RMAF 2008

After a short visit to the Daedalus room, during which time Peigen changed speakers and cables, I returned to hear the F200's big daddy, the F300 ($14,900/pair). This is a 3-way, 4-driver vented box, with a rear-firing supertweeter, Air Motion Transformer tweeter, and copper shorting ring on the woofer to facilitate tighter bass. Frequency range is 24Hz–40kHz, sensitivity 89dB, and weight 158 lbs each. The speaker comes in two parts, so that the mid-and high-range unit can be used separately as a center channel with an impressive frequency range of 40Hz–40kHz. Associated components were the same as with the F200.

I really loved the detail, control, and palpable, lifelike presentation the F300 brought to Cookie Marenco's Blue Coast Records first hybrid SACD of all acoustic folk and blues. The sound was clearer and finer than the F200, with superb height differential. When I put on Trevor Pinnock's Gramophone Award-winning recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No.2, I discovered I was too entranced by the color and timbre of instruments to dissect the sound in the usual audiophile way. Everything was clean and lovely.

On the 6th and final concerto, the speaker absolutely nailed the midrange of period instruments. Highs were a mite brittle, but that probably had to do with the cabling. Given the excellent way in which the F300 enables voices to hang in space, I resolved to eventually audition and review this speaker on my reference system. I urge you to check out eficion.com.