During THE Show Newport Beach, Audience displayed its MK II version of the ClairAudient 16+16 flagship loudspeakers and the ClairAudient 1+1. Below is the coverage from Neil Gader and Robert Harley, ‘the absolute sound’:
Robert Harley – BEST SOUND (highest value) at THE Show Newport goes to Audience!
Posted by: Robert Harley at 9:09 am, June 11th, 2012
Best Sound (highest value)
Audience Wavepower amplifier and Wavemaster preamp driving Audience’s ClairAudient 1+1 loudspeaker (see below).
Greatest Bargain
Audience’s new ClairAudient 1+1 loudspeaker. This tiny cube, priced at $1800 per pair, combined the transparency of a one-way crossover less design with the dynamics and extension at the frequency extremes you’d expect from a larger conventional system.
Posted by: Neil Gader at 9:09 am, June 8th, 2012
Audience presented one of the smallest and one of the largest new speaker systems geared to promote the scalability of its full-range-driver philosophy. Driven by all Audience power was the new Mk II version of the ClairAudient 16+16 flagship ($72k). It continues as a bi-polar, one-way line source with thirty-two A3-S2 three-inch full-range drivers but has been upgraded with the addition of eight 6” x 9” custom passive radiators. To my ears the difference was quite startling with solid low-end response that didn’t inhibit the speed and crystalline focus that makes this design so listenable. In comparison and obviously bass-restricted, the tiny ClairAudient 1+1 was captivating in how well it retains the flagship’s remarkable voice and timbre ($1800).
THE Show Newport 2012 – Stereophile Show Coverage
Audience’s Clairaudient 16+16 Mk.II
By John Atkinson • Posted: Jun 8, 2012
John McDonald’s Audience company has developed a range of speakers using a proprietary 3” cone driver to cover the complete audio range. The flagship Clairaudient 16+16 ($72,000/pair) made its debut at the Newport Beach Show. Each Clairaudient 16+16 uses 16 of the latest-generation drivers firing to the front and another 16 to the back, and is specified to be flat to 30Hz.
The speakers were driven by Audience’s prototype Wavepower 100W class-D monoblocks, the Audience Wavemaster preamplifier, a Manley Chinook phono preamplifier, Oppo and Bryston digital sources, and a modified Denon turntable with Audience tonearm wire and a Lyra Delos MC cartridge. Cables, of course, were all Audience Au24e, and AC conditioning was done with an Audience Adept Response aR6-TS ($6000). No subwoofer was used at the Show but Cyrus Chestnut’s piano on Revelation had weighty low frequencies and a natural tonality, with a big stable soundstage.
The small blue speaker in the photo is the Clairaudient 1+1 ($1800/pair), which uses just one drive-unit front and back, with passive radiators on each side, and sounded very much larger than looks would suggest.
Audience to Introduce Its New Mark II Flagship ClairAudient 16+16 Loudspeaker at T.H.E. Show: Newport
San Marcos, CA, May 22, 2012 – At the upcoming 2012 T.H.E. Show: Newport in California (June 1 – 3), Audience will debut one of its most significant products ever, the new Mark II top of the line ClairAudient 16+16 loudspeaker. The 16+16 has been upgraded with the addition of eight 6 x 9-inch custom passive radiators, to create a historically unprecedented true full-range, one-way, bi-pole loudspeaker. Whereas previously the 16+16 was flat down to 80Hz and required the augmentation of a subwoofer, its response is now accurate from 30Hz to 22kHz. Read Full Story
