PLEASE READ: Riled up about the title of this video? Don't be! Thomas and I are friends. This is just us having a bit of fun. Some backround info: Years ago he made a video titled "Zero Fidelity was WRONG" for a Doge amp review. I decided to repay him in todays video. I made him aware of my plan months ago and he's 100% on board with it! So don't get riled up. It's all good! Meanwhile, check out the description box for further info relating to this review/the speakers!
@@AbsoluteFidelity haha While I agree that people are way too sensitive nowadays, I cannot expect every viewer to be aware of my relationship with Thomas. In this case, I think a disclaimer provides some much needed context. And if anybody is STILL bothered by it, then they can go and make themselves air-tight - if ya get what I'm layin down.
Hi Sean, I have been reading some of the comments and felt inspired to want to come back on one point in particular but firstly, I just want to say on behalf of the Pearl Acoustics team, 'thanks for your splendid review, it means a lot to us'. Now to my point ;-). I noticed in the comments that one person could not believe that it took us so long to develop the Sibelius (saying it only takes a couple of days with a computer to design an enclosure) and of course, in a way, he is right. Even when you use Mathlab and other acoustic modelling tools, the real work begins after you have a kind of theoretical design footprint. Let me explain. The challenge for us with the Sibelius was that I came up with the basic enclosure design first and then I looked for a suitable driver which could be manufactured by a company we could 100% rely on. Every manufacturer and every individual driver we tried (and there were many) needed quite significant enclosure and damping adjustments to make them work at their best. For example; the paper version of the Mark Audio unit was very similar to the metal cone version but it had different performance properties (such as Q - Qmes, Qes, Qts and Vas) and these required adaptations to our enclosure and dampening design. With each re-design requiring a full re-build of a pair of enclosures, so we could compare like with like. And that was between just two rather similar drivers from one supplier. We had many, many more. I think you can imagine the number of enclosures and prototypes we had in the factory and at test locations! In the end, we found the paper cone was not for us (it's a great driver but you really would not have liked it in our enclosure). When we finally settled on a driver manufacturer and driver, and demonstrated to its owner Mark Fenlon, that we were totally committed to going to the next level, he then agreed to design for us the Pearl Acoustics variant we use today. (We needed it to solve some small but challenging acoustic performance issues we were experiencing with our design, and also to improve high transient capabilities). At that point, we had to make a serious financial commitment to the manufacturer, Mark Audio, so that they could go into production and ship the first batch to us. All this takes time! (By the way, they were and still are, a great company to work with)! These were exciting times. But only when the first 'production' batch arrived could we begin the final tuning, which still took us longer than we expected. We adjusted, debated, listened, and demoed them to our highly critical listening panel, and then adjusted the enclosure and its dampening again and then worked out how to manufacture the Sibelius on a larger scale. Making one pair is one thing, making a hundred pairs is something totally different. Even the packaging proved time consuming and challenging (I remember deliberately dropping a double boxed Sibelius down a flight of metal stairs in the factory to see if the packaging could hold up)! Hoping this helps explain things? My very best wishes to you and all your viewers. Enjoy the music Harley.
Thanks for the additional info. For the record everyone: I didn't know this info going into the review. So I'm learning more about the process right along with ya guys. :).
@@ZeroFidelity I read this after I made my little post. Man everything he is saying is spot on x 1000. And he didn’t mention everyone needs payed while they were working all the bugs out to get there product to market. You’ve got to admire anyone who would take on this kind of task. It would have to be for the love of great sound, not for the love of money that’s for sure!
I am usually somebody who takes a critical look at why audio has to cost so much, and many times the outcome gets right up my nose. This product is no different when it comes to trying to understand the price. But if you understand that it is build like a musical instrument rather than a speaker box, it all makes sense. For those who don't get it, they look at the price of a Mark Audio driver and some planks of wood in their DIY store and feel cheated. For those who are willing to imagine how instruments like acoustic guitars and violins are made, it makes perfect sense. After all, few people questioning why a certain guitar has to cost thousands of dollars. And even fewer people look at a guitar in terms of what the equivalent amount of wood would cost in their DIY store.
Well worth the wait, not only for the comprehensive excellence of your review, but for so fully characterizing how by being a "niche" speaker it brings a unique set of qualities and limitations not present in most speakers. I feel like I understand what I would be getting if I were to try it out for myself. Thank you for all the effort you put in.
Excellent review Sean! Now I can understand why it took you so long to finish this detailed and the most professional review of the Pearl Sibelius. I'm so happy to see more reviews from you pretty soon Sir.
Just FYI: I won't be getting these. Too spendy for me, and I prefer a more forgiving speaker. I'm just interested in gear, even gear I'll never buy, It's a sickness. :)
I doubt I’ll ever be able to afford these speakers, but happy to hear that Harley got it right. It takes guts to go for something that isn’t mass-marketable. Great review. Worth the wait.
I love Harley's videos, not just those about gear but also the ones where he talks about great albums. For recordings that seem to lack something, he recommends using the filters (voices) in the Lyngdorf streamers/amps, like the Lyngdorf TDAI 1120.
Great review. I have owned a pair for a good year and very much like them, fall into your identified target audience. I play baroque viola d'amore and for baroque music: phenomenal. I also listen to x-wave (new, cold, dark), synth pop, electronica, even punk. I was also first wondering about their performance but am thrilled how clean the sound comes across. In fact, some I hear how good some of my punk records actually are, e.g. The Ex "Blue Prints for a Blackout", or also Indie music such as Nice Strong Arm "Reality Bath". The coherence from that single driver is fantastic; tried adding a REL T9 sub, but disconnected it again because I got some weird time delay and lack of cohesion. I pair mine with a PrimaLune EVO 300 pre and a PassLabs XA25 class A power amp. Like that combo quite a bit. Re price, given that they sell direct (no distributor mark-up/commission) they are actually rather cheap. And discussing things with Harley over email is fantastic. Best customer service ever. Even better than Dan Clark or Woo Audio. Thanks again for a great review of a very much deserving product.
This is a great review coming from a very happy Sibelius owner for 2 years now. They are now in my second system, however the clarity, transparency and tonality are so good I use them as a reference when I am tweaking my primary system which easily costs about 3 times as much. The only reason these are not my primary system is room size. They currently excel in a family room that is 15 x 30 ft with the speakers on the 15 ft wall. In the grand room upstairs, not as much, in fact I almost returned them; but I’m so happy I didn’t. Harley was incredibly accommodating and worked with me through this. I listen primarily to rock, jazz, and pop. Voices draw me in and are rendered beautifully. In its current location, there is absolutely no desire for a sub. The bass is full with a warm tone. I have driven them with a 4.5 wpc tube amp (45s) as well as a 200wpc ss amp. Both sound great. It’s still sometimes hard to reconcile the sound with the driver size. As long as you are not looking for loud, party music I would highly recommend giving them a try. Just my experience and opinion.
Very detailed long awaited review! I have been living with a pair of Sibelius speakers for over a year now and really love them. Strangely enough I have not experienced them being unforgiving with poorly recorded 0:02 material. Actually the Sibelius made them sound acceptable! It's probably to do with the components you pair them with. I'm driving them with Convergent Audio Technology tube pre / power amps and Denafrips Terminator Plus Dac.These speakers will show up any change you make to your upstream components. I actually ordered the stands with the speakers but found the Townshend podiums to be a huge improvement. 'For some people, this speaker will become a lifelong music making partner' - They certainly are for me! Thanks for the excellent review.
Can’t agree with Hong more on the sound of some recordings. Give Neil Young’s “Are you passionate?” or Miles’ “Bitches Brew” album a listen. With Sibelius, you’ll feel as though you are transported to the same space as the musicians themselves and listened to them right there… unimaginable until you listen to them with your own ears. Sean.. if you can get your hands on the Townsend’s podium, listen to what further magic you can get out of this amazingly made Sibelius. Thanks for the great review.
Thanks for sharing your feedback! Congrats on owning such great speakers! Regarding their forgiving/unforgiving nature: While I heard the speakers in a way that could absolutely mitigate the sound of poorly recorded material, it was under circumstances that I cannot expect most people to replicate. At the end of the day, I have to report their overall sound in a way that I think will apply to as many people as possible (considering typical rooms, likely equipment use, music, personal tastes, etc). Ultimately some people will feel like I got it right. Some won't. But if somebody finds them more forgiving than what I reported here, then I'll consider that a win. :).
they have a very messy frequency response, they are not a monitor. One of the least linear speakers i have ever listened to and measured... what you listen with these speakers is far from what you hear having a frequency response with pick-to-valley distance of even 12 db ! haha haha Also the the idea that a speaker is " forgiving " is just nonsense hi fi review lingo... when a speaker is linear and have low distortion, everything sounds better
I have been a huge fan of single driver speakers for a very long time. Once you get used to them it is hard to go back to multi driver speakers. I have a short list of speakers that if I hit the lottery I will snag right off the bat. The Pearl Sibelius has been at the top of the list since the beginning. I admire the aesthetics, the passion that Harley brings to them table and from what I hear from all reviewers seems to match what I have conjured up in my mind. I have had a lot of experience with the Mark Audio drivers and really appreciate what they have achieved. I have a pair of the MAOP-11's that i have been experimenting with and find them amazing for their size. So I can only imagine how good the bespoke drivers in the Sibelius must be. Plus the whole idea of real wood vs. MDF or plywood has been something I totally agree with. I have made a cabinet myself from poplar and oak that I use the MAOP's in that work like a charm. So it would be easy to think that a professionally made real wood cabinet with a driver tailored for it should be exceptional. If you don't follow Harley on his channel you should. Very enlightening and passion filled content. Well worth your time. Look up Pearl Acoustics.
When I made my first speakers, back in the 1960s, I bought a pair of (British) Richard Allen 10 inch wide range speakers. They had a small secondary cone (called, I think, a "whizzer") that extended the treble. They did not need a crossover and at the time I loved them, so I can appreciate where the Sibelius designer is coming from. Thanks so much for your very well balanced review, it is constructive, helpful and illuminating.
Great review, and more importantly, thank you for providing the proper context. I hope that you continue to provide content, as your voice in this space is greatly appreciated.
Missed your reviews man, you’re the best in the business! It’s funny, because your set up tips are exactly how I have to have my speakers in my new living room. Close to the wall and far apart lol
This is how a product review should be ! Explain to the viewers what it does not just how it sounds. You just gained my subscribership with this video.
Hi Sean great to see you! Man that was a thorough review, I really enjoyed it. I watched is all the way to the end! Have a Great one. Glad you and Thomas are having fun!
Great and informative review, I do like the detailed story of their production and the owner of the company. Really appreciate the explanation of what the speakers are, how they should be used and the candidness about the speakers, so that everyone has a clear picture 👍🏽👍🏽✌🏽
Wow. Very well done. I appreciate the effort you are putting in. I am curious how you can tell about the sound in larger rooms? Are you testing in multiple rooms or maybe heard them elsewhere? I don’t need all details but how do you know?
I have had my Sibelius "cherry wood" for about 4 years driving them with a Hegel 390 and a Rogue Tube amp and a Gesheli labs! I use lossless music streaming from from Amazon and Spotify I listen most to Jazz and some classical. I also own a Set of Magnepans 1.7i and high end Zu 'not dirty weekends" I am in my 18 my mid80s I have been listening discriminately since age 7 or 8. I currently live in the New Orleans area but initially have lived in Nebraska
With absolutely no idea of how or why I might enjoy this type of speaker I can now claim to have a sense of their value and exactly why I may enjoy them. The creator of these speakers has an end product that he sought after and doesn’t really care what I may think at all. That in itself is a desirable trait. He also is fortunate to have this particular review as well. A quality product using quality materials that produce a particular sound. Who isn’t interested in that ?
It took them almost *4 years* to develop the cabinet; to get the tuning of it just right. It is a transmission line, and it is very acoustically sophisticated.
if it took them 4 years to make a box is says everything you need to know about them. full range drivers are stupid anyway, 20-20khz =1000:1 no full range driver will work.
@@einarbk885 A transmission line cabinet done the old-school way is *very* time consuming - it is trial and error. Build it, and listen - and then change the design - and build another one. Nothing wrong with that. BUT, today we have software that can drastically shorten the time. I have designed several mass loaded transmission line speakers, and while I was learning the software - called Hornresp - I was able to design a decent speaker in about 4 months. Not working full time - and by my third built design, they sound pretty darn amazing.
@@NeilBlanchard any descent software should be able to get most things right within seconds, assuming the driver specs are correct. if they spent years building various prototypes, learning software etc then they didnt know what they were doing from the getgo. im pretty sure jbl would have a working speaker within days if you gave them a bunch of drivers and said what you wanted out of them. now there are hundreds of tiny garage builders selling audiophoolery to a select few. imagin the millions of hours all speaker brands have spent combined, researching and scratching their heads over problems that were already solved decades ago.
@@einarbk885 the best engineers let software guide them, but use their own judgement and experience to take any canned solution to the next level. The best engineering is done by someone using their brains and not a PC. A computer simulation is only that - a simulation - that can never account for all variables.
Thanks Sean for a great detailed review. I have a pair of these speakes and I would generally agree with everything you say. Having got used to them, I certainly hear the shortcomings in many more expesive speeks that I have heard recently. I have found that they uncover the sound of each aplifier they are paired with and expose any probles in the source. But once you get the combination right, then they are extremely rewarding. When I first got them, I had a problem with the pairing to my amplifier, many 'experts' told me it would be the speakers - 'Single Driver speakers dont sound so great' - How wrong they were!
Hi David! I've been thinking of demoing a pair these soon. Do you mind if I ask what gear you used to get the combination you thought was right? I hear a lot of amp recommendations in the vein of Pass Labs and Sugden with these
@@BlueCliff72 Hi, when I first bought these, I was swapping from an active system and spent most of my budget on the speakers, so I was looking to buy a cheaper amp to keep me going until I could afford something better. I got a Hegel H90 which really didn’t sound good. I found a dealer in London that had a pair of Sibelius and he demo’ed them with a number of amps. I ended up with the Canor AI 2.10 which is a Tube/class D hybrid which sounds great, it’s not as good as the Pass Labs XA25 (which I also heard) but was the best compromise on price. I didn’t want to buy an amp I couldn’t hear with the Sibelius first after the experience I had with the Hegel. I hope that helps
Cool review. Makes me want to listen to single driver speakers like this, you peaked my curiosity with how good they sound. (never really gave speakers like this much thought before)
I would be interested to hear these and have no bias against them. The strengths and weaknesses detailed here make a lot of sense. They are also basically the dead opposite approach of my Tektons, for about the same money. These have one high quality, full range driver and a very well built, sophisticated cabinet. My Tekton Moabs have 17 drivers each, installed in what amounts to a simple, MDF walk-in closet. Spoiler alert, I love my Moabs :)
About time! I have to admit I'm in love with the concept of this design and totally charmed by Harley Lovegrove ❤ Thanks for the more detailed summary of performance with various amps in the video description text. Did you try your Musical Fidelity amp too? Harley uses one. I was looking forward to this review. Maybe you couldn't get the lowest bass due to that 9x13 listening room? Next time I visit London, I'll be visiting Pearl's demo room. 🎶😁🎶
I would love to hear them, but, they are so rare that that will be impossible. I love the concept. I love the look. I know they are quality with the build. Price. Well I would buy them in a minute if I had the disposable cash, but I’m old and just couldn’t swing it. I love and listen to jazz, especially piano. I know, in my heart, they would be perfect. Oh well, maybe in my next life. Great review.
I’ve been building speakers for 40 plus years and one thing for sure is quality parts , cabinet material and build make all the difference. It should take time if you care to build a custom speaker . Really enjoyed the video 😁
I like your description of sounding of acoustic instruments... Not too many have that comment... UHF magazine always used music descriptions in their reviews, they make comments about how the instruments sounded... Cheers
Great review! Our patience has finally been rewarded. Some of the things you said reminded me of the zu audio dirty weekend speakers I bought, tried, and returned. Those do have a second driver, but that is a super tweeter that handles everything above 12K hz. In my opinion, its main flaw is that it isn't very resolving. So this sounds like an excellent alternative. Less dominating visually as well. I don't criticize the cost. It takes guts to make everything in one's home country and deal with charging that extra amount. Most companies just outsource everything to China to cut expenses. That of course avoids environmental regulations and allows one to pay a lot less for labor. I prefer to buy Hi-Fi gear manufactured where the company resides. Good for them.
Years ago I tried to bring a simple, handmade product to the audio market. Using real wood and real craftsman. There wasn't much material. The material itself didn't cost a whole lot. I just needed somebody who was more skilled than myself to build it (ie: Anybody above the age of 10 who can hold a hammer). Every single person and company I talked to wanted an almost absurd amount of money to build this very simple product. It was clear that the only way I could have done it was to do it myself, which wasn't a good option. I eventually scrapped the idea. The bottom line is if I wanted to bring that product to market at a price that people could afford, I would have had to use common fiberboard materials and had the product made, in mass, by a factory in China. This also meant undertaking a much larger and far more serious business model. I just... couldn't be bothered. People have no freaking clue how expensive it is just to have somebody make something for you out of wood.
@@ZeroFidelity ah, the pursuit of quality. It can be expensive like these speakers or free like dipping one's toes in a cool lake on a hot day. But the pursuit is fun. Talking about quality always reminds me of zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, a book I read decades ago. Have you ever read it? Pretty cool that I still free associate to it 40 years after reading it.
If I had a huge audio budget I'd probably own these, at least for specialty listening. I like what you say about how going back to a regular multi-driver speaker makes you notice the crossover points. I'd really like to hear a lot of music with one excellent driver like this.
Your reviews are the most informative in the industry. Thanks for not being an "ice cream" reviewer telling us how amazing the sparker is. The comparisons you make provide perspective. Yes, others have said that the Sibelius is great. Well compared to what? Comparisons require a lot of work and skill. Also, I got an idea of what you think about the Dynaudio Heritage Special which I have. Of course, I would be further interested in a full review and pairing suggestions. Thanks again for the review!
Small drivers in my opinion can sound great in small rooms. One of my favorite speakers that I own is the Totem Arro’s. They are a small two way tower with a 4 inch driver. They sound very warm with pretty decent bass even without a sub, but they mate well with my pair of rel subs. The Arro’s are one of the most musical and engaging speakers I have owned. I have owned many Totems and the Arroare my favorites. Right now I have in my stable some Magnepan .7’s, Kef ls50 meta’s, Genelec powered speakers, Klipsch rp600’s , JBL4306’s and Sonist speakers. Totems just have that X factor.
@@ZeroFidelity One other item, I purchased the original LS50’s on all the great reviews and was not impressed. Like you I was not drawn into the music and they were not engaging in any way. Sounded dull and lifeless. Sold them. Then the Meta’s came out, decided to give them a try and the same outcome. Am I missing something here, do they need a huge amount of break in? So many are up for sale on the web. In your opinion, whats going on? This many reviewers can’t be wrong.
@@stephenradnich7811 The reason why so many of them are up for sale is because KEF has built and sold TONS of LS50's over the past 13 or so years. Naturally, there will be a proliferation of them available on the used market. As for not being impressed with their sound: It's a fairly resolving little speaker that can do many things well, but has the usual limitations of a small speaker. It also has a unique sound that you're either going to love or borderline hate. The funny thing is the way people describe their sound. Some people encounter a "dull and lifeless" sound, such as yourself. Whereas others feel like the LS50 is a forward and "bright" sounding speaker. The only common theme I've found with folks who are dissatisfied with the LS50 are the ones who do so based off high expectations. If you accept the LS50 Meta for what it is and what it was meant to do, it's easy to understand why it's popular. Doesn't mean it'll be for you at the end of the day. To put it into perspective: The Totem Arro that we both appreciate so much is a speaker that most people will not understand or be able to accommodate appropriately. The price and performance simply won't make sense. But if you like the look, sound, and know how to accommodate them, then you'll better be able to understand why some folks fondly of them. That's the way audio goes most of the time.
My dealer sold Totem speakers, but the Sonus Faber Concertos, he thought blowed the Totems away, Is there a cerain advantage in using a 4.5 inch driver in a single driver speaker in Pearl Acoustic speakers. Another question. Similar speakers are PMC bookshelf & tower speakers. I have always heard that bookshelfs sound the best, but in a transmission line, that towers are best. Do you prefer the PMC bookshelf over the towers? It is strange, but it may be good, that the Pearl speakers use a tiny 4.5 in driver in a large cabinet. My theory is that the larger the driver, the looser the sound is, like a flubby sounding subwooffer. My Audiovector bookshelfs 4 inch driver has big speaker sound, the best sounding speakers thsat I have ever heard.
This appears to be an Alpair 7 based off of the work of Martin J. King. It’s a great DIY design as well. I prefer the paper version of this driver but just as many seem to prefer the aluminum. It’s good to see a commercial version of this design for those wanting something beautiful with a nice story behind it.
As I understand it, these are not the same thing as the Alpair 7's. It's funny, I actually brought up the paper driver to the owner of Pearl Acoustics and was told that everybody preferred the sound of the Aluminum driver. The one thing I'll say is typically small paper drivers are best when used in targeted frequency ranges. I'd be surprised if the paper version of this driver could achieve the same volume output and bass extension as the aluminum cone driver. That said, I'm sure the 'tone' of the paper driver would be highly competitive!
@@ZeroFidelitythe paper driver draws less attention to edges and has a softer breakup if you are sensitive to that…with the aluminum driver it for me pairs best with a 300B. To swap out drivers all you need is a screw driver 😉
@@seanb3303 Don't tempt me! Truth is, I noticed the break-up of the metal cone woofer throughout my listening sessions. This created a metallic tone that became particularly noticeable while listening to poorly recorded material. Apparently I'm the *only* person whose ever reported hearing this, hence why I decided to leave this observation out of the review. Should I get an easy opportunity to try the paper driver on the Sibelius, I will.
@@Thunderbird139 The closer they are to the Martin J. King quarter wave transmission line the better as Mr. King is a mathematical genius and quite frankly, nobody else can really improve upon it as the math is too complicated for almost anyone to understand…getting a transmission line in such a short cabinet is an impressive design achievement. As a side note, many speaker designers come from and borrow ideas and plans from the DIY community.
@@Thunderbird139 Martin J King doesn’t sell speakers. He invented the quarter wave design that this speaker and many DIY speakers use…I’m not sure why you are talking about shipping and labor…perhaps that’s another discussion.
It's interesting to see how audiophilia is probably one of the human activities that comes closest to ecological diversity in nature in terms of evolution to survive, in this case, sell products and make money. There is not exactly a best solution, there is an adaptation to a certain environment - by that I mean the satisfaction and customer pleasure. In this "environment" complex monstrosities can coexist like the Wison Chronosonic XVX with 7 drivers, and those wonderful Pearl Sibelius with just one, all maching with every imaginable and available variety of powers and sources. But it is important to think about the men who imagine and create these marvels and their reasons and passions. Harley Lovegrove at Pearl Acoustics has undoubtedly earned her place in the pantheon of heroes of the best home music performance. Greetings from Brazil.
Great review! In my home, no woofers are allowed over 5.25", and most of the speakers in my collection are 4.5" or smaller. I have a small house, so big speakers are pretty much out of the question for me. But the nice thing about small speakers is now nicely they image, and how clear the midrange is. For getting down low, I always pair them with a sub. This has been my way for over 30 years, and I don't regret it for a minute. So the small full-range drivers on the Pearl's would be most welcome in my home. I'm far more interested in transparency and clarity than anything else, though a good holographic sound stage is most welcome. Like you, I would have no problem using a small sub to round out the sound. Right now, the best sounding small speaker I have in my collection are the ELAC UB5's, the originals, paired with a REL sub. While they are not the most transparent speakers I own, I would say they are the most musical. Easy to listen to for hours on end. Now that you've checked the box on the Pearls, it's time to get something from Zu Audio, perhaps the Soul 6??? If I were to break my iron-clad rule about woofers, the stuff that Zu Audio makes would be the exception.
A great description of single full range driver loudspeakers in general. What was perhaps not sufficiently emphasised is that the complete lack of any driver integration and phase issues makes phenomenal stereo imaging a given. I have plenty of experience with larger (8-10-12 inch) Audio Nirvana drivers and actually expected the smaller and stiffer Mark Audio drivers to eliminate the upper midrange beaming effect. It must be less pronounced though as it did not need any notch filters. The good news, if the Sibelius seems to be up your alley but too expensive, is that buying similar Mark Audio or indeed other full range speakers and building your own cabinets (or having them built) based on plans that are readily available online, will get you very close to what these have to offer at a fraction of the cost.
I couldn't say that because the mechanical break-up of single driver speakers still result in phase shift issues. You simply encounter less of them. That said, I learned long ago that the majority of people aren't interested in highly technical break-downs in product reviews. So I focus on what I feel is the most important and easiest to understand concept about the design and then keep it very simple. As for kits: It's a great way to go for people who own the tools and have the wood working skills, or know somebody who does. That's absolutely not me. I have no doubt that you can get pretty close to the performance of these for a lot less cash via: at least one of the many designs that are floating around on the web! Especially if you have the tools, skills, and the will!
Like he said in the beginning of the video. It’s a 1/4 wave length (cabinet). It’s actually a 1/8 Bass wave length cabinet that’s been folded over to create one quarter of the length of the Bass frequency your trying to tune your cabinet to. I know these speakers sound amazing !!! I’m sure they have been tuning on these cabinets for years until they got it just right. Your correct about the pop cycle stick build, but you can build a (Paul Voigt) full quarter wave length Speaker cabinet out of cardboard an duct tape an it will sound good lol. I’ve built them out of oak, cherry, spruce, an Plywood an they all sound great, with a One Watt Single End Tube Amp with output transformers that will go down to 20 Hz.
A man who speaks from experience! I like that! I believe somewhere in the hardback manual Harley says that the cabinet was inspired by a Paul Voigt design. I don't believe it's a 1 for 1 copy, but I hesitate to call it an 'evolution' of the design as well. Seems like it was the starting point of where they ultimately ended up. Meanwhile, how did the Spruce set turn out for you?
@@ZeroFidelity the spruce one is a little to lively for my taste. I still have them but it seems like it’s gonna blow apart at high volume lol. The 3/4 inch thick oak board sounds the smoothest an more of a overall balance. But man those are very hard to make, an you need real wood workers shop with a joiner an planer an everything else you can get your hands on to pull those off. I understand why people think 6K is big price for those speakers, but all things considered that’s really not that bad. Just sourcing quality material is a nightmare for those cabinet, an then the work starts. I’ve never tried the folded design. It would take a lot of trial an error to get those tuned right. The easiest way is to use The Voigt design an build them out of Good Plywood like Baltic Birch or any high quality plywood. You my ask if the design is so good why doesn’t everyone make a sell them. The answer is there nearly impossible to ship without damaging them. The foot print is only 12 inches wide an 16 inch deep but there 6 feet 8 inches tall. Not to mention there built like a triangle, flat front and angled back. You would have more work in the Packaging than the cabinet it’s self lol. I would encourage anyone to build them out of plywood, it’s not that hard an you don’t need a lot of tools. Circular saw, straight edge. I’ve been using Kreg Pocket Hole joinery. I’m getting ready to build another pair for my sister-in-law. I’m going to use cherry veneer Plywood that I bought at Menards. And yes I’m going to put them in the back of my truck an drive 300 miles to give them away lol. With the 12 inch front you can use a 8 inch full-range Speaker. Ah an she wants me to build her a Tube Amp also. Family ya got to love them lol. I love your channel and have been following it for a long time. You do a great job
excellent review, thanks! sounds like a very aspirational upgrade for me, I'm very happy with my wharfedale Lintons at the moment.i wonder how they might compare to appropriate zu speakers?
good video and good review. you explained this very well including the owner of the Sibelius's situation in regards to its development and manufacture. What Harley has done isn't totally unusual in that there have been some individuals in Japan that have gone for this small model of development and distribution. Yes, prices go up, but so does the quality! These speakers are slightly out of my price range, but I hope someone near me buys them and I can then hear them that way.
After talking to Harvey Lovejoy 5 years ago, and hearing his speakers at the Munich audio show 5 or so years ago, I bought them sight unseen. They were not broken in! After a year I finally after a year I had a true audiophile friend listen to them! He pronounced them outstanding. So I moved them to my living room and broke them in for another year. Today a few minutes ago I hooked them up to my Streamer, Giselli lab DAC, and Rogue audio pure tube amp: what a revelation. Using Spotify high end ! To my audiophile friends, I am begging you to get the Cannonball Adderley quintet "74 miles away album from the 1967" and Hang-on Ramsey from the Lighthouse in Hermosa beach from1965. I was there for the recording's both night s this is perfection! Like Harvey says it is like being there.
Sean this is really interesting on a number of levels.First the distance one needs for the sound to gel.One would think that a single driver would not need the distance that multi driver speakers require to become coherent.Second the cabinet and what I assume are the careful resonant characteristics that result in it's sound.I Watch this guy Janos at "Real World Audio" and he has built a number of speakers mainly using single drivers.One of them is a Voight Pipe with Polish Cube drivers and he say's that he used Sycamore (I believe) because he thinks that it untreated and unbranded gives the sound of main listening fix,classical music,better tone than a damped cabinet.Then I think of the video "World's second best speaker" by Tech Ingredients where he does a Voight Pipe build and uses dual panel construction where an elastic constraining layer between the two panels to dampen any resonance.Think more of how the bracing technology of speakers (think B&W Nautilus or the torqued metal rods in Magico's) have been part of their success versus the direction that Sibelius seems to be going here.I know this all very KIT/ DIY sounding but to me the The Pearl seems from that part of audio the DIY single driver thing that has been refined and done for you at a very high level
Janos also says that Tech Ingredients got the sloped/bent output wrong as it is not a typical bass reflex slot but a resonant tube and the bottom needs to be flat for the waves to resonate properly but the slope disrupts the wave. The reason it is a tapered pipe, is to avoid any single resonate frequency or harmonics of that resonation as the slope has an infinite number of resonate lengths which keeps none from developing and becoming dominate due to the apparent tube length varying as it tapers down.
If the cost is too much you can DIY fullrangers madisound and others have options. I build my own and have been doing so for over 25 years. Would suggest 8 inch or larger for driver the small ones can be a bit weak but if price or space is an issue don't over look them.
Another great video, thank you! I am curious concerning your comment about minimum distance. Since they are single driver loudspeakers, it can't be an issue of integrating the different drive units. Might it be a function of the diffraction of the highly angular cabinets, reflections from the hard front surface, or perhaps reflections? Any thoughts on this? Thanks again! PS: I still like the Thomas & Stereo review.
I want someone to effectively take the driver out of the Sibelius and mount it (completely open) on top of the Klipsch speaker box. Disconnect the med and treble horns and run the open FR driver on top of he Klipsch box. The best speaker you ever heard! So if the Klipsch doesn't have bi or tri wiring binding posts, make the same principal speaker with a 2-way speaker with bi wiring, or build the box and buy a woofer and inductor and make from scratch. Or get an oldschool 2 or 3-way speaker, take the tweeter out and disconnect it and put the tweeter back in the box to seal it. Then just mount a 5" FR driver on top with Blue Tack, plasticine or toy modling clay. The best speakers you heard. The only trick is to get GOOD BASS cos the directly connected open FR drivers does the rest by itself! And the woofer warms up the shallow voice sound from the open driver. Puts the meat on the bone. You hear down to 200 hz on the open driver. With the woofer it's the best sound ever, dipole. If there is any reverb in a recording, you are going to hear it and love it! And highs increase exponentially with the open driver, best treble you heard, fun to hear! 😅 Especially from my modified home hacked FR drivers (with no enclosed air cavities what so ever). It' all an open surface. The silver sound! 😅
Thank for you review alway clear and focused. Could you consider if it’s on your hands the Gauder Akustik Arcona 40 or 60 MKII. They have stunning reviews in Germany and Asia. Thanks.
Thank you Sean for a very clear and sensible review of this speaker. I have been wanting to hear a pair but have yet to do so. My hope is that will change soon. One small issue is how you pronounce Sibelius. If you hear Harley say that name he says it correctly. While you consistently make it sound like 'Sibellius' that composers name is actually properly pronounced as 'Sibaylius'. Just hear Harley say it on one of his YT vids. A tiny quibble, so please don't take offense of this. Thanks again!
Haha. Oh I heard myself butchering the mans name right from the start. Trying to pronounce it correctly on camera, over and over again, simply didn't work out. It took my focus away from the actual review - so I decided to stick with whatever signal my caveman brain was sending to my mouth. :)
Harley has a review at his site about the Lyngdorf tdai-1120 that he liked, especially as a preamp/steamer with room correction & preset EQs. His video is what helped convince me to get the Lyngdorf. Man, I wish I could afford these speakers! Thomas' review of the Sibeius was very positive also.
@@keithhorton4990 Its @pearlacoustics or if you put The Lyngdorf TDAI 1120: Why it deserves to be considered for a place in every HiFi system! in the search bar, it should show right up. video is from about a year ago. he really highlights the value of the preset Voicings.
Funny you should ask that! I cant' say for sure as its been YEARS since I've owned the Hawks. From what I recall, both speakers are fairly similar in their overall behavior. Having said that, The Hawk is a lot more picky about equipment matching and positioning. I'm guessing that most people will achieve far better sound with the Pearls than with the Hawks.
Thanks. That was what I assumed. My Hawks are in storage, but I bring them out periodically and listen to them. Once I get them placed correctly, they are great!
Ha! I was the 420th like on 4:20! No joke. Fantastic review as usual, Sean. These speakers seem really nice, but I don’t think they’re for me. I’ll stick with my Tektons for now, but again, excellent review, Sean. Thanks, man. Appreciate it 👍🔊😊🎶
I've been an audiophile and music lover for a long time, over 50 years, so I think I have the right to say: there are reviewers who are on the positive side of life and can infect others with their passion and passing on information-knowledge about hi-fi! These are certainly: Zero Fidelity, Thomas&Stereo, A British Audiofile... But there are also those who are negative at the start and who act from the position: I know, and you common people don't! It is not polite to list them, they will already recognize themselves. Let's stick to the positives! Cheers!
C20's due to their versatility. That said, I'd miss the effortless resolution of the Pearls along with their tonal accuracy with certain unamplified live instruments.
Greatly appreciate the thoroughness of your review! I didn't see the owner's manual on Sibelius's website. Because these are made from solid wood (like musical instruments), did the owner's manual happen to mention "bracing" done on the insides of the cabinet? Solid wood, like MDF and plywood, has its own "ring" signature and bracing can be used to dampen and lower vibration resonances for the cabinet. Just curious if Sibelius mentions in the manual that cabinet bracing is used? Thanks for the consideration.
You are correct that a single driver speaker will not have time delays from the crossover. There is none. However, any driver has mass, suspension, and damping (by the suspension's resistive losses and the amplifier). Thus, it is a "damped harmonic oscillator"- in a Physics 101 book. A damped, harmonic oscillator also has a high-frequency limit, imposed by its moving mass- which equals phase shift in the highs, or time delay. It has phase shift in the low frequencies, because it has mass bouncing on a suspension (it's a mass/spring system), as described above. And since it cannot be an infinitely-rigid cone, it has cone breakup too, which imposes a ragged phase error across the roll-off region, a raggedness that changes with loudness too. This speaker won't play very loud without cone breakup.. I'm not sure why it would take weeks to build a single driver speaker. As far as resolution, I agree. Most people have no clue how much smear the crossover destroys the sonic waveform. Rap is NOT complex music. The reason music sounds better is because you're not adding time smear from the typical crossover network. I can't seem to drive that into Randy at Cheapaudioman's thick skull. Sibilant is NOT a result of highly resolving speaker. That too is phase shift. The high frequencies reach your ears before the lower frequencies do. Easily proven with a simple step response test. Lastly, 4" is not a woofer size.
@@Thomas..Anderson Essentially, it's when one set of frequencies reaches your ears before other frequencies. Usually, it's the high frequencies with the bass lagging. The average speaker adds between 180 degrees to 360 degrees of phase shift or time delay to the playback. This is at the crossover frequency. The amount of delay (smear) changes at every frequency as you move away from the crossover frequency. It’s akin to having a DSP that YOU have no control over. A 2nd order butterworth speaker adds half a cycle of phase shift. 4th order designs add a full cycle. This means the drivers do not start or stop at the same time. How can this be “accurate”? In other words, when the amplifiers signal is telling the drivers to move OUT, the woofer may move IN as the tweeter moves OUT. Can you hear this? Yes. Just listen to a speaker (or headphone) without that time delay. How much time delay was imposed? Exactly one full period of the crossover frequency. If that was 400Hz, then the time delay between the two drivers is 1/400th second, or 2.5 milliseconds, which is ~32 inches for time of travel, acoustically on a 4th order network.
@@daleboylen6427 Thank you. I asked because some people use that term very loosely. I agree, phase response in crossover region is underestimated. And I also do not think full range drivers are panacea for all problems as some people would like to lead us to believe. When cone breakup occurs, and most FR drivers depend on that as some sort of mechanical crossover the phase of driver sections is, well, random. As far as crossovers go I also notice very large HF and LF drivers separation with regard to Xover frequency/wavelength.
good review fwiw, i am the target buyer for this altho i dont want to spend that much. older person who listens to old school jazz and some classical. it IS a niche speaker in that regard. comparing it to the klipsch is therefore absurd. transmission lines do wonders and i am certain the driver is impeccable.
Hi Harley, the speakers are very interesting, I also saw most of your videos-however, one question is bugging me regarding the size of the driver(4.5") Mark Audio makes a lot of drivers, some are larger, so why 4.5" if you could tailor other drivers to the Sibelius?
I was looking forward to this review, forgot about it, and was pleasantly surprised to see it posted. Great job. Here's a question - how do you think they would work mixed use (2 channel home theater and music)? Even though it seems like these speakers would scoff at a screen being connected to them lol. The concept, story, and quality speak to me though. I may save up some bitcoin.
Keep the volume under 90dB and they'll be fine. You won't get visceral sound out of them, but a sub or two will go a long way towards giving you a satisfyingly full 2-channel cinematic experience.
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PLEASE READ: Riled up about the title of this video? Don't be! Thomas and I are friends. This is just us having a bit of fun. Some backround info: Years ago he made a video titled "Zero Fidelity was WRONG" for a Doge amp review. I decided to repay him in todays video. I made him aware of my plan months ago and he's 100% on board with it! So don't get riled up. It's all good! Meanwhile, check out the description box for further info relating to this review/the speakers!
Snowflakes getting riled up for nothing, and even if it is was true, you have every right to have your opinion.
@@AbsoluteFidelity haha While I agree that people are way too sensitive nowadays, I cannot expect every viewer to be aware of my relationship with Thomas. In this case, I think a disclaimer provides some much needed context. And if anybody is STILL bothered by it, then they can go and make themselves air-tight - if ya get what I'm layin down.
Thomas is friend with everyone 😂😂
@@Unker_Spunkanathan It's hard to dislike a guy that's so chill!
@@Unker_Spunkanathan Yeah he gives off a lot of Aquarius vibes, the friendly sign.
Hi Sean,
I have been reading some of the comments and felt inspired to want to come back on one point in particular but firstly, I just want to say on behalf of the Pearl Acoustics team, 'thanks for your splendid review, it means a lot to us'.
Now to my point ;-). I noticed in the comments that one person could not believe that it took us so long to develop the Sibelius (saying it only takes a couple of days with a computer to design an enclosure) and of course, in a way, he is right. Even when you use Mathlab and other acoustic modelling tools, the real work begins after you have a kind of theoretical design footprint. Let me explain.
The challenge for us with the Sibelius was that I came up with the basic enclosure design first and then I looked for a suitable driver which could be manufactured by a company we could 100% rely on. Every manufacturer and every individual driver we tried (and there were many) needed quite significant enclosure and damping adjustments to make them work at their best. For example; the paper version of the Mark Audio unit was very similar to the metal cone version but it had different performance properties (such as Q - Qmes, Qes, Qts and Vas) and these required adaptations to our enclosure and dampening design. With each re-design requiring a full re-build of a pair of enclosures, so we could compare like with like. And that was between just two rather similar drivers from one supplier. We had many, many more. I think you can imagine the number of enclosures and prototypes we had in the factory and at test locations! In the end, we found the paper cone was not for us (it's a great driver but you really would not have liked it in our enclosure). When we finally settled on a driver manufacturer and driver, and demonstrated to its owner Mark Fenlon, that we were totally committed to going to the next level, he then agreed to design for us the Pearl Acoustics variant we use today. (We needed it to solve some small but challenging acoustic performance issues we were experiencing with our design, and also to improve high transient capabilities). At that point, we had to make a serious financial commitment to the manufacturer, Mark Audio, so that they could go into production and ship the first batch to us. All this takes time! (By the way, they were and still are, a great company to work with)!
These were exciting times. But only when the first 'production' batch arrived could we begin the final tuning, which still took us longer than we expected. We adjusted, debated, listened, and demoed them to our highly critical listening panel, and then adjusted the enclosure and its dampening again and then worked out how to manufacture the Sibelius on a larger scale. Making one pair is one thing, making a hundred pairs is something totally different. Even the packaging proved time consuming and challenging (I remember deliberately dropping a double boxed Sibelius down a flight of metal stairs in the factory to see if the packaging could hold up)! Hoping this helps explain things?
My very best wishes to you and all your viewers.
Enjoy the music Harley.
Thanks for the additional info. For the record everyone: I didn't know this info going into the review. So I'm learning more about the process right along with ya guys. :).
@@ZeroFidelity you’re welcome Sean!
@@ZeroFidelity I read this after I made my little post. Man everything he is saying is spot on x 1000. And he didn’t mention everyone needs payed while they were working all the bugs out to get there product to market. You’ve got to admire anyone who would take on this kind of task. It would have to be for the love of great sound, not for the love of money that’s for sure!
I am usually somebody who takes a critical look at why audio has to cost so much, and many times the outcome gets right up my nose. This product is no different when it comes to trying to understand the price. But if you understand that it is build like a musical instrument rather than a speaker box, it all makes sense. For those who don't get it, they look at the price of a Mark Audio driver and some planks of wood in their DIY store and feel cheated. For those who are willing to imagine how instruments like acoustic guitars and violins are made, it makes perfect sense. After all, few people questioning why a certain guitar has to cost thousands of dollars. And even fewer people look at a guitar in terms of what the equivalent amount of wood would cost in their DIY store.
Looks like you have an outline for another show Harley 🎶😉🎶
Man, I almost forgot how straight forward and full of details your reviews can be.
Well worth the wait, not only for the comprehensive excellence of your review, but for so fully characterizing how by being a "niche" speaker it brings a unique set of qualities and limitations not present in most speakers. I feel like I understand what I would be getting if I were to try it out for myself. Thank you for all the effort you put in.
Excellent review Sean! Now I can understand why it took you so long to finish this detailed and the most professional review of the Pearl Sibelius. I'm so happy to see more reviews from you pretty soon Sir.
The Sibelius review! Holy crap! 😁 Nicely done. It gave me a very clear impression of their sound ( as your reviews generally do).
there are some live demos on u tube
Cheaper alternative name it in 1500 euro range
Just FYI: I won't be getting these. Too spendy for me, and I prefer a more forgiving speaker. I'm just interested in gear, even gear I'll never buy, It's a sickness. :)
I doubt I’ll ever be able to afford these speakers, but happy to hear that Harley got it right. It takes guts to go for something that isn’t mass-marketable. Great review. Worth the wait.
No ,no guts.Just a hipsterity nervosa to the non maistream.I ve been there and what a plane.....
I love Harley's videos, not just those about gear but also the ones where he talks about great albums. For recordings that seem to lack something, he recommends using the filters (voices) in the Lyngdorf streamers/amps, like the Lyngdorf TDAI 1120.
Great review. I have owned a pair for a good year and very much like them, fall into your identified target audience. I play baroque viola d'amore and for baroque music: phenomenal. I also listen to x-wave (new, cold, dark), synth pop, electronica, even punk. I was also first wondering about their performance but am thrilled how clean the sound comes across. In fact, some I hear how good some of my punk records actually are, e.g. The Ex "Blue Prints for a Blackout", or also Indie music such as Nice Strong Arm "Reality Bath". The coherence from that single driver is fantastic; tried adding a REL T9 sub, but disconnected it again because I got some weird time delay and lack of cohesion. I pair mine with a PrimaLune EVO 300 pre and a PassLabs XA25 class A power amp. Like that combo quite a bit.
Re price, given that they sell direct (no distributor mark-up/commission) they are actually rather cheap. And discussing things with Harley over email is fantastic. Best customer service ever. Even better than Dan Clark or Woo Audio.
Thanks again for a great review of a very much deserving product.
That’s a special amp. I bet the combo is killer.
@@Thunderbird139 No complaints with this combo. Discussed it at length with Harley. Some store in England uses the same combo.
This is a great review coming from a very happy Sibelius owner for 2 years now. They are now in my second system, however the clarity, transparency and tonality are so good I use them as a reference when I am tweaking my primary system which easily costs about 3 times as much. The only reason these are not my primary system is room size. They currently excel in a family room that is 15 x 30 ft with the speakers on the 15 ft wall. In the grand room upstairs, not as much, in fact I almost returned them; but I’m so happy I didn’t. Harley was incredibly accommodating and worked with me through this. I listen primarily to rock, jazz, and pop. Voices draw me in and are rendered beautifully. In its current location, there is absolutely no desire for a sub. The bass is full with a warm tone. I have driven them with a 4.5 wpc tube amp (45s) as well as a 200wpc ss amp. Both sound great. It’s still sometimes hard to reconcile the sound with the driver size. As long as you are not looking for loud, party music I would highly recommend giving them a try. Just my experience and opinion.
Very detailed long awaited review! I have been living with a pair of Sibelius speakers for over a year now and really love them. Strangely enough I have not experienced them being unforgiving with poorly recorded 0:02 material. Actually the Sibelius made them sound acceptable! It's probably to do with the components you pair them with. I'm driving them with Convergent Audio Technology tube pre / power amps and Denafrips Terminator Plus Dac.These speakers will show up any change you make to your upstream components. I actually ordered the stands with the speakers but found the Townshend podiums to be a huge improvement. 'For some people, this speaker will become a lifelong music making partner' - They certainly are for me! Thanks for the excellent review.
Can’t agree with Hong more on the sound of some recordings. Give Neil Young’s “Are you passionate?” or Miles’ “Bitches Brew” album a listen. With Sibelius, you’ll feel as though you are transported to the same space as the musicians themselves and listened to them right there… unimaginable until you listen to them with your own ears. Sean.. if you can get your hands on the Townsend’s podium, listen to what further magic you can get out of this amazingly made Sibelius. Thanks for the great review.
Thanks for sharing your feedback! Congrats on owning such great speakers! Regarding their forgiving/unforgiving nature: While I heard the speakers in a way that could absolutely mitigate the sound of poorly recorded material, it was under circumstances that I cannot expect most people to replicate. At the end of the day, I have to report their overall sound in a way that I think will apply to as many people as possible (considering typical rooms, likely equipment use, music, personal tastes, etc). Ultimately some people will feel like I got it right. Some won't. But if somebody finds them more forgiving than what I reported here, then I'll consider that a win. :).
😅
they have a very messy frequency response, they are not a monitor. One of the least linear speakers i have ever listened to and measured... what you listen with these speakers is far from what you hear having a frequency response with pick-to-valley distance of even 12 db ! haha haha Also the the idea that a speaker is " forgiving " is just nonsense hi fi review lingo... when a speaker is linear and have low distortion, everything sounds better
I have been a huge fan of single driver speakers for a very long time. Once you get used to them it is hard to go back to multi driver speakers. I have a short list of speakers that if I hit the lottery I will snag right off the bat. The Pearl Sibelius has been at the top of the list since the beginning. I admire the aesthetics, the passion that Harley brings to them table and from what I hear from all reviewers seems to match what I have conjured up in my mind. I have had a lot of experience with the Mark Audio drivers and really appreciate what they have achieved. I have a pair of the MAOP-11's that i have been experimenting with and find them amazing for their size. So I can only imagine how good the bespoke drivers in the Sibelius must be. Plus the whole idea of real wood vs. MDF or plywood has been something I totally agree with. I have made a cabinet myself from poplar and oak that I use the MAOP's in that work like a charm. So it would be easy to think that a professionally made real wood cabinet with a driver tailored for it should be exceptional. If you don't follow Harley on his channel you should. Very enlightening and passion filled content. Well worth your time. Look up Pearl Acoustics.
When I made my first speakers, back in the 1960s, I bought a pair of (British) Richard Allen 10 inch wide range speakers. They had a small secondary cone (called, I think, a "whizzer") that extended the treble. They did not need a crossover and at the time I loved them, so I can appreciate where the Sibelius designer is coming from.
Thanks so much for your very well balanced review, it is constructive, helpful and illuminating.
One of your best reviews ever! Worth the wait. Clear, interesting, informative, answered all my questions. Thanks Sean
Great review, and more importantly, thank you for providing the proper context. I hope that you continue to provide content, as your voice in this space is greatly appreciated.
Missed your reviews man, you’re the best in the business! It’s funny, because your set up tips are exactly how I have to have my speakers in my new living room. Close to the wall and far apart lol
Awesome review. Nobody can touch you for equipment reviews.
This is how a product review should be ! Explain to the viewers what it does not just how it sounds. You just gained my subscribership with this video.
I have really missed your straight forward reviews... Good to see you back.
Hi Sean great to see you! Man that was a thorough review, I really enjoyed it. I watched is all the way to the end! Have a Great one. Glad you and Thomas are having fun!
Great review and definitive summary. It is a niche solution for the people that can afford it. Would love to hear how it sounds in person one day
Great and informative review, I do like the detailed story of their production and the owner of the company. Really appreciate the explanation of what the speakers are, how they should be used and the candidness about the speakers, so that everyone has a clear picture 👍🏽👍🏽✌🏽
Always enjoy your take on things. You don’t have much content but what you do produce is great value. Thanks
Well done! Glad you finally had time to get this review online.
Excellent, detailed review. Thank you. Really nice touch adding extra amplification notes in the description 👍
Wow. Very well done. I appreciate the effort you are putting in. I am curious how you can tell about the sound in larger rooms? Are you testing in multiple rooms or maybe heard them elsewhere? I don’t need all details but how do you know?
I appreciate your outlook on audio equipment and enjoyed the review. Thank you for your honesty and effort.
Glad to see you back in action!!!
I have had my Sibelius "cherry wood" for about 4 years driving them with a Hegel 390 and a Rogue Tube amp and a Gesheli labs! I use lossless music streaming from from Amazon and Spotify I listen most to Jazz and some classical. I also own a Set of Magnepans 1.7i and high end Zu 'not dirty weekends" I am in my 18 my mid80s I have been listening discriminately since age 7 or 8. I currently live in the New Orleans area but initially have lived in Nebraska
A review from Sean??? Is it my birthday already??? Praise the maker!! Thank you Sean. Great to see you! Don't be such a stranger.
With absolutely no idea of how or why I might enjoy this type of speaker I can now claim to have a sense of their value and exactly why I may enjoy them. The creator of these speakers has an end product that he sought after and doesn’t really care what I may think at all. That in itself is a desirable trait. He also is fortunate to have this particular review as well. A quality product using quality materials that produce a particular sound. Who isn’t interested in that ?
It took them almost *4 years* to develop the cabinet; to get the tuning of it just right. It is a transmission line, and it is very acoustically sophisticated.
Sure
if it took them 4 years to make a box is says everything you need to know about them. full range drivers are stupid anyway, 20-20khz =1000:1 no full range driver will work.
@@einarbk885 A transmission line cabinet done the old-school way is *very* time consuming - it is trial and error. Build it, and listen - and then change the design - and build another one. Nothing wrong with that. BUT, today we have software that can drastically shorten the time. I have designed several mass loaded transmission line speakers, and while I was learning the software - called Hornresp - I was able to design a decent speaker in about 4 months. Not working full time - and by my third built design, they sound pretty darn amazing.
@@NeilBlanchard any descent software should be able to get most things right within seconds, assuming the driver specs are correct.
if they spent years building various prototypes, learning software etc then they didnt know what they were doing from the getgo.
im pretty sure jbl would have a working speaker within days if you gave them a bunch of drivers and said what you wanted out of them. now there are hundreds of tiny garage builders selling audiophoolery to a select few. imagin the millions of hours all speaker brands have spent combined, researching and scratching their heads over problems that were already solved decades ago.
@@einarbk885 the best engineers let software guide them, but use their own judgement and experience to take any canned solution to the next level. The best engineering is done by someone using their brains and not a PC. A computer simulation is only that - a simulation - that can never account for all variables.
Beautiful.
I would just love to get these in my room!
Thanks Sean, worth the wait!
Hope this is the beginning of a great run of reviews 😊
LFG Sean! ✌🏼
Even though it’s out of my budget, I still watched the whole review.
Great review as always!
Thanks Sean for a great detailed review. I have a pair of these speakes and I would generally agree with everything you say. Having got used to them, I certainly hear the shortcomings in many more expesive speeks that I have heard recently. I have found that they uncover the sound of each aplifier they are paired with and expose any probles in the source. But once you get the combination right, then they are extremely rewarding. When I first got them, I had a problem with the pairing to my amplifier, many 'experts' told me it would be the speakers - 'Single Driver speakers dont sound so great' - How wrong they were!
Hi David! I've been thinking of demoing a pair these soon. Do you mind if I ask what gear you used to get the combination you thought was right? I hear a lot of amp recommendations in the vein of Pass Labs and Sugden with these
@@BlueCliff72 Hi, when I first bought these, I was swapping from an active system and spent most of my budget on the speakers, so I was looking to buy a cheaper amp to keep me going until I could afford something better. I got a Hegel H90 which really didn’t sound good. I found a dealer in London that had a pair of Sibelius and he demo’ed them with a number of amps. I ended up with the Canor AI 2.10 which is a Tube/class D hybrid which sounds great, it’s not as good as the Pass Labs XA25 (which I also heard) but was the best compromise on price. I didn’t want to buy an amp I couldn’t hear with the Sibelius first after the experience I had with the Hegel. I hope that helps
A review! Hope you're feeling better man. Looking forward to the next one.
Wow. Great review Sean. Not sure if this is your best review but it is definitely one of the best audio review out there on TH-cam.
Cool review. Makes me want to listen to single driver speakers like this, you peaked my curiosity with how good they sound. (never really gave speakers like this much thought before)
A review! Our patience was rewarded! As long as this isn't a random one-off...
I would be interested to hear these and have no bias against them. The strengths and weaknesses detailed here make a lot of sense. They are also basically the dead opposite approach of my Tektons, for about the same money. These have one high quality, full range driver and a very well built, sophisticated cabinet. My Tekton Moabs have 17 drivers each, installed in what amounts to a simple, MDF walk-in closet. Spoiler alert, I love my Moabs :)
About time!
I have to admit I'm in love with the concept of this design and totally charmed by Harley Lovegrove ❤
Thanks for the more detailed summary of performance with various amps in the video description text. Did you try your Musical Fidelity amp too? Harley uses one.
I was looking forward to this review.
Maybe you couldn't get the lowest bass due to that 9x13 listening room?
Next time I visit London, I'll be visiting Pearl's demo room.
🎶😁🎶
I would love to hear them, but, they are so rare that that will be impossible. I love the concept. I love the look. I know they are quality with the build. Price. Well I would buy them in a minute if I had the disposable cash, but I’m old and just couldn’t swing it. I love and listen to jazz, especially piano. I know, in my heart, they would be perfect. Oh well, maybe in my next life. Great review.
My god! The amount of time and effort spent on this report and my intense interest in an item I will never hear. Good show my man.
Finally! I’ve waited months and months…so hard to find the review of those speaker named after my favourite composer…
I’ve been building speakers for 40 plus years and one thing for sure is quality parts , cabinet material and build make all the difference. It should take time if you care to build a custom speaker . Really enjoyed the video 😁
I like your description of sounding of acoustic instruments... Not too many have that comment... UHF magazine always used music descriptions in their reviews, they make comments about how the instruments sounded... Cheers
Oh, SNAP! Zero Fidelity wants ALL THE SMOKE!
Great review! Our patience has finally been rewarded. Some of the things you said reminded me of the zu audio dirty weekend speakers I bought, tried, and returned. Those do have a second driver, but that is a super tweeter that handles everything above 12K hz. In my opinion, its main flaw is that it isn't very resolving. So this sounds like an excellent alternative. Less dominating visually as well. I don't criticize the cost. It takes guts to make everything in one's home country and deal with charging that extra amount. Most companies just outsource everything to China to cut expenses. That of course avoids environmental regulations and allows one to pay a lot less for labor. I prefer to buy Hi-Fi gear manufactured where the company resides. Good for them.
Years ago I tried to bring a simple, handmade product to the audio market. Using real wood and real craftsman. There wasn't much material. The material itself didn't cost a whole lot. I just needed somebody who was more skilled than myself to build it (ie: Anybody above the age of 10 who can hold a hammer). Every single person and company I talked to wanted an almost absurd amount of money to build this very simple product. It was clear that the only way I could have done it was to do it myself, which wasn't a good option. I eventually scrapped the idea. The bottom line is if I wanted to bring that product to market at a price that people could afford, I would have had to use common fiberboard materials and had the product made, in mass, by a factory in China. This also meant undertaking a much larger and far more serious business model. I just... couldn't be bothered. People have no freaking clue how expensive it is just to have somebody make something for you out of wood.
@@ZeroFidelity ah, the pursuit of quality. It can be expensive like these speakers or free like dipping one's toes in a cool lake on a hot day. But the pursuit is fun. Talking about quality always reminds me of zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance, a book I read decades ago. Have you ever read it? Pretty cool that I still free associate to it 40 years after reading it.
@@ZeroFidelity Could you have done something like a partial build, and do the final assembly yourself?
Very detailed and profesional review. Thanks for honesty man 😊
If I had a huge audio budget I'd probably own these, at least for specialty listening. I like what you say about how going back to a regular multi-driver speaker makes you notice the crossover points. I'd really like to hear a lot of music with one excellent driver like this.
Your reviews are the most informative in the industry. Thanks for not being an "ice cream" reviewer telling us how amazing the sparker is. The comparisons you make provide perspective. Yes, others have said that the Sibelius is great. Well compared to what? Comparisons require a lot of work and skill. Also, I got an idea of what you think about the Dynaudio Heritage Special which I have. Of course, I would be further interested in a full review and pairing suggestions. Thanks again for the review!
Not that I can or would pop for a speaker in this price range, but I’ve been curious about these for a while now.
Thanks for the helpful info!
Small drivers in my opinion can sound great in small rooms. One of my favorite speakers that I own is the Totem Arro’s. They are a small two way tower with a 4 inch driver. They sound very warm with pretty decent bass even without a sub, but they mate well with my pair of rel subs. The Arro’s are one of the most musical and engaging speakers I have owned. I have owned many Totems and the Arroare my favorites. Right now I have in my stable some Magnepan .7’s, Kef ls50 meta’s, Genelec powered speakers, Klipsch rp600’s , JBL4306’s and Sonist speakers. Totems just have that X factor.
Totem's really do have that X factor. At least.. the old ones do. The Arro's are sweehearts for sure. :). Enjoy the stable!
@@ZeroFidelity One other item, I purchased the original LS50’s on all the great reviews and was not impressed. Like you I was not drawn into the music and they were not engaging in any way. Sounded dull and lifeless. Sold them. Then the Meta’s came out, decided to give them a try and the same outcome. Am I missing something here, do they need a huge amount of break in? So many are up for sale on the web. In your opinion, whats going on? This many reviewers can’t be wrong.
@@stephenradnich7811 The reason why so many of them are up for sale is because KEF has built and sold TONS of LS50's over the past 13 or so years. Naturally, there will be a proliferation of them available on the used market. As for not being impressed with their sound: It's a fairly resolving little speaker that can do many things well, but has the usual limitations of a small speaker. It also has a unique sound that you're either going to love or borderline hate. The funny thing is the way people describe their sound. Some people encounter a "dull and lifeless" sound, such as yourself. Whereas others feel like the LS50 is a forward and "bright" sounding speaker. The only common theme I've found with folks who are dissatisfied with the LS50 are the ones who do so based off high expectations. If you accept the LS50 Meta for what it is and what it was meant to do, it's easy to understand why it's popular. Doesn't mean it'll be for you at the end of the day. To put it into perspective: The Totem Arro that we both appreciate so much is a speaker that most people will not understand or be able to accommodate appropriately. The price and performance simply won't make sense. But if you like the look, sound, and know how to accommodate them, then you'll better be able to understand why some folks fondly of them. That's the way audio goes most of the time.
@@ZeroFidelityNicely put, Sean.
My dealer sold Totem speakers, but the Sonus Faber Concertos, he thought blowed the Totems away, Is there a cerain advantage in using a 4.5 inch driver in a single driver speaker in Pearl Acoustic speakers. Another question. Similar speakers are PMC bookshelf & tower speakers. I have always heard that bookshelfs sound the best, but in a transmission line, that towers are best. Do you prefer the PMC bookshelf over the towers? It is strange, but it may be good, that the Pearl speakers use a tiny 4.5 in driver in a large cabinet. My theory is that the larger the driver, the looser the sound is, like a flubby sounding subwooffer. My Audiovector bookshelfs 4 inch driver has big speaker sound, the best sounding speakers thsat I have ever heard.
This appears to be an Alpair 7 based off of the work of Martin J. King. It’s a great DIY design as well. I prefer the paper version of this driver but just as many seem to prefer the aluminum. It’s good to see a commercial version of this design for those wanting something beautiful with a nice story behind it.
As I understand it, these are not the same thing as the Alpair 7's. It's funny, I actually brought up the paper driver to the owner of Pearl Acoustics and was told that everybody preferred the sound of the Aluminum driver. The one thing I'll say is typically small paper drivers are best when used in targeted frequency ranges. I'd be surprised if the paper version of this driver could achieve the same volume output and bass extension as the aluminum cone driver. That said, I'm sure the 'tone' of the paper driver would be highly competitive!
@@ZeroFidelitythe paper driver draws less attention to edges and has a softer breakup if you are sensitive to that…with the aluminum driver it for me pairs best with a 300B. To swap out drivers all you need is a screw driver 😉
@@seanb3303 Don't tempt me! Truth is, I noticed the break-up of the metal cone woofer throughout my listening sessions. This created a metallic tone that became particularly noticeable while listening to poorly recorded material. Apparently I'm the *only* person whose ever reported hearing this, hence why I decided to leave this observation out of the review. Should I get an easy opportunity to try the paper driver on the Sibelius, I will.
@@Thunderbird139 The closer they are to the Martin J. King quarter wave transmission line the better as Mr. King is a mathematical genius and quite frankly, nobody else can really improve upon it as the math is too complicated for almost anyone to understand…getting a transmission line in such a short cabinet is an impressive design achievement. As a side note, many speaker designers come from and borrow ideas and plans from the DIY community.
@@Thunderbird139 Martin J King doesn’t sell speakers. He invented the quarter wave design that this speaker and many DIY speakers use…I’m not sure why you are talking about shipping and labor…perhaps that’s another discussion.
It's interesting to see how audiophilia is probably one of the human activities that comes closest to ecological diversity in nature in terms of evolution to survive, in this case, sell products and make money. There is not exactly a best solution, there is an adaptation to a certain environment - by that I mean the satisfaction
and customer pleasure. In this "environment" complex monstrosities can coexist like the Wison Chronosonic XVX with 7 drivers, and those wonderful Pearl Sibelius with just one, all maching with every imaginable and available variety of powers and sources.
But it is important to think about the men who imagine and create these marvels and their reasons and passions.
Harley Lovegrove at Pearl Acoustics has undoubtedly earned her place in the pantheon of heroes of the best home music performance.
Greetings from Brazil.
Great review! In my home, no woofers are allowed over 5.25", and most of the speakers in my collection are 4.5" or smaller. I have a small house, so big speakers are pretty much out of the question for me. But the nice thing about small speakers is now nicely they image, and how clear the midrange is. For getting down low, I always pair them with a sub. This has been my way for over 30 years, and I don't regret it for a minute.
So the small full-range drivers on the Pearl's would be most welcome in my home. I'm far more interested in transparency and clarity than anything else, though a good holographic sound stage is most welcome. Like you, I would have no problem using a small sub to round out the sound.
Right now, the best sounding small speaker I have in my collection are the ELAC UB5's, the originals, paired with a REL sub. While they are not the most transparent speakers I own, I would say they are the most musical. Easy to listen to for hours on end.
Now that you've checked the box on the Pearls, it's time to get something from Zu Audio, perhaps the Soul 6??? If I were to break my iron-clad rule about woofers, the stuff that Zu Audio makes would be the exception.
wow......pretty polished review there buddy. Thorough and practical. You probably don't need a live chat to answer any more questions. LOL
A great description of single full range driver loudspeakers in general. What was perhaps not sufficiently emphasised is that the complete lack of any driver integration and phase issues makes phenomenal stereo imaging a given. I have plenty of experience with larger (8-10-12 inch) Audio Nirvana drivers and actually expected the smaller and stiffer Mark Audio drivers to eliminate the upper midrange beaming effect. It must be less pronounced though as it did not need any notch filters.
The good news, if the Sibelius seems to be up your alley but too expensive, is that buying similar Mark Audio or indeed other full range speakers and building your own cabinets (or having them built) based on plans that are readily available online, will get you very close to what these have to offer at a fraction of the cost.
Yep.
I couldn't say that because the mechanical break-up of single driver speakers still result in phase shift issues. You simply encounter less of them. That said, I learned long ago that the majority of people aren't interested in highly technical break-downs in product reviews. So I focus on what I feel is the most important and easiest to understand concept about the design and then keep it very simple. As for kits: It's a great way to go for people who own the tools and have the wood working skills, or know somebody who does. That's absolutely not me. I have no doubt that you can get pretty close to the performance of these for a lot less cash via: at least one of the many designs that are floating around on the web! Especially if you have the tools, skills, and the will!
Like he said in the beginning of the video. It’s a 1/4 wave length (cabinet). It’s actually a 1/8 Bass wave length cabinet that’s been folded over to create one quarter of the length of the Bass frequency your trying to tune your cabinet to. I know these speakers sound amazing !!! I’m sure they have been tuning on these cabinets for years until they got it just right. Your correct about the pop cycle stick build, but you can build a (Paul Voigt) full quarter wave length Speaker cabinet out of cardboard an duct tape an it will sound good lol. I’ve built them out of oak, cherry, spruce, an Plywood an they all sound great, with a One Watt Single End Tube Amp with output transformers that will go down to 20 Hz.
A man who speaks from experience! I like that! I believe somewhere in the hardback manual Harley says that the cabinet was inspired by a Paul Voigt design. I don't believe it's a 1 for 1 copy, but I hesitate to call it an 'evolution' of the design as well. Seems like it was the starting point of where they ultimately ended up. Meanwhile, how did the Spruce set turn out for you?
@@ZeroFidelity the spruce one is a little to lively for my taste. I still have them but it seems like it’s gonna blow apart at high volume lol. The 3/4 inch thick oak board sounds the smoothest an more of a overall balance. But man those are very hard to make, an you need real wood workers shop with a joiner an planer an everything else you can get your hands on to pull those off. I understand why people think 6K is big price for those speakers, but all things considered that’s really not that bad. Just sourcing quality material is a nightmare for those cabinet, an then the work starts. I’ve never tried the folded design. It would take a lot of trial an error to get those tuned right. The easiest way is to use The Voigt design an build them out of Good Plywood like Baltic Birch or any high quality plywood. You my ask if the design is so good why doesn’t everyone make a sell them. The answer is there nearly impossible to ship without damaging them. The foot print is only 12 inches wide an 16 inch deep but there 6 feet 8 inches tall. Not to mention there built like a triangle, flat front and angled back. You would have more work in the Packaging than the cabinet it’s self lol. I would encourage anyone to build them out of plywood, it’s not that hard an you don’t need a lot of tools. Circular saw, straight edge. I’ve been using Kreg Pocket Hole joinery. I’m getting ready to build another pair for my sister-in-law. I’m going to use cherry veneer Plywood that I bought at Menards. And yes I’m going to put them in the back of my truck an drive 300 miles to give them away lol. With the 12 inch front you can use a 8 inch full-range Speaker. Ah an she wants me to build her a Tube Amp also. Family ya got to love them lol. I love your channel and have been following it for a long time. You do a great job
Great review. Brought to you by Double-Expresso. Fortunately, I can listen fast. 😁 I am intrigued by both your and Thomas' review.
Finally a video of yours in my timeline 🙌
Finally! ZF is back x… klh model 7 was shown at axpona .. can’t wait for them to send it to our boy!
Pearl Acoustics has one of the best audio TH-cam channels.
excellent review, thanks! sounds like a very aspirational upgrade for me, I'm very happy with my wharfedale Lintons at the moment.i wonder how they might compare to appropriate zu speakers?
Great review! Very interesting, this single driver concept.
good video and good review. you explained this very well including the owner of the Sibelius's situation in regards to its development and manufacture. What Harley has done isn't totally unusual in that there have been some individuals in Japan that have gone for this small model of development and distribution. Yes, prices go up, but so does the quality! These speakers are slightly out of my price range, but I hope someone near me buys them and I can then hear them that way.
After talking to Harvey Lovejoy 5 years ago, and hearing his speakers at the Munich audio show 5 or so years ago, I bought them sight unseen. They were not broken in!
After a year I finally after a year I had a true audiophile friend listen to them! He pronounced them outstanding. So I moved them to my living room and broke them in for another year. Today a few minutes ago I hooked them up to my Streamer, Giselli lab DAC, and Rogue audio pure tube amp: what a revelation. Using Spotify high end !
To my audiophile friends, I am begging you to get the Cannonball Adderley quintet "74 miles away album from the 1967" and Hang-on Ramsey from the Lighthouse in Hermosa beach from1965. I was there for the recording's both night s this is perfection! Like Harvey says it is like being there.
Very well explained what these speakers will give you. Nice presentation as well.
Do you make a review about the dynaudio Special Heritage? I have watched all reviews, i can't find it 😢
Sean this is really interesting on a number of levels.First the distance one needs for the sound to gel.One would think that a single driver would not need the distance that multi driver speakers require to become coherent.Second the cabinet and what I assume are the careful resonant characteristics that result in it's sound.I Watch this guy Janos at "Real World Audio" and he has built a number of speakers mainly using single drivers.One of them is a Voight Pipe with Polish Cube drivers and he say's that he used Sycamore (I believe) because he thinks that it untreated and unbranded gives the sound of main listening fix,classical music,better tone than a damped cabinet.Then I think of the video "World's second best speaker" by Tech Ingredients where he does a Voight Pipe build and uses dual panel construction where an elastic constraining layer between the two panels to dampen any resonance.Think more of how the bracing technology of speakers (think B&W Nautilus or the torqued metal rods in Magico's) have been part of their success versus the direction that Sibelius seems to be going here.I know this all very KIT/ DIY sounding but to me the The Pearl seems from that part of audio the DIY single driver thing that has been refined and done for you at a very high level
Janos also says that Tech Ingredients got the sloped/bent output wrong as it is not a typical bass reflex slot but a resonant tube and the bottom needs to be flat for the waves to resonate properly but the slope disrupts the wave. The reason it is a tapered pipe, is to avoid any single resonate frequency or harmonics of that resonation as the slope has an infinite number of resonate lengths which keeps none from developing and becoming dominate due to the apparent tube length varying as it tapers down.
If the cost is too much you can DIY fullrangers madisound and others have options. I build my own and have been doing so for over 25 years. Would suggest 8 inch or larger for driver the small ones can be a bit weak but if price or space is an issue don't over look them.
Another great video, thank you! I am curious concerning your comment about minimum distance. Since they are single driver loudspeakers, it can't be an issue of integrating the different drive units. Might it be a function of the diffraction of the highly angular cabinets, reflections from the hard front surface, or perhaps reflections? Any thoughts on this? Thanks again!
PS: I still like the Thomas & Stereo review.
I mention why this happens later in the video. Long story short: A rising response that's common in almost every single-driver speaker.
@@ZeroFidelity I look forward. Thanks!
The port constitutes a second driver, so maybe it's integration between the FR driver and port?
@@carlitomelon4610 Good point, but the frequency of operation is quite low. Thanks, Carlito!
I want someone to effectively take the driver out of the Sibelius and mount it (completely open) on top of the Klipsch speaker box. Disconnect the med and treble horns and run the open FR driver on top of he Klipsch box. The best speaker you ever heard! So if the Klipsch doesn't have bi or tri wiring binding posts, make the same principal speaker with a 2-way speaker with bi wiring, or build the box and buy a woofer and inductor and make from scratch. Or get an oldschool 2 or 3-way speaker, take the tweeter out and disconnect it and put the tweeter back in the box to seal it. Then just mount a 5" FR driver on top with Blue Tack, plasticine or toy modling clay. The best speakers you heard. The only trick is to get GOOD BASS cos the directly connected open FR drivers does the rest by itself! And the woofer warms up the shallow voice sound from the open driver. Puts the meat on the bone. You hear down to 200 hz on the open driver. With the woofer it's the best sound ever, dipole. If there is any reverb in a recording, you are going to hear it and love it! And highs increase exponentially with the open driver, best treble you heard, fun to hear! 😅 Especially from my modified home hacked FR drivers (with no enclosed air cavities what so ever). It' all an open surface. The silver sound! 😅
Shamelessly showing off that gorgeous Galion tube amp.
The Sibelius are very high on my list of speakers I'd love just listen to once. Great review.
Thank for you review alway clear and focused. Could you consider if it’s on your hands the Gauder Akustik Arcona 40 or 60 MKII. They have stunning reviews in Germany and Asia. Thanks.
4” driver is a mental hurdle for sure. I would love to hear them.
Thank you Sean for a very clear and sensible review of this speaker. I have been wanting to hear a pair but have yet to do so. My hope is that will change soon. One small issue is how you pronounce Sibelius. If you hear Harley say that name he says it correctly. While you consistently make it sound like 'Sibellius' that composers name is actually properly pronounced as 'Sibaylius'. Just hear Harley say it on one of his YT vids. A tiny quibble, so please don't take offense of this. Thanks again!
Haha. Oh I heard myself butchering the mans name right from the start. Trying to pronounce it correctly on camera, over and over again, simply didn't work out. It took my focus away from the actual review - so I decided to stick with whatever signal my caveman brain was sending to my mouth. :)
Those look a lot my custom made Hornshoppe folded horn small towers (from the '90s) with Fostex full range drivers. Thanks for the review!
Harley has a review at his site about the Lyngdorf tdai-1120 that he liked, especially as a preamp/steamer with room correction & preset EQs. His video is what helped convince me to get the Lyngdorf. Man, I wish I could afford these speakers! Thomas' review of the Sibeius was very positive also.
Can you point to that review of the Lyngdorf?
@@keithhorton4990 Its @pearlacoustics or if you put The Lyngdorf TDAI 1120: Why it deserves to be considered for a place in every HiFi system! in the search bar, it should show right up. video is from about a year ago. he really highlights the value of the preset Voicings.
Brilliant review btw….very thorough. Well worth the wait.❤
Great review! Curious how this compares to Totem Hawks?
Funny you should ask that! I cant' say for sure as its been YEARS since I've owned the Hawks. From what I recall, both speakers are fairly similar in their overall behavior. Having said that, The Hawk is a lot more picky about equipment matching and positioning. I'm guessing that most people will achieve far better sound with the Pearls than with the Hawks.
Thanks. That was what I assumed. My Hawks are in storage, but I bring them out periodically and listen to them. Once I get them placed correctly, they are great!
Now I'm trying to work out if I can swing having a separate set up for live instrument recordings...
Ha! I was the 420th like on 4:20! No joke. Fantastic review as usual, Sean. These speakers seem really nice, but I don’t think they’re for me. I’ll stick with my Tektons for now, but again, excellent review, Sean. Thanks, man. Appreciate it 👍🔊😊🎶
Great review. All the details one needs in order to make an informed decision .
This speaker reminds me of some of the DIY speakers using the Jordan JX 92s drivers (about 23 years ago).
They were actually pretty nice sounding.
Yep. I've heard quite few designs featuring the Jordan X92's! (Mostly) fond memories for sure.
This was a great, in-depth review.
I've been an audiophile and music lover for a long time, over 50 years, so I think I have the right to say: there are reviewers who are on the positive side of life and can infect others with their passion and passing on information-knowledge about hi-fi! These are certainly: Zero Fidelity, Thomas&Stereo, A British Audiofile... But there are also those who are negative at the start and who act from the position: I know, and you common people don't! It is not polite to list them, they will already recognize themselves. Let's stick to the positives! Cheers!
Hi Sean, a very professional review. I hope you can also review the Revival Audio Atalante 3, and 5 speakers.
Great explanation of their cost structure... Love Harley's channel too !
Awesome video, Sean! I just have one question. Cost no object, which would you go for, the Dynaudio Confidence 20 or the Sibelius? 😀👍🏻
C20's due to their versatility. That said, I'd miss the effortless resolution of the Pearls along with their tonal accuracy with certain unamplified live instruments.
Got it. Hope to watch more videos/live streams from you soon. 🤘
Greatly appreciate the thoroughness of your review! I didn't see the owner's manual on Sibelius's website. Because these are made from solid wood (like musical instruments), did the owner's manual happen to mention "bracing" done on the insides of the cabinet? Solid wood, like MDF and plywood, has its own "ring" signature and bracing can be used to dampen and lower vibration resonances for the cabinet. Just curious if Sibelius mentions in the manual that cabinet bracing is used? Thanks for the consideration.
Nice review 👌 This speaker reminds me of the Icon Parsec speaker from sometime ago
Are you coming out with the Dynaudio heritage special review anytime soon?
You are correct that a single driver speaker will not have time delays from the crossover. There is none.
However, any driver has mass, suspension, and damping (by the suspension's resistive losses and the amplifier). Thus, it is a "damped harmonic oscillator"- in a Physics 101 book.
A damped, harmonic oscillator also has a high-frequency limit, imposed by its moving mass- which equals phase shift in the highs, or time delay.
It has phase shift in the low frequencies, because it has mass bouncing on a suspension (it's a mass/spring system), as described above.
And since it cannot be an infinitely-rigid cone, it has cone breakup too, which imposes a ragged phase error across the roll-off region, a raggedness that changes with loudness too. This speaker won't play very loud without cone breakup.. I'm not sure why it would take weeks to build a single driver speaker. As far as resolution, I agree. Most people have no clue how much smear the crossover destroys the sonic waveform. Rap is NOT complex music. The reason music sounds better is because you're not adding time smear from the typical crossover network. I can't seem to drive that into Randy at Cheapaudioman's thick skull. Sibilant is NOT a result of highly resolving speaker. That too is phase shift. The high frequencies reach your ears before the lower frequencies do. Easily proven with a simple step response test. Lastly, 4" is not a woofer size.
Could you please define time smear?
@@Thomas..Anderson Essentially, it's when one set of frequencies reaches your ears before other frequencies. Usually, it's the high frequencies with the bass lagging. The average speaker adds between 180 degrees to 360 degrees of phase shift or time delay to the playback. This is at the crossover frequency. The amount of delay (smear) changes at every frequency as you move away from the crossover frequency. It’s akin to having a DSP that YOU have no control over.
A 2nd order butterworth speaker adds half a cycle of phase shift. 4th order designs add a full cycle. This means the drivers do not start or stop at the same time. How can this be “accurate”?
In other words, when the amplifiers signal is telling the drivers to move OUT, the woofer may move IN as the tweeter moves OUT.
Can you hear this? Yes. Just listen to a speaker (or headphone) without that time delay. How much time delay was imposed? Exactly one full period of the crossover frequency. If that was 400Hz, then the time delay between the two drivers is 1/400th second, or 2.5 milliseconds, which is ~32 inches for time of travel, acoustically on a 4th order network.
@@daleboylen6427 Thank you. I asked because some people use that term very loosely. I agree, phase response in crossover region is underestimated. And I also do not think full range drivers are panacea for all problems as some people would like to lead us to believe. When cone breakup occurs, and most FR drivers depend on that as some sort of mechanical crossover the phase of driver sections is, well, random. As far as crossovers go I also notice very large HF and LF drivers separation with regard to Xover frequency/wavelength.
good review fwiw, i am the target buyer for this altho i dont want to spend that much. older person who listens to old school jazz and some classical. it IS a niche speaker in that regard. comparing it to the klipsch is therefore absurd. transmission lines do wonders and i am certain the driver is impeccable.
Hi Harley, the speakers are very interesting, I also saw most of your videos-however, one question is bugging me regarding the size of the driver(4.5") Mark Audio makes a lot of drivers, some are larger, so why 4.5" if you could tailor other drivers to the Sibelius?
I bet it’s a magical little speaker. Enjoyed the review
I was looking forward to this review, forgot about it, and was pleasantly surprised to see it posted. Great job. Here's a question - how do you think they would work mixed use (2 channel home theater and music)? Even though it seems like these speakers would scoff at a screen being connected to them lol. The concept, story, and quality speak to me though. I may save up some bitcoin.
Keep the volume under 90dB and they'll be fine. You won't get visceral sound out of them, but a sub or two will go a long way towards giving you a satisfyingly full 2-channel cinematic experience.
I purchased a “Sibelius” in bookshelf form for 1600€. It’s called OGY. It has a lot in common. Nobody reviewed it.