Kalinowski 206 ES-R Back Loaded Horn Floorstanding Speakers

Kalinowski 206 ES-R Back Loaded Horn Floorstanding Speakers 

DESCRIPTION

Single Driver Crossoverless Back Loaded Horn based on Fostex's 206 ES-R 8 inch driver.

USER REVIEWS

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[Sep 10, 2008]
eagertrader
AudioPhile

Strength:

Sound emanates effortlessly. No fatigue here. Detailed, revealing with plenty of air between instruments produce a wide and deep soundstage.

Weakness:

These can only go down to 40 HZ, which is fine with most music material, as the bass is fast and tight. No undue boominess.
If you want gut wrenching bass, adding a subwoofer is a must.
These are not very tall but they are wide, deep and heavy (110 pounds each). The WAF may be an issue until the wife gets a good listening session, and then the objections dissapear.

What's the perfect crossover? No crossover at all.
I'm still amazed at what a single driver system can do in terms of accuracy, detail, tri-dimentionality and faithful reproduction of a soundstage.
These backloaded horns are very special, and the sweetness and delicacy of the midrange is magical. They utilize a single Fostex eight inch driver that uses a massive magnet and both, the woofer and weezer cones are hand made from the pulp of the banana palm tree. Try that for exotic. As I understand it, Fostex only made a limited production of these 206 ES-R drivers, a very few of wich ended up in the US, and some at the capable hands of John Kalinowski who built these fine instruments of music reproduction.
Don't expect the music to be pumped at you, but it rather emanates and flows towards the listener, enveloping you in pure sonic bliss. At 98db efficiency they can play very loud with very little power (even down to 1.5 watts); these speakers are a tube amp best friend, but they also feel at home and comfortable with fine solid state alike. I use them on both, a 35 wpc SET tube amp and a 100 wpc solid state with great results on both. I prefer the warmth of the tubes for serious listening though.
The Kalinowski 206 ES-R are very revealing, both of the equipment and the material. Thus a great LP or CD will sound spectacular on these. A crappy recording will and does sound crappy.
If you are lucky enough (as I was) to run accross a pair of these jump on it!

Similar Products Used:

Dali Grands
Audio Note AN-E

OVERALL
RATING
5
VALUE
RATING
5
Showing 1-1 of 1  

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