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Review 1 of 1
Price Paid:
$7500.00
from Vancouver Summary:
Opera, what is this??? Exactly what I found myself feeling last year. I was looking for another two channel audio system for a second home. I did my research and found Opera. To put it in perspective, I currently am “in love with” my main system, B&W 802s, Bryston 7B STs X 4, top notch cable, EAD Theatre Master (customized significantly) DAC Processor, with a Sony SCD 1 front end. All in all, a very dynamic system that pleases me as I type tonight.
I decided that I would go to valves for a second primary system in a summer home. I tried too many valve amps, only to be left a bit unsatisfied with the lower end and some dynamics. I then went to hear a very interesting all Italian system at a local store here in Vancouver, B.C. Opera Divina loudspeakers wired to a Unison SE integrated amp. Wow! I liked the combo. No small wonder, Opera uses the SE to “voice” the Divinas in the factory. No wonder they worked so well together! The amp is a hybrid with valves for the output and transistors for the back end. Talk about dynamics blended with the sweet sound of valves. When matched to the Divinas I was impressed.
The speakers transformed human voice and jazz ensembles to true life. Sweet!!!! To hear Diana Krall sing “The Look of Love” on these beauties was as good as sitting front row. Believe me, I have sat front row, 10 feet from her on three occasions, and this is as good as it gets! Sure, there was a magical synergy between the amp and the speakers, but those Divinas, boy did they get the “voice” correct! Dynamics, no problem (rather big and real), sound stage, equally great, wide, well beyond the speaker cabinets (which did I already say, are fabulous handmade works of art), depth, oh yeh, I could hear each instrument well placed across the sound stage very accurately, depth, big, well defined bass, with lots of air moving at volume when the double bass played, orchestra, well, this is the piece de resistance, yes it is good enough to voice the entire orchestra accurately, instruments well placed both laterally and vertically. Can this speaker play subtlety at low volume and manage to include dynamics, etc. of higher volumes? Yes it can! This is one speaker that does not relegate a listener to one or two styles of music. If you want to Lonely Heart’s Club at volume, it can do it and rock with the best of them. If it is Maria Callas or Diana Krall that rocks you, it does that as well (really well). May it be Miles or Brubeck, yes, superb with jazz. OK, I like this set-up and bought it immediately.
Strengths:
Dynamics;
Volume;
Ability to play realistically orchestra, jazz bands, and wonderful human voice;
Sweetnesss that only comes with silk a tweeter (the rear tweeter is metal but is attenuated to only add fill;
Ability to pressurize a large room without a sub woofer.
The cabinets are absolutely astounding. They are hand made and will win approval of significant others as well as friends and foes. Furniture!
Weaknesses:
Do not buy these for a small room.
They require a bit of power. Do not expect greatness from small powered valve amps, but anything over 100 watts should do the trick as they are rated at 89. Similar Products Used:
Dozens and dozens
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5 of 5
