XTZ Divine 100.49 Tower Loudspeaker Review

[gene]

XTZ has found a relatively untapped niche in the Internet Direct market by offering showroom grade speakers at a fraction of the price point. The Divine 100.49 Towers are a 3-way 4 driver design using high end drive technology and components throughout. They offer exceptional midrange detail, elite bass resolution, and an almost calming presentation that was voiced with a lot of care and even more ambition. They are big and heavy and just may be your last speaker purchase if you find them to your liking. If not, XTZ offers a very generous 60 day trial period but we doubt you will have to use it.

Read: XTZ Divine 100.49 Tower Loudspeaker Review

 

[alphaiii]

Haven't read the review yet, but nice to see XTZ get some more attention.

Based on my experience with the 93.22, they make a really nice product for the money... Look forward to reading your review Gene.

 

[fuzz092888]

GranteedEV's review

 

[alphaiii]

GranteedEV's review

Oops...

Thanks for the correction.

 

[fuzz092888]

Excellent review, I think it was worth the wait

Based on the review, if I was in the market I'd definitely be taking a hard look at XTZ.

 

[JohnnieB]

One thing that caught my attention,

"sibilants were always relaxed and smooth."

Perhaps I misunderstood but, unless there is another definition of sibilance, why is it being mentioned. To my thinking, a speaker should not have any sibilance at all.
Could someone clarify?

 

[fuzz092888]

If my understanding is correct, sibilance is merely the sounds associated with the pronunciation of certain letters, most commonly s, t, and z. A poor speaker/recording can overemphasize these sounds causing the tonal harshness that you want to avoid.

So when Grant says that sibilants were relaxed and smooth, he's saying that these speakers were not overemphasizing those sounds during playback.

One thing that caught my attention,

"sibilants were always relaxed and smooth."

Perhaps I misunderstood but, unless there is another definition of sibilance, why is it being mentioned. To my thinking, a speaker should not have any sibilance at all.
Could someone clarify?

 

[DoctaCosmos]

I saw these on YouTube a while ago and couldn't find anything on them. Glad to see the right people got a hold of them finally

 

[DoctaCosmos]

Just saw the rbh speakers you reviewed had better star rating in the mids and highs. Does that mean they're a better sounding speaker?

 

[GranteedEV]

Just saw the rbh speakers you reviewed had better star rating in the mids and highs. Does that mean they're a better sounding speaker?

Not apples-to-apples, since someone else reviewed the RBH speakers. Based on my experience, RBH has a different sound from XTZ. I can't tell you which you would prefer.

 

[theJman]

Finally, someone other than myself lauding XTZ! I've been extolling the virtues of this company for the better part of 3 years, yet it seems as though I've been talking to myself. It's nice to see them getting the recognition they deserve. I have a full 5.1 Cinema Series config for review sitting here as I type this, and like everything else I've evaluated or owned from this company I'm very impressed. In Europe XTZ sells product as fast as they can make it, but in NA not so much. Hopefully some exposure rectifies that imbalance.

 

[Chu Gai]

GranteedEV's review

This is the long awaited review where GranteedEV was missing in action for a while. As I recall from another thread that was deleted, he said the speakers were inferior to his Philharmonics. In view of that comment, how does one put into perspective this review?

 

[fuzz092888]

This is the long awaited review where GranteedEV was missing in action for a while. As I recall from another thread that was deleted, he said the speakers were inferior to his Philharmonics. In view of that comment, how does one put into perspective this review?

I'm not sure what you mean. I don't see anything in the article that would indicate that his, if that is still his opinion, had changed. The Phils weren't mentioned at all, and the reference speakers he mentioned are, I believe, the one's he built.

This just looks like a good review of a pair of speakers. Not an these vs anything else piece. Even if he did say anything of that nature, I'm sure it would have been quashed before publishing.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

We're all entitled to an opinion.

If GranteedEV likes another speaker more, it is his personal opinion.

If someone likes B&W or Revel or KEF more, it is his personal preference.

It's nothing more and nothing less.

 

[PENG]

We're all entitled to an opinion.

If GranteedEV likes another speaker more, it is his personal opinion.

If someone likes B&W or Revel or KEF more, it is his personal preference.

It's nothing more and nothing less.

Speakers, including high end ones can sound quite different even in anechoic chambers. As GranteedEV put it nicely, "I can't tell you which you would prefer." Some people, like me, prefer relatively accurate (relative the recordings) ones but others may not.

 

[Chu Gai]

I'm not sure what you mean. I don't see anything in the article that would indicate that his, if that is still his opinion, had changed. The Phils weren't mentioned at all, and the reference speakers he mentioned are, I believe, the one's he built.

This just looks like a good review of a pair of speakers. Not an these vs anything else piece. Even if he did say anything of that nature, I'm sure it would have been quashed before publishing.

Several weeks back, over at the Steam Vent section, Gene started a thread indicating he'd been unable to contact GranteedEV, who had had these speakers for review for some time. A situation like this can have consequences for a business looking for products to review. Eventually GranteedEV responded and provided explanations or excuses, you take your pick, for why he hadn't responded or completed the review in a timely fashion. In I believe his initial reply he stated that the XTZ speakers were sonically inferior to the Phil 3's. Later he stated he'd do an all nighter and knock out the review.

That thread was subsequently deleted but the memory of those who read it not so much. Juxtapose what I just wrote with the review. Should the review be considered quite positive or one that's cautionary? While you can say the speaker has characteristics that are comparable to those twice its price or more, by the same token there seems to be at least one speaker that thumbs its nose at any sonic superiority.

Now for comments about the review itself. I find the mention of the Accuton driver representing 1/4 the price of the speaker misleading. XTZ is not paying consumer retail nor is it going to be 10% off. If you want to part it out then you might as well determine the retail costs of everything else. How are warranty issues handled? Where can it be heard? What does the inside of the speaker look like? Where was the speaker made, i.e. country of origin sticker somewhere? In the past, XTZ sold amps that were pretty similar to Emotiva who at that time sourced their amps from ToneWinner in China. The warranty was much worse.

Sure one can say we all hear differently and have different priorities. A position like that also provide cover and be looked at as a politically correct view that seeks to offend no one.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Sure one can say we all hear differently and have different priorities. A position like that also provide cover and be looked at as a politically correct view that seeks to offend no one.

I don't consider it a cover.

I've owned and heard a lot of speakers in the same room & setup. I would have a difficult time reviewing them all and trying to come up with many different adjectives.

The simple truth is that there are a lot of great sounding speakers. I like a lot of them. So when I say that, I mean it unequivocally, not as a cover or trying to be PC.

I am sure GranteedEV and many reviewers feel the same.

 

[Chu Gai]

I don't consider it a cover.

I've owned and heard a lot of speakers in the same room & setup. I would have a difficult time reviewing them all and trying to come up with many different adjectives.

The simple truth is that there are a lot of great sounding speakers. I like a lot of them. So when I say that, I mean it unequivocally, not as a cover or trying to be PC.

I am sure GranteedEV and many reviewers feel the same.

Certainly and these may fall into that class of decent speakers. Over at Stereophile, the reviewers are generally the ones who pick what they want to review. They may have had prior experience, some familiarity that goes beyond catching them at a show, or there's something truly unique that bears further critical examination. In the case of other reviewers, they're assigned speakers to review. Big difference but some similarities in that both camps look to put somewhat positive spins on things, emphasizing this while down playing that, finessing their perceptions with a subtle use of phrases such as not to offend. Politically correct. So you have to read between the lines. Determine if the vendor is generally inept. But if one runs their review past the vendor first, are they serving the public or themselves and the vendor?

I get that those here take GranteedEV's review as largely favorable. Later, when I have more time and finish licking the rib sauce of my fingers, I'll give you another take. Mind you, I did follow the deleted thread which if you didn't gives me a different perspective.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I get that those here take GranteedEV's review as largely favorable. Later, when I have more time and finish licking the rib sauce of my fingers, I'll give you another take. Mind you, I did follow the deleted thread which if you didn't gives me a different perspective.

Sounds juicy - both the ribs and the deleted thread.

 

[Thunder240]

Any Divine (either floorstander or stand mount) owners within driving distance of DC who'd be willing to offer a prospective buyer an audition? These beasts weigh enough that I'd prefer not to sign up for an in-home audition, though I do appreciate XTZ's policy.


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