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REVIEW: Ellis Audio 1801 Speakers

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Model: 1801
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $1300
Description: 2 way monitor using Seas Excel midrange, and Hiquphon Tweeter
Manufacturer URL: Ellis Audio
Model Picture: View

Review by Orangeman ( A ) on March 16, 2003 at 23:40:26
IP Address: 154.5.229.235
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for the 1801


I had these speakers for a 2 week audition at the end of last year. I loved them so much, I bought them. Since the wait is about 1 year to get them, I ordered the kit from Dave Ellis with the crossover already assembled, then I had Darren Thomas from Thomas Woodcraft (www.thomaswoodcraft.com) make me a pair of gorgeous enclosures with real Mahogany baffle, finished with hand rubbed Boiled Linseed Oil and about 8 coats of gloss lacquer sprayed on and rubbed out to a flat glossy finish. You will not find to better people than Darren and Dave. To top it off, they are as talented as they come in their respective fields.

Enough about the beautiful enclosures, how do they sound?

They fit any audiophile term you can throw at them. They image in 3D, create a holographic soundstage in the right room, and have a midrange, and highs as uncoloured as any I've heard. They are smooth, and liquid, and can make you see right through the performance. With the right gear, you'll be 'right there' in the performance.

Dave Ellis has used what many consider to be the best midbass in the world (Seas Excel W18), and the best dome in the world (Hiquphon OW1), and hired Dennis Murphy to make a seamless crossover to blend the two. The end result is a huge success, and it is a benchmark at the $1300 price.


Product Weakness: Don't like bad recordings too much, but this is the case with any great speaker. I also noticed that they like bigger rooms much better than small to medium rooms. They really open up and start to breath when you play them in a large room. They completely dissapear when called for, in this I haven't heard an equal to them yet.
Product Strengths: Liquid mids, smooth silky highs, and the best midrange, and midbass(quality wise) I've every heard.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Odyssey Stratos
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): YSA Audio Syphonies Tube pre
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Art Dio (modded) DAC
Speakers: Ellis 1801s, SD RTS9s, Axiom m22ti
Cables/Interconnects: homemade
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, acoustic, vocal, etc.
Room Size (LxWxH): 20 x 30 x 11
Room Comments/Treatments: This room is about as non-reflective as it gets.
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2-3 months
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Ellis Audio 1801 Speakers - Orangeman 23:40:26 03/16/03 ( 13)