Perlisten R7t Floor-Standing Loudspeaker Review

[dutchholic]

The KEF Meta Blade 1 is $35,000 per pair.

The Revel Be Performa 328Be is almost $18,000 per pair.

The Focal Sopra is $26,000 per pair.

B & W 801 D4 is $38,000 per pair.

Perlisten S7T$18,000 per pair.

It is among the cheapest of that group, and I suspect is the top performer of that list. So on that basis it is a bargain.

The prices that you mentioned are not the real prices. I'm interested in the real prices. Those are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices.

With KEF, B&W, Revel and Focal you can get between 30% and 45% discount on all of them, depending on the store and your negotiation skills (Sad that it works like this, but this is simply how it is in reality). I'm talking about "without trade in" and without "buying other audio components" with high margins . I've done that with two of the brands in that list in recent history and I could have gotten a good deal done with the other two brands too.

But with Perlisten? I don't see that as a possiblity at all, especially not in my area where there's only one Perlisten importer. This makes it very difficult/impossible to get a good deal.

 

[mono-bloc]

It would appear that Perlisten do have an Australian dealer // distributor , "Addicted to Audio. and they list the complete range of Perlisten speakers on there web site. With pricing in Australian Dollars. If this price remains stable is unsure due to the fluctuation in the current exchange rates, [[ one aus dollars equalls 62 cents us ]]

PERLISTEN Audio

PERLISTEN is the story of a handful of discerning audiophiles who share the same passion and started a company with some of the finest talent in the industry and tons of industry awards to prove it. Chances are you have heard some of our award-winning products and loved them.Now, PERLISTEN has...

addictedtoaudio.com.au

 

[highfigh]

Awesome write up, Shady! As always, thank you.

I am reminded of Tesla’s philosophy by your comment regarding starting at the high end and then working down toward affordable designs. This was Musk’s plan in starting with the high end Roadster, first, arguing that designing and building the absolute best vehicle they could and then translating that into less expensive models over time allowed the to refine technology that would otherwise keep designs prohibitively expensive as well as being able to strip away luxury refinements in a strategic way that wouldn’t feel like an afterthought. Building from Affordable mass market up would always be a matter of redesign and would risk adding too much.

Clearly this approach works!

If you have worked in sales, you were probably trained to present something that was more expensive than what the customer said they wanted because it's far easier to sell down than to sell up. Trickle-down of technology has happened since people started manufacturing things for larger markets.

 

[everettT]

I always look at measurements. I cannot find any distortion measurements of the R7T anywhere. It's actually one of the most important things because distortion is very audible. So that's impossible.

So I'm not quite sure how to compare them at all.

Edit: I've once bought two subwoofers (Dynaudio sub 6) for a small room. All reviews that I found at that time were over the top talking on how great this subwoofer was. The frequency response looked quite good for the size of the subwoofer. So I bought them, based on reviews and frequency measurements(but WITHOUT distortion measurements). Once I got them at home I tried to room eq them, but at the first sweep with the first subwoofer I heard something awkward from my listening position. I really thought that something was resonating strangely in the room itself, but when I moved closer to the sub I found out that it was the subwoofer itself that distorted heavily, so heavy that I thought that it was broken! And that was with the first sweep, not even at a high SPL. So I tried the other/second subwoofer; THE SAME. So in the end it was simply the design of the subwoofer. It simply had heavy distortion (from what I remember with my REW measurement: 30% distortion at a low freq range (~30hz I think) happened already with low SPL).

So I had to return both subs. This was VERY audible in my ears. I couldn't believe that the reviewers didn't hear this!

After that I said to myself: I will never buy ANY speaker without seeing the distortion measurements first. It's a mandatory measurement for me. And especially when it's about a product that costs 10K+ like the Perlisten speakers. So if distortion measurements aren't part of the reviews that I find: The speakers fell off my short-list.

Distortion has to be low in order to meet the THX spec and at Dominus reference level. When the distortion measurements are available I can guarantee you they will be very good.

THX Certified Dominus speakers bring cinema-quality sound to home theaters

THX is ecstatic to announce we're bringing the cinematic experience to your home theaters with THX Certified Dominus.

www.thx.com

 

[everettT]

The prices that you mentioned are not the real prices. I'm interested in the real prices. Those are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Prices.

With KEF, B&W, Revel and Focal you can get between 30% and 45% discount on all of them, depending on the store and your negotiation skills (Sad that it works like this, but this is simply how it is in reality). I'm talking about "without trade in" and without "buying other audio components" with high margins . I've done that with two of the brands in that list in recent history and I could have gotten a good deal done with the other two brands too.

But with Perlisten? I don't see that as a possiblity at all, especially not in my area where there's only one Perlisten importer. This makes it very difficult/impossible to get a good deal.

I'm sure discounts will be available at some point, just like with every brand you mentioned. Also the people who are buying these speakers aren't gonna pass on them because they couldn't get a discount. If your goal is getting good deals, good for you and I'm good with that, but not all people have that mindset. When you're spending 400k to build a Dominus reference theater, their concerns are not the same as yours.

 

[everettT]

I'm sure discounts will be available at some point, just like with every brand you mentioned. Also the people who are buying these speakers aren't gonna pass on them because they couldn't get a discount. If your goal is getting good deals, good for you and I'm good with that, but not all people have that mindset. When you're spending 400k to build a Dominus reference theater, their concerns are not the same as yours.

Note the one meter distortion at 116db from 100hz to 20khz...

 

[dutchholic]

If you're so interested: I got one of the speaker series that you mentioned in your list(not B&W) and I got them for~38% under MSRP, and I closed the deal in less then one hour. I spend actually 30 minutes in an audio store, just to get the deal through the seller because I only looked at the measurements of the speakers. And no, I didn't buy anything extra with them, they are connected with proper copper cables. So your judgement about people couldn't be worse.

Why did this get double downvoted? I should have paid MSRP to support the audio stores? Or I should have bought some exclusive speaker cables? I replied to "I bet this guy would be a time waster in an audio store" I never did. I should spend more time there?

 

[dutchholic]

Distortion has to be low in order to meet the THX spec and at Dominus reference level. When the distortion measurements are available I can guarantee you they will be very good.

THX Certified Dominus speakers bring cinema-quality sound to home theaters

THX is ecstatic to announce we're bringing the cinematic experience to your home theaters with THX Certified Dominus.

www.thx.com

I want an external party to make a review about it. I need to see measurements about it. I always look for reviews first. And the most trustable reviews come from platforms that are not advertisers for the brand but are 100% financially independent to the manufacturer. I couldn't find it anywhere.

I'm sure discounts will be available at some point, just like with every brand you mentioned. Also the people who are buying these speakers aren't gonna pass on them because they couldn't get a discount. If your goal is getting good deals, good for you and I'm good with that, but not all people have that mindset. When you're spending 400k to build a Dominus reference theater, their concerns are not the same as yours.

Agree with the first part. If Perlisten is able to grow and is able to establish a position in the market. Then the consumer can get a "normal price" too, like what's now possible with the other mentioned brands from the competitors. But until then, they are not an easy purchase to make. Since Revel, Focal and Kef are IMO more competing. But let's see what the future brings.

I don't agree with that people that spend 400K on a reference theater don't look at money. I have quite an expensive setup when you count everything in total and I look with each component on how to get the best deal+performance. Of course not everyone does that(some even hire others to do it for them, and pay extra/over the top), but I believe that most people do and compare. There is no reason not to compare to the competitors. It's not the case that other brands don't have competing offers.

I also want to say that Perlisten DOES offer great speakers, that's why I'm looking at the brand/their reviews. It's great to have a newcomer that offers such high quality speakers and focuses on NEUTRAL sound instead of "house curves". Maybe I sound quite negative here, so I should have started with this in the beginning probably. Because Perlisten is more than welcome in the audio world!

 

[Golfx]

I want an external party to make a review about it. I need to see measurements about it. I always look for reviews first. And the most trustable reviews come from platforms that are not advertisers for the brand but are 100% financially independent to the manufacturer. I couldn't find it anywhere.



Agree with the first part. If Perlisten is able to grow and is able to establish a position in the market. Then the consumer can get a "normal price" too, like what's now possible with the other mentioned brands from the competitors. But until then, they are not an easy purchase to make. Since Revel, Focal and Kef are IMO more competing. But let's see what the future brings.

I don't agree with that people that spend 400K on a reference theater don't look at money. I have quite an expensive setup when you count everything in total and I look with each component on how to get the best deal+performance. Of course not everyone does that(some even hire others to do it for them, and pay extra/over the top), but I believe that most people do and compare. There is no reason not to compare to the competitors. It's not the case that other brands don't have competing offers.

I also want to say that Perlisten DOES offer great speakers, that's why I'm looking at the brand/their reviews. It's great to have a newcomer that offers such high quality speakers and focuses on NEUTRAL sound instead of "house curves". Maybe I sound quite negative here, so I should have started with this in the beginning probably. Because Perlisten is more than welcome in the audio world!

Your comment above regarding “trustable reviews from platforms that are not advertisers for the brand….” to me seems a veiled attempt to cheapen the integrity of Audioholics’ reviews. Was that intended? I find that Audioholics strikes a valuable balance between AV customers‘ viewpoints and those of the manufactures. This balance leads to newer products with better designs and more reliable implementations. Products that receive unfavorable bench measurements are submitted to the manufacturer for corroboration and/or correction. A trust has to be established and maintained by Audioholics with the manufacturers and certainly the customers. From time to time manufacturers can veto publication of poor bench measurements but these bench measurements are never altered to suit a manufacturer. Audioholics is more than just reviews. It also serves as host for these forums and offers news and articles. I doubt our volunteered membership fees offset the need for any advertisers.

 

[highfigh]

The excellence of their speakers is not in dispute, nor their marketing operation. What was very unwise in my view, was basing their manufacture in China. I see that as the greatest risk they face, and if I were them, I would be planning to make a move away from China. China is no longer our friend, if it ever was. Personally I doubt it ever was, and my feeling is that there are going to be a lot of the "proverbial chickens" coming home to roost. If a situation comes about and they can't make product, a far from remote possibility, then it makes the excellence of their speakers moot.

WRT China being our friend- a line from a song goes "What do assassins call assassins anyway?, "My friend".

Money talks- once China was allowed to be 'Most Favored Trading Partner', we were screwed. They clearly don't care about intellectual property rights and flaunt them on every occasion, they take over businesses that have become successful, they don't maintain quality and if the PRC is allowed to take over Taiwan, the better manufacturing base will be gone.

I wonder if they would do a demo at their office, or some prearranged location that's not far from their office. I might be interested in going to that.

 

[dutchholic]

Your comment above regarding “trustable reviews from platforms that are not advertisers for the brand….” to me seems a veiled attempt to cheapen the integrity of Audioholics’ reviews. Was that intended? I find that Audioholics strikes a valuable balance between AV customers‘ viewpoints and those of the manufactures. This balance leads to newer products with better designs and more reliable implementations. Products that receive unfavorable bench measurements are submitted to the manufacturer for corroboration and/or correction. A trust has to be established and maintained by Audioholics with the manufacturers and certainly the customers. From time to time manufacturers can veto publication of poor bench measurements but these bench measurements are never altered to suit a manufacturer. Audioholics is more than just reviews. It also serves as host for these forums and offers news and articles. I doubt our volunteered membership fees offset the need for any advertisers.

I understand your reply. From all websites/platforms/magazines that publish reviews and take money for advertisements; Audioholics is the only platform that I actively follow and fully trust. So no. In this case I missed the distortion measurements, that's why I said that. If it was included in this review I wouldn't have said that.

 

[flashedvirus0]

I have a quandary that maybe you all can help shed some light on.

I'm planning on an LCR front stage with two 4B bookshelves and a 5C center. Should I go with the R series or the S series (S4B's+S5C or R4B's+R5C)? I'm saving a lot of money with the R series, how much am I missing out on performance wise? Are the S series and the R series timbre matched?

I do have a fear of missing out, but I don't want to spend money I don't need to, either. Is the difference really only dynamics and loudness? Would the clarity, dialogue in film specifically, be that much better in the S series or nearly the same?

 

[Golfx]

I have a quandary that maybe you all can help shed some light on.

I'm planning on an LCR front stage with two 4B bookshelves and a 5C center. Should I go with the R series or the S series (S4B's+S5C or R4B's+R5C)? I'm saving a lot of money with the R series, how much am I missing out on performance wise? Are the S series and the R series timbre matched?

I do have a fear of missing out, but I don't want to spend money I don't need to, either. Is the difference really only dynamics and loudness? Would the clarity, dialogue in film specifically, be that much better in the S series or nearly the same?

Pose your question for @shadyJ and he will give you a very good answer.

 

[RajkumarIlanchelian]

Anyone here done a mix of S and R series?

Planning on getting the S series for LCR and the 6 R4s for the surrounds. Anyone with such a combo and any reason this would be a No/No?


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[Golfx]

Anyone here done a mix of S and R series?

Planning on getting the S series for LCR and the 6 R4s for the surrounds. Anyone with such a combo and any reason this would be a No/No?


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I’d say they would sound great. Go for it. The R4S was not available when I bought the S4S. I would have had to do some soul searching to decide between them.

 

[ryanosaur]

Anyone here done a mix of S and R series?

Planning on getting the S series for LCR and the 6 R4s for the surrounds. Anyone with such a combo and any reason this would be a No/No?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Unless you are going to be doing super-critical listening in Multi-Channel Audio (not multi-channel stereo), I would not be concerned about the change in Speaker for any Surround or Atmos applications.
Though controversial for some, there are arguments that even say the Center doesn't need to be a perfect match... but that is a can of worms for somebody else to open!

FWIW, I built my system around Music-first listening and specifically with Multi-Channel Audio in mind. My Mains are different than my Center, but as similar as can be with the similar Raal Tweeter and wide dispersion Mid-range driver... Tonally, there is almost zero difference between the three Speakers up front. My Surrounds and Rears also use the same Raal Tweeter and this was a deliberate choice because I do listen actively to 5.1 audio mixes including some that do not use the Front Center, but code for a Rear Center which is parsed to the Rear Surrounds.

More importantly, as I am not personally familiar with the Perlisten Specs, my recommendation is to make certain that there are no drastic differences in Sensitivity between the two tiers of their Speakers. It is important to keep as similar a profile as possible so that you don't need to cut the more sensitive Speakers drastically in order to give a less-sensitive pair of Speakers a fighting chance to be heard.
Room correction will also usually dial everything back to the level of the weakest link in the chain. If your mains are too strong, they won't get adjusted appropriately, while your weakest Speakers might even end up being boosted into positive trim levels. I have seen examples of this happening and it is not good for many reasons.
This may not apply to the Perlistens... as I said, I'm not familiar with them.
If your amplification is good, and sensitivity is within 3dB, I would not expect this to be a concern, rather just something to be aware of.

Out of curiosity, what are you using for Subs and what is your AVR/AVP?

 

[RajkumarIlanchelian]

I’d say they would sound great. Go for it. The R4S was not available when I bought the S4S. I would have had to do some soul searching to decide between them.

Thank you, Golfx.

Trying to replace my 7.2.4 system with perlisten and looking to save some money atleast where /if possible


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[RajkumarIlanchelian]

Unless you are going to be doing super-critical listening in Multi-Channel Audio (not multi-channel stereo), I would not be concerned about the change in Speaker for any Surround or Atmos applications.
Though controversial for some, there are arguments that even say the Center doesn't need to be a perfect match... but that is a can of worms for somebody else to open!

FWIW, I built my system around Music-first listening and specifically with Multi-Channel Audio in mind. My Mains are different than my Center, but as similar as can be with the similar Raal Tweeter and wide dispersion Mid-range driver... Tonally, there is almost zero difference between the three Speakers up front. My Surrounds and Rears also use the same Raal Tweeter and this was a deliberate choice because I do listen actively to 5.1 audio mixes including some that do not use the Front Center, but code for a Rear Center which is parsed to the Rear Surrounds.

More importantly, as I am not personally familiar with the Perlisten Specs, my recommendation is to make certain that there are no drastic differences in Sensitivity between the two tiers of their Speakers. It is important to keep as similar a profile as possible so that you don't need to cut the more sensitive Speakers drastically in order to give a less-sensitive pair of Speakers a fighting chance to be heard.
Room correction will also usually dial everything back to the level of the weakest link in the chain. If your mains are too strong, they won't get adjusted appropriately, while your weakest Speakers might even end up being boosted into positive trim levels. I have seen examples of this happening and it is not good for many reasons.
This may not apply to the Perlistens... as I said, I'm not familiar with them.
If your amplification is good, and sensitivity is within 3dB, I would not expect this to be a concern, rather just something to be aware of.

Out of curiosity, what are you using for Subs and what is your AVR/AVP?

Thank you , ryanosaur for providing all those details. The purpose for this sound system will be 100% theater and no two channel listening at all.

My current set up is All around Klipsch RF-III LCR and Klipsch surround and Atmos driven by Denon 6500 and a Emotiva 5 channel. Dual SVS PB 12 +

The plan is to move to a 9.2.4 system with Trinnov ALt 16, amplitude 16 , Perlisten S series LCR and R series surrounds and dual D215s. That is a big budget plan but I am hoping will be able to do it in pieces in 2023


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[RajkumarIlanchelian]

Also My room is just about 3000 cubic feet room. Would the S series be an overkill for this room? I certainly don’t listen to reference level. The max I have is usually around 90dB.

Would all R series be better suited for this listening and room size?


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[Golfx]

Are you talking about LCR being R series as well? There is quite a difference in capability between the S series and R series for LCR use. The S series really shines in a small room as well. That said any move to Perlisten will be an upgrade for you.