Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I've got this great speaker out from a dark underground sales people, and had to picked up at a darn and lousy place Downtown Mexico. At firt glance, sound was awfully thin and lifeless, maybe because we carried it laying sideways. It took over a month of hard work to recover bass and get a full drivers integration, but oh boy how they did it!. I have made them a few tricks, but they are about the best speakers money can buy, while they're not big but offer sound well in the Revel Ultima Salon, or the B&W 800 nautilus leage; well, you need to feed them properly but it will certainly pay off. If you're looking for a perfect speaker in a compact size, this certainly is one of the better available options. Obviously I challenge anyone to beat my 70 grand (retail) lay out with anything as close, even at 140 grand!

Strengths:
Immediacy, crystal clear detail, bass power and definition, macro and micro dynamics, non acoustic fatigue, good soundstage, and power handling.

Weaknesses:
They need very good anciliary equipment in order to fulfill your dreams; actually the better you feed them, the better they work.

Similar Products Used:
Thiel CS 5i, B&W 801 nautilus

Price Paid:  $10000.00 from Center Circle Audio

Summary:
It was with much anticipation that I auditioned the Rosas and within the first hour I was totally smitten by the life-like musical reproduction capabilities and dynamic pace of these rock solid speakers.The entire frequency spectrum was rendered seamlessly and the mid-range was just magical. The bass was so well integrated and in-pace with the rest of the frequencies that one gets to hear the whole instead of e parts. The placement of musical instruments was excellent and there was a wonderful sense of airiness around the instruments. Vocals were again life-like with audible lips,throatiness and breath behind the image. Imaging of instruments were superb where one can place separate instruments in the sound field while the sum of all the instuments playing together were rendered with reality and liquid-like in presentation while giving the audible experience of a finely co-ordinated whole of the sum of parts.
The sound-stage thrown up was deep, wide and high, providing a 3-dimensional sound-field( I have also auditioned other fine speakers like the B&W nautilus series, the ProAc future series, the Revel Salon etc). The soundstage reveals a layering effect with progressive depth. One of the finest soundstage I have ever heard.
The rythmn and pace of the music were emotionally absorbing eliciting a foot-tapping response from me. Infact, I have a few friends who were very highly complimentary of the musicality of the speakers.
The built quality is of the highest order and the black Italian marble speaks of excellent craftsmanship all-round.
I truly rate the E.W Rosa speakers as among the bestin the full range floor-speakers category.
Highly recommended for music lovers who want to experience a life-like musical experience.

Strengths:
Life-like musical presentation, dynamic pace, liquid, spatial 3-D soundstage, focus and airiness

Weaknesses:
None detected

Similar Products Used:
ProACs, B&W

Summary:
I've clocked only about 4 hours with the Rosas. The dealer's associated equipment was Audio Research (100 watt amp; I can't recall which AR pre-amp) and Krell's KAV 300 cd player.

I ran a whole range of music through these things--from Adderly & Coltrane to Krall; from Metallica (S&M--great listening disc) to McLaughlin; from Dave Matthews to Ella & Louis, the Allmans, YoYo Ma and so on.

In short, great speakers. Really filled a mid-size listening room nicely. Amazing detail and layering that was very, very impressive. Much moreso than the Fontaines. And the modest footprint and stylish finish are pluses too.

The bass was adequate, but just didn't get you there. The speakers lacked an overall musicality that I cannot really describe. While they nicely handeled all types of music, they sounded their best at higher levels--noticbly more detailed than at lower levels.

I'm currently using a 50 watt amp. The Rosas aren't the most efficent speaker in their class and they would require some more power to run at their best. Last, the dealer out here just wasn't willing to deal ($10k).

Listen to the Rosas and then listen to the JM Labs Mezzos. In the latter you'll hear that overall musicality that I referred to. I bought the Mezzos.

Strengths:
Great detail and dynamics; accomidating footprint.

Weaknesses:
A bit weak at the low end; not as musical at lower levels.

Similar Products Used:
AudioPhysic Virgo, Meadowlark Heron (Hot Rod), Eggy Fontaine, JM Labs Electra 920, JM Labs Mezzo Utopia, Wilson Watt/Puppy 5.1 and 6.

Summary:
I lived with a pair of Rosa's for almost 8 months, equipment involved was:
Gryphon Tabu Century, Wadia 29, Michel GyroDeck/Cardas Heart

PROs
Can handele lots of power
Good musical involvement
Exquisite finish

CONs
A little incoherent through the tonal scale (maybe because multidriver design)
Some other good options at that price point
Need to cranck volume up to reach sound potential