FrederikSchack

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1000.00 from A friends friend

Summary:
I've had these speakers for 11 years and I still love them. I fear the day they'll break, if ever? They are pretty much fantastic for all sorts of music, very transparant, coherent and natural sounding. I bought them at a bargain price from one of my friends friends working at a HiFi store 8500 DKR (approximately $1000 at the time).

I have used these speakers with a Denon for 4 years and NAD's former flagship S-300 for 7 years, but the S-300 is utterly beaten by a simple Panasonic XR-55 pure digital amp.

All my friends are amazed by the duo of Snell C IV and Panasonic XR-55. I've never had so many compliments for the sound quality before. Everybody who owns a C IV should own an XR-55. I can go to a demo evening with a complete Lyngdorf setup and not feel that I miss anything important in regards to sound quality. Actually I don't even like Lyngdorf TDAI 2200 on my Snell, compared to XR-55.

Put on Sinkin' Soon with Norah Jones, Invocation with Richard Bona, Black Eyed Peas, American Beauty, Calexico, Sting, Diana Krall. It's amazing!

Strengths:
Transparant
Natural sound
Lots of bass

Weaknesses:
Large
Don't place them too close to walls, they will need lots of space around them.

Similar Products Used:
I'v listened to lots of different speakers from Dali, Jamo, B&W and others.

Price Paid:  $2200.00 from Electronic Creations

Summary:
This is an update to my review of the Snell C/IV which I wrote a few years ago. I wanted to share a real-world comparison with a loudspeaker I bought in 2003. I still have the same Snell C/IV I bought in 1992. I left these at my parents' house as I have moved some distance away. About six months ago I purchased Quad 989 electrostatic loudspeakers, which I was impressed with when I heard it at the London Hifi show and a quick demo at my local dealer. No need to worry about looking after wood veneers, the exterior finish of my Quad ESLs is finest plastic ! The Quads were delivered but the sound just didnt gel for me. All reviewers rave about the 'holographic' imaging of the Quad ESLs. My Quads had a clear and natural sound but the imaging was hopeless. I just put it down to needing plenty of burn-in time. But even after four months of use the imaging was mediocre. I also found that the metal 'cage' around the speaker had become loose, and was resonating with bass notes. My Quad dealer offered to get the speakers repaired - but I insisted on an all-new pair. The sound of my second pair of 989s was great, even straight out of the box, with the excellent imaging I had got so used to from Snell. I was relieved to have a properly working new pair of speakers. Again I have stuck to tubes for the new system, now using 300B PSE tube amps built by Nick Lucas at World Audio design, UK. (These amps are reasonably priced and give outstanding sound.) So after seeking audio nirvana with electrostatics, I found that my trusty 12-year old Snell C/IV, which cost me a fraction of the Quad 989, is better built than the Quad, comes pretty close for transparency, and slightly betters the 989 for imaging. I’ve occasionally seen Snell C/IVs for sale on Audiogon at less than USD $1,000 - these speakers must be one of the best audio bargains ever.

Strengths:
Outstanding sound, build and value

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Quad 989

Price Paid:  $12500.00 from used-from magazine reviewer

Summary:
I bought these used in early 1995 from the reviewer at Absolute Sound (he published a review). For awhile they were fine, but now are the weakest link in my system which has been upgraded over time (c-j evo 2000, A R LS-2, Theta Data Basic and DS Pro Basic III, MAC and LAT cabling, Tice power conditioning). The rocking Snells provided many years of pleasure, but time to move on: the Aerial 10Ts will now enjoy pride of place. My music is mostly house and trance (electronica) and the C IVs handle it nicely, smoothing the rough edges of the processed sounds yet seamlessly laying out the mix. Nice, powerful midrange - a tad warm, and lacking in ultimate transparency at the top, and a bit plodding in the bass. My listening room was large enough, thank god: apartment dwellers need not apply. These speakers need air to take off. They lost coherency when pushed really loudly, but at sane levels were uncolored, full, and fairly polished. Great value for the buck, but frankly the Aerial 10Ts are so much better I gotta keep them (demoing the Aerials now). Seeya C IV, thanks for the taste.

Strengths:
neutrality, dynamic range

Weaknesses:
veiled sound in absolute terms;imaging and soundstaging mid-pack, bass a bit loose

Similar Products Used:
Chapman T7, Aerial 10T

Price Paid:  $2200.00 from Electronic Creations, Altamonte Springs, Florida

Summary:
I probably differ from most Snell type C owners in that I use a valve / tube amp - Audio Innovations First Audio Triode (6B4G tubes), fitted with a Border Patrol "MB" tube rectified / choke regulated power supply. The amp is rated 7 watts class A (you read correctly ! - seven watts). However I find no problem whatsoever in producing more than adequate sound levels in a listening room around 28ft x 15ft. The C/IV has a reasonably high 89dBWm sensitivity.

The superb transparency and flat frequency response is what drew me to buy the C/IV - together with my previous good experience of Snell K's. ( the latter still in regular service 14 years after I bought them !)

Most tube amp owners are tempted to purchase high efficiency horn-loaded speakers, many of which (in my experience) produce an inaccurate sound due to an uneven frequency response and colouration from the horn. The Snell C/IV's work a treat with tubes, really showing off the liquid and musical sound of a tube amp.

The lowest bass notes are a little more 'loose' than I would like - but that's probably a function of the amp not a fault of the speaker and would be easily corrected by a good subwoofer. As for any large-ish speaker, a good size room is essential for good results.

I go to hifi shows every few years; I remember going to my first hifi show in 1987, seeing and hearing the Snell C for the first time, being duly impressed. Going to a show in 2000 I heard a well-used original pair of type C's, a model probably around 15 years old. It still sounded fantastic, putting many expensive modern rivals in the shade.

The Snell C/IV's purchase price originally seemed high, but they have given me nearly a decade of enjoyable use, so have been good value indeed.

Strengths:
Transparent sound, flat frequency response, walnut veneer finish, excellent stereo imaging. Technical advice from factory.

Weaknesses:
Might have been still better with a silk dome tweeter.

Similar Products Used:
Snell Type K

Summary:
I don't own these, they were just to pricey. Let me say to you guys and gals that do, I am envious. A truly incredible speaker. BTW, the guy named nn was ashamed to reveal his true identity, no nuts. American's build vulgar speakers...this is that silly european arrogance which is his way of hiding his own feelings of inadequance.

Strengths:
Everything

Weaknesses:
None

Similar Products Used:
Def Tech BP30