GoldenEar's BRX offers sky-high transparency
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 มิ.ย. 2020
- Camera: Olaf von Voss | Editor: John Darko | Motion GFX: John Darko
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GoldenEar BRX (US$1599/pair)
www.goldenear.com/products/bo...
Srajan Ebaen on passive radiators:
darko.audio/2020/06/kih-76-pa...
Also seen/mentioned in this video…
KEF LS50 (US$1499/pair -- as low as US$899 if you shop around):
us.kef.com/speakers/flagship-...
Cambridge Audio CXNv2 (€1099):
www.cambridgeaudio.com/deu/en...
Schiit Aegir (US$799):
darko.audio/2020/05/a-short-f...
Mytek Brooklyn AMP (US$2495):
darko.audio/2019/03/a-short-f...
Hegel H390 (€5900):
darko.audio/2019/10/a-short-f...
What’s best?
• Q. Which is the best? ...
Atacama Nexus 6i:
• Room tour: my 99 quid ...
Hifi-Racks Podium XL:
www.hifiracks.co.uk/products/...
All cables by AudioQuest:
www.audioquest.com/
#loudspeakers #audiophile #goldenear
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I auditioned the BRX, Triton 3’s and 5’s last week in Pittsburgh Pa. I am now the proud owner of these paired with a Rogue Audio Sphinx and a Cambridge Audio CXN V2. I upgraded from Kef q350’s. The BRX speakers do truly vanish in the room and I thought the Kef’s imagining was incredible. In my experience the BRX coupled with a nice sub is leaps beyond the tritons.
Another great review John. Completely agree that you can't give an outright winner as so much depends on room, music tastes, amplifier etc but your review highlights what people should be aware of when doing their own demo at hifi store. Thank you.
Excellent review John. You really explain well what you hear. You are one of the best at this. The comparison is also very well covered. Thank you.
Just strolling through old videos on youtube today. This was a very well articulated review; really top notch because at one point I thought "he's saying they sound American" and a split-second later you said "Klipsch". Shows how well you were able to describe them !
Brilliant review as always John. Was listening through my LS50's. Love your website too. Thanks for all your hard work. It really shows.
Great to see a full review again. Love your passion for the music.
I'm currently running Triton 3 with their powered subwoofer and I can definitely confirm some of your findings, even tho they might not be quite Reference quality.
For my ears, they are some of the best sounding speakers i've ever heard and I will definitely be keeping them around. I love the clear but not "squeaky" clear tweeter that in some other speakers kinda hurts your ears and I especially love the bass response, I mean they outperform many subwoofers in both accuracy and speed and even just the sheer power to shake windows and doors quite violently. And thats just the Triton 3 with 1 bass driver, whereas the Reference model has 3 and two more passive radiators.
these golden ear's are perfect for desktop use. I really dig em and will get a triton for my living room setup later this year.
Transparency is less inaudible noise, like that picture with finer pixels that allows tiny details to be more clearly resolved.
What I love about you is even though you're very into audio equipment, it's ultimately about its ability to recreate music. That isn't the case with a lot of reviewers.
Fantastic review. Very informative. I think I understand your point about AB testing. I own the LS50 and the RP 600M and I never AB test. I listen to each one of them for an extended period of time and enjoy both for what they are. There is no winner. Miss your playlists.😳
I ABd a $2000 pair of kef and b&w speakers. Both sounded wonderful, but the b&w speakers were more impactful, fun and 'ready to rock'. Then did the same for an $800/pair b&w and the Elac speakers everyone loves and came away with a similar impression... The elacs were more refined but not as much fun. I wound up not buying any of them but the experience reminded me why it really is important to AB speakers when you can... Not just for the shopping experience but because it reminds you of what qualities in sound you value more than others.
What books would you recommend for elevating the height of the speaker stands?
Can't help but notice the Cambridge CXN you've got on the shelf. I have one fo those myself, and I'm curious about your thoughts. Has there been a video on it? I can't seem to find anything.
Just when you’ve made up your mind on what speakers to buy, YT notifies you of a new video from John, from Steve Guttenberg, from Andrew Robinson, from Thomas and Stereo and you’re back in that spiral of indecisiveness!
Nice, you can readily discount Andrew Robinson's recommendations, or...go all socks, Birkenstocks and lifestyle.
Aparently you're subscribed to the same channels as I am haha.
Bullwinkle Eats Vegemite my dream is owning a pair of Sasha 2 but missing the money and the space.
@@barrybrennan2135 I'm so glad so a few other people disregard what he has to say. No other reviewer screams "untrustworthy" as him to me. He sounds so incredibly paid for, and he's not even that big a channel. The way he replies to people who call him out for his crap in his comment section is hilarious, though. Massive ego. Edit: And I dare anyone reading this to find me a youtuber with a more smug profile picture.
Will i hear you, started following same channels in the last few months and a lot of great info all the time.
Which speakers do you think are best to handle the dynamic of mid 70s progressive rocki fron early genesis to gentle Giant I my self might go for kefs just for there imagiening alone which can be hard thing to find for many budget speakers.(.Spicas tc 5os & dahlquist Dq tens being rare exceptions)
I wonder if the inner passive radiators cause inference with each other and this adds to the positional sensitivity of the golden ear
You are a master of your craft. You make reviews accessible and relatable without dumbing it down. Beautiful work. Thanks.
Great review and comparison. The BRX are high on my list for my next upgrade and I liked that you referenced the RP-600m as those are my current mains.
Thanks!
Did you try putting up the KEF by 10 cm aswell? Yes they are not rated tor that, but I am just curious.
I like your definition of transparency
Excellent review and comparison, thanks
Nice review - easy to understand and draw your own conclusions with the conditions you made. Over the last few months it seems like you've rearranged your room and acoustic treatment you also mentioned speaker set up in this review . . . Any chance that you might do a "back to basics" room set up video?
Great review. Thank you!
Great review. So you would recommend these for a class D amplifier. Any other bookshelf brands that are good for class D?
Totally agree with that description. that transparency means the speakers just fully disappear. There is no sense of the music originating from the speakers, the music just “exists” in space with you. My first experience with this was also with my first pair of KEF LS50’s, and it wasn’t subtle. It represented a completely different listening experience taking things to a whole new level.
It wasn’t a case of comparing them with “cheap” speakers either, my previous pair were Klipsch RP 600 M’s. But the difference was game changing.
I haven’t heard the Golden Ear’s yet, but they have consistently received great reviews, so I might just have to do that. Meanwhile, I upgraded my LS50’s to the Meta version, and I continue to be amazed with every listen.
I’ve enjoyed your review. Specially I’m curious to go and listen because I found myself in your room evaluating different loudspeaker types finding out that my preference is a loudspeaker representing music as produced without making bad productions sound nice.... leading to the impression these speakers are worth checking out
This looks like a nicely designed and engineered speaker. Danny at GR Research did a semi tear down on the BRX, some cheesy parts on the woofer, but nothing bad, but one of the better speakers that has come through his shop. He found nothing really wrong with this pair, they measured out nicely and actually had some quality parts for this price point. Nothing to re-engineer, upgrade a few parts to take it to the next level, other than that, he stated this is a quality speaker for the money. And Danny is a friend of Sandy Gross, the man that designed the BRX.
Hi John new to your channel, love the way you presented and explain the speaker. Sending positives vibes from Puerto Rico ~ been for the last two decades into hi-fi and it has been fabulous.
Sometimes when transparency an dynamics are the key factors then the listening fatigue is the consequent drawback. Is this the case? Are we dealing with a best lap or a race winner loudspeaker (or both)?
John, another great review thank you. Please don’t forget to add some vinyl in the mix...
nice video and love the out-takes !
How does it sound with naim Uniti Nova?
Doesn't seating position determine determine stand height??
Once again, you set the bar for (video-based) quality content for audio reviews. Great information and excellent context to provide "insight."
Oh, that record by Howe Gelb is amazing. So you are finally embracing the jazzy side of life John, so it seems.
Starting to question if I watch your vids for the technology or just to see what amazing band you're listening to now. Weddo's !!!!!
Stereophile felt that the punched metal grills on the Reference caused some comb filtering. Did these sound better with the grills on or off? Great review as always, thanks.
Yup. I preferred the sound with grilles off.
I'm learning new adjectives in English just by watching your videos, and i love it!
Lol love the ending ! Great job John appricate the video review , What about that front bottom edge that hangs out from the golden ear ? Does that effect the sound ?
Is there a noticeable hiss with the ribbon when no sound is going on? Comparison with ADAM monitors? I love the ribbon sound... it has a pleasing high end with depth and harmonics.
Depends on your other equipment
Most high-efficiency speakers will reveal noise from the gear. Not the fault of the speaker, it's the fault of noisy gear (sources, cables, amp, etc). Get better gear, or choose lower-efficiency speakers.
Is the ribbon tweeter the cause of the narrow sweet spot the reviewer is talking about?
Great review! Would speakers with passive radiators like the BRX benefit from a subwoofer?
Yes: amt tweeters are very revealing. very detailed.
Another articulate presentation John.
Superb review! I appreciate your view on transparency very much.
Love the bloopers!
“Delicacy and finesse” are not two words I would use for Mytek. Hegel, most definitely. How you compare them with Magico A1 and Focal Sopra 1?
Golden Ear BRX or Buchardt s400 mk2?
Hello from Brazil John.
What would be the best choice between a Klipsch, RP-150M and a KEF Q150. They would be used in a Cambridge SR20 receiver.
Thanks for helping!
Sorry, Marcos, but I've not heard any of those speakers so impossible for me to say.
Klipsch ....
Setting up a listen for these speakers/monitors this upcoming week, cant wait!! Speakers were suggested to me via Jim Williams/Audio Upgrades. He also recommended an Adcom 545 or 555 that he modifies. Cheers!
Thorough (Hi-Fi) level review(s). 👌🏼💯
John has good audiophile vocabularies (in layman's terms) , he speaks my mind out and I find this important. Because it's difficult to review audiophile products thru TH-cam where there's so many limitations to subscribers. Keep up the good work John. Regards from Malaysia.
Respect your interpretation of "transparency". A 'Real World' definition; since we don't have access to the studio nor master tape.
Thank you.
Love your reviews and this is another great one. Just wandering if you would be able to review the Buchardt s400, would love to hear your take on those. Maybe when the new Buchardt amplifier comes out, it would be awesome if you could review the combination of their amp with the s400 speakers. Thanks :)
Now you have to compare with the new Wharfedale EVO 4.2 which also has a Heil-like tweeter and is 3-way.
Thanx for a review. Would be grate to hear you opinion on airpulse a100.
Every time you show that Hegel, I am reminded how much I like their gear and want one of their amps. Great review and ideal comparison with the LS50. One thing that might have been worth mentioning is the integration of the drivers. I've found just about every standmount that uses ribbon tweeters sounds like you're listening to a couple of drivers instead of an integrated unit. This may be part of the reason that position to get them to disappear was more difficult than on the LS50s. Lastly, I wish the manufacturer would provide the tolerances of the frequency response. Without that, the numbers are worthless. I doubt that the low end is -3dB at 40 Hz with a speaker that is that small and 90 dB efficient, but who knows?
I liked your pace and intonation and the transparency of this review but where's the Brian Blessed playlist?
Why do most speaker manufacturer angle the speaker connects up? it really send the wires the wrong way when the wire generally goes to the floor on its way to the amp.
If your wires have spades on one end and bananas on the other, the spades connect to the speaker posts and the bananas to the amp. This sends the wire the right way down to the floor.
Nice review. What's the brand name of your audio rack?
th-cam.com/video/MhnQ8zT1IfY/w-d-xo.html
Great review...s
But what about the bass? Unless I missed it, you didn't mention how deep, with all those surfaces rarefying, it could go.
Love the style
John, Very interesting review and comparison. i like the way you explained the technical terms. Sounds like the BRX is certainly worth an audition.
They remind me of ADAM Audio active monitors
I had tried the Adams and found their tweeter a little more peaky in the highs and not as much coherence as the GoldenEars.
@@OrganNLou I'm talking about look. As for sound, Adam Audio has multiple lines with multiple models; so, without specifying the model and each system setup, a comparison is not fair.
Thought the same myself; owned the TV7s, AX5s and AX7s and found the AX7s to be about some of the best speakers I've ever heard; that's over the likes of Neat, Rega, PMC, B&W, KEF, Monitor Audio speakers I've owned in the past too
@@dannyb1979 I have ax5s too, unfortunately it's an oppo mobile phone and not a pair of speakers ;-)
Would you recommend these speakers for a rear speaker in a home theatre setting using Triton 1R as fronts and using MRX 720 for a processor?
Very good and hunble analysis, John. I fully follow your opinion about winners and loosers. In many cases, there are no winners neither loosers but different approaches to music reproduction. Greetings from Madrid!
Thanks for another excellent review. I appreciate comparing speakers of similar prices and discussing their differences. I really like my Klipsch powered speakers (R 15M) and they sounded much better with my old Definitive Technology sub. But the sub died and and I'm now craving a couple of subwoofers. John, don't you like subwoofers? I've seen several stand mount reviews, but nary a mention of subwoofers.
Wait, aren’t the ls50 up for grab for just around 750$ a pair? At least in DE
About €800 a pair here in the Netherlands. Tempting, but I already have some nice Dynaudio's :)
Another first rate review. I think the LS 50 are currently about £800 , without stands , so are these about double ?
Hi John, I have seen lot of reviews...great job man...I wanted your help since I am a beginner.... For my living room which is say about 20ft * 20ft I am inclined to buy Dali Oberon 7...let me know what you think of that choice....Also if you can suggest me active speakers for a room which is size of 10ft * 15ft...not much space there to connect an amp and sub...would be using it to even connecting those with TV.
Thanks
So glad u considered Goldenear BRX..I always appreciate your views keep it coming....can't wait for your review of RME ADI 2 DAC
I like your version of transparency. My current Fyne audio is very "transparent" given it portrait clear differences from the components of the chain and changes of the master version.
If the KEF LS50 is richer, then the Golden Ear must be an emaciated sounding speaker. You know, preferences and LS50 really didn't worked for me with my gear.
Does rock music sounds good on these speakers?
John, Thank You for this review! After having just purchasing the Aon2s, I see many similarities here in the BRX. I had to get away from the constant tinkering with the Magnepan MMGs (which I could never get just right), to finding a box speaker which could deliver what I find magical in the Magnepans. The GoldenEars do what I want, they make music!
Yes and PBRs add a bit of dampening to produce a tighter bass than a port. And yes even my first speakers, Celestion UL6, had them over 40 years ago.
Brilliant review mate 👍 The logo on the front is a possible deal breaker for me though 😕
Please get a triton reference pair in for review they say its unbeatable for any price under 100k.
Nice review and comparison.
H390 working only as a Pre is just phenomenal.
John please compare them to PMC DB1 Gold. I wonder what you would say.
Slawek Facet
Not even in the same league, apples to oranges
These speakers don’t have a ribbon tweeter (as you say they do) they have AMT (air motion transducer) units and work quite differently to a ribbon. Now the patent has lapsed AMT tweeters are everywhere (very good they are too) and definitely the fashion of this year when it comes to speaker design.
Then why does the Golden Ear website explicitly refer to this tweeter as a 'high velocity folded ribbon'?
@@DarkoAudio as a comparacion ?
Normally a ribbon tweeter is an aluminium foil between magnets moving front to back to produce sound. An AMT or Air Motion Transformer is a folded ribbon that moves in a sideways direction squeezing out the air between the folds. So they work quite different. Don’t know why the terminology used by Goldenear is different from convention. Probably some marketing thing. Good work on the channel. Regards from Holland
Two questions :)
Are those Audioquest Rocket 88?
And where the hell did you buy those wall difusors? They are beautiful.
I listened to Golden Ears Tritons at Hifishow 2019 in MELBOURNE I requested Call Your Girlfriend by Lucy Wainwright Roche and when the Big Bass Dum came in, it wasn’t there maybe the room was to blame but it was very noticeable.
Love your work. I have no more questions-you’ve articulated it beautifully.
One thing though - and I’m surprised no one else has picked you up on this - how to pronounce Aegir. As you know, all Schiit’s products have Norse names. So if you pronounce them in German you’ll be on the mark. So it’s pronounzed “ägir” or in anglified, a-gear. I don’t know if Schiit intended this pun but I wouldn’t be a bit surprised...
Great review - as we have come accustomed to. Thanks.
But I have been wondering for quite some time, each time I see PS Audio gear in your videos, why you don't review any PS Audio equipment?
*Plenty* of PS Audio coverage on my website.
@@DarkoAudio Will check it out. But we (I am sure I can speak for the community) love your videos.
Fascinating
Thankful
That's my take on the manner in which you carefully utilize descriptive word choice... all too often lost on TH-cam content creators.
Again, well done and much appreciated.
hank you for all your time and expertise
CXN review?
3.3kHz xover point? That's high for a 6" - this speaker seems to have somewhat poor dispersion given the xover point and the AMT tweeter. Maybe that's why you need to mess around with positioning quite a bit.
Ribbon type tweeters tend to have varying dispersion - narrower in vertical axis so even crossed over with smaller mid or lower frequency you'll still get a different kind of sound
Which is louder? The BRX or your shirt?
hay John, super nice job. Its funny though, I just found this video after turning in my BRX "Followup" about an hour ago. We hit all the same points. LOL !!!
Great minds and all, Herb.😆 Hope you're well.
I think you might enjoy Helena Deland.
Nailed it !
Hi John, have seen the Audioquest powerquest on your floor. A test would be great! Maybe compare with Audioquest Niagara 1200 would be interesting as well
Love it
Probably my next pair....
"Pipe and slippers"...good one👍👍🤣🤣