Price Paid:  $6995.00 from Direct

Summary:
A music lover's speaker.

Strengths:
Great extension. COmpletely transparent. Sound like music!

Weaknesses:
No longer available.

Similar Products Used:
Martin Logan ReQuest.

Summary:
Quite simply, the best there is.

These monitors are not for tweako/weirdos; they are for music lovers and those who want to have music accurately reproduced on demand.

The Mach 17s get out of the way and let the music shine through.

Well done, John Ötvös. You get five stars as well.

Strengths:
Flat frequency response within 1 dB, 20Hz - 20kHz. Dynamic. Immediate. Beautiful cabinetry.

Weaknesses:
None.

Similar Products Used:
Paradigm Studio Monitor

Summary:
I have owned countless speaker systems over the years, and always traded or sold them after 6 months - 9 months. I was searching for the Holy Grail, the unattainable, it seems. I wanted a speaker that was full-range, utterly transparent, low in distortion and colration, and sounded like a musical event rather than a transducer event.

I happened onto John Otvos et al because I liked the look of the speaker. Then, I liked the engneering philosophy and pedigree of Claude Fortier.

I had one of the first pairs in the US, bought unheard with the 30-day listening option.

Here\'s the skinny - they still sit where they did when I installed them, and I have no intention of getting rid of them. They sound wonderful, look wonderful, and are built to last.

As an audio journalist, I have access to many fine speakers, and have owned Thiels, Dunlavy, Vandersteen, and many more.

These are simply the finest speakers known to me.

Strengths:
Transparency, flat response, dynamics, spatial presentation

Weaknesses:
A tiny bit on the warm/sweet side of things

Summary:
Being in audio for over 25 years, I have always believed the search for the ultimate audio system to be a never ending journey. However, a 5.0 rating from 11 reviewers on this forum and a Class "A" rating in stereophile led me to believe that finally there was a speaker that was noting less then perfect.

In my search for a better speaker then I had about 18 months back, I had considered Waveform Mach 17, along with Vandersteen Model 5. However, as I could not audition the Mach 17, at that time, I passed up the opportunity to try them at home for free. I ended up buying Vandersteen Model 5s. However, on finding out recently that I could now go and audition them only 15 minutes from my home, I took on the challange to go listen to what all this rave was about.

I should caution, before I submit my comment that I am an audiophile who prefers tubes to solid state. To me imaging, tonal accuracy, sound staging and palpability is more important then most other things. I also believe that systems can be tweaked to sound a lot better then do without them.

So the system I heard was what is recommended by the manufacturer. Two Bryston 3 Channels Amps along with garden variety interconnects and speaker cables. All that are again recommended by the manufacturer. To say I was disappointed will be a gross understatement, based upon my preferences. No imaging, no soundstaging, no papability. Clean sound with bass, yes, but nothing else. I believe that the speakers demonstrated potential to sound better, if used with better electronics, interconnects etc. etc. How much better, I could not say.

I have heard my fair share of equipment and speakers in 25 years in the hobby. I know if not set up properly the same speakers can be made to sound bad, while a properly set pair of the same speakers can bring tears to your eyes. Therefore, I cannot say whether it was not the proper placement or tweaks that made them sound so flat. All I can say is that with the recommended hardware, they completely failed to ring my bell.

Now, some people would contend that a live recording does not have the depth or width or palpability that I so dearly love. To that, I would say that they have not heard many live performances or none at all. I have heard flat sounding live performances, however, I have also heard near holographic live performances. Again this would depend on the accoustics of the hall/room, and the associated equipment.

Many would also question that then what makes Mach 17, a Class"A" component in Stereophile. To that answers is simpler. Having known many audio reviewrs and heard their set up, all I would say that all of them are eloquent writers, but many of them have set up that sucks big time. In fact I have yet to hear a system at a reviewers home that brought tears to my eyes. Besides just like my review, they reflect an opinion of one person. My only suggestion as always would be to audition a system before you buy. After one buys something, it becomes easier to give it a perfect 5. After all we want to jusity what we purchased was a smart investment, also called buyers remorse.

One thing this audition did prove is that my journey in search of a perfect system will continue.

Strengths:
Good Bass, Clean sound

Weaknesses:
Lack of depth, imaging and palpability I expected from the product at this price point.

Similar Products Used:
Vandersteen Model 5

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Summary:
I was in the market for a new set of speakers in the summer of 97' when I decided to attend the Sterophile show in San Francisco. I thought what better to place to find all of the top brands and models. I ran across a little room off to the side and sat down for a quick listen to the Waveform MAch 17s before moving on. I had just listened to the X-1 Grand Slamms in the Wilson room and wasn't expecting much. Wow! I got so excited I ran to get my wife to prepare her for the fact that I was going to buy those speakers right then. John was great and within 2 weeks I took delivery of the show apir that I heard in San Francisco

I had gone through every tweek in trying to get better sound out of my Apogee Ribbons. I'll just say that since I bought the Mach 17s I have not bought another item for my system. For the past two years I have been content just to listen

System:

Theta Data II Transport
Classe Dac 1
Classe Ca-150 amps
VTL Pr9 preamp
VPI Aries Turntable
JMW Arm
Transfiguration Temper Supreme Cartridge
Audioquest Cabling

Strengths:
Imaging, transient speed, smooth, smooth, smooth

Weaknesses:
None