Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Cadence Avita Speakers by manek

Model:	Avita
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	unknown
Description:	Hybrid Electrostatic speaker
Manufacturer URL:	Cadence
Manufacturer URL:	Cadence

Review by manek ( A ) on February 17, 2004 at 23:29:24
IP Address: 203.197.46.33

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for the Avita

Some time ago, I bought the Cadence Arita Bookshelf speakers. I was so hooked by the sound and their construction that I called up the Cadence Factory and asked them if I could come over. I was promptly given an appointment by a very accomodating executive and my Dad and I landed there at the appropriate time.
Off we went into a room which was a normal room where the Cadence Avita hybrid electrostatic speakers were set up along with a Arcam CDP, Forsell DAC, Cadence Va 1.0 tube amp and hoked up with VDH cables. No room treatments. It was just another room with some furniture with bare walls and a couple of glass windows
Ofcourse I went there with my CD's. I first popped in a Robbie Williams CD and played the track "Beyond the Sea". I was expecting good sound but what came out of the speakers just took me by surprise. The initial percussion beat along with the brass band was so fine that my jaw dropped. I was fresh from my experience with other high end speakers at the local AV Expo like Martin logan, B&W, Jamo, Magnepan, Tannoy, Dynaudio, Kef reference, etc but all those memories were washed away in a second and I was enveloped with a warm, delicate sound. Bass was musical yet firm. The mids and highs were creamy and magical. I sat down on my chair and listened.
After this extremely satisfying rendition of Beyond the Sea I thought of testing the speakers with an old but my favourite recording MJQ Pyramid.
The soundstage as good as I had ever heard, wide and with depth. Imaging was spot on. I could place each member of the quartet without any fuss. Ofcourse the sound was rich yet delicate, Milt Jacksons vibes were truly divine.
After MJQ I noticed my DAD had this look on his face of a small boy which said "I Want Those". Deep in my heart I wanted them too.
Not to be swayed in by my initial experience with Jazz on the Avitas I put in another CD, Malher Symphony No 2. A more complicated peice with a big orchestra....The london Symphony Orchestra conducted by Klaus Tendstedt. This I said to myself would be the ultimate test. This particular peice has a pretty dynamic introduction starting with the double bass and cello section of the orchestra. I was rewarded with a rich yet accurate sound. A few minutes into the peice the orchestra reaches a crecendo with just about everyone playing their bit and every instrument section could be deciphered. The speakers never lost their composure even at high SPL's. I heard the first two movements of the symphony and was experiencing bliss every second of my sitting there.
My reverie was abruptly interrupted by the silence after the finishing of second movement. The Cadence executive asked me if he could play a CD for me. Expecting something nice I agreed. He did not tell what the CD was but I did jump out of my chair when Harry Belafonte came on singing The Banana Boat Song. "Come Mr. Tallyman, tally me Banana......" man...!!! its as if he were right there singing to me. I am not likely to forget this experience at all.
Another amazing experience I had was that this was the first time I truely experienced the fact that speakers could dissappear in a room. What was in front of me was a vivid soundstage and nothing else.
I spent the rest of my time there seeing their anechoic chamber and other stuff. I was taken through the production process. It was great to see that they still follow the time honoured tradition of hand making, assembling and curing their speaker cabinets. Very skilled staff they had and its aparent from the finish of the speakers and the amplifiers they make. Ofcourse they do have a very sophisticated electrostatic driver manufacturing unit.
All in all, a great day. A day to Remember. DAD...someday when I can afford it we'll get them. Thats a promise !!!

Product Weakness: One does need very good quality amplifier, source and cables to bring out the best in them.
Product Strengths: All of the above. The fact that electrostats can be driven so well by relatively low powered tube amps is quite amazing.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Cadence VA 1.0
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Arcam
Speakers:	Cadence Avita
Cables/Interconnects:	VDH
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, Classical, PoP
Room Comments/Treatments:	no room treatements
Time Period/Length of Audition:	60 mins
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Forsell DAC
Type of Audition/Review:	Dealer Demo

Product Weakness:	One does need very good quality amplifier, source and cables to bring out the best in them.
Product Strengths:	All of the above. The fact that electrostats can be driven so well by relatively low powered tube amps is quite amazing.