AK Member Builds Highly Regarded Speakers

I've had the pleasure to hear these on several occasions at the Frankenfest gatherings. They are great sounding and beautiful to look at.
Congrats to Brian for starting his company and receiving a great, well deserved review.
Glenn
 
I'm so impressed with these speakers it's not even funny. First let me be clear. These are not really my type of speakers at all. I'm a big speaker guy, and more into high sensitivity/efficiency myself. But if I had the money. I would definitely try these nonetheless. I mean talk about "Hot Rodded"!!!

As a guy who got back into audio just about a year ago when I built myself a car stereo for the first time in about 20 years. And as a person who feels the best way to get the most bang for your buck is research, research, research. I've spent the last year doing just that. Learning. Mostly about speakers.


Unfortunately after I got the car stereo installed. The transmission went (on a Toyota with low miles!), because of unfortunate circumstances that were not my doing. So the car stereo game is done for me for now, and maybe forever. I don't have the patience or time to do it again.

But it got me back into home stereo too. For which I forever grateful. "When one door closes. Another opens". And it got me into learning about speaker building. I've learned so much about this stuff in the past year it's crazy. See when you build a good car stereo. To do it right. You're basically building a pair of speakers. Only more complicated then that. And the hot setup in cars is "active". So while I wasn't learning about passive crossovers. I was learning about all the essentials.

Now that I've switched over to home HiFi, and have been learning about real speaker building too at places like the Parts Express forum. I can certainly recognize when I see the hand built, and customized 1971 Corvette LS6 4 speed of Monitor Speakers. And trust me these are it.

Everything from the cabinet designed to reduce diffraction. From the parts, and design of the crossovers. The choice of drivers. To the waveguide on the tweeter, which already has a low resonant frequency, so he can crossover as low as possible (remember a 6.5" woofer will transition from omni to directional around 1kHz, and will "supposedly" start to "beam" around 2khz, or so), yet it's a 3/4 inch to increase off axis response/reduce beaming. What that means is. If you put these in your bar. No matter where people are. They'll be getting basically a flat frequency response with little treble roll off, and no dip in the midrange. Or that you can walk around your room and not lose the sweet spot. The are very well designed.

Someone asked about the 87db sensitivity. That's actually very impressive (high) considering the bass response on these. See Iron's Law to understand why. The fact that these go into the 30's, and still have that high of a sensitivity is very impressive indeed. Those are tower speaker numbers right there. I don't think people can even remotely understand just how good these are. The Kef LS 50 is basically the "bar" in this price range for this type of speaker. I haven't heard them, or these. But spec wise. These destroy the LS 50. They require a sub too, and these have zero need.

Everything he's done with these are Hot Rodded. These are speakers guys dream about building someday if they ever get the time, money, and tools. The amount of time, and money it would take to build these is ridiculous. You would need so many tools, and so much testing equipment to get these right that's it's not remotely worth it, unless you plan on building many speakers. You couldn't possibly start from scratch, and hand build speakers like this yourself for this kind of money, unless you already had the tools and testing equipment on hand. Or you had a friend who did.

And even then. You couldn't overcome the lack of experience to make them sound nearly as good. It would just be a bunch of parts with no harmony. This has got to be the best deal out there in audio right now. Yes maybe there's better performers. But I assure you. Not anywhere near this price. And these are designed by someone. Not by someone using a computer to direct a crew, but isn't actually involved in the process per say. Which is how it's done nowadays. Ala Andrew Jones.

Now mind you. I haven't heard these yet, but I already know from past experience that they sound great. My cuppa? I don't know till I hear them. But they're one of the few new speakers I would even consider. And the fact they go so low. They might be the only small speaker I would consider with, or without a sub. These are very impressive to say the least. He's left no stone unturned. Believe me. I know.

As for the name, because someone asked, it's an Irish thing. Brian, like me (my family is from County Cork), must be Irish. He explains it on his website. The naming thing I mean.

Good job Brian. Good f@cking job man! God bless, and good luck.


Andy B.
 
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I wish that I'd had a chance to hear Brian's speakers at Frankenfest but I was busy
answering questions at my own table and thought that there was going to be a walk
around to see/hear what was going on at each table. Next thing I knew Brian was leaving.
Would really like to hear them soon!
 
Were they at the event even? I never noticed them. I didn't get a chance to talk to him, or nearly enough people for that matter, but I definitely went by his table there. I don't remember seeing them there, but to be honest I didn't really even think of this at the time. It was very hectic.

I really want to hear these speakers. And I'm sure there are other people besides you, and I that feel the same way.
 
Okay I'm not crazy then. Lol

I liked the stuff you brought Pete. Unfortunately I only had about two hours, or I would have asked you for a demo. I was very interested in hearing most of your stuff actually. It's not really right for my setup right now, but I would love to hear at least that Holographic Audio Pre 25 (the demo one), and that Xindak combo you brought too. I was surprised at how small the Pre 25 was. Those are supposed to be amazing, and the fact that you can put it in any room. Makes it a killer piece of gear. Zero Fidelity of YouTube fame, who is also on some forums, has actually met the owner of Holographic Audio. And can't say enough good things about their products.
 
The impression of the designer that I have is that he gets the job done in a no nonsense way.
He cranks out very competent designs.
Thanks for the tip on the youtube videos, I didn't even know about them.
Where are you located maybe we could setup a demo?
 
I highly recommend you watch his video on the subject. Especially since it may help sell that stuff. He loves it. And it's a very interesting story anyway.


And I live in southeast RI/MA area. I appreciate the offer, but I'm not in the market for anything like what you're selling at the moment. Just wanted to hear it for the sake of hearing it, and possibly for future reference/purchase really. Next fest I'm going to try to spend the whole time there, and hopefully I can hear what you have then. I had to work that night unfortunately. So it was just a pick up/get rid of gear run with a little socializing thrown in. Versus the other way around, like I would've preferred.
 
No problem if you are not planning to buy, I do this for the enjoyment. I'll
try to make it to the next NE event.
Good that you were able to stop by even for a short visit.

I have to say that I only knew the names of maybe a handful of people at Frankenfest.
 
Yea I only knew a few too. Maybe name tags would be a good idea? I think I'm going to get my own next time, and just bring the extras with me, because I'm sure you can't buy just one of them.

I stopped by to look at your stuff a couple of times, but you were talking to other people every time, and like I said. My time was cut short. So I couldn't do much anyway. But I figured out who you were the same way I figured out a few people. By the gear you had. Lol
And the picture in your avatar too of course.

But I did get to talk to a few people. It was definitely a good time with good people. Just wish I could have stayed longer. And wish I could have listened to more gear. Wish I had more money too. There was some really good deals there, and I know from the one I went last summer that things tend to get even cheaper at the end, because people don't want to pack it back up. Although the really good stuff is basically gone by then. But I'm learning, and will be more prepared next time.

So hopefully we can both make it to the next one, and I can stay the whole time. So I can check everything out. Including your stuff. Thank you.

Andy B.
 
Were you the young guy who came by at Frankenfest?
It was nice to see young people showing interest.
 
Maybe? I'm almost 46 (is that young? lol), but thankfully I look like I'm in my thirties. I have short dark wavy hair. A few days beard growth. Glasses with one arm taped up. 6 ft, although people think I'm shorter, because I'm heavy. Like 275lbs.

The only real young people I saw there was a couple of kids. One who I noticed sitting on his laptop with headphones on. Which made me kinda sad. Maybe he gets his fill at home with his Pop though. But there was a young looking Asian guy with a couple of girls. And a couple of guys that looked to be in their 20's to 30's I'd say. One had a Klipsch shirt on. Which really made me want to talk to him, but I was too short on time to get caught up. I can talk. So I know better. :)
 
I wish. April 5th 1972. Definitely young at heart, and I may look young, but I don't feel it. Especially my back after moving those Cerwin Vega VS-150's I got from Bostown at the fest into my house all by myself. I didn't realize you could get hurt in this hobby! :confused:

Seriously almost gave myself a hernia getting them up the stairs. I will never, ever try to move them again by myself. Lol
 
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