Columns Retired Columns & Blogs |
Ah...Gryphon and Rockport...a classic!
In addition to choosing his partners wisely—more on the Blue Smoke Entertainment Systems Black Box source component in another blog entry—Andy has played extremely close attention to the strikingly good-looking Ankaa's radiation pattern, its crossover—the midrange extends down to 150Hz—and its intentionally rounded cabinet design. What this speaker did with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson’s voice might have reduced my fellow Lorraine lover, Wes Phillips, to tears. On a much larger scale, every note of "Mars" from Holst’s The Planets was handled with equal aplomb. The speaker delivered midrange fullness for days, and true symphonic proportions.
I heard the Ankaa powered by Lamm electronics (at 18Wrms the ML 2.1 is a bit underpowered for this speaker but, oh, that sound...). Away from the center line and in a room of awkward dimensions, I was floored by the dynamics and gasped at the life-like images they created. They had to drag me out of the room (it was closing time) but the combination of power and delicacy of their sound still haunts me. I hope the bank approves the loan...