Perlisten Audio: The THX Dominus Line Has Finally Been Breached!

[kini]

I can understand the need for the narrow dispersion and beaming in large rooms in order to achieve the volume required by the standard but it seems something like this would be a poor choice in a smaller room with much shorter listening distances. I experienced a much improved soundstage with my Kefs compared to the relatively narrow dispersion of my previous Klipsch speakers.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

what's the price for S4b bookshelf?

 

[Pogre]

I can understand the need for the narrow dispersion and beaming in large rooms in order to achieve the volume required by the standard but it seems something like this would be a poor choice in a smaller room with much shorter listening distances. I experienced a much improved soundstage with my Kefs compared to the relatively narrow dispersion of my previous Klipsch speakers.

I don't think many people with small rooms will be buying Dominus certified speakers. The whole goal is for a large room long seating distance.

 

[shadyJ]

I can understand the need for the narrow dispersion and beaming in large rooms in order to achieve the volume required by the standard but it seems something like this would be a poor choice in a smaller room with much shorter listening distances. I experienced a much improved soundstage with my Kefs compared to the relatively narrow dispersion of my previous Klipsch speakers.

Narrow dispersion and wide dispersion just have two different soundstages. Supposedly narrow dispersion can have more precise imaging, and wide dispersion can have a greater sensation of spaciousness. However, in my experience, both can image pretty well. By the way, KEFs don't really have that wide of a dispersion pattern. I am not even sure it's all that much wider than Klipsch which uses a 90-degree horn.

 

[shadyJ]

what's the price for S4b bookshelf?

I'll inquire.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

what's the price for S4b bookshelf?

S4s MSRP $5,990/pair
S4b MSRP $6,990/pair
S5m MSRP $12,990/pair
S7c MSRP $6,995 each
S7t MSRP $15,990/pair
R5t MSRP $5,990/pair
D215s MSRP $8,995 each

 

[kini]

Narrow dispersion and wide dispersion just have two different soundstages. Supposedly narrow dispersion can have more precise imaging, and wide dispersion can have a greater sensation of spaciousness. However, in my experience, both can image pretty well. By the way, KEFs don't really have that wide of a dispersion pattern. I am not even sure it's all that much wider than Klipsch which uses a 90-degree horn.

In my room the Kefs have a much, much wider and taller soundstage than my Klipschs had. It's night and day with movies and TV though more subtle with music.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I can understand the need for the narrow dispersion and beaming in large rooms in order to achieve the volume required by the standard but it seems something like this would be a poor choice in a smaller room with much shorter listening distances. I experienced a much improved soundstage with my Kefs compared to the relatively narrow dispersion of my previous Klipsch speakers.

I don’t think that was dispersion you were hearing. I think that was the far superior response of the speaker.

vertical reflections tend to strongly destroy spaciousness by creating a strong monophonic signal from the ceiling. They also tend to impact our perception of timbre and so if the vertical dispersion is bad, such as with the Klipsch, you can get a much more colored sound. The Kef is known for its very flat/smooth response that is consistent across all angles.

The Perlisten is even more so, with an even more consistent response and good vertical control. It isn’t to allow it to play loud. It’s to avoid strong floor and ceiling reflections. The horizontal dispersion remains quite wide for good spaciousness.

the idea that directivity control is used for playing loud in a large room is a bit of a misnomer. Directivity control in residential speakers is about controlling the direct to reflected sound and the smoothness of the sound across all angles. Has little to do with loudness. It is very difficult to make a wide dispersion speakers that has very even response at all angles. Often such speakers show directivity mismatches and some roughness as you move too far off axis. Waveguides are a great way to even things out.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Ok so I don’t sound too biased, I will share my bias. I ended up liking the Perlisten speakers so much I decided to become a dealer. I wasn’t a dealer or any speaker before this. My consulting work took off and it made sense to start carrying products I believe in. If I make a recommendation I want to be sure my client can get it and that I have the relationship to be able to ensure they are taken care of. Becoming a dealer allows that. It also means I make enough money with a client that if someone buys a product from me, I don’t have to charge for my time anymore.

In a fairly short period of time I had numerous circumstances arise that caused me to decide to take on a few brands but I am sticking to that mantra. Only sell something I would personally want to own. I am now dealing in Sonitus as well. After I finish reviewing some other brands I will decide if I want to sell them as well. So look for those reviews to see what I ultimately thought.

obviously once I start selling a brand I can’t really objectively review it so I will leave that to the less biased like James.

 

[ryanosaur]

obviously once I start selling a brand I can’t really objectively review it so I will leave that to the less biased like James.

Ouch. He's just gonna flame it, you know. call it brotherly love or spite for that whole Sub-In-The-Basement story...

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Ouch. He's just gonna flame it, you know. call it brotherly love or spite for that whole Sub-In-The-Basement story...

Hah, nah he actually reviewed them already. I will leave that surprise for when the review posts. He is the most ethical reviewer I know.

 

[ryanosaur]

He is the most ethical reviewer I know.

Awww...
Somebody's getting buttered up!, @shadyJ

 

[lovinthehd]

I think a reviewer with cred like Matthew (or James) some sales going on could well be more honest than some reviewers who are just for sale whatever the product. As long as divulged and measured fairly, personally I don't have as much of an issue than these often same reviewers who push silly cables....

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I think a reviewer with cred like Matthew (or James) some sales going on could well be more honest than some reviewers who are just for sale whatever the product. As long as divulged and measured fairly, personally I don't have as much of an issue than these often same reviewers who push silly cables....

Yeah I am not about to push cables. I suppose I technically sell them since it came with the dealer deal. But I would leave that decision up to the customer. I don’t spite people who buy them. I just don’t believe they do anything and think it’s a big waste of money. If someone wants a pretty cable, all the power to them.

I hope others can look Past my dealer status on a product and accept that when I say something is good, I really believe it is. I do try to be honest. If you believe that measurements tell you quite a lot about the sound of a speaker (and I obviously do) then you can’t complain about these Perlisten speakers. The measurements are crazy good.The speaker data all came from Klippel. It would be news to me if you could falsify Klippel data and those graphs come straight from the program.

I am going to review two other brands of products that I want to sell. I just think they have a lot of potential. We shall see how it goes. Hopefully people can recognize that my opinion is an honest and open one backed up by objective data on the product. If this was a ploy for profit, there would be better ways. For one thing, the points aren’t so high. I could sell Klipsch at 60 points. Why do so many dealers carry that brand and sell you on them? Highest profit margin.

I am sure every dealer of high end products says the same thing. For me, if I am going to do this, it’s going to be highly curated. If I think a brand has a bad product. I won’t sell it. If I think a brand is bad, I won’t sell it. I am going to focus on stuff I personally want.

 

[JStewart]

@Matthew J Poes , it’s a good ways off, but are you planning to be at the next FL Audio Expo with these?

 

[Matthew J Poes]

@Matthew J Poes , it’s a good ways off, but are you planning to be at the next FL Audio Expo with these?

I won’t be the one manning the booth so to speak. Perlisten is planning to be there on their own. However I too will be there on behalf of Audioholics and Poes Acoustics. I’ll likely spend time at Perlisten helping to answer questions.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Just got my email that Perlisten will increase prices this May 1, 2023.

For example, the D12s subwoofer will go from $4K now to $5K when May 1 comes around.

So if you are thinking of getting Perlisten, might want to order BEFORE May 1st.