Canton Digital 1.1 Floorstanding Speakers Reviews

Price Paid:  $2000.00 from Second hand

Summary:
A very fine pair of speakers. I upgraded from a pair of Canton RCL. I was allways pretty satisfied with my RCL. They played just fine in my ears. Therefore it was with big interest I hooked up these giant speakers. Would they play better or wpuld they just just sound big and boomy like many other so called high end crap. After quit a hazzle with the measurement sequence (see weakness below) I finally got them adjusted the way I wanted. Then it started - the MUSIC! They are actually very good. That's about as much you need to say. They do everything just right. The ability to play any music effortless is great. It resolves complex music with ease. They dig deep, have a firm heavy bass, a nice clear mid and a clear hig end. The RCL played great but these are better. I wonder why Canton let go of the active filter technology. I thought it worked fine with the RCL. It makes all the difference with Digital 1.1 A tips: Do a 7 point ball measure like they recommend in the manual. That means point 1 in your head listening position, then 6 points 30 cm out 90 degrees round, up and down from centre of your head. This will smooth the correction curve and improve the sound reproduced radically from just having a one point measure. I can definitly recommend Canton Digital 1.1! Other part of my hifi set: -CD Classé 1.5 -Preamp Classé CP 35 -Amp Dynamic Precision DPA 6.32 2x250W -Interconnects Harm.Tech Truth Link XLR -Speaker Cable Harm Tech Pro 11

Strengths:
Capability to resolve complex music passes. You clearly hear all the instruments, even though a deep bass is running in the bottom scale. It keeps you interested in the music. You find yourself sitting completely satisfied and just enjoying the music. You do not need to play load. They are so powerful, that music just pours out of them even at moderate volumes. Best of all, they are a beutiful furniture, which is good for the WAF-factor (Wife Acceptence Factor).

Weaknesses:
Heavy like nothing else. You must be two person to move them longer distances. You can adjust their position yourself but that's about it. They are somewhat painful to adjust. Firstly you must find a PC with Win98 or lower OS!!! Secondly it takes quite a few measurements before you get the hang of it. Also if you move the speakers, they need to be measured all over. On the plus side is that the measurement method is automatic. You just have to push some buttons in the program. No big deal.

Similar Products Used:
Canton RCL, TDL RTL3, Acoustat Spectra 11, Infinity Epsilon(?), Martin Logan Request and more

Price Paid:  $4500.00 from Norlanders Radio TV

Summary:
I was ging to buy new main speakers. This time I was going for something extra. But I was wise...I had time, I had money, and I where to develop my sense of listening.
Because it takes alot of time, ears, and evetually money to be wise about speakers. Know that My journey started in August and ended in February. This is nothing to be rushed along.

Having listened to alot of speakers over a long period of time(read: 'similar products used'), I noticed that my hearing had developed to an instrument itself. An instrument of hearing. A tool to dig up what fitted my purposes just right.
Because, it had to be something that 'fitted' my profile. Since I knew that the money in the end where going to be a small household budget, I probobly had to hold on to these speakers for some time. Say 5-15 years. And in that time both my own music taste and speaker surroundings was to change a few times. I had to get me a speaker that where VERSITYLE (read: Canton Digital 1.1).

This all thanks to the DIGITAL CONTROLLER. A DSP-room correction unit. With this and a measurement microphone, via a PC, you make these speakers sound however you want them to. Optimise them for your own room, needs and taste. There are given software programmes for everything.

Spent some time listening to them. Tried them out with all kinds of comparison music - and there never was a doubht. Though many speakers jawdropping, this was floorhitting every time.
Got mine in cherry-wood(blacks cost same).They come in huge boxes, not moved by one person(bring a friend or two). Once opened, just everything about these high-end loudspeakers screames quality. Thickly shielded from the outside world, and covered in soft, soft cloth as a last protective wrapping.
The DSP-unit in own box - same with microphone and the super heavy microphone-stand. Quality cables for this purpose included.
These speakers are delicate craftmanship. In the back you find only the thick speaker-cable connectors. Bi-wire or Bi-Amp at chioce. In front with cover removed - the elements and the bassport reflex.

The DSP-unit comes with 10 factory preset frequency response charactaristics. This for you. One flat(linear) in room response, and the 9 others are set for pop, rock, classic etc. With a PC and microphone you adjust these for the room in wich you've placed the speakers. VERY recommendable, since sound improvement is aquired.
They play everything with ease. Classic to heavy-metal. Bass is unbelievable accurate and deep. Just shocking. Mids and vioces are as true as they can be. The sound stage is with abyssly depth. And the highs just take a chew at any overdisted Marilyn Manson, and spits it out - urging me to turn up volume! But also they play softly. This with bass and soundstage intact. Almost whispery soft, and yet puts everything out at display. For all jazz enthusiasts there is a little something as well.

Every time I start them up I go:"They sounded THIS good?!... Yep, they did!"

Strengths:
Delicate craftsmanship. Bass extremely precise. Soundstage incredible - since they will optimise themselves to any room - they will outperform most competitor speakers anywhere you put them. These speakers can not show weakness in sound performence.

Weaknesses:
Big, heavy, not easy to move around(but who does? And besides - you wont have to)? Very EXPENSIVE anywhere outside europe. Recommend to use Amp of the warmer side - or cables of warmer character. Can sound very Cantonish if not. But then again - some like this quality, some doesn't. Make your own ears the judge of that...

Similar Products Used:
Canton Ergo RC-L, Martin Logan (forgot name - 'big'), B&W Nautilus 802, 803, 804, Snell XA-75ps, NHT 3.3, Revel Ultima, Kef (forgot name), QRS Tellus, Dali Grand, JBL (forgot name), Mirage OM-5, Infinity Kappa-series, JM Lab (forgot name), plus lots and lots of others, same brand or different.