Getting a pair of STRATA MINI speakers.. You might like these, not much $$

[Steve Hoffman]

Sean Parque, the Sales/Product Manager at av123/Perpetual Technologies, LLC is sending me a pair of their fab STRATA MINI speakers to play with. Planar magnetic drivers and a built in sub... Looks like there is a 350 watt amp in each speaker to do the bass. That means that your dinky tube amp can drive these beauties and you can adjust the 8" woofer to your "bass taste". This company is dedicated to great audiophile quality sound at a really affordable price. Can't wait to give them a spin!

Take a look here:

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=78.1

These are under 2k and you can try them out in your home for weeks!

This could be the answer to a maiden's prayer (or an audiophile on a budget)!

[LeeS]

Thanks for the heads up. Please provide a review when have listened. :)

[TONEPUB]

We were very impressed with this speaker for the money when we had it in for review...

It will even play fairly loud with a 300B amp!

[Pinknik]

I liked the pair I heard at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, a couple of years ago, although it wasn't the production model. I look forward to Steve's review.

[Barry Wom]

as per a conversation I have with two many speaker designers these days....

These are ugly, and how far back do they go?

Whether we like it or not (and I don't personally care what they look like) speakers have to look good these days to get into peoples houses, especially if SWMBO is part of the buying decision, which is increasingly common these days.

[sgb]

It will even play fairly loud with a 300B amp!

What does this mean? Doing the calculations, it looks to me like my Quicksilver MS-190 (EL34s, 95 watts) would be running out of headroom @ ~ 96 dB.

[Gary]

I think they're great looking speakers! The tweeters look sweet, too!

[Barry Wom]

I think they're great looking speakers! The tweeters look sweet, too!

Unfortunately I don't think most of the general public would agree, in the UK at least, most music rooms are also living rooms, play rooms and dining rooms so speakers have to look good. Blue Mountain is a great example. Fabulous sounding speakers, some of the best, but so ugly I can't see any big retailer taking them in the UK.

I wish it were different,but in 2007 this is the sad truth.

[Metralla]

I'm with Tim - totally ugly.

[Gary]

Tim, I have Kef Calindas in my living room. These look better than the Calindas. And I'm married.

:shrug:

I should count my blessings! :D

[TONEPUB]

As my grandfather used to say "One mans princess is another mans pig and vice versa!"

As far as the headroom calculations go, numbers aren't everything. I didn't say that they would play to concert levels with a 300B amplifier, but they will work in a modest sized room at moderate levels. My buddy that has them can never listen at high level, but wanted great detail at low level. For him a 300B is working well.

These played way louder than I would ever need to listen to music with my MC 275 (75w/ch) thanks to the built in powered sub.

With anything, you need to see how it works in your system. AV123 will give you a 30 day trial, so how can you lose?

For the size issue, I'm with Tim, these babies are WAY too big for my living room.. I have a more European type house, at least in size. My living room is only 11 x 16, so I can't have a big floor stander in there!

Fortunately, we have a lot of choices!!!

[Drew]

I'm beginning to remember why I'm single.

[Steve Hoffman]

I'm with Tim - totally ugly.
Tough crowd.

[TONEPUB]

I'm beginning to remember why I'm single.

Good one!!

:)

I don't have to argue with my wife about hifi... just what colors to paint the house!

[LeeS]

I'm beginning to remember why I'm single.


:laugh: There are sacrifices to be made. :D

[kudesai]

As far as the headroom calculations go, numbers aren't everything. I didn't say that they would play to concert levels with a 300B amplifier, but they will work in a modest sized room at moderate levels. My buddy that has them can never listen at high level, but wanted great detail at low level. For him a 300B is working well.

With anything, you need to see how it works in your system. AV123 will give you a 30 day trial, so how can you lose?



I absolutely agree. Or should I say the published numbers aren't everything ;-).

My original el84 tube rig was about 14wpc. Many of the speakers that I liked just did not look like they would work with my amp. For example, I always liked the sound of the ProAc 1sc's, but on paper they did not look like they would make the grade. I found a dealer near me who sells quite an array of low output tube amps. After checking out a few loudspeakers I noticed he carried the 1sc's. I told him that I wished that my system could drive them, He chuckled, sat me down in front of a pair being powered by -- you guessed it -- a 14wpc el84 amp (audio note I think). Blew my socks off!!!

The moral of this story is: numbers lie. If you can, always let your ears do the walking.

[skriefal]

as per a conversation I have with two many speaker designers these days....

These are ugly, and how far back do they go?


Ugly? They're some of the best looking affordable speakers I've seen in quite some time. And I'm listening to a pair right now!

About 16.5 inches deep at the base...

[Gary]

About 16.5 inches deep at the base...

That's not bad at all!!

Better than my Calindas... (these are not mine)

Of course, there is a brown cloth over my speakers.... .

Now I ask ya - which ones look better? :)

[Burningfool]

I think they look cool. At least they look cooler than the big boxes I have in here now.

Steve - I eagerly await your review.

Chris

[LesPaul666]

AV123 also has a sale on a whole 5 piece Strata Mini multi-channel setup for 3 grand... Seems like a great deal, considering the center and surround speakers sell for well over 2 grand alone by themselves.

[DjBryan]

I dont care how they look, its the sound 4 me. Saving

[drh]

Tough crowd.

Nonetheless, thanks for passing the info along--even though I'm not really in the market for speakers, I, for one, am always glad to know about sonically worthy options at something like real world prices. Their appearance is certainly unconventional, but in the right room I think they could look stunning. The right room, of course, is NOT decorated in Earlye Traditional Federal/Colonial/Olde Englishe Manor House style.

Personally, I prefer the look of my elderly Maggies (sorry Magnepan seems to have fallen on its sword with you :( ), which have the added virtue of being easy to move (given that our music room is also a performance space, being able to get them out of the way/out of harm's way is more "necessity" than "nicety"). That said, I'm grateful for the "heads up" about something that might be worth considering as a replacement come the dread day when the Maggies go blooey--I suspect that the budget will not be there to replicate the size panels that I have now.

[DOUBTINGTHOMAS29]

I hope they sound great because they aren't much to look at. I am glad that there are companies out there like AV123 and Usher that provide quality speakers at affordable prices.

[TONEPUB]

Personally, I prefer the look of my elderly Maggies (sorry Magnepan seems to have fallen on its sword with you :( ), which have the added virtue of being easy to move (given that our music room is also a performance space, being able to get them out of the way/out of harm's way is more "necessity" than "nicety").


You're either a panel guy or you aren't....

[bhazen]

These look a little like the small Martin Logans. I'm curious about that ribbon...