The Soundlab U-1s survived!

Posted by E-Stat (A) on April 10, 2005 at 08:27:47

despite the inept freight company, if not with some scratches up and down the metal frame of one. Also, I still don't have the box with the mounting bolts, power cords, tip toes, and frame caps, but was able to improvise. A trip to Home Depot and $1.58 got the 5/8" mounting bolts and I have some IEC power cords. Boy those suckers are heavy with the thick metal frame! After a few bruises and help from a neighbor, I got them set up. So, how do they sound?

I'll start with my wife's reaction. When she came home Friday, she wanted to hear them so we played a couple of her long term favorites: Barenboim/Chicago Saint-Saens Organ Symphony on DG and Amanda McBroom Hollywood Town on Sheffield.

After hearing the final movement of the Saint-Saens, she said "That's the first time I heard the piccolo counterpoint". Following the opening bars of Amanda on the Sheffied disk, she turned to me and said "you can hear the inside the guitar!" She wrapped up by saying that while the old speakers (Acoustat 2+2) sounded very clear, the U-1s are in her words "not there".

And they're not. They are among a few speakers I've heard that simply disappear. While the Acoustats have great resolution, they exhibit some cabinet colorations. At once, the U-1s extend deeper in the bass, really get the lower midrange right, and present an overall level of delicacy I've never heard before. The twelve string guitar on Michael Hedges Layover cut from the "Breakfast in the Field" album is rendered staggeringly pure and full of intonation.

I'm not entirely sure about the top end yet. The high frequency champs in my experience are the Magnepan 20.1 and the Nola Grand Exotica. Both of them have exceptional clarity and extension with their sweet ribbons. With the U-1s, however, they seem to extend as high as those speakers (more so than the 2+2s), but seem to do so without calling as much attention to it. I'm probably not making sense, but the whole effect goes back to their disappearing act.

Anticipating this event, I'm taking the week off to get acquainted. More to come!

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Topic - The Soundlab U-1s survived! - E-Stat 08:27:47 04/10/05 (22)

They look great in their new setting- but how is the sweet spot over the ol' Acoustats? - Joe M 06:47:44 04/11/05 (1)

The sweet spot is now several seats wide - E-Stat 06:56:50 04/11/05 (0)

Re: The Soundlab U-1s survived! - ss9001 05:17:27 04/11/05 (0)

kewl!!! _ glad for you & to see ESLs posted _ keep 'em coming! _ (nt) - Mart 04:23:06 04/11/05 (0)

One of my all time faves! - Jerry O. 20:16:03 04/10/05 (0)

Re: The Soundlab U-1s survived! - Duke 15:43:27 04/10/05 (1)

She's the musically talented one in the family - E-Stat 05:17:47 04/11/05 (0)

Congrats E-Stat - sogood 14:42:20 04/10/05 (0)

You are a sick man - Brian Walsh 11:17:08 04/10/05 (1)

-gasp- - Green Lantern 21:05:56 04/10/05 (0)

You're driving them with what? (NT) - jeffreybehr 10:10:01 04/10/05 (1)

VTL MB-450s - E-Stat 13:11:37 04/10/05 (0)

Re: The Soundlab U-1s survived! - morricab 09:44:19 04/10/05 (0)

Re: The Soundlab U-1s survived! - saltyflies 09:06:40 04/10/05 (8)

Just takes a bit more time for the reaction :) - E-Stat 20:46:45 04/12/05 (3)

I thought the U1s were a bit tighter on the bottom than the A1s ;-) - Penguin 14:47:58 04/13/05 (2)

It's a break in thing - E-Stat 04:46:43 04/15/05 (1)

Ah I see - Penguin 06:02:15 04/15/05 (0)

WAF - Green Lantern 21:07:49 04/10/05 (0)

Now that is a - Penguin 18:20:34 04/10/05 (0)

He found it - Brian Walsh 16:46:15 04/10/05 (0)

Re: The Soundlab U-1s survived! - Danno of the High Desert 16:42:15 04/10/05 (0)

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