Testing the all new Ilumnia Magister!

[bart]

Last track that I'm going to discuss before my end conclusion:

Secret Key Masters




Another (SA)CD I got to know via Ben from Acoustic Matters.
A very exigent album for speakers.
Simply because a grand piano is a pain in the a** for any transducer, especially when a piece like 'Apollo 14' is played.

The same strengths and weaknesses became obvious: mids and highs that are rarely equalled, bass that comes into troubles a bit too soon.
The notes of the lower registers were a bit muddled. Individual notes didn't come out clear enough.

[audio bill]

Bart - Thanks for sharing your detailed impressions of a unique new speaker design which I was not previously aware of!

[bart]

My conclusion.


I may appear too severe.
Because I compared these speakers with my reference Vivid Audios that cost 38,000€ a pair, retail price.
But, if you claim to have the best driver in the world, and recommended retail price is 20,000€, you have to confront this kind of comparison.

It might in fact be true, that they have developped the best driver.
It seems that Marten is already interested in it.
Jacques and I both thought that an even better implementation of this driver would make it shine even more.
If you for example would cut it off at 50 or 60 Hz, so that it could focus on its strengths, upper bass, mids and highs, then it could surprise us even more.
Think a monitor, and then combine it with a very fast sub for the lowest octaves, and you really would have a world class speaker system.

Now, you have a true high end speaker that shines in all kinds of acoustic music, where it throws a very good image, and gives you good insight into the music.
But it falls a bit short when you for example like electronic music with lots of heavy beats.
With Ilumnia, you won't have the visceral impact of Drum-'n-bass or jungle tracks.

In the end we compared the Ilumnia with a 4500€ pair of EgglestonWorks on the other side of the room.
It was not a real fight.
The EgglestonWorks were outgunned in every aspect.
It was like a thick cloth was hung in front of us, and the soundstage collapsed entirely.

So yes, a big welcome to the world of high end speakers Ilumnia!!
A fantastic effort, with still room for improvement, but already quite an accomplishment.
A new paradigm in the world of transducers, it doesn't happen every year.
A couple of pairs have already found their way to listening rooms, and I'm sure lots more will follow.

I'll end with a couple of pics that show the finish is fine also:




Birch is the only version there is at the moment.

[Kal Rubinson]

Originally Posted by bart

This is the set-up.
No room treatments, Tom Nuyts wants to create the same circumstances as there exist in most living rooms.

Do most living rooms have sloped ceilings?

[bart]

Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson

Do most living rooms have sloped ceilings?

Haha Kal, only in flats on the top floor!

I think Tom does injustice to his speakers by presenting them, and listening to them, in such an untreated room.

[bart]

Originally Posted by audio bill

Bart - Thanks for sharing your detailed impressions of a unique new speaker design which I was not previously aware of!

Bill, I'm sure we'll hear more about this concept in the future.

[cmarin]

Bart,

Thank you for your very detailed report. And especially for introducing some great comparison music tracks.

[bart]

Originally Posted by cmarin

Bart,

Thank you for your very detailed report. And especially for introducing some great comparison music tracks.

Hi Carlos,

You're most welcome.
I'm a little creature of habit: I need my test tracks to evaluate a system.

[godwinaj]

Good info. Love to see people thinking out side of box on speaker design. I really wonder sometimes how close we are to the best a traditional piston design can do.

[Kal Rubinson]

Originally Posted by bart

Haha Kal, only in flats on the top floor!

I think Tom does injustice to his speakers by presenting them, and listening to them, in such an untreated room.

The lack of room treatment is, imho, much less significant than the slope of the ceiling. Many of us have listening in untreated rooms over the years (Devialet anyone?) and have an inkling of how it affects the sound. The sloped ceiling, however, presents a nearby hard reflector of the bulk of the radiation from that upwardly-aimed driver that is the apparent big deal in this system. The resulting radiation pattern (and, probably, tonal balance) I cannot even begin to imagine.