Sibelius speakers review. Finally a single driver speaker I like!

#hifi #audiophile #amplifier #stereo #Amplifier #speakers
Pearl Acoustics has allowed me to keep the speakers after the video was published.
Patreon: / thomasandstereo
(AFTER POSTING THIS, I REALIZED TIDAL WAS SET TO HALF VOLUME SO NO WONDER I COULD NOT GET IT OVER 80DB WITH THE LUXMAN)
I have gotten a few questions on how easy is it to drive the 87db Sibelius so I spent today testing more.
1) Luxman SQ150N 10w can drive it to 70ish DB with ok bass but cannot get over 80db. Although I like the mids and details, I wish the dynamics and bass are better. I would say get something with more power if you wanted to listen to it loud.
2) Doge 10 @ 60w is a way way better match, sounded fantastic and more dynamic.
3) For symphonies, the Mcintosh @ 200w is the best, the Doge 10 was very very decent. The Luxman SQ150N, meh.
Gear used or mentioned in this review :
Pearl Acoustics Sibelius speakers
Exasound E28 DAC
Doge 8 Tube preamp
Luxman SQ150N Integrated amplifier
Moon 340i integrated amplifier
Mcintosh MAC6700 Integrated amplifier
Quad 2905 speakers
Magnapan LRS speakers
Silverline Sonata speakers
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[@PearlAcoustics]

I am not often lost for words but I am humbled by Thomas’ review. The Sibelius success is the result of very hard work by an amazing team. Thanks everyone!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yeah and you team has built an incredible product.

[@audio_acoustic_engineering]

Amazing review! More than hype, I want a set! #goals

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks!

[@navinadv]

Congratulations on an awesome product. As a long term member on Diyaudio we have discussed this speaker there too. The general consensus is that it’s an ML-TQWT using Alpair 10 drivers. I don’t remember the details Dave (planet 10) is the full range guru there. I have had the opportunity to listen to other TQWTs using 3-4” drivers (from Fostex and Tangband) and while they present a very coherent soundstage they are limited in the SPLs they can achieve. Is there any option to supplement the bass using a bass driver that can integrate with such full ranges?

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@navinadv Hi, thanks for your very kind words! Personally, I do not see any reason to supplement the bass as they go way deeper than most floor standers (still flat at 38Hz.). However, if you want to play them at deafening levels, then you might want to use a amp with a programable sub and speaker out so you can roll off what goes into the Sibelius, but then you’ll ruin what they are designed for. Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to hear a pair one day and decide for yourself. Best wishes

[@dannyfannyfoodle]

I’ve been looking forward to this review and it did not disappoint. So thoughtful and incisive. I love how well Thomas knows the audiophile community and the many preferences and tastes of its members. He never speaks in absolutes and always provides context (and great stories) to describe what he hears. I, myself, am not a fan of hyper-detailed speakers like Focal, but Thomas always acknowledges that it’s “all a matter of taste”. This is yet another reason that I can always trust what Thomas says - despite the fact that we have different tastes. I believe this is also why Harley chose Thomas to review his magnum opus. Trust. Credibility. This speaks volumes as both are men of the utmost integrity. Keep up the great work!! ❤️

[@sandgroper1970]

Music and hi fi sound systems are all a matter of Personal taste. I have a pair of Focal Chorus 726 speakers ( they are no longer being made) in my set up, absolutely love them. Had the opportunity to listen to some current generation Focal speakers powered by a Naim Unity Atom, my god I thought they really sounded terrible.

[@oldschoolaudioenthusiast]

Thomas is without a doubt my favorite audio reviewer on KZbin! I love his approach and the way he addresses his videos. I also think his ability to work with and bounce ideas off of his close audiophile friends (who bring different perspectives to the table,) is extremely helpful for us all! Keep it up man!

[@ajzepp8976]

I already love this hobby, but Thomas's videos make me love it even more. Some youtube reviewers I cant help but be a little cynical toward, but Thomas clearly has a deep passion for the hobby, and his excitement always comes through loud and clear in his videos. So im with you...hes the best of the best

[@robk5745]

He is the best no question!

[@redstarwraith]

Jean Sibelius is one of my favorite composers. I would have been sorely disappointed if the speakers named after him did not live up to his greatness.

[@hong5011]

Great review! Thanks to Thomas’s info on his intended review on the Sibelius from his Patreon post I ordered a pair in December to try as the demo video sounded very good and seems to be full of body. My Sibelius arrived 4 days ago and I’m very impressed. It’s exactly as Thomas’s review. It’s quite amazing what one 4” driver can produce with a proper design. The whole range of frequencies is all there. Focus is on the midrange and the highs are never harsh which is much to my liking. The bass texture is very good especially double bass. The surprising thing is playing back blues and rock. Due to the lack of harshness in the highs it’s very enjoyable. Acoustic instruments and vocals are outstanding. I’m still burning them in and trying to find the best setup and hopefully they’ll get even better! These speakers are taking the place of my PMC fact.12’s currently and I don’t feel they are inferior. Many thanks to Ajay for his great service.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, Hong, wow PMC fact 12 is over $20k, and for you to compare this speaker to it and say it does not feel any inferior is a testament to how good these speakers are.

[@vermzz]

Thank you so much for the amazing feedback and your kind words, Hong. Enjoy the music and speak soon! Ajay

[@edwardbalboa5528]

i call BS ..... 4" full range my ass

[@ThomasAndStereo]

@@edwardbalboa5528 just go read comments from actual Sibelius owners and they all agree it sounds full range. Of course, please come back and share your experiences after you actually have heard one. Also check out the sound demo at the end of this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWSofWqFd85ofdk

[@yapboonhui]

I could not believe what I heard with my own ears the moment I sat down on the magic chair at Hong's music room. The tonality of the singer's voice were superb, instruments sounded full-bodied and absolutely no coloration to frequency at all levels... On the 2nd visit, I believed the sound became even better with a slight tweak (DM Hong for specifics).. I just loved what I heard! Thanks to Thomas & Stereo for your review and hence, I have this opportunity to listen to such amazingly designed Sibelius SG.

[@glenschneider5978]

Thomas, your review of these is spot on. I Have owned and loved these speakers since May 2021. The level of musicality, detail, and instrument separation is phenomenal. But to me, what I love most about the Sibelius is how the tone/timbre of the vocals emotionally draw me in me in to where I close my eyes and think wow! this is beautiful; My love for these, however wasn’t immediate. I worked with Harley for about a month when I got them until really I heard what they had to offer. In fact I brought in a pair of QAcoustic Concept 500 and a Rel S/510 sub during my trial period to help assess what was going on and as potential alternative solution. Long story short, the synergy with my room was my issue and I can only theorize that in my extra large open space the bass was getting lost, along with the beautiful tonal character when I was outside of the main listening position. However, when I moved these speakers to their current location, a 15x25 listening room/guest bedroom, it was truly a wow! moment. I chose this setup over the Q acoustics every time I went to listen. The sound just drew me in. I returned the Qs as I clearly preferred the Sibelius, and I returned the Rel as I do not find any need to append to the existing bass. And back to Harley for a moment. He was absolutely great to work with and provided me with continual support and advice during this period and on. He was genuinely concerned with making sure these were the right speakers for me, and they are. I hope this helps some others who are contemplating a purchase.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Wow, thanks for sharing this. I wish I could have gone into tone a bit more cause the wood cabinet does give a different tone, sadly my original video was too long so I end up editing some stuff out. Thanks for commenting and hopefully this will help others in their purchasing decision.

[@renatogonzalezmora4191]

Room acoustics/ speaker synergy: the missing link!

[@EveGantian]

What sold these for me was Thomas saying effectively "although these are not technically perfect, they are really nice, musical speakers, to listen to" and at the end of the day that matters WAY more to me than technical perfection. It's a bit like valve amps are not technically anywhere near as perfect stats wise as transistors, and yet so many people love their sound...

[@grandmasterjo1]

I’ve never heard this speaker But if one can achieve so much from just a four inch driver then there’s lots of years of research The walnut finish stands out so regally Wish you had to emphasise on the inner design which I think is TL Long back I heard the IMF Transmission line speakers and it stayed with me Many many years ago I heard a 15 inch single driver Tannoy put in a home made cabinet and as a kid I was enamoured The best four inch two way I ever heard was the Sonus Guarneri The Sibelius is a master piece made with passion and your high quality review justifies this piece of craftsmanship Thank you 🙏

[@heartofcinema3454]

I am saving for this over the next 3 years. My next speaker.

[@user-dapeng661]

Rarely do one see a hifi review with such enthusiasm and passion, while providing candid and thorough insights all at the same time .... and i agree it make perfect audiophile sense for Thomas to become a distributor of the Sibelius in his area 😅

[@vermzz]

Another amazing video, Thomas! Many thanks for all your hard work from everyone at Pearl Acoustics! I'm honoured to be part of the team at Pearl Acoustics 😀

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Nice, glad you like the video.

[@jean-pierrethibaudeau7201]

Hand clapping that sounds like raindrops! So true, good one! Amazing video as usual, Thomas. Keep on with your passion. You’re an inspirational guide for so many of us. 😌👍

[@nc3419]

I've respected Pearl Acoustics and their informative videos.

[@pr0gre551ve]

Great review Thomas! As a MarkAudio DIY speakers owner I agree exactly with what you have said. Its incredible what those small drivers can deliver when box design is perfected.

[@KBConsulting]

Box design has virtually no impact on system below 200 Hz, baffle diffraction can cause issues about that (not box design) and a relatively large single driver design has lots of diffraction issues at higher frequencies as the signal propagates over the driver's suspension and frame (the Sibelius reverse single roll suspension is designed to clearly minimize this but it does not eliminate it).

[@johnlake6321]

Thanks for a great review Thomas. I'm a big fan of "full range" speakers and I used a pair of Mark Audio drivers (4" Model) in a pair of towers that I built four years ago. I wasn't disappointed at all. The enclosures are designed by myself, but Dave at Planet 10 designed the internals which sport front to back braces incorporating four high ratio rectangular ports, rear firing. Although I do use a small sub, they acquit themselves well without it. Now I just need a better amp than my Marantz SR-48

[@joshallround]

I was saying they do look like Mark audio bands

[@damianzaninovich4900]

Very nice job Thomas. I can understand why you liked this sound so much. I spend many hours a day in my 2014 Chevy pickup with 6 full range Bose drivers and a Delco CD player. Must be about $100 worth of parts but it sounds very coherent and warmer than my home system which is no slouch. Nowhere near the definition but we’ll balanced w/o tone controls and easy to listen to all day. The main reason I won’t part with this 260 K truck. It still looks newish. No more CD players in vehicles.

[@latecomerr]

After talking to Harvey Lovejoy 5 years ago, and hearing his speakers at the Munich audio show 5 or so years ago, I bought them sight unseen. They were not broken in! After a year I finally after a year I had a true audiophile friend listen to them! He pronounced them outstanding. So I moved them to my living room and broke them in for another year. Today a few minutes ago I hooked them up to my Streamer, Giselli lab DAC, and Rogue audio pure tube amp: what a revelation. Using Spotify high end ! To my audiophile friends, I am begging you to get the Cannonball Adderley quintet "74 miles away album from the 1967" and Hang-on Ramsey from the Lighthouse in Hermosa beach from1965. I was there for the recording's both night s this is perfection! Like Harvey says it is like being there.

[@villageroma]

I am happy for you Thomas. Finally you have the chance to keep a set of fine sounding speakers. Get the opportunity to re-evaluate the different type of amps you guys have. Perhaps this is the right times to use class Dustbin trashing D gear. Tell your friend mr quad that I had the quad 63 and the 57. Got rid of the 63 and kept the 57. Heard those in a friend house in Europe and sold the 57.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Sadly I don't get to keep it 🥶

[@korbindallas6727]

Hello Thomas. Gee, that sounds like we are long lost friends. I think this is one of your best videos and I really enjoyed your approach. It was informative, not hype, not judgmental, and best of all, the dad humour. I started exploring speaker options about 6 months ago, (not happy with my current set-up). I crossed paths with single driver/full range speakers. Something I had no real knowledge of. I was intrigued. That is when I discovered and started following Harley's channel. I am happy I did. Your assessment of his approach is spot on. The fact that Harley reached out to you also makes sense. I immediately went down that rabbit hole of reviews and videos and much much more regarding single driver/full ranges speakers. Information overload. Analysis paralysis. Your review couldn't come at a better time! I feel more informed and have a greater understanding of what this speaker type is all about. Not to mention the high praise for the Sibelius. Overall, a sound that appeals to me. Thank you Thomas. Ps; not to take away from the Sibelius, though Gershman Acoustics have been using live music and playback to design and develop their full range speakers for years. Full disclosure, I own a pair of Gershman R1s.

[@robk5745]

Very well done review Thomas, you’re becoming so polished and so professional. 👌

[@WildCJ5]

Thomas, the dad joke legit put a smile on my face. Great way to start the morning.

[@peterbaugh51]

On my system, these speakers sound plenty detailed and very well balanced, but it is very surprising how different they sound with a different amp. I would like the sound somewhere between the two amps you tested. Something like a Mcintosh amp or my old HH Scott LK-72 tube amp. Anyway, those speakers would probably sound good with what I have now. An inexpensive Texas Instruments chip amp with GE JAN 5654W tubes (now with reference standmount speakers). Thanks for the video.

[@Book-Mark]

They are beautiful. Great review.

[@AllboroLCD]

These could very well be "end game" speakers for everyday normal listening levels. Harley without a doubt is producing these for all the right reasons and given the means, Id buy these based on his experience and passion for music alone!

[@nielskjr5432]

I built my own 1 driver speakers back in the 70's. They were the so called transmission line system. The sound was fantastic.

[@dannyaustin84]

SAF. Awesome. The spouse approval factor must not be underestimated.

[@dailyfrenchie9047]

Great review. I’m a cube Nenuphar mini owner and love them. If I even had to downsize these would be very high on my list.

[@calaf_725]

You nailed it Thomas. Very passionate review and fun to watch! The fruit analogy was funny too!! I would say this is my favorite of all your reviews.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks so much!

[@rotorfix]

Another informative, thorough review. Thanks Thomas. These speakers are very intriguing.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

My pleasure!

[@xenonquartet2354]

Nice. Anticipated that review a lot. Keep up the great work Thomas

[@CharlesSelva]

Speakers to love! Great review once again Thomas!

[@ks4545]

Totally agree about the clapping sound. So many speakers make it sound like frying bacon to me. They just don't get it right. Probably one of the very rare times where something with bacon in it isn't better.

[@jeffkalina7727]

Your best review to date!! Nice work my friend.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Glad you think so!

[@mansakonko7777]

My first review of this channel and wow!! Thomas has such an inciteful and engaging narrative style. Not to mention the huge breadth of knowledge and equipment pairing. This really made my afternoon. Thank you. 🙏

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks a lot.

[@mansakonko7777]

🙏

[@pixelmixture3067]

i loooove my eclipse speakers ... single driver ... your review of the sibelius reminds me of them

[@bunnyhive]

I have the eclipse tds and loving them so naturally I m looking forward hearing these pearls:)

[@JohnDoe-np3zk]

That was a thorough review and you obviously enjoyed making it. Those speakers are beautiful in terms of the cabinets and I trust they sound nice too. Also seem very practical as to size and driver location. I like the cover for the driver too very cute.

[@scottchegg1209]

When I worked for harley, first pair I installed replaced magnepan 3.7. Cabinets, work of art. These have flesh texture and body.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Nice!

[@warrenmullett]

Recently found these as well the Pearl Acoustics you tube page. Like Thomas its quality content. Thanks guys ! I hope to listen and possibly purchase these some day. The story on these alone is worth the price of admission..

[@gil3green]

Very good, one of the things you do well is get your friends opinions, which really helps shape my thoughts of how I might perceive the sound. Along with switching amps. Still waiting for the curtain call with the stuffies.

[@SpeakerBuilder]

To me, it would come down to the type of music you prefer listening to. For chamber, choir and other classical music, or modern acoustic music, these speakers may function exceptionally well. But for the full modern band music that I mostly listen to, with modern drums and electric bass, they may not please my ears. Great review, thanks for doing this.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

If you need tight bass, yeah it might not be ideal for you.

[@vtkz]

The wood looks beautiful. But sadly i never heard a single driver speaker where LF, MF, HF are on the same quality level, so they work as a fullrange system. You always die one death (mostly the lows or SPL), they sound great at first time but after some time you (maybe) miss the lows or crisp highs. But always a matter of preference and taste. Alternative would be a Coaxial Design like a ME Geithain

[@billfarrell4387]

Hey Thomas, great to see a review on these, have viewed pearl's youtube and alway's wondered how stack up. Just visited the Tampa Audio Show so as you mentioned would love to see you at one of these showing off your amp and system. Good luck with your AMP. Take Care

[@cillyede]

I like the content of your channel. Take care. Greetings from Germany.🇩🇪

[@SpinnerPaddlefoot]

Thanks to your stellar review, am seriously considering the purchase of these loudspeakers. Wonderful presentation Thomas!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Glad I could help!

[@bencausey]

Thank you so much for all of the details and your friends’ perspectives. I’ve wanted to know about these for a long time.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

You are so welcome!

[@sc51153826]

I have never listened to these speakers, but in Harley's sound demo and your descriptions, they seem to have really nice details and tones. How well do they handle power/ dynamics and complex pieces with multiple instruments🤭🤔? Thank you for all your hard work on this review💪 I hope Harley can give you a good deal on his speakers🤞🤞🤞

[@jdm-uk-yank]

I had a similar experience with Grado headphones. I kept trying more and more expensive models hoping to get to one I liked. After many years I've realised it's just not the sound signature for me. The great thing is there are headphones for everyone.

[@ajzepp8976]

What Thomas said about Maggie lovers is spot on. I first fell in love with them in 2005. Since that time, there have only been two "box speakers" that I loved enough to buy - the DeVore Fidelity Super 8, and current my NOLA Boxer s2's. (And of course I still have two pair of Maggies...nothing could ever make me give her up! Lol) Great review, Thomas...that Sibelius looks beautiful!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks and I am expecting to receive a Maggy 0.7 soon, can't wait.

[@ajzepp8976]

@@ThomasAndStereo Thats the model I own (along with a pair of 3.6r's). Look forward to your impressions!

[@danagr]

As a subscriber I'll have to admit I'm a little dense. I never could figure out why you always signed off with a song that to my taste had way too much reverb in the vocals until I watched this video. You actually are playing the equipment you are reviewing so it could be compared to other equipment reviews (dugh!). I know you put up the listed equipment in a box describing it but like I said I'm a little dense. The reason I FINALLY NOTICED it was the sound of the video compared the others I've heard was significantly better. The voice became the prominent focus while the reverb was an enhancement which hadn't been the case on the other reviews I'd listened to. Thanks I found this review very helpful.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, yeah I take the time to record each gear I review so it will give you some kind of reference. Also, I chose that song simply because it is one of the few song I found that is copyright free that has vocal. Else my videos get demonetized.

[@EricRhodeslives]

Ohhh, NOW you're getting good at this. Well done!

[@NeilBlanchard]

Judging from the rectangular terminus opening / port on the front, it looks like it's a mass loaded transmission line speaker. And that is consistent with their description. And that is a very good thing!

[@fonkenful]

Probably close enough estimate of the topology; the combination of Mark Fenlon’s Alpair or Pluvia series of wideband drivers and various MLTL or BLH/BVR designs is “a secret” of which the worldwide DIY building community has been familiar with for well over a decade. These are a particularly gorgeous execution of a deceptively simple looking design.

[@NeilBlanchard]

@@fonkenful Agreed.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

No it is not a transmission line. I mention what it was but I forgot the exact term.

[@NeilBlanchard]

@@ThomasAndStereo I think you said "one quarter wave front-loaded horn with a single driver" - and that is essentially the description of a mass loaded transmission line. There are a lot of overlapping design features, at a minimum.

[@NeilBlanchard]

The Pearl Acoustics web site says "internal front loaded, quarter wave ‘V’ horn". The one photo they have of a cabinet being built, has a glimpse of what seems to be a vertical slot about midway on the side. This would point to an internal vertical baffle, that *may* taper to a point against the front baffle, that provides a resonance chamber. The 'V' channel is inverted, with the driver at the "fold" at the top. One end of the 'V' is closed, and the other end is the opening at the bottom front. For all intents and purposes, this is a folded bass horn aka a transmission line.

[@daveycrockett5738]

I’ve never listened to the song you also demo at the end of your videos to demonstrate the voicing of the different speakers you review. But I did and man it sounded like 50x better on tidal than over KZbin. I was surprised how much better it sounded and is actually a pretty badass song. My girl and I were getting down to it and laughing at the same time picturing you getting down to it also.

[@BumpNrun69]

6:02 I didn't think that was an "epic fail". I actually DID laugh out loud a little 🙂. It had a cute ring to it, sort of came "out of left field". Sometimes Jay does that and I get a chuckle from it, time-to-time. Nice to incorporate some laughter mixed in with a review makes it interesting than just a generic review.

[@abbywallace5154]

I’ve been waiting on someone objective to review this speaker. I have wanted to hear these for two years. Now, at least I feel like I could give them a chance and know what I’m in for. Thank you for your thorough explanation on exactly how you arrive at your conclusions.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I know what you mean, I was dying to listen to these when I was following Harley's channel.

[@Enemji]

Thomas, it literally sounds like you were describing the Technics EAH-60 earbuds in LDAC mode. Even they are a single driver speaker with exactly the same qualities as these speakers. The claps are so realistic on these earbuds and I ended up buying 3 pairs

[@jackbarnard1781]

Thanks Thomas!!! I personally love 💘 single driver speakers. I love the pinpoint accurate sound. For me I think it's more a nostalgic thing. All my 1st stereos had single driver speakers. I love the the way these speakers look. Cheers Thomas!!!

[@frostycanada6404]

Hello Thomas, the test sample at the end … are the levels matched between both recordings? The 340i sounds considerably better (in my opinion) as compared to the Luxman. Excellent review, I might be wrong but I think you are incapable of hiding your emotions. Your excitement and appreciation of the Sibelius speakers shines through on this video. Brian

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, I did not level match them but if you prefer the 340i demo, yeah sure, it sounds great too.

[@HercahyoAdiSaputro]

It is a matter of taste indeed :) I like the luxman sample better as I found the midrange of the 340i feels slightly drier. Now I am curious how good the midrange with 300b in comparison

[@frostycanada6404]

@@HercahyoAdiSaputro Of course, go with what you like 🥳🙂… I’m still surprised how different each amp sound through the Sibelius. Makes me want to try the Davis Acoustic MV One Master Brian

[@renatogonzalezmora4191]

Hola Thomas. Gracias por tus apreciaciones. Creo lo haces con gran honestidad, y el hecho que extiendas tus análisis a las opiniones de Mr Jazz o Mr Kanta o etc, enriquece el análisis. Soy partidario del trabajo en equipo y tú lo haces. Un agrado y saludos desde el sur del mundo. Alguna vez has revisado o has pensado revisar los Orangutan 93/96 Devore?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Gracias, nunca habia escuchado el Orangutan 93/96 Devore, ojala algun dia y seguro me interese.

[@davidjones7544]

Cat's and maggies do not go together, at least for me. So I gave up my maggies but your comments have me intrigued now. Thank you for your thoughts.

[@realworldaudio]

Thomas, I hit the like at the cat reference... mines just had a go at the turntable last night. LOL. I'm glad to have your (and your friends') feedback on the Sibelius, I was wondering about these speakers. Cheers, Janos

[@Staybrown11]

A masterpiece Thomas and friends!

[@ernestochang1744]

This guy is single handedly gonna break my bank

[@grahamariss2111]

I am planning a listening room as a retirement gift to myself and these speakers are at the top of my list because they are a work of art not science and music is art not science.

[@joelnorris4064]

Thomas great review! Nice to see a single driver speaker you like. I have never cared for them, but there is always a first!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Me too, it is really not my cup of tea but this one is different.

[@prashanth2383]

Nice review video Thomas related to Sibelius

[@hifibloke]

certainly You did gave a lot of flowers to that speakers :)

[@markkinsman5013]

Great review! I’ve had my eye on these for some time now.

[@westernartifact580]

Me too. I only have 12 wpc though and had been waiting for this kind of information.

[@leoalex2001]

I recommend Sibelius Symphony nr. 5.. 👍🏼

[@williamcanada6195]

Thanx ! Insightful and, as usual, pertinent and humorous !! By the way, still waiting ( or hoping ?!? ) for the Apertura Swing Evaluation !

[@arthur_pug]

Thks for the Avital recommendation, a sonic treat

[@stereo8893]

Thank you for this one my friend. I love Harley and now I love his speakers.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

My pleasure!

[@Sebwolf54]

Thanks for your truly great review. I do really enjoy your videos, Thomas!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for watching!

[@PanAmStyle]

Harley is such a lovely man. I’m glad you got to review these. I was contemplating getting the Sibelius pair, but ultimately decided against them as there is no North American representation at this time. I’m still intrigued, though, so thank you for this review :)

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yeah, hopefully you get to listen to them one day.

[@PanAmStyle]

@@ThomasAndStereo I can drive to Montreal …

[@ThomasAndStereo]

@@PanAmStyle How far are you?!!!

[@PanAmStyle]

@@ThomasAndStereo Rochester, NY. How long will you keep them?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

@@PanAmStyle not for long as I don't have space at home.

[@TheTruthKiwi]

I have no doubt that this speaker has better dynamics, highs and lows than my very mid range current system but if I was spending the big bucks I'd want those highs to sparkle and lows to rumble. I just couldn't get a single driver because I'd feel like I was missing out and had an inferior product.

[@teslakiteable]

Great video as always Thomas! How do these compare with the (I guess similarly priced) Q Acoustics Concept 500s? Looking forward to your reply :)

[@PeterMooshammer]

Great, now I want one of those and a Luxman amp…. Nice review for sure.

[@jamesderby4522]

Great review. I am in the process of putting together a diy Mark Audio Alpaire 12p / KJF audio super pencil set speakers. The damping material sounds like the secret sauce.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yes it is!

[@jaakanshorter]

My ex got rid of one of the cats she had. It was climbing my Maggies. The other cat didn't mess with my speakers. It's nice to know I now have a new option if I have to choose between an animal and my speakers.

[@michaelmasztal7871]

I don't doubt your impressions of the SIbelius sound qualities. When I first saw them these they reminded me of iterations of the cabinets used with the old Jordan JX192 driver from ~20 years ago. They were surprisingly impressive sounding given the smallish drivers.

[@ericdaniel323]

Thank you for the great review! I am very intrigued by these. It seems like they are great for classical music, but how do they handle BIG orchestral performances? Will they reproduce, say, a Mahler symphony convincingly?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

This is what Mr Quad said as he is more into that kind of music. I can assure you that Mozart's Requiem is a real musical delight with Sibelius. With Loic, he said It was decent in symphonies the sibelus He will make a video with it. I don' listen to classical frequently but sure it did play it with well with the limited tracks I listened to. You might need to add a sub for the full effect. You should ask Harley, he can give you better breakdown.

[@PearlAcoustics]

@@ThomasAndStereo very happy to advise Eric - he can reach out to me via our website

[@pegun]

Great video Thomas. Do visit Penang during the durian season, I'll bring your family out for a durian buffet at the orchard.

[@MEGAsharps]

Excellent review Thomas!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for watching

[@Freedom89984]

I don’t know the sound of the Sibelius. But the way they are developed, crafted and delivered promises a lot. I am totally happy with my LS50 Meta’s, but I guess the Sibelius would make a nice replacement as I love special design. Maybe I could listen one day somewhere in the Netherlands.

[@doctormidnight]

You're spot on about the Focals. Even though they're just entry level 706 bookshelves, the top end is very bright and detailed but kind of obnoxious if you set them up in a traditional way. My solution was less toe-in, on top of the RB27s, upside down, and about 1.5 inches of elevation on the back just to get them slightly pointing downwards.

[@Curi0u50ne]

@05:50 “That description” means that all calculations will provide an in phase wave as it exits the letterbox port at the bottom or in simpler terms….it’s a good old “Transmission Line” period ( the vetch of the loudspeaker word) yo!

[@michaelkavanaugh9596]

Thanks for the great review. I would love to hear how these compare to the new Fern & Roby Raven Iii's. Given the walnut cabinets with them I would imagine you might also get some great sound.

[@daleboylen6427]

Glad you liked them. One thing you said needs clarification. That was "there are many multi driver speakers out there that are coherent" Phase coherent, yes. TIME coherent, no. I could probably count those on one hand. These aren't time coherent either. I'm sure they have a sweet mid range. Not sure how the driver that can produce a 38Hz bass frequency can also produce a 15khz frequency accurately. i've been in audio for 50 years, haven't heard one yet. Vibrating at 38 hz and 15KHZ at the same time, along with each and every frequency in between is.........a stretch. I've never seen a single driver capable. It will have cone breakup at it's upper frequency limit. Physics tells us that. Probably won't play very loud either. Not saying they can't sound good. I'd bet they do...........for what they can do. Removing the crossover is a good idea. Just not so easily implemented. Better to use a 1st order x-over, but harder still to implement. YMMV

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, maybe the driver does not need to go down to 38hz, it is the cabinet that is doing that. Well, I am not a speaker designer so I have no idea, just guessing. The website said 105db but I never pushed these anywhere to that level.

[@johndavidson5075]

The cabinet is providing a form of mechanical amplification so it’s not overloading the driver.

[@daleboylen6427]

@@johndavidson5075 In a single driver, phase shift won't be caused by an electrical crossover- there isn't one. The signal remains free of crossover parts distortions/haze too. However, any driver has mass, suspension, and damping (by the suspension's resistive losses and the amplifier). Thus, it is a "damped harmonic oscillator"- in a Physics 101 book. A damped, harmonic oscillator also has a high-frequency limit, imposed by its moving mass- which equals phase shift in the highs, or time delay. It has phase shift in the low frequencies, because it has mass bouncing on a suspension (it's a mass/spring system), as described above. And since it cannot be an infinitely-rigid cone, it has cone breakup too, which imposes a ragged phase error across the roll-off region, a raggedness that changes with loudness too.

[@photoipster]

My fav review of yours so far! Great job on these. I’ve never heard them but started following Harley 6 months ago and adore him. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Devore as well!

[@majtextwriter1794]

Great review! Great remark on how double bass should sound and about maggies and cat 👍👌😂 Very glad for Harley to produced such a great speaker. I hope for some big bookshelf variation of them ;)

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Glad you liked the review.😊

[@mattyj3051]

Wonderful review Thomas. You and Harley are both great story tellers. Would you ever consider reviewing La Scalas? I can’t remember you ever reviewing a heritage Klipsch.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I would love to but Klipsch is not answering me :(

[@steverees1936]

Like you Thomas I to wasn't sure about single driver speaker's, but these look beautifully made and have grabbed my attention. I've seen his channel and read about these speakers and all sounds interesting. I am more of a two way speaker fan with subs myself, but would give these a listen to compare, as the Mark Audio drivers have an excellent reputation 😊

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yeah, definitely worth a listen.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Thanks for the video Thomas very interesting video .

[@carltonanderson3424]

Wow! Awesome Review. Hope to win the Lotto! I loved the sound demo and the expression of the music.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@westernartifact580]

Yes. These are really not all that expensive relatively.

[@novicatoncic6908]

One and only Thomas!

[@onsafari]

Could this be the holy grail?

[@mkshffr4936]

Very interesting review. For me it is particularly interesting because my OB speakers use a Mark Audio CHR-70. When I saw the pictures of this speaker the first thing I noticed was that the drivers look identical. Even though the drivers in the Sibelius are specially crafted for it the old MA drivers I used also strike me as having a very well balanced voicing (I have spent a lot of time listening to and even playing actual instruments at a very amature level). They are not very efficient but in a reasonably sized room they can give a very musical reproduction. In my case I needed to cross to a helper woofer at around 200Hz due to the baffle losses but with a fairly simple crossover I still get a lot of the advantages of a single driver. I appreciate speakers of various different designs and philosophies much like I appreciate different kinds of music (except urban) for their own strengths. My current interest in high efficiency systems so will be experimenting with different multi-way systems but I really do enjoy the musicality of single driver designs very much. At some point I am sure I will play with transmission lines such as the Sibelius as well.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Wow, thanks for the feedback.

[@alexpaynter6699]

I have had my eye on these for a while and it is good to read your review. You have mentioned that these sound good with jazz and classical but what about other genres? I listen mostly to blues, folk and rock. Examples would be Allman Brothers, Bowie and Cream from the past. Jack Pearson, Josh Smith, Marcus King and Martin Miller are the kind of artists I listen to. How do these speakers handle blues / rock? I notice that Harley recommended the SMSL VMV A1. This combination would represent excellent value. I don't think I can afford these speakers and the Pass Labs INT 25 which would be my first choice.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Best ask Harley, probably electronic bass music is not it's strong point.

[@PaulMaison]

I would love a comparison between these and the Totem Forest...🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Totem forest is your typical hifi speaker, detail, bright, airy and more on the analytical side. Totem speakers have a lot of firework. These are more on the musical side and sound more natural.

[@reptidan]

I would check out voxativ speakers if you have the chance Thomas. Excellent single driver speakers. Thanks for this great review!

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

That dude's channel is fantastic. I wondered what his speakers sound like. This is the kind of content I'm subscribed for