CES 2008

I was so impressed by the 9" Feastrex drivers designed by Haruhiko "Hal" Teramoto of Japan that I was excited to hear how the 5" Feastrex DF Monster alnico driver sounds in MaxxHorn's new Lumination loudspeaker. The speaker, which also incorporates the Tractrix horn technology developed by Johan van Zyl, is so new—the pair at THE Show had been finished a mere 12 days before—that only the dealer price ($18,500/pair) has been set. All speakers are hand constructed, with 3–5 pairs produced a month.

MaxxHorn's Robert Spence first encountered Mr. Teramoto at RMAF, and immediately realized this was the driver he had been searching for. Since receiving the drivers, Spence has been working 40 hours a week to build the Lumination. They have yet to be tested, and have been optimized solely by ear. In short, what I heard may be further refined in the weeks and months ahead. The speaker, estimated at 102dB senstivity, employs MaxxHorn’s Bassmaxx horn technology to extend the Feastrex driver's low end down to about 45Hz. "We're more interested in detail than extension for the sake of extension," Spence explained.

Paired with Clarity cable (also used to wire the speakers), a Clarity 3D passive power conditioner, ART Audio PX-25 6Wpc amplifier, Gill Audio tube preamp, entry-level Scheu turntable, top-level Shelter cartridge, and mid-level Schroeder tonearm, ART Audio phono stage, Gill Audio DAC, $100 Panasonic DVD player, and Ultrasonic racks, the system's depth and tight bass were exemplary. While LP sound was excellent, the far-from-transparent CD sound undoubtedly had to do with the less-than-stellar transport.