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.

TONEAudio Review of Audience Au24e Phono Cables

“While this cable is not inexpensive, at $1,100, it’s not crazy money, either. I’m keeping it as a reference in my AVID Volvere SP/Funk Firm FX•R/ Denon DL103R combination; it’s that spectacular”.  

Jeff Dorgay –  June ’12

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

 

SoundStage! HIFI Online Reviews aR12-TS

soundstagehifi
“As I continued listening, it became clear that the Audience’s levels of midrange and lower-treble resolution were standard-setting — again, that vanishing noise floor paid big dividends in the listening chair.

The upper midrange and lower treble were nuanced, finely shaded, and highly resolved, presenting harmonic decay and inner detail that I’d never heard with any other conditioner.

The decays of the piano’s upper registers, previously obscured by a fine layer of glare, were more fully illuminated and harmonically developed with the aR12-TS in the system. I felt I could see into the lowest, previously obscured levels of harmonics of pianos, guitars, cymbals, and even voices. Piano lovers will love what the Audience does. ”
Ryan Coleman — Mar ’12  Read Full Review