Hi all,
Just acquired (for $100.00) an odd pair of speakers from a pawn shop. I couldn't get to hear them before I bought, but there was something about them.......
They're branded as Nuance (dating, for the looks to the late 80's maybe), 40" tall, 15" deep, and 10" wide. They came with integrated aluminum (perhaps steel) stands, very solid, and I would guess the complete weight of each to be around 70lbs. The cabinets are well braced MDF, and there is a largish rear port. The drivers are surprising, at least to me, as they appear to be very cheap Radio-Shack types, an 8" and 1" dome. Around each driver is a moulded plastic surround, almost horn-like, marked with the impressive moniker "Equalized Dispersion Technology". I assume that these surrounds are an attempt to reduce diffraction effects. They are bi-wireable, and the general effect is one of conservative and very solid design.
Trying to research the history of these speakers has been a bit frustrating: Nuance still apparently exists in Canada, but is one of those furniture-store type of speaker, grossly over-priced, enabling salespeople to slash prices aggressively. They are not well thought of.
But, and this is where it gets a little more interesting, in their early days I believe that it was Winslow Burhoe, a designer with good credentials who was involved with Genesis and EPI, and who currently makes and markets his "Silent Speakers", who was their chief designer.
This makes some sense, as these speakers are surprising to say the least. They throw a wide, tall and deep image, and have an impressive bass extension (down to the low 20's). They are analytical, revealing, and not too demanding of placement - perhaps those plastic rings actually do work.
If anyone has any knowledge on these speakers I'd love to hear the info; the internet has been disappointing, especially the Nuance web-site.
I'm hoping to hear from someone!
Hi all,
Just acquired (for $100.00) an odd pair of speakers from a pawn shop. I couldn't get to hear them before I bought, but there was something about them.......
They're branded as Nuance (dating, for the looks to the late 80's maybe), 40" tall, 15" deep, and 10" wide. They came with integrated aluminum (perhaps steel) stands, very solid, and I would guess the complete weight of each to be around 70lbs. The cabinets are well braced MDF, and there is a largish rear port. The drivers are surprising, at least to me, as they appear to be very cheap Radio-Shack types, an 8" and 1" dome. Around each driver is a moulded plastic surround, almost horn-like, marked with the impressive moniker "Equalized Dispersion Technology". I assume that these surrounds are an attempt to reduce diffraction effects. They are bi-wireable, and the general effect is one of conservative and very solid design.
Trying to research the history of these speakers has been a bit frustrating: Nuance still apparently exists in Canada, but is one of those furniture-store type of speaker, grossly over-priced, enabling salespeople to slash prices aggressively. They are not well thought of.
But, and this is where it gets a little more interesting, in their early days I believe that it was Winslow Burhoe, a designer with good credentials who was involved with Genesis and EPI, and who currently makes and markets his "Silent Speakers", who was their chief designer.
This makes some sense, as these speakers are surprising to say the least. They throw a wide, tall and deep image, and have an impressive bass extension (down to the low 20's). They are analytical, revealing, and not too demanding of placement - perhaps those plastic rings actually do work.
If anyone has any knowledge on these speakers I'd love to hear the info; the internet has been disappointing, especially the Nuance web-site.
I'm hoping to hear from someone!