| | | | NRPavs Oldies but Goodies athena TECHNOLOGIES AS-B1-1 [1st pair] speakers details |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|
 |  |
 |  |
 |  |
| Athena Technologies AS-B1-1 [1st pair] speakers - black ash / silver grey : Description : 2-way rear vented stand speakers Review, HighFidelityReview : Athena Technologies, Energy, and Mirage are all brands produced by Audio Products International, based in Toronto, Canada Currently one of the leading speaker companies in the world, API made significant headway in the early 1990s and, along with such competitors as Paradigm and PSB, helped to establish Canada’s reputation for making world-class speakers at reasonable prices Now acquired by Klipsch and then Audiovox, Athena’s Audition Series (AS) retains this spirit of progressiveness in its appearance as well as its sound Description : Athena Technologies AS-B1-1 speaker comes in a single finish - a synthetic yet realistic black ash that is grainy and tactile Beyond all expectations, these little guys are a joy to listen to for no apparent reason And now for some listening notes . . . how do they sound ? There is no obvious “veiling”, no obvious “boxiness”, no “laser etched” high frequencies… There seems to be no gross distortions – I’d guess there aren’t many and must be pretty much low in magnitude. The box doesn’t rattle I found myself listening at much higher levels than I often do. To me a sign that distortions must be pretty low through out the listening range and within their limitations The tweeter is not as detailed as my current reference, but it is sweeter. Overall easier to listen too, but with no indentifiable “lack of air” Spatial cues seem to be there, but not pinpoint imaging That’s ok with me. A choir sounds like a choir. A homogeneous grouping of individuals, but a group. Not a bunch of individuals who happen to be singing together (Check out “Never give the heart outright” on the Heart of Stone —Chieftian’s and many others) recording. Size seems a little “short” Bass seems a little “short” too, the lowest octave is almost missing in action. But the impression of bass is there, and when listening there is no apparent lack of bass Only after a direct comparison to loudspeakers with real bass, do you feel like you may have been missing something. The bass that is there is tuneful and fun Female vocals are almost like caramel, a little thick but so sweet. Very enjoyable. There is no pinching of the female voice, nor no wincing as the singer crescendos (for example Loreena McKinnet in “Marco Polo” from The Book of Secrets) Male voice is pretty convincing too, but there is a slight “chestiness” — John Lee Hooker sounds like a 3-foot wide man., and the power available is evident. But almost too much so Bob Marley on the other hand (Stir it Up) was a real joy to listen to. A mix of highs, lows and a visceral beat . . . And now a surprise, surprise, surprise : I’d have never believed it but small-scale orchestral music is a wonderful experience as played on these loudspeakers. Of particular note is Handel’s “Water Music,” (Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner-director, Argo ZRG 697, copright.1972) I know I couldn’t eat when I was listening to this. I’d have had to stop eating if the musicians were as good as St. Martin’s, if I had been on the barge with King George l In 1717. Wow. Are these little Athenas giant killers ? Of a sort I think, much like the Morduant-Short MS10i might be. They are so much better than either they&squo;re new or used price suggests I never felt like I had to stop listening to these and I spent the better part of a month with these little guys every day So here’s a recommendation that I feel I can easily give : “If you have a decent receiver or integrated amplifier and a reasonable source, these guys are a no brainer. If you have a good integrated amp or a good amp/pre combination, these guys are a no brainer If you spent all your beans on the best source possible, the best amplification possible and are a little cash poor or REALLY cash poor, find a pair of these guys used, use some decent cheap cables and hook it all up, set back and enjoy as you enjoy your music collection as you may have never before” Specifications : -:®:- Vintage : Early to mid 2000s model -:®:- Design : Rear vented box, 2-way Loudspeaker System -:®:- Nominal Impedance : 8 ohms -:®:- Power rating : 100 Watts -:®:- Frequency response : 60Hz to 20kHz ±3dB -:®:- Sensitivity [at 1W / 1m] : 90dB -:®:- Dimensions [H x W x D] : 350 x 180 x 241mm -:®:- Weight : 6.4kg each, - 8kg packed each SOLD May 2021 on trademe to Richmond |
each extra 5kg : add $6.00 NI, $11.80 SI Auckland @ $8.75 $28 North Island @ $13.40 $50 South Island: < 2kg @ $6.95 NA South Island: 30kg @ $24.30 $82 |
CASH on delivery by arrangement : Northland, Auckland buyers By bank payment : 12-3061-0161709-00 ASB name: N R PARKIN By credit card : Use  option on trademeBy email with secure  PayPal payment : select the Pay using PayPal website link |
sitemap |
