Energy Veritas v2.8 loudspeaker Page 2

The crossover network is mounted at the bottom of the cabinet, just behind the inputs. RT reports that John Tchilinguirian sees some performance advantages in outboarding the crossover network, as is done in a number of current high-end loudspeakers, and may make this available in the Veritas if the market seems right for it. The present internal network is a three-way, 24dB/octave, Linkwitz-Riley configuration. The sharp cutoffs inherent in this design minimize off-axis vertical lobing, with a smooth dispersion making vertical listening height less critical. (I did all of my listening with an ear-height of about 38"—about even with the lower half of the midrange dome.)

In addition, Energy uses a technique called "conjugate impedance matching" in the crossover network to provide the Veritas with a smooth, easy-to-drive impedance characteristic. Additional crossover components in parallel with the tweeter and woofers (the midrange does not require them) damp the normal variations of impedance with frequency found in all drivers (and also, to a significant degree, those caused by the woofer/cabinet tuning). Energy is neither the first, nor the only, manufacturer to use this technique. Most use it sparingly—largely to combat the high-frequency impedance rise due to the voice-coil inductance in virtually all drivers—thereby making precise crossover design easier. But using it to damp the impedance quirks caused by woofer/cabinet tuning (in the case of a ported cabinet, the classic "double-hump" curve) is unusual. Such a design is not a free lunch; the extra crossover components inevitably soak up power and take a toll on system sensitivity. But if this loss in sensitivity can be minimized, the result could well be a loudspeaker that your amplifier would take home to meet Mother.

The v2.8's three sets of rear-mounted terminals allow for single, bi-, or tri-wiring. I used the last for my listening tests, though my advice to any purchaser is to start with the cabling you have—likely a single or bi-wire set—and move up as finances and desires permit. And, as always with cable upgrades, try before you buy—including moves to various stages of multi-wiring. Energy provides a convenient shorting strap for anything less than tri-wiring. The Veritas may also be bi- or tri-amped using two or three stereo amplifiers without electronic crossover (the internal networks continuing to do their separation thing)—a configuration I didn't attempt. This form of bi-amping may, of course, be performed with any loudspeaker having bi-wire terminals and a parallel crossover network. (But unless it's described in the loudspeaker's owner's manual, check with the manufacturer before trying this, to ensure that nothing in the internal loudspeaker wiring makes it inadvisable.)

Energy provides three pairs of good-quality, hex-head connectors for the inputs to the Veritas. If you're not careful, these will turn in their sockets—an all-too-common problem in loudspeaker connection. Pliers will always work, but I'd had enough of that after the fourth cable change.

Energy also furnished two sets of their (optional) Quartets isolation spikes: well-finished cones that have a standard 1/4"-20 shaft. The slick feature here is a knurled locking ring which fits over the shaft and is much easier to deal with than the usual 1/4" nuts—it relieves the inevitable tedium of leveling four different points. The spikes themselves are cones, however, and unfortunately I couldn't use them. Though I admired the workmanship and, particularly, those neat locking rings, the slope on the cones was too shallow and the points not sharp enough to fully penetrate my carpet—which isn't terribly thick.

I wound up removing the locking rings and using them on standard, sharp-pointed spikes which have the same 1/4"-20 thread. One of the threaded spike inserts on the bottom of one of my Veritases stripped and came out—not the first loudspeaker I've had that developed this problem. I managed to get it back in, but now I'll have to epoxy it to get a snug fit.

Associated components
I set up the Veritases in my new large (approximately 26' by 18' by 11') listening room and toed them in toward the listening position. Associated equipment used: Levinson No.31/35 transport/processor combination; Rowland Consummate preamp; Krell KSA-300S power amp; Kimber AGDL digital link (S/PDIF) networking the transport and processor; processor and preamp connected via TARA Labs Master RSC interconnects. Electrons boogied their way from preamp to power amp via Cardas (balanced) Hexlinks, and via Straight Wire Virtuoso cables (bi-wired, with midrange and tweeter inputs initially strapped together) to the Veritases. I brought other equipment into play later on in the listening, as discussed below.

Listening
"To develop a loudspeaker which is tonally accurate, and does not over or under emphasize any particular segment of the audio spectrum, thus ensuring faithful reproduction of the exact timbres of vocals and each musical instrument."

This is the first of a series of design objectives outlined in the Veritas owner's manual. My experience with this aspect of the speaker's performance did not start off well. Set up at various distances between 2' and 4' along the long wall of my listening room, the Veritases simply had too much mid- and upper bass. Though I had no complaints about the upper midrange and treble, the excess output at the bottom interfered with the transparency of the lower midrange. Male vocals, in particular, were too resonant—Amazing Colossal Men were performing in my listening room. All manner of instruments in the double-bass and kickdrum region were simply too full, rich, and heavy. The effect was not unpleasant—as an excess at the opposite end of the spectrum can be—just unnatural.

COMPANY INFO
Energy
3641 McNicoll Ave.
Scarborough, Ontario M1X 1G5
Canada
(416) 321-1800
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