RMAF 2012

Brodmann and Electrocompaniet

By Art Dudley • Posted: Oct 18, 2012

It was that rarest of rare occasions in audio-show reporting: I entered the demonstration room of a brand that was unfamiliar to me, and was impressed at once by a sort of musical rightness I seldom hear from modern playback gear. Sure, I was familiar with the company that made the CD player, preamp, and monoblock amps in use—Electrocompaniet, whose solid-state amps are among the few I consider worthy of comparison to the best tube designs—but the Austrian loudspeaker manufacturer Brodmann Acoustics was new to me. Their stand-mounted Festival S ($4500/pair), driven by a pair of Electrocompaniet AW180 monoblocks ($5425 each) allowed the solo violin in a Paganini work to have far greater than usual texture, tone, and presence. Based on my experience at RMAF, the pairing of these two brands is something you should go out of your way to hear.
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Comments
alan@audioexcellenceaz.com's picture
I completely agree....
Submitted by alan@audioexcel... on October 18, 2012 - 1:33pm.

Danny Kaey (of PFO) and I took a chance on this room, and were immediately wowed by the tone and (as you say) rightness. It was sublime. Piano sounded like piano, a drum kit sounded like drums. Not a surprise that the monitors filled the room with music (after all, it's not a large room), but a welcome surprise that these speakers offered such a coherent and utterly musical presentation.  This after just listening to a megabuck system (mid-six figures) down the hall didn't even "whelm".

alan@audioexcellenceaz.com's picture
I must add....
Submitted by alan@audioexcel... on October 18, 2012 - 1:37pm.

....that, for me, hands-down, this was one of the best-sounding rooms at the show.

Pro-Audio-Tech's picture
Electrocompainet from the past
Submitted by Pro-Audio-Tech on October 30, 2012 - 11:48am.

I have always liked the old Electrocompainet, wonder if the newer stuff sounds better?
I must have missed this room at the show, damn!

Dr.Strangelove's picture
Brodmann
Submitted by Dr.Strangelove on December 27, 2012 - 1:09am.

I heard a combination of Brodmann Festival FS speakers and Electrocompaniet CD player, preamp and power amp at Vienna HiFi show and the sound was exceptional: smooth, dynamic and pleasant and yes the sound of Electrocompaniet is still the same i.e. excellent, so why should be better?

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