end. A sad day indeed. On the Ayals, the composite would be superior to the Baltic birch version, but I could make the Baltic birch version sing by doing a few things to it. There is usually a way if you are willing and able. This is a product that will cause a partnering dilemma. Without the best performers, these speakers won’t convey their true capabilities. These deserve it. I would like to see a dual woofer version with the same design philosophy just with two woofers to see if the bass output could be drawn up a notch. A small change in the tweeter section of the crossover would yield that extra dB you are looking for. Easy changes to an already great design. Shame they have no US distributor. Love to hear a small monitor with fabulous sound quality. Always willing to give my upgrades to make this a giant killer of a mini monitor. I’ll be watching for more from this manufacturer. Their philosophy fits my goals very well by your review. Your viewership is growing Tarun. Been noticing?
Thank you Mark. Always great to have your perspective 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314, these are just the sort of manufacturers which push the rest of the industry in the correct direction. We need more of this sort in this world of mediocrity and settling for just ok or the status quo. High end or don’t bother is still the way to go!
Thank you Mark. Tarun has great ears and I bet you do too.
The stepped baffle cabinet reminds me of the Leak 3020s I had back in the 1970s.
Cool 😎
Once again bringing us incredible audio components I have never heard of. Thanks for broadening my knowledge! I think they look really cool and would fit in on the bridge of the Enterprise.
Thank you. I think Mr Spock would appreciate the design 😊👍
I love your reviews Sir
@@hwrk777 thank you kindly 😊👍
Hey Tarun. Interesting speakers. I just picked up a pair of Lii Song Emmo F-6 speakers in white...Still running them in. They have a strange church altar vibe thing happening. I love it though! All in the eye of the beholder! Cheers.
Sound like fun speakers 😊
Thanks for another great review for a relatively unknown British product. After years of hearing about ProAc and Exposure I purchased a pair of D20R speakers and a 2010 amp (which might be replaced by an NVA integrated), both second hand. The amp has yet to arrive but so far I'm finding the speakers to lack mid bass warmth. Would love to see a review on Harbeth and Spendor speakers, which might be more my taste. Also another small UK amp company- Zinamp. Cheers Tarun.👍🏻
I suspect the amp might be the culprit for the thin mids 😊
@abritishaudiophile7314 Thanks for the reply. I think you're right. The ProAcs expose any weakness in the chain. I'm finally joining your patreon page as I need advice
I love the look of my JBL 530s and they have a Darth Vader vibe to them. My wife not so much. Seas makes some great drivers. I have a pair of dipole DIY Seas subwoofers that can keep up with my Magnepan LRSs. Thinking about building a Seas two way bookshelf with a first order crossover for a fun project. Thanks Tarun!
I'm glad your wife doesn't give off the Darth Vader vibe ... 🙂
I am divorced..let the mancave era resurrect😂
Thank you. Viva La Vader 👍
Ah the first order crossover brings me back to the 60`s and 70`s when so many speakers like the AR6 and others made me listen to the music first .Regarding your tweeter comments this could be due to the resistor value being just a tad too high , for example it is easy to tell the difference between say a 3.3 ohm resistor and a 3.4 one. Some may scoff at this but I assure you as one with much experience in DIY speakers it is the truth.
Thank you. I would place a smaller resistor on the tweeter too 😊
I love how these speakers look and an “Outstanding” from you makes them all the more intriguing. As for interesting products I’ve heard, I’m old school and only listen to my Linn, Quad, KEF-REL set up so I can’t comment on modern products. I get my new HiFi fix through your channel and Pearl Acoustics, so please keep the excellent content flowing Tarun 😎
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
They remind me of the old leak 30 series linear phase speakers from the 1970's. I had the 3030's , fabulous punch and sound stage but overall needed a sub woofer because they were a sealed cabinet . They would not have partnered well without an amp supporting tone controls, and I suspect the apparent treble deficit from these Ayals would equally have been mitigated by an amp with tone controls. For me tone controls are essential for poor room acoustics and I learnt that from the Leaks,
Thank you very much, sir. These are very interesting speakers, form follows function. I like the look and the philosophy of these speakers. Really appreciate it.
Thank you 👍
Hello Tarun, I like vintage gear...that's all I have. I'm finally considering some new speakers, something off your favorite list. Your review just put them on my short-list. Great review, as usual.
Thank you. Much appreciated. These are worth checking out 😊👍
I currently run an Nva P50SA and S150 /S80 bi amped to Visaton VIB AL170 I buillt from plans, I've (well the wife) has decided that book shelf speakers are the way to go and while I wait delivery of my M600 mono's ( following your review ) I have been looking at suitable Speakers, at first I thought I had narrowed it down to Proac DB1 but now maybe the Ayals may fit the bill, I need to auition both to be sure, but the ascetics of the Ayals may be a sticking point for domestic harmony :D
Cool 😎 please let me know how you get on 🙂
Nice smooth review.
❤
Thanks! 👍
You released this review right when Sonus Faber releases their gorgeous Duetto powered speakers. I guess someone had to keep balance in the Force 😅😅Jokes aside, great review, as always, Tarun!
I’m curious of your thoughts about the Choco Sound Emei. Will you be reviwing other Kinki Studio products in the future?
Thank you. The Emei review should be out soon. I may look at other products down the line 😊
Lovely review Tarun. Your articulation really does bring out their talents, even when one hasn’t heard them.
Thank you Ajay. Much appreciated 😊👍
I actually really appreciate and like the look of this speaker and based on your well balanced review and with you on the upgrade model to this. I would have preferred a slightly larger mid woofer as it has a lot to do and maybe they can revise the tuning of the tweeter. Thanks Tarun 👍😎
Thank you kindly Rob. I would love them to do a slightly bigger stand mount version 🙂👍
🤗 I HAVE TO AGREE 💯 % ABOUT THE LOOKS FOR THE SAME REASONS, AND YOUR GIVING THE “small guy an opportunity “👍…I PERSONALLY PREFER QUALITY FIRST AND…IMHHO ,THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO BE AN AUDIOPHILE (BEARS REPEATING)😬💚💚💚
Thank you
Because I am a cheapskate, How would you compare them to the Q-acoustics 5020?
The 5020s are great but this is a totally different league of performance 😊
I find myself curious about the bigger Translator modell.. reminds me of my allmost 25year old Proac respons 2.5 clones that will allways stay with me as a "reference".
As for strange speakers.. my main setup today is the Egglestonworks Nico Evo(all Egglestonworks speakers look special..). They replaced my Proac DB1's. Night and day in sound.. But it is easy to hear that the Eggleston is a much more "high end" speaker. And i do understand why many have Eggleston in studios and so on. :)
Thank you for sharing. I hope 3 Square Audio do a larger standmount 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314yes, that Wold be a nice addition for them.
But maybe the floorstander would sound good in your room.. not to big :)
I'm building a pair of DIY linesource planars in Valchromat. It's a great material, that's actually cheaper to use then mdf, because you dont have to paint them.
Cool 😎
Can we take it by the featuring of this speaker on your end of year awards in the £1000-£3000 category that you prefer this to the Neat Petite Classic which you also reviewed in 2023?
They are different strengths and weaknesses. Both excellent options 😊
I'd like to hear those some day. Perhaps they will offer a larger model that can get a tad deeper in the HZ and higher in the DB's. Regardless, a sub will be required for full range sound no doubt. I like their industrial clean look too.
They have a floor stander called Translator (just like the defunct dutch Translator brand that touted phase linear crossovers)
I was hoping one day you would get your hands on a pair of Closer Acoustics OGY speakers. They are a single driver speaker in a transmission line design. To me it looks like they have put an old transistor radio speaker in a fancy box. Im undecided wether they are a legitimately good speaker or a snake oil product. I have a pair, oops. Im a bit weary about spending money on partnering equipment (sub etc) until a reviewer such as yourself especially could cast you ears on them.
Thank you. I will check them out 😊
She's breaking up, she's breaking up, I can't hold it.
Yes I instantly throught StarTrek 🚀 too 😂
I was thinking more Darth Vader!
@@PP-nh1lvwe had baby Yoda, maybe this is baby Vader. I like the Vader look but they also do green for the Yoda fans 😉👍
I think that is from The Six Million Dollar Man. In the intro of the TV series
Nice review -- thanks!
As to component design aesthetics, I'm not really bothered much. Stuff has to have some size, shape and finish I suppose. Ideally, it'd be unobtrusive to the point of invisibility.
As it is, my stuff is governed mostly by the sound I'm after, plus to some extent by ergonomics. It's pure luck that my huge speaker baffles, which I'm very fond of (but some think look like a pair of giant toilet seats), dominate my listening area, and are made of attractive danish-oiled solid oak. But frankly, it wouldn't matter -- so long as they sounded as good -- if they were made out of Lego blocks.
Thank you John. Great to learn about your experiences 👍
One of your best reviews Tarun. Interesting and with good technical insight into what helps make a great sounding speaker. And of course giving exposure to an unknown/new brand.
Thank you very much 😊👍
In terms of aesthetics, I am a sucker for eighties gear with multicoloured vacuum-fluorescent displays. They scream "quality audio" and "good design". I don't think many audio enthusiasts find them attractive beyond the nostalgia factor...
Otherwise, another very satisfying review of a brand I've never heard of. Thanks, Tarun, keep them coming!
Thank you my friend 👍
Hi Tarun, many thanks, great review as always... Can I ask which speaker stands you have for these? Ian
Thank you. Target R4 👍
"And that takes a lot with this head." Ha! I feel you there, brother. Funny, as you're describing these speakers I'm shouting at my computer "drive them with the Hegels!" And you did.
Thank you. Glad you like that one 😉👍
Heard these at the Northampton hifi show sound sublime £1900
Great 👍
I heard the Ayal speakers at the NWAS it was for me the most impressive room…for reference my speakers are “the loudspeaker 3” designed by Troels Gravesen. £2000 seems a lot but in reality is a good deal given the performance
Thank you for sharing 😊
Great review Tarun, I simply cant believe the woofer and tweeter arrangement provding such great sound , do they have any measurements ? that bump where the woofer is hosted is messing with the tweeter signal, so I am very skeptical of the performance! to both on-axis and off-axis sound will be muddled, tweeter seems to be flush mounted not sure if the woofer is surface mounted
Thank you. The sweet spot is pretty good so I would expect a reasonable off-axis performance. Both drivers are flush mounted 😊
Very thorough & articulate review. Testing a number of different amps is particularly considerate & helpful...
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
You mean the hairs on the top of your head weren’t standing up? 🧑🏼🦲Did you try them in a near field situation?
I did. I wouldn’t get much closer than 1.5m from them 😊
My first proper hi-fi speakers were B&W DM6 (bought in 1975). Known as "pregnant penguins", they were a 3-way design in which all the drivers were stepped to time-align their acoustic centres. They were rebuilt a couple of years ago and are still performing well in my son's house.
Cool 😎
Great review again. Got a pair of these recently, and they are indeed superb for an average-sized UK domestic room. A very balanced, cohesive, detailed and stable sound. Personally I find the treble well balanced (bright recordings still sound bright), but I agree they aren't open and airy in the upper midrange like say modern Kef speakers are. But all the more natural sounding for it!
Driven by an Arcam SA30, which does a good job, but would love to hear them on the end of a Hegel H190 (or H390!).
Did you find adding a sub/s improved the impression of dynamics too, rather than just bass extension?
Thank you. Adding a sub is a great idea 👍
Great review! I recently got to hear Harbeth speakers for the first time and was impressed with the natural and true to life tone. Do these have that same quality? Are there any areas they keep up with your more expensive and also UK made Castle speakers?
Hi Tarun,
Read somewhere that Penaudio Cenya Signature is upgraded Proac 1sc with no budget constraints
Thank you. I will check them out 😊
Correct me if iam wrong. The midwoofer ca18rly seems to be a 6.5inch. The specified 4.7 inch is ?ca12rcy ie 120mm. The official site link also corresponds to a 6.5 inch woofer.Excellent review as usual.
Thank you. I think that was a miscommunication between me and the designer 😊
Thank you for giving exposure to small manufacturers mare somewhere else than China. Is that a Kinki Choco amp on your shelf? I've witnessed two rave reviews on that amp.
Thanks Jim. It is. You must have missed the Patreon post when it came in 😊
I hope you review it?!!!!!!!? It's supposed to provide GREAT performance for the money @@abritishaudiophile7314
I bought the Kinki Monoblocs, but took a financial bath quickly unloading them. 😣😖😫Too thin for this guy. I hear that the Choco solves what was lacking in the Monoblocs.!👍🏼
I went all in on a McIntosh MC152….been smiling ever since. 😊
Great review, Tarun. As far as design classics go, I think B&W must be in for an award for their Nautilus. However, with their multi-box and tack on tweeter designs, they often take the road less travelled with their mid and high end ranges. Shame I haven’t heard a pair I like yet.😮
Thanks Mark. I agree, not normally my sound but can sound great if you get the partnering equipment right. Just don’t put Naim amplification on the back of them 😉
Another great review! I think a product with deep british history, deserves a place in this channel.. Heed audio Obelisk with the external X2.. Hope :)
Thank you kindly 😊👍
No don't increase the treble by a db or two, they have the perfect amount now.
Heard at them at the national hifi show
Excited for the emei review
Cool 😎
Hello Tarun. Great review as usual, I will try to listen to these speakers if I can. From what I see in this video I can guess what would be the next amplifier to be reviewed in your channel. Clue : Chocolate. 😊
Th am you. Well spotted 👍
Great review as always, these kind of remind me of the old klark acoustic jade 1 which employs the same stepped baffle arrangement and having heard a pair not that long ago can agree with your comments on the excellent time alignment properties that such arrangements have.
I love the fact that you give the driver details, especially the manufacturer and the model number, it really is one of the little details I love about your reviews and being a bit of a DIY speaker enthusiast always gives me ideas of what drivers work well together.
Regards
Thank you. Much appreciated 🙂 👍
Tarun…Love your reviews! Also…I wish that there was a Northwest Audio Show here in The U.S. That show sounds great the way you described it in that vid.
You mention it several times during this video…I just cannot get past the visual design of these speakers. I find it to be extremely "fugly" 🫨. You do sound quite thrilled about their sonic output, tho! 😀👍🏼
Thank you Bob. These will be an acquired taste 😊👍
Seas ca12rcy woofer and seas 27tffc tweeter , ProAc have used these in the tablettes maybe that’s the typical sonics that sweet to your ears
That could be it 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I’ve just built Troels Gravesen Revelator-66 with a stepped baffle , cannot believe how much of a difference it makes , fabulous
Great review 👍.
The Ayal resembles the Westlake Lc8.1 speaker.
Cool 😎 thank you 👍
I see that these were being demo'd at the UK Audio Show via NVA pre and monoblock power amps . . . Obviously the makers think they work well together.
I'd like to hear them on the end of my NVA chain :)
That is a good combo 🙂
I appreciate it's been a while since you had the speakers in for review, but do you recall any sense of boxy resonance or excessive bloom, for want of a better expression, in the midrange (mainly to female vocals, and falsetto male vocals)?
@surf6d769 no boxy resonance 😊
Stuart has shown dedication to 3 Square audio all my life, its so nice to see him get the recognition he deserves!! Love the depth and detail you go into as well
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Great review. Function dictates form. Every pair of speakers I've built over the years has used a stepped or angled baffle to time-align the drivers and simplify the crossover. It is the more high-fidelity means of reproduction and that is the goal after all.
PS. I'm curious to know if that tweeter is removable.
Thank you. I wondered the same the thing. I will have to remember to ask Stuart next time I see him 😊
Ahem, It is hard to make a bookshelf speaker look any uglier these days.
Hi there. Yes it is removable. Remove the back panel and then remove internal bolts that release the woofer baffle.
Hi Tarun, I totally agree with you that small companies that make (niche) audio, that can stand their own, deserve our support. Regarding the design what can I say? If Daleks where audiophiles, they would own black satin Ayal speakers. Personally I would prefer the birch wooden version, at least for the looks. Also, the looks of audio gear I conciser very important, comparable to the presentation of food in a fine dining restaurant. Possibly the best looking commercial speaker on the market today according to my taste is the Mission 770. The best looking turntable on the market right now according to my taste is the Thorens TD 124 DD. For modern electronics, Luxman looks great to me.
Thank you Hugo 😊
Absolutely love the look of these, they look like a very small version of some previous generations of Eggleston Works. Nothing like a articulate stand mount.
They looked really good in my space 🙂
Love the channel Tarun and I know it has been mentioned ... however .... your listening room sounds like it has a lot of reverberation. Doesn't everything sound rather bright?
Thank you. When filming, I have to remove the furniture and sit in a spot where the room opens up to the kitchen. Not ideal for acoustics but looks better 😊
My Goldenear Aon 3s are odd looking ducks, Ive got mine mounted on a set of chunky stands & I think they loook great. Come to think of it, my Denon Heos Link HS2 streamer is a bit strange too! 🧐
Thank you Alex 👍
Love the video and your reviews in general. They are so informative and translatable. One of the speakers I heard that could come to the mark of retiring the ProAcs is the Black Ocean Audio (BOA) LeChiffre or their new Nick Nack. Definately worth a listen. I have and order in for both. The LefChiffre with the Pale King bass cabinate for my living room and the Nick Nack for my audio and production and mixing studio.
Thank you kindly. I shall check them out 😊👍
CHoco Sound review incoming?
Oh yes 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I can’t wait
Thanks for another great review and educating us on lesser heard of brands, specially the interesting ones. Any indication how these would compare to Sonus Faber Sonetto on the Hegel?
Thank you. I hope to get a current Sonus Faber speaker in for review soon 😊
Another top review keep flying the flag for small companies run by enthusiasts
Thank you my friend 😊👍
Thank you, Tarun for yet another interesting review. The small companies so often get overlooked.
Been thinking about style a bit lately. Form should follow function, but given modern materials and manufacturing processes, it seems we needn't be restricted to box shapes anymore. Obviously, sound quality is the most important factor, but some style would be great. Wouldn't it be cool to have a CD transport or player that looks like the Kalista.
Maybe my living room could look like the Jetsons!
Thank you Gerald. I don’t think I have seen that show 😊
Think Flintstones but in the future. Flying cars etc.@@abritishaudiophile7314
Low feedback, high bias Class AB, bipolar on input, Mosfets on output…that’s how you get the good American amp sound. British amps can only be like 2 inches tall so there are some constraints there…funny you Brits don’t make fat amps with sharp fins
Have you seen where we live? 🤣
You should compare a new ProAc in the same price range versus your ProAc and see if there's differencies.
If only they would send them to me 🙂
How are you supposed to replace a blown tweeter?
Not sure yet 😊
Hi there. Removal of the back panel that allows access to remove the internal bolts that hold the bass driver baffle.
Thanks
Stuart
As others have said in the comments definitely a Darth Vader look going on there but the plywood version really stands out for me especially with the matching stands and rack. Somehow very pleasing overall and with a more modern industrial look that stands out from the crowd. They would match my maple Linn turntable nicely.
I appreciate you and the manufacturers say that the black ones are sonically superior but in the real world you have to live with your hifi and how things look in your house is also an important consideration. It would be interesting to get a percentage of the sound difference to make the choice easier, if it’s only by a tiny fraction or a night and day differences. I do appreciate we spend fortunes on our hifi to get tiny improvements though.
Thank you. The Baltic Birch plywood version may be worth you auditioning 😊
Hi there. The Birch version is certainly very close in sound to the Valchromat. In listening tests the Valchromat gave a blackness to the soundstage, giving the impression that the Birch cabinet was adding to the output of the speaker. It's audible but subtle.
I tell you what I have been looking at and that is the Quested H108 Passive Monitors, take a look.
I like the physical size at 404mm height and its an 8" driver. 90.5db sensitivity.
And it come with a cover.
Thank you 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 And a five year warranty
Tarun, thoughts about how these speakers might pair with the Musical Fidelity A1?
That would be interesting to try. On paper should be a good match but the proof is always in the pudding 😊
Wish u will make a review to sonos faber and AKG 702 and other hi end spkear form other countries if it's possible
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
It reminds me of the KRK Model 7000b and the KRK Model 9000b Monitors.
Cool 😎
My analysis based on your information: 3squareaudio: YIN. Klipsch: YANG😂😂
And I need you to review the Peachtree GAN 1...period.
There are very different to Klipsch 😊
Will there be an upcoming review on the Choco Sound Emei soon? (I hope - it's on my radar)
It will be out today 🙂
Unfortunately I couldn't get over their looks...
Understood 😊
Okay NERDS! I get that they are good, BUT I'm running out of music to listen to! Where is everyone finding new sh!t?
ABA can you review a big wilson ? Like XLF or alexx ?
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
Vah tarun bhai
Shukriya 😊
Any Chance to see a Video about some ATC SCM on the channel ? Like the 45A or the 25A
I have reviewed a few ATC already 😊
I am wondering how they compare with LS50 metas
That may be an interesting AB demo 🙂
Tarun these speakers are very intriguing (thanks for the review). How do they sound at lower listening levels?
Thank you. They are great for low level listening 😊
Thank you, much appreciated!!!!@@abritishaudiophile7314
Very interesting find! If I buy I will say you sent me. :)
Cool 😎 I hope you enjoy them 👍
Sinus Faber MAXIMA
Interesting speakers...
Indeed 😊
Great review, Tarun, thanks.
Thank you 👍
Thank you for another superb review
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
Listening to your description on these Ayal, I think you would be in heaven with my Fritz Carrera 7 BE Speakers. $2,500 now on special.
SD Acoustics BE tweeter, Scanspeak 6.5" Revelator mid base. Series style crossover. These are Joseph Audio Pulsar Killers!! They will retire your Proacs. PM me for a set to review!
Thanks Jeff. They are on my radar 😊
The SEAS drivers aren't pronounced "CS" like you're calling them.
It's pronounced more like "C AZ".
In addition 1st order crossovers SUCK as noted by Dannie Richie, who's designed more speakers and crossovers than this 3 Square outfit will ever design.
Any half decent speaker designer can choose 2 off-the-shelf drivers from SEAS or Scan Speak, throw them into a box, add a 1st order crossover and bone folks out of $2.4k USD.
NICE review, Tarun, but there are plenty of better speakers out there to blow this kind of money on.
Thanks for sharing James but we will have to agree to disagree on this one. They are from thrown together 😊
Please do a review of xtc sound speakers
I appreciate the suggestion 😊
I like the appearance of the speaker but the name plate on the front does the speaker no favours. Using that old British colloquialism, it looks naff. Also I have no need to be visually reminded of the brand or model of the consumer products which I purchase.
Understood 😊
Would a vintage Yamaha CA 2010 (125 watts) drive these? I'm currently using the amp with my Acoustic Energy AE 2's. Cheers.
The 35wpc NVA S80 did fine, so I would expect so 😊
It's going to be hard to better the proacs for mid and high frequency performance, that tweeter, old as it is, is unbeatable, and those proacs are timeless👌👌👌
Thank you. I am finding that to be true 👍
Eloquent speaker on speakers you are Tarun
Thank you kindly 👍
That's a nice speaker. I like the different approach to design. Question about your reference ProAc speakers. Have you done a recap of the crossovers due to their age? I have 4 sets of vintage speakers I'm going to replace the electrolytic caps.
I spoke to Stuart Tyler (designer and founder) before he passed away. He said they are good for 50 years 😉
Great review i like the fact you bring out videos of these small companies that i have never heard of . Currently searching for some new active speakers to pair with a Chord HugoTT2 dac , the usual ATC and PMC etc keep coming up however are you aware of any smaller companies making decent sounding active loudspeakers ? Thanks.
Thank you. You have named the two that I would shortlist. I have been encouraging Acoustic Energy to do some more active speakers. Their AE1 are unmatched at a lower price point 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 nice one yeah I will look into what Acoustic Energy have to offer .
Must be good if they nearly have you willing to nearly retire your beloved Proac's. Very impressive.
I suspect that if this had a 5 1/2 inch midwoofer in a larger cabinet and a little more treble energy, it may be the one to finally retire the 1SCs 😊
I know the answer is obvious, but did you use the NVA's with the Amphions for this comparison? I ask because I get the distinct impression that the Amphions are happier with a more aggressive choice of electronics.
I wrote that before the steup&partnering section, but the question that naturally arises from that part of the video is, how many of the amp choices were used for the speaker comparison? It would be the most reasonable thing in the world to say that one amp was used to conduct speaker comparisons, for time, sanity, *and* scientific control, but by the same token I'd be surprised if you thought the Ayals with the NVA electronics were still that much better than the Amphions with the Hegel, straight head-to-head. And if they are, that's got my undivided attention.
The Ampions don’t really get on with the NVAs 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I knew it! (Hahahaha.) So the question becomes, for purposes of assessing how the Amphions did "against" these, which amplifier choices were serving each pair? So that if, for example, these sounded better than the Amphions even with the Hegel, now we've really got a stop-the-presses moment on our hands.
@@CinemaDemocraticaTarun said with the MF A1 it’s the best the Amphion 1 has ever sounded, at this price point (perhaps ever). I was previously considering something like the Exposure 3510 and the Petite Classics, but the A1 and Argon 1 combination is £1500 cheaper. When funds allow that will be my first demo.
I need to get on Patreon to ask for some feedback.
Try the Hegel H190 with KEF R3 Meta they sound superb with the combination of Gustard R26 and KEF KC62
KEF don’t seem to be too interested in sending me speakers to review 😊
That is a same you being in their home country
I miss a lot these days.
Love the name. So much nicer than HeadRelatedTransferFunction 😊
Sonneteer Alabaster is an amp made by another small British company. Supposedly excellent. Would love to see a review.
Unfortunately they're out of stock!!
Thanks for the heads up 👍