In the Marten Audio room—where Marten loudspeakers partnered with Audia Flight electronics and Jorma cabling—the main objects of attention were the striking Marten Coltrane Quintet Extreme loudspeakers. At $415,000/pair (all prices approximate when converted from euros) and with a production limit of just 10 pairs, these speakers are for listeners who don't merely gawk at unobtanium—they bring it home and plug it in.
The Coltrane Quintets were driven by Audia Flight Strumento N°8 Signature monoblocks ($98,000/pair) and a Strumento N°1 Signature preamp ($52,000). The rest of the system featured an Antipodes Oladra media player ($39,000), an MSB Cascade DAC ($127,000), an Innuos PhoenixNet network switch ($4600), Jorma Paragon cabling and Power Filter Reference, Artesania Audio racks, and SMT room treatment.
Brian Bromberg's "Elephants on Ice Skates," from It's About Time: The Acoustic Project (CD, Discovery DSCD‑77101), sounded far more graceful than the title suggests. Transparency was excellent, timbres natural and convincing, and the bass color both accurate and deeply impressive.
The Coltrane Quintet Extreme loudspeakers weren't even the priciest objects in the room: slated for debut at the Hong Kong High‑End Audio Visual Show in August, the Coltrane Supreme Extreme ($1,096,000/pair) stood on silent display. Shown in the photo next to Marten's founder and chief designer Leif Olofsson, the five‑way, dual‑tower statement piece with a monocoque cabinet is remarkable in several ways. More than 800 hours of hand assembly go into each pair. Olofsson explained that the speakers sport three pure‑diamond midrange drivers per side, in addition to Marten's first 7‑inch, pure‑beryllium midrange driver. "We wanted it to sound as close to reality as possible," he said. Visitors to the Hong Kong show will soon hear how close it gets.
The Coltrane Quintets were driven by Audia Flight Strumento N°8 Signature monoblocks ($98,000/pair) and a Strumento N°1 Signature preamp ($52,000). The rest of the system featured an Antipodes Oladra media player ($39,000), an MSB Cascade DAC ($127,000), an Innuos PhoenixNet network switch ($4600), Jorma Paragon cabling and Power Filter Reference, Artesania Audio racks, and SMT room treatment.
Brian Bromberg's "Elephants on Ice Skates," from It's About Time: The Acoustic Project (CD, Discovery DSCD‑77101), sounded far more graceful than the title suggests. Transparency was excellent, timbres natural and convincing, and the bass color both accurate and deeply impressive.
The Coltrane Quintet Extreme loudspeakers weren't even the priciest objects in the room: slated for debut at the Hong Kong High‑End Audio Visual Show in August, the Coltrane Supreme Extreme ($1,096,000/pair) stood on silent display. Shown in the photo next to Marten's founder and chief designer Leif Olofsson, the five‑way, dual‑tower statement piece with a monocoque cabinet is remarkable in several ways. More than 800 hours of hand assembly go into each pair. Olofsson explained that the speakers sport three pure‑diamond midrange drivers per side, in addition to Marten's first 7‑inch, pure‑beryllium midrange driver. "We wanted it to sound as close to reality as possible," he said. Visitors to the Hong Kong show will soon hear how close it gets.
