Teresonic and Musical Surroundings

One of my favorite demos of T.H.E. Show Newport was provided by Mike Zivkovik and Garth Leerer, respectively of Teresonic and Musical Surroundings, who presented the Teresonic Ingenium XR loudspeakers ($15,000/pair) with Teresonic’s Ref 211 amplifier ($28,000), AMG’s beautiful V12 turntable ($16,500) with Clearaudio’s Goldfinger cartridge ($15,000), and Musical Surroundings’ Fosgate Signature tubed phono preamp ($2500). Cables were all Teresonic: Clarison Silver EXP loudspeaker cables ($3500), fully balanced Gold XLR interconnects ($4000), Clarison power cables ($395), and the Clarison Digital ($395) connecting the Baetis Media Server ($3000) to Musical Surroundings’ MYDAC III ($1800). Power was conditioned by Audience.

Zivkovic explained that there were no capacitors in the signal path, and all cables were fully shielded with a space-grade technology to provide a clean signal path throughout the system. On the digital side, Zivkovic believes that balanced connections help prevent “digital noise” from leaking into the system. The Clarison Gold XLR uses 24K solid gold conductors—in an effort to further reduce noise and eliminate “contact potential” errors, no soldering is used. According to Zivkovic, the cable’s geometry, shielding, and gold material combine for a “softer” sound that benefits digital music.

Teresonic’s Ingenium XR loudspeakers are a single-driver, crossover-less design with an “acoustically active” enclosure; Zivkovic explained that the speakers are manufactured to perform much like musical instruments. The Teresonic Ref 211 is a pure class-A, zero-feedback capacitor-less design, using all NOS tubes and parts. It’s available by special-order only.

I’m a sucker for the palms-in-eye-sockets schmaltz of heavy, weeping strings (aren’t you?) and the freaking Adagio in G minor gets me every time. (Was this music intentionally designed to tug at your heart and poke you in the eyes? Jeez.) In any case, the performance was absolutely lovely, captivating, and moving. So soothing and delicate was the music that, while listening, I was hesitant to scribble any notes because I didn’t want to spoil the performance with the sound of my pen and paper.

The system traded the kind of “they-are-here” realism for more of a “you-are-there” perspective, which I ultimately prefer. While listening, I imagined being home; I imagined being in a concert hall; I imagined starring in a movie with this music playing in the background, while I scribbled a letter to an old friend. This was sweeping, lyrical beauty, and though it may have lacked things like “jump factor” and “big dynamic swings,” it was nevertheless deeply emotionally compelling, seamless, and commanding.

I wondered if I was just falling in love with the music. But isn’t that the point?

Also in the room were Teresonic’s Magnus A55 ($5000). Look for Sam Tellig’s review of this speaker in our September issue. I will.

COMMENTS
JItterjaber's picture

I also heard these at THEShowNewport. They may have no crossover, but the resonating body/cabinet is hugely colored. 

Some people like this kind of sound though, so...whatever floats your boat.

www.hifiqc.com

good point about balanced connections...If you are far from optimized in a single ended setup, a balanced stereo connection will often outperform it.

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