Perlisten S7t Tower Speaker Review

[Golfx]

hi mattew. I'm looking seriously at these speakers and would have two choices for amps. The setting is a bedroom, occasional listening at 90-95, distance 3 meters and often listening to classical music. I could use a pair of bridged AHB2 or a pair of March Audio P701 monoblocks. Both should have plenty of power but I know bridging comes with some consequences and I'd be biased toward the March. What do you think?

Good day

I currently own these s7t towers and s7c center. I chose three of the March P701 monoblocks.

 

[ryanosaur]

@bombadil What are the costs of bridging?

 

[Pogre]

I'm telling you, the WAF would be much improved if approached skillfully. "Hey babe, if I get you that Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite bag, would you mind if I got the matching speakers?" Hey, if you're gonna' spend that kind of money on the speakers, what's a bit more for the bag?

My wife got the newest iPhone when she discovered that I "forgot" to cancel my new center channel...

 

[ryanosaur]

My wife got the newest iPhone when she discovered that I "forgot" to cancel my new center channel...

She should have gotten that anyway! Besides, it’s not like you changed over to BMR Towers and forgot to cancel the order.

 

[Pogre]

She should have gotten that anyway! Besides, it’s not like you changed over to BMR Towers and forgot to cancel the order.

I did not switch to the BMRs but I did get a new subwoofer and "forgot" to cancel... lol.

 

[ryanosaur]

I did not switch to the BMRs but I did get a new subwoofer and "forgot" to cancel... lol.

U scoundrel!

 

[Pogre]

U scoundrel!

I am, I admit it. I had no intentions of canceling that center channel.

 

[shadyJ]

hi mattew. I'm looking seriously at these speakers and would have two choices for amps. The setting is a bedroom, occasional listening at 90-95, distance 3 meters and often listening to classical music. I could use a pair of bridged AHB2 or a pair of March Audio P701 monoblocks. Both should have plenty of power but I know bridging comes with some consequences and I'd be biased toward the March. What do you think?

Maybe use the AHB2s to power the top ends of the S7ts and the March Audio monoblocks to power the bass sections? That would seem to make the most sense given that combination of amplifiers.

 

[Dan Nagar]

hi mattew. I'm looking seriously at these speakers and would have two choices for amps. The setting is a bedroom, occasional listening at 90-95, distance 3 meters and often listening to classical music. I could use a pair of bridged AHB2 or a pair of March Audio P701 monoblocks. Both should have plenty of power but I know bridging comes with some consequences and I'd be biased toward the March. What do you think?

Hi,

I am using a full setup of Benchmark ,including the AHB2 pair to power the S7T's.all i can say is WOW!.
to be totally honest - I am biased regrading Perlisten . my company distribute it here in Israel .
I am not biased because we sell it and we are allowed to sell it only in Israel.

I am totally biased because the way they sound! for me its an ultra rare thing to like and apricate a speaker ,i don't think there a lot out there that do so much things- so right and also break some records objectively and subjectively (for me) - they are also super easy to integrate acoustically well in a typical room(even small one like we have)- they are actually the only speakers that we can hear at our show room ,to a good results ,without RC.

of course, i do not trust my ears 100% and when a new speaker arrives i always invite a few people that I considered to be a very good listeners - they don't know each other - reactions were about the same.so - I pretty sure this guys are up to something truly unique.

measurements tells you a lot(for me its the starting point)- though they don't tell the all story - you need to combine it with actual listening.

I advice you all not to listen to me - and hear it for your self.my guess is that you will be very surprised.

this is not to say there are not other ,cheaper good speakers, very enjoyable - out there.

about the AHB2 - its known for its quality in bridge mode also - and i have checked that with many speakers -with no issues.

about the "high SPL combined with clean sound camp" - I am with Matt and experience the benefits of it ,almost daily .
how we Perceives "spl level" is strongly related to distortion .
the lower you have the more you want to turn up the volume - speaking about "loud levels " without speaking of distortion in the same context - don't really tell you a lot .
the usual case is that people turn down the volume claiming - "its too loud for me" - is distortion/compression related

the lack of compression, even at not very high SPL levels has its own benefits , as well.

James, thank you for an amazing review and all your hard work. i truly apricate it

 

[bombadil]

Good day

I currently own these s7t towers and s7c center. I chose three of the March P701 monoblocks.

great minds )

 

[bombadil]

@bombadil What are the costs of bridging?

I'm not qualified to give a good answer, but I have read the ASR threads on the subject and in general there are downsides. The AHB2 suffers somewhat but John Saiu (sp?) at Benchmark states the AHB is stable at 2 ohms and that was one of the concerns. I would suggest the ASR threads if you have an interest, sorry I can't offer more.
ps- I do remember Amir's review of the AHB2 and comment that went something like "WOW! 500 watts of clean power" and I believe that was bridged into 4 ohms.
edit: found the ASR post "Pros and cons regarding bridging amplifiers"

Pros an cons regarding bridging amplifiers

I'm planning to buy another NAD C370 an want to bridge both of them. Now i read that bridging an amplifier means that you demping facor wil be 50% less. So 8 ohm will be 4ohm. What are the implications bridging amplifiers?. For instance could it mean that besides getting on the plus side a...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[TLS Guy]

Hi,

I am using a full setup of Benchmark ,including the AHB2 pair to power the S7T's.all i can say is WOW!.
to be totally honest - I am biased regrading Perlisten . my company distribute it here in Israel .
I am not biased because we sell it and we are allowed to sell it only in Israel.

I am totally biased because the way they sound! for me its an ultra rare thing to like and apricate a speaker ,i don't think there a lot out there that do so much things- so right and also break some records objectively and subjectively (for me) - they are also super easy to integrate acoustically well in a typical room(even small one like we have)- they are actually the only speakers that we can hear at our show room ,to a good results ,without RC.

of course, i do not trust my ears 100% and when a new speaker arrives i always invite a few people that I considered to be a very good listeners - they don't know each other - reactions were about the same.so - I pretty sure this guys are up to something truly unique.

measurements tells you a lot(for me its the starting point)- though they don't tell the all story - you need to combine it with actual listening.

I advice you all not to listen to me - and hear it for your self.my guess is that you will be very surprised.

this is not to say there are not other ,cheaper good speakers, very enjoyable - out there.

about the AHB2 - its known for its quality in bridge mode also - and i have checked that with many speakers -with no issues.

about the "high SPL combined with clean sound camp" - I am with Matt and experience the benefits of it ,almost daily .
how we Perceives "spl level" is strongly related to distortion .
the lower you have the more you want to turn up the volume - speaking about "loud levels " without speaking of distortion in the same context - don't really tell you a lot .
the usual case is that people turn down the volume claiming - "its too loud for me" - is distortion/compression related

the lack of compression, even at not very high SPL levels has its own benefits , as well.

James, thank you for an amazing review and all your hard work. i truly apricate it

I am impressed that those speakers do not need room correction. Room correction is a misnomer, and it is an attempt to correct lousy speakers.

I have three systems, and however you engage Audyssey, it makes the sound significantly worse, and does degrade signal to noise ration on all my three systems.

This has to be true, as if rooms were significantly bad, then family and friends talking in the room, would also not sound right.

This whole RC thing is bogus. Good speakers sound really good in almost all rooms, lousy ones don't. It really is that simple.

 

[Pogre]

I am impressed that those speakers do not need room correction. Room correction is a misnomer, and it is an attempt to correct lousy speakers.

I have three systems, and however you engage Audyssey, it makes the sound significantly worse, and does degrade signal to noise ration on all my three systems.

This has to be true, as if rooms were significantly bad, then family and friends talking in the room, would also not sound right.

This whole RC thing is bogus. Good speakers sound really good in almost all rooms, lousy ones don't. It really is that simple.

I just flat out disagree with you here doc. At least with bass frequencies. How can you say that room correction made things sound worse in my room?

Before:

After:

Tell me, which one of those would you prefer? How is that bogus? Can you show me where it made things worse? I don't see it, nor do I hear it. In fact I can tell you it sounds much better after rc. That is unquestionably a huge improvement.

And it's not because I have lousy speakers...

 

[shadyJ]

I just flat out disagree with you here doc. At least with bass frequencies. How can you say that room correction made things sound worse in my room?

Before:
View attachment 48225

After:
View attachment 48224

Tell me, which one of those would you prefer? How is that bogus? Can you show me where it made things worse? I don't see it, nor do I hear it. In fact I can tell you it sounds much better after rc. That is unquestionably a huge improvement.

And it's not because I have lousy speakers...

View attachment 48227

My guess is that TLS Guy is talking about above the transition frequency.

 

[Trell]

My guess is that TLS Guy is talking about above the transition frequency.

It's well known that he doesn't like room EQ I can't recall just now that he excepts bass frequencies, though.

 

[Pogre]

My guess is that TLS Guy is talking about above the transition frequency.

Well, he blanket said that it's terrible across-the-board. I do not agree with that. Room correction operates above and below that transition frequency, right? In fact, I can set it to only eq below the transition frequency.

 

[Dan Nagar]

I just flat out disagree with you here doc. At least with bass frequencies. How can you say that room correction made things sound worse in my room?

Before:
View attachment 48225

After:
View attachment 48224

Tell me, which one of those would you prefer? How is that bogus? Can you show me where it made things worse? I don't see it, nor do I hear it. In fact I can tell you it sounds much better after rc. That is unquestionably a huge improvement.

And it's not because I have lousy speakers...

View attachment 48227

Totally agree ,RC done right ,multi subs etc - are truly amazing and can make or brake a system.
my intention was to emphasis that the S7T's - sounded good (in a not so good room ).
off course it will benefit a lot from RC ,especially in the bass.
their projection pattern is unique -and I believe this is the reason for it.

 

[TLS Guy]

I just flat out disagree with you here doc. At least with bass frequencies. How can you say that room correction made things sound worse in my room?

Before:
View attachment 48225

After:
View attachment 48224

Tell me, which one of those would you prefer? How is that bogus? Can you show me where it made things worse? I don't see it, nor do I hear it. In fact I can tell you it sounds much better after rc. That is unquestionably a huge improvement.

And it's not because I have lousy speakers...

View attachment 48227

But what are you correcting? I suppose there might be a benefit in the bass. However, I'm lucky I don't seem to need it on any of my three systems.
Also I think the effect of FIR filters is audible. I think that is part of the downgrade. In my view FIR filter technology is highly suspect. I have never heard DIRAC. One thing I do know about Audyssey is that with the sensitivity of my rigs which are not exceptional, with no Audyssey there is no background hiss audible at any listening position, but with it, you can hear noise at every seat. To me that is a big defect. May be I'm lucky that my system has zero requirement for Audyssey, so it is not an issue for me.

 

[Dan Nagar]

But what are you correcting? I suppose there might be a benefit in the bass. However, I'm lucky I don't seem to need it on any of my three systems.
Also I think the effect of FIR filters is audible. I think that is part of the downgrade. In my view FIR filter technology is highly suspect. I have never heard DIRAC. One thing I do know about Audyssey is that with the sensitivity of my rigs which are not exceptional, with no Audyssey there is no background hiss audible at any listening position, but with it, you can hear noise at every seat. To me that is a big defect. May be I'm lucky that my system has zero requirement for Audyssey, so it is not an issue for me.

can't comment on Audyssey ,as i have no experience with it .
i have used a few RC system in my past and now using only Dirac.
have not yet encountered a system that didn't benefit from it. most of the times i use full range correction but there are some cases that i limit the curtains to the lower frequency only which means that Dirac will not correct the amplitude response, but will perform a correction in the time domain. its very room/gear depended and preference of the client.

 

[lovinthehd]

But what are you correcting? I suppose there might be a benefit in the bass. However, I'm lucky I don't seem to need it on any of my three systems.
Also I think the effect of FIR filters is audible. I think that is part of the downgrade. In my view FIR filter technology is highly suspect. I have never heard DIRAC. One thing I do know about Audyssey is that with the sensitivity of my rigs which are not exceptional, with no Audyssey there is no background hiss audible at any listening position, but with it, you can hear noise at every seat. To me that is a big defect. May be I'm lucky that my system has zero requirement for Audyssey, so it is not an issue for me.

Or it's not Audyssey causing the hiss particularly, but rather the pre-pro manufacturer who installed it. I have a variety of avrs with Audyssey, hiss has never been an issue (and it would be for me if it was the cause, I'd return the electronics).

ps in reading many many threads on the subject, can't say anyone else reported hiss except you.