Getting used to...
Contents
Yeah, it was from dattum again. We hear some great sounding speakers at a trade show and request a review.
Once we’re in the house, we’re less enthusiastic. We had the same experience with the Totem Signature One. The first days the click is not there. Luckily the review samples stay with us for a longer period of time. In this way we can get used to the sound, some fiddling with cables and find a suitable amplifier.
We let them play for a few days because we have the feeling that they are not at their best yet. After about five days they sound much more balanced and another week later we think they are up to level. That can’t just be habituation. The tweeter has lost its sharpness and the layer is now loosening nicely and this after more than two weeks of playing music at average volume. These are clearly speakers that need some time to get in balance.
Control
We really have to do our best this time to get everything right. For example, the Sonetto especially needs sufficient control. Fortunately, our Bryston is a control freak who knows how to keep the speakers tight in their white suit. This amplifier has 60 stable watts and sounds very pure with lots of punch. The Sonetto clearly benefits from this.
With a sensitivity of 87db in 4 ohms, it really pays to provide decent amplification to get the most out of these speakers. You’re not going to fully discover the qualities of these speakers with a cheap receiver. We tried it with our vintage JVC receiver but it was not a success. This speaker is quite critical and will immediately expose a lesser link in your set.
Resolution
But the Bryston does his job with verve. Clear, taut, refined and detailed are the terms we find on our notes. Especially the almost holographic character of this loudspeaker is striking in this price range. We can dive pretty deep into the shot. So we hear a lot of small details and a lot of air between the different instruments. This provides an extra intense experience, especially with good recordings.
This is a loudspeaker that doesn’t hide anything and will also play back inferior recordings as such. Not unlistenable but certainly not more beautiful than they are, unlike some other speakers in this class… …that “cream” a little off. If you are serious about hifi, you will of course have a nice digital library or an exquisite vinyl collection at your disposal. So it’s not really a problem, but some recordings do fall through the cracks.
Fortunately most of our streams, CD’s and hi-res sound fantastic on the Sonetto I. A solid recording is rewarded by the Sonetto in a way we haven’t heard before in this price segment.