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  1. #1
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Something Big This Way Comes

    Oh dear, what have I done?

    With excitement and more than a bit of fear and trepidation I watched the big box van back into my driveway bringing me a very big box.


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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    As a tribute to the marvelously documented (over documented?) threads of our own Titanium Dome, I thought I'd post a couple of teaser pics.


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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    This is the space they will be squeezed into... yep, it'll be tight, but I measured... they will fit!




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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    The picture doesn't really capture the overwhelming visual of these beasts in my modest 15' by 21' living room. The listening position is at the far vertex of a 9' equilateral triangle. From that vantage point these beasts fill your view... with eyes closed the intimidation factor is reduced and the music is nothing less than remarkable.




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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Since this is not simply a listening room, it is also my living room, I've tried to reduce the visual impact of a pile of gear and yet still have it visible and well ventilated. This equipment powering the system is rather modest for such speakers, but to my ears the system isn't holding the mighty Everests back much. I'm sure a modern preamp and power amp would add a bit more of this a little less of that, and while my Bryston DAC is quite competent, there certainly are better out there, but over all... I am quite pleased with the results and even though this amp is only an 80wpc unit, the rather high sensitivity of the Everests allows them to still really rock, and quite effortlessly.


    More later...




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    Senior Member martin_wu99's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    Since this is not simply a listening room, it is also my living room, I've tried to reduce the visual impact of a pile of gear and yet still have it visible and well ventilated. This equipment powering the system is rather modest for such speakers, but to my ears the system isn't holding the mighty Everests back much. I'm sure a modern preamp and power amp would add a bit more of this a little less of that, and while my Bryston DAC is quite competent, there certainly are better out there, but over all... I am quite pleased with the results and even though this amp is only an 80wpc unit, the rather high sensitivity of the Everests allows them to still really rock, and quite effortlessly.


    More later...




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    Senior Member DavidF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    The picture doesn't really capture the overwhelming visual of these beasts in my modest 15' by 21' living room. The listening position is at the far vertex of a 9' equilateral triangle. From that vantage point these beasts fill your view... with eyes closed the intimidation factor is reduced and the music is nothing less than remarkable.




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    Hmmm, is that a load-bearing wall behind the systems? You don't really NEED a dining room, do you?
    David F
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  8. #8
    Senior Member maxwedge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    The picture doesn't really capture the overwhelming visual of these beasts in my modest 15' by 21' living room. The listening position is at the far vertex of a 9' equilateral triangle. From that vantage point these beasts fill your view... with eyes closed the intimidation factor is reduced and the music is nothing less than remarkable.




    Widget
    I popped into Widgets abode today with a few cd's of my favorite types of music, mostly surf, a little pop and punk.
    I must say that the Everest's almost made me want to get rid of all the gear I've collected through out the years and plop down a down payment on a pair, they sounded that solid and clear. I was amazed!
    But then I'd get board not having anything to do but listen to music. So I'll keep playing with my old stuff to keep my diy half happy and one day maybe I can get that stuff to sound close to what I heard today but now I know it can never be as good.

    Thank you for entertaining me sir!

  9. #9
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    You are quite welcomed "Max".
    I'm glad you came by with those discs... it is always fun to hear new music, and better still when you get to share it!

    As for the mighty beasts in my living room, I am becoming more and more mesmerized by them and their capabilities. I still love the 1400 Arrays, but I do think I'll be finding a new use for them... I can't see giving the Everests up as my main system speakers.


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  10. #10
    Senior Member DavidF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by maxwedge
    I popped into Widgets abode today with a few cd's of my favorite types of music, mostly surf, a little pop and punk.
    I must say that the Everest's almost made me want to get rid of all the gear I've collected through out the years and plop down a down payment on a pair, they sounded that solid and clear. I was amazed!
    But then I'd get board not having anything to do but listen to music. So I'll keep playing with my old stuff to keep my diy half happy and one day maybe I can get that stuff to sound close to what I heard today but now I know it can never be as good.

    Thank you for entertaining me sir!
    I would also like to thank Widget and acknowledge his gracious hospitality. I was able to listen to the "Beasts" on a visit to pick up some packages from Widget (another story). All this squeezed in between my graduation ceremony trip and his Saturday evening in San Francisco. Very nice of Widget to make some time for me.

    This was not my first visit with the DD66000 having visited the Harman room at the California Audio Show. So entering Widget’s front room I was not surprised by their imposing presence. I was surprised how they blend into the décor with their curved and fine finish that masks their sheer size. Alas, their size will not be appreciated by all who share the room with them. Neither will their ability to kill any normal conversation in the room. Or maybe even in Widget’s kitchen in the back.

    Widget drives them with a modestly powered amp but, given the sensitivity, they have no problem delivering that jump factor that is important to me for life-like sound reproduction. The mid and high systems lay a superbly clean and clear image in the room without the extra bite of transient overhang. The bass… well you just can’t beat it, probably. The sound of a drum set was there in the room with the full weight and impact just as if a drum set was sitting there on left in front of me. These systems work amazing well in Widget’s front room.

    The only thing I dwell on now is where Widget managed to hide away the speaker wires. Hmmm.
    David F
    San Jose

  11. #11
    Senior Member tomt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    As a tribute to the marvelously documented (over documented?) threads of our own Titanium Dome, I thought I'd post a couple of teaser pics.


















    any plans for the yellow things on the bottom of the pallet?

  12. #12
    Administrator Wardsweb's Avatar
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    Wow, just wow...well maybe some drool.

  13. #13
    Senior Member JBLAddict's Avatar
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    YOU. HAVE. GOT. TO. BE. KIDDING. ME ??

    OMG!!!

    Not even sure what comment or question to ask, but I'll start with this:

    very first impression of the E2 compared to the also great 1400 in your own home in the same spot?
    Performance Series 5.1/1990s L1.L5.L7/L100A
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  14. #14
    Senior Member maxwedge's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    Very nice!

  15. #15
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikebake View Post
    Please post further insights as they develop.


    Quote Originally Posted by JBLAddict View Post
    Not even sure what comment or question to ask, but I'll start with this:

    very first impression of the E2 compared to the also great 1400 in your own home in the same spot?
    There are many...

    1. The most obvious is what is gained at higher SPLs.
    2. Bass quality and extension.
    3. Overall level of detail.
    4. Imaging.

    Let me just say that both the Everests and the 1400 Arrays are unusually good loudspeakers by anyone's definition. They are also both far more expensive than most loudspeakers, but both have a surprising number of competitors at their respective price points. In comparing the two loudspeakers I'll run down the list above as these are the first things I've noticed that are different between them.

    1. The Everests as well as the 1400s and many, many other speakers will play back >100dB with relatively low distortion. That said, when I turn up the 1400s past about 100dB it sounds loud and I feel compelled to turn it down. With the Everests, it simply sounds more like live music. (In a good way.) You are even tempted to turn it up higher, but the desire to continue enjoying music in my old age is all I need to return to sanity. The Everests like the 4350/55 just plays damned loud in a remarkably seductive way... though the extra $50K+ cost of the Everests does buy more than a more stylish look. These things are virtually sonically invisible... even as they thunder.

    2. As Zilch would testify, I am a sucker for the sound of the LE14H-3 woofer's sound. That said, these Everests simply kick their butts! They certainly don't reach down quite as far, but then the LE14H-3s don't get down to the bottom like the Sub1500s or other really good subs either. If you must have subterranean bass, the Everests get down low enough that sub augmentation should be fairly easy to implement in a sonically invisible way. The fact is, very, very few music recordings actually have bass that is below the bottom of the Everests... even deep synth bass like that on Boz Scagg's Dig, thanks HJ, pressurizes the room with remarkable power... and no, it doesn't have to be blasting. Regardless of my comments in point #1, I rarely play back at those levels. The point is, that even though in an anechoic environment, the Everests may be rather anemic in the bass dept., in my very "real world" living room, the bass is outstanding, both deep and tight and punchy as hell.

    3. I love the overall level of detail I get from the 1400 Arrays... the Everests simply do it better. No glare, not a trace of harshness, but all of the veils are lifted and you get to hear it all.

    4. Imaging. The 1400s image like good "audiophile" speakers, the Everests also image well, but the sound is wider and the sound much bigger, this may be a plus or a minus. Imaging is a hi-fi "effect", personally I enjoy it and my room with the speakers effectively having no wall behind them between the speakers and quite a few feet to the side walls allows speakers to image rather well. That said, I think my preference is for the slightly smaller image of the 1400s, but this bigger image is also quite compelling. I am not complaining, but describing... and in my experience listening to live music, you never get the hi-fi image effect, so I suppose one could argue the Everets are truer to the music.


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