Gedlee Speakers.

[rollo]

  They appear to be all the rave right now. Anyone hear the Abbeys ? $4000 the pair plus 3 subs [ minimum] @ $600 ea. plus amplification. A berhinger EQ is required for the bass mgmt. You measure email results to Gedlee then Gedlee sends you the settings. Brilliant!
   BTW Gedlee has a four month wait minimum. Somethings going on there.


charles

[Werd]

Looking at the website it looks like a classic case of being sold that it sounds good before hearing it. This kind of marketing work obviousily. I would say thats about the only thing going on over there. I doubt very much he can make a speaker that surpasses my AZ's or any other reputable brand quality speaker.

[Rob S.]

I've followed some of the dialogue there too.  I would like to hear a pair of those set up correctly.  A few members (AC) with good ears love them.   Seems like the GR research V series is also all the rave.  FAD?  don't know.

Werd, what's AZ? 

Rob

[Werd]

Hi

Acoustic Zen

[TomS]

Rob,

I think any of the folks in NC reasonable vicinity could visit Anand to hear his setup.  I certainly love my Abbeys and I've had a ton of so called "reputable brand" speakers over the years.  I couldn't agree more with those who would want to hear them first, as I did at Earl's home in Michigan.  A marketer he most definitely is not 

Tom

[richidoo]

Huh, I didn't know Anand had them. Cool! 

[rollo]

Huh, I didn't know Anand had them. Cool! 

  OK professor time to visit him and report your findings.


charles

[Werd]

None the less the whole website reaks of sleazy marketing techniques. They are the master's of human hearing and speaker building so there fore they build the best. Very sly imo. but the speakers may very well be good but i don't get that from the website but only personal accounts from experienced users.

[evan1]

  They appear to be all the rave right now. Anyone hear the Abbeys ? $4000 the pair plus 3 subs [ minimum] @ $600 ea. plus amplification. A berhinger EQ is required for the bass mgmt. You measure email results to Gedlee then Gedlee sends you the settings. Brilliant!
   BTW Gedlee has a four month wait minimum. Somethings going on there.


charles

Charles

I think Joshk is building a pair

[TomS]

None the less the whole website reaks of sleazy marketing techniques. They are the master's of human hearing and speaker building so there fore they build the best. Very sly imo. but the speakers may very well be good but i don't get that from the website but only personal accounts from experienced users.

Sorry you feel that way, but there really isn't anything crafty or sly going on there behind the scenes.  His "marketing" is really word of mouth (ears!) and for him I suppose the website is just a modern day necessity for someone without any bricks and mortar channel.  I never paid much attention to the site I guess.

I've have met him several times.  He's certainly passionate about what he's doing and the different approach he has taken, which most often is a good thing, and the results speak for themselves in sales and customer retention.

Please understand I'm not trying to take a fanboy and/or adversarial position here.  This is a very nice place thanks to Carl, Rich, and others.  From my personal experience I just see it differently, though your perception gained from looking at a website is of course your own to hold onto.  Different strokes.

Tom

[TomS]

Ooops    Anand respectfully asked that I don't volunteer him and his wife for another demo right now due to a mountain of personal commitments over the next few months.  They just did one all day last Saturday for someone who has now ordered the whole package.  He is also in the area, so perhaps when his are delivered and dialed in he would be willing to host some of the locals to check them out.

In any event, there is an audition list over on the Geddes forum here: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?1926-Geddes-Auditions  As always, if you can, take advantage of one of those first.  If you don't like them, there are obviously lots of other great choices at this price level.  Happy listening!

Tom

[richidoo]

No, I wouldn't assume that Anand wanted guests. Maybe he'll have a NC g2g sometime. I never miss an audio gathering within driving distance.   If JoshK is building them, surely the Rave will opine in due time.

All of the informed opinions about Dr Gedde's horns have been very positive. Sound directivity has a lot of benefits and there are several ways to accomplish it. Dr Geddes claims to has developed a horn shape that does not color the tone with in-cone reflections. I trust Tom and Mike to call it like it is. They've both had them for a long time, and both understand what speakers should do.

Like rollo said in his OP, it is a system, not just the speaker. Multi subs and active EQ are part of the system. I believe those increase the potential by an order of magnitude. I'm glad to see the wider acceptance of alternative ways to improve the listening experience. A low distortion horn is an important advancement. 

I have read that the strong directivity creates a different listening experience than traditional wide dispersion hifi speakers? Can you talk about that Tom - if you even agree with the premise? Thanks
Rich

[TomS]

...

I have read that the strong directivity creates a different listening experience than traditional wide dispersion hifi speakers? Can you talk about that Tom - if you even agree with the premise? Thanks
Rich

It's kind of hard to describe and but here's my attempt at it.  Having owned and also built full range open baffle speakers previously (EP CS2's) as well as a very good monopole 2-way design (Merlin VSM-MXe's), the Abbeys do much of what the others both do well, but without the drawbacks of either.  The reverberant and/or diffused sound is not quite so dominant, almost artificially enhanced, as in many OB's, rather it is quite adequate and totally realistic.  At the same time they absolutely fix images and place specific sounds perfectly in a lateral listening frame (e.g. Merlins), as you would expect.  I prototyped the Orions a while back and they portrayed orchestras in space that seemed almost bigger than life.  Really quite thrilling, but not the real thing to me.  Almost like dropping a reverb plug-in into the mix.  Controlled directivity is all about managing the direct sound and reflections or reverberant field to provide just enough, but not too much.  He seems to have pulled this balancing act off somehow and it works.

I've never owned horns and never really wanted to, so no, these don't sound anything like the horns we all knew about  

[richidoo]

Cool! Thanks Tom.

[mgalusha]

I've had mine almost 2 years and they replaced Meadowlark blue heron 2's, not an inexpensive or crappy speaker.

Tom covered it quite well. The Abbey's do many things very well and some exceptionally well, those being very low distortion and great dynamics with little or no compression.

The BH 2's always created a fabulous image, the Abbeys are much more recording dependant. Some are wide and deep, others narrow or tied to the speakers.

The biggest difference from "conventional" speakers are the subs are essentially required. The bass falls of rapidly below about 60Hz.

They are easy to drive, my 211 SET has no problem nor do the Atma-Sphere M60's. That said, they become even more live sounding with more power. I took possession of a pair of JoLida 3000A amps this week, 200 wpc of 211 triode power. Big orchestral works gained even more dynamics while also have a greater sense of ease and flow. I fired up my SACD rip or SRV tin pan alley and it was without doubt the most live sounding rock I've ever heard in a home setting. Only downside is I've disassembled my listening room for our son to stay in over Christmas.

No question some folks will love them, just as sure as some will loathe them. If considering them try and find a pair to hear. Oh yea, as Tom said, a good marketer Earl is not. He is a scientist first and quite frugal. Read enough of his posts and it's easy to see.

Mike