I am very pleased to share with you all that I recently acquired a new (to me) pair of Aerial Acoustic Model 8 speakers with sequential serial numbers.
With Ivan's help and direction I have moved forward with some cable upgrades as well (Thank You, Ivan!) and hope to do more soon.
The speakers are beautiful in more ways than one. The cabinets are a joy to behold with bookmatched veneers making the speakers look as if they were carved out of single block of gorgeous rosenut.
Weighing in at a hefty 120 pounds each without the sand filled bases, their presence in the room is noticeable but not outlandishly so, providing a warm wood ambiance that complements their surroundings.
The hidden beauty of this pair lies behind those seemingly impenetrable cabinets, demonstrated by Michael Kelly's wizardy of speaker design and construction.
Starting at the bottom, the speakers feature a 10"-diameter woofer incorporating a 2" voice-coil and a large magnet in a 61-liter rear-ported box tuned to 19Hz. The large midrange driver is a 7.1" multi-fiber paper cone unit. The tweeters, a custom built 1" titanium dome design, were sourced from MB Quart company.
Regardless of specifications and constant comparisons of those endless sheets filled with numbers, the real proof of a speaker's quality is determined by listening to them. Regardless of the music's demands or the power available, the detail, depth and spatial imaging of these speakers is beyond reproach.
I am listening to some tracks by Emmylou Harris as I type this. The 8's reproduce the sound of Emmylou's voice as if she were standing right in front of me with the band just a few steps behind and to both sides of her. The most amazing aspect of these speakers is the high levels of transparency and clarity they exhibit, some of the best I have ever heard. They render every detail of the music in a very natural and pleasing manner.
They may be used, however, they have found another owner who will cherish them for a long time to come.
