I originally got the Diamond 12.2 and it was a box of distortion and harmonics , awful speaker. I returned the 12.2 and got the EVO 4.1 and what a difference. The EVO 4.1 is light years ahead , the sound is crystal clear , the amount of clarity and details you hear are immense, the base is super deep and tight, much better than Diamond 12.2. And the looks are to die for.
Thanks for the review! Indeed, to shine, these speakers need a strong amplification. I have a 150w amplifier on 8 ohms. Without it, Evo 4.1 would have an anemic character. On top of that I also attached a subwoofer. Now the sound took on a completely different dimension! In this setup I use them very well in a room of 15 square meters that communicates on the one side, through a large opening, with another room of 13 square meters
Until watching this review the 4.1's were/are my prefeed replacement for my Elac 5.2's. at louder volumes the Elac's are lovely but mid range up become muffled at lower volumes . I currently have a 100w wat per Chanel amp but before buying any speakers I am saving for an Emotiva basx ta2 integrated amp which I believe are 200w per Chanel so; My question is ,would a more powerful amp allow me to listen at lower volumes and still get a lively sound out of ither the Whafedale or my elac's?
What do you class as "low volume" and "higher volume"? What is your sound source? What style of music do you listen to during your testing? Different music styles will perform differently. Your reviews are very different to majority of other reviews so I am curious as to what you use for testing.
I like ur reviews very much! They are strait forward and to the point. And most of all you are not afraid to say out loud ur opinion, regardless the hype on line...Thanks so much!! Would like to know ur choice on high quality sound speaker for close listening (5 ft distance) and close to wall placement? Up to about $1000. have a Rel T/5x sub that will be paired.
Thanks! As for the recommendation, I would hesitate to give definitive one since I need to listen quite a few models yet, especially in your budget - not a small one. Personally, I went with the Quadral Platinum+ Two and they are pretty good in such distance. That said, you might look into something with front bass-port like Elac Uni-Fi Reference or Debut B6.2/Debut Reference. Another advice: if you consider something bigger (with 8" driver) like Monitor Audio Silver 100, forget it - not suitable for such use.
@@AromaFrank Not a fan of Lumina 2s (first impression video is on the channel). I haven't listened to other mentioned rivals. Definitely, give a shot and audition some Elacs. KEF might be an option too.
@@MAudiophile I had the Elac UB52 and Kef 150, with both of them I had fatigue listening experience after few minutes. I’m listening from close distance like 5 feet. I’m wondering if the unifi reference would be less fatiguing.
I had the same experience with both the 4.1 and 4.2 and ultimately returned one and sold the other. The off axis problem really got to me after a while. Kind of a shame because both are beautifully made speakers
Exactly! Off-axis downside of this speaker is very overlooked. Unfortunately, looks not always pair up with sound. The same goes for the Castle Knight 2s which I would argue look even better than 1k+ $ gear. Sadly, their sound quality was disappointing.
Hi, the EVO are said to require in the 100 to 200 hours (!) before complete break-in: did you wait all this time before testing ? If not, this could easily explain the strange difference between the low-volume and high-volume character.
What is your recommendation for a speaker of similar price point and class of sound quality that is less picky about vertical placement? It has to be front or bottom ported, because due to space restrictions I will need to have them placed on a desk pushed right up to the wall. EDIT: I've been using a pair of ancient Diamond 8.2s for a decade or so, but I find them a bit too boomy and muddy now, with not enough clarity at the top. They were a huge step up from the Altec Lansing computer speakers I used to have before, but now I've got some dough to spend but very limited space, so... any tips?
I will restrain from definitive recommendation as of now since I haven't tested all of the good stuff on the market yet. What comes to my mind first, if I was in your place I would probably look at the options from Elac. Older B&W 685 might be an option (?) (review of those is up on the channel).
