Gallo Classico

[Barry (NJ)]

Chris martins seems to like 'em...

http://www.avguide.com/blog/loudspeakers-under-5k-ces-2011

Floorstanders $2k and below
Gallo Classico Three

Many Gallo Acoustics speakers use futuristic, sphere-shaped metal enclosures, but for CES the firm revealed a family of more traditional-looking, wood-finished speakers called the Classico series. The Classico models offer more than a styling exercise, since they introduce new design architecture that—in Classico floorstanding models—combines Gallo's signature wide-dispersion CDT tweeter with 5 ½-inch carbon-fiber mid/bass drivers loaded in transmission-line enclosures. Like Gallo's sealed-enclosure speakers, the Classicos use the firm's proprietary S2 damping material, which—according to Anthony Gallo—performs exceptionally well in transmission line applications, giving the Classico floorstanders a dramatic jump in openness, low-level detail and overall bass performance. Sure enough, the compact Classico Series III floorstanders (estimated price, ~$1700 -$2000/pair) offered shockingly great performance for their size and price, by which I mean that they produced huge and spacious soundstages, well-focused images, evocative low-level detailing, and deep, powerful bass. Bottom line: the Classico III is one of the finest speakers Anthony Gallo has ever designed, regardless of price.

[Barry (NJ)]

Still likes the production versions with reviews coming soon...

http://www.avguide.com/blog/anthony-gallo-s-classico-series-speakers-are-ready-prime-time

At CES 2012 I took the opportunity to listen to the final production versions of Anthony Gallo's Classico-series speakers, and my first though upon hearing them was that they appear to have fulfilled all the sonic promise I heard from the pre-production prototypes I first sampled about a year ago. This is a bigger deal than you might think, given that it is all too easy for certain amounts of sonic goodness to get lost in translation between the prototype and production stage; happily, that didn't happen here.

The Classico models represent Gallo's attempt to build speakers that are at least somewhat more conventionally styled than many of his past models—models that have a certain high tech/"space age" design flare that many find very attractive, but that doesn't fit all tastes or household design schemes. The thought (hope, really) is that the Classicos will appeal where previous Gallo models have not.

But, if the look of the Classicos is "conventional", their sound (and underlying technology) certainly is not. I'll be reviewing the Classico system soon for both The Absolute Sound and for Playback/The Perfect Vision, so I don't want to give too much away here, but suffice it to say that these comparatively compact speakers produces a bigger, deeper, more focused and more spacious sound than you might ever expect—judging purely by first (visual) impressions. Stay tuned for more.

[richidoo]

Review in The Absolute Sound's newsletter, "Playback."

[Barry (NJ)]

Interesting bit of news...

The Classico line is now only available manufacturer direct, with greatly reduced pricing, and a 60 day no risk (free shipping both ways) in home audition policy.

http://www.roundsound.com/shop/