Floor Loudspeaker Reviews

The speakers also proved to be dynamic in the usual sense: They played loud, with little apparent strain. At what for me are very high levels (+100dB peaks, C-weighted, "fast" setting on the Radio Shack SPL meter), the Signature 1s lost some of their composure, with a curtailment of depth and the sound becoming generally harder. (There was no indication of clipping from the Bryston 7Bs' warning LEDs.) In normal listening, I never felt that the Signature 1s were approaching their dynamic limit, but the speakers may not be ideal for large rooms and/or those who feel that a really good speaker should be able to make your clothes flap.

The speakers did not seem unduly amplifier-sensitive; I obtained particularly good results with the Bryston 7Bs in the parallel (current) mode, with sharp focus and bass extension/control superior to any of the other available amps. Since Unity Audio's specifications for the Signature 1 state that it's compatible with amps rated as low as 30W, I decided to take them up on this claim by putting into service my Luxman MQ 68c, a tube amp rated at exactly that figure. This combination worked quite well, as long as I didn't try to play the speakers too loud, and as long as I didn't care too much about the bottom end.

Considering the relatively small baffle area and the claims of phase coherence, one would expect that soundstaging and imaging would be good, but they're not.

They're superb!

With the right recording, the speakers seemed to disappear as sound sources, replaced by the sound of the instruments and by the acoustic of the recording venue. One well-known recording that I've somehow missed is Arturo Delmoni's Songs My Mother Taught Me. Listening to the new LP re-release (John Marks JMR-1) through the Signature 1s, I could hear what all the fuss was about. This is music-making of the highest order, and, played at the correct level (substantially lower than "CES level"), the sound had startling immediacy and presence.

Standard soundstaging tests, like the "Mapping the Soundstage" track on Stereophile's Test CD 2, or the depth tests on the two Chesky test CDs, sounded very realistic, with a precise layering of depth and excellent lateral spread. However, height information, as indicated by the LEDR tracks (Chesky JD37), was not resolved as well as laterality and depth, the "Up" signal starting somewhat above the top of the speaker and bending toward the center during its rise. Previous experience with other speakers in this setting suggests this is partly a room problem, but the rise was more clearly defined with the Alón IVs. Interestingly, with a variety of LPs and CDs, the Signature 1s projected a soundstage somewhat above the top of the speakers, which helped provide a "detached-from-the-speakers" impression.

In terms of tonal balance, the Signature 1 certainly did not resemble the original Quad, its top end being much more extended, even a bit on the bright side (footnote 1). Fortunately, the highs are so clean that the slight treble emphasis came across as "air" and "quickness" rather than hardness or brightness. The midrange itself, where most of the music lies, sounded exceptionally neutral. At times I could hear a sort of boxy coloration, but it was evident mostly at higher levels and when listening well off-center (footnote 2).

The bottom end was fine by ordinary standards (listening to Bob Harley's recording of the percussion solo on the Stereophile Test CD 2, a visiting friend who moonlights as a drummer in a '60s-style rock band was most impressed, asking if I had subwoofers on), but suffered in comparison with the excellence of the rest of the range. The problem seemed to be a degree of lower-midbass rise (at around 80Hz, according to my Radio Shack SPL meter, C-weighting, Stereophile Test CD 2 as signal source), which resulted in notes coinciding with these frequencies to be somewhat exaggerated. We're not talking one-note bass here; the tune Nedra Wheeler plays on the string bass in "All Blues" (Karen, ViTaL 009) was easy to follow, but some of the notes jumped forward in a manner that did not sound quite like the instrument. I know that this is partly a room node, but the Alón IV did not seem to expose it as much. The Alón IV was also more extended in its bass response, reaching into the sub 150-0Hz region, whereas the Signature 1 was rolling off by around 40Hz. Bass response is always heavily room-dependent; in a different room and/or with the aid of Tube Traps or BassTunes, the Signature 1's bass performance may be significantly better.

The discussion of "revealingness" and "forgivingness" (see sidebar) represents my latest ruminations on the topic that never fails to produce heated debate among audiophiles. My ideal component is one that is maximally revealing of musical information, yet highly forgiving of program/equipment faults. The Signature 1 came close to this ideal. Listening to early digital transfers or to LPs that had seen better days, I could hear all the problems in the source material, but these problems did not distract from the music itself. The difference between the first (CBS MK 38732) and second (Sony SK 48017) CD releases of the Original Cast Candide was quite apparent, the more recent "20-bit processed" sounding smoother and crisper—but the older release was still enjoyable. Voices had a natural, rounded quality, with any sibilant hardness (caused by peaky mikes, etc.) neither glossed over nor exaggerated. Similarly, the sonic personalities of associated electronics and cables were clearly audible through the Signature 1, but not in a "ruthless" manner. In contrast, I found the Alón IV to be less forgiving. With the Alón, the grittier of digital masters became less tolerable, and the PS UltraLink's forward tendency was somewhat exaggerated.

Those of you who've read the review of the Alón IV and recall my description of the LIAR (Listening In Another Room) Test (February p.143, April p.25) are probably wondering how the Signature 1 fared on this highly technical, difficult-to-perform test. Wonder no more: Walking by the listening room where the system with the Signature 1s was playing, or hearing the music while reading in the bedroom which adjoins the listening room, I was repeatedly struck by how lifelike the sound was. I often found myself being drawn into the listening room, or putting down the book and just concentrating on the music. The Signature 1s passed this test with flying colors.

Conclusion
The selection of a loudspeaker is probably the most personal of all the choices involved in assembling an audio system. Even at a cost-no-object level, the speaker that will please everyone is yet to be produced (footnote 3). While there is general agreement among Stereophile reviewers about inclusion of a given speaker in "Recommended Components," most would be hard-pressed to select a speaker that is unequivocally the best in each class, and, if forced to make such a choice, I suspect that the consensus would be considerably less than perfect. For a reader, then, reviews can narrow the field of speakers to be considered, and identify a speaker's strengths and weaknesses that may not be immediately apparent in casual listening. Ultimately, however, the choice must be a personal one.

Which brings us to the matter at hand. My experience with the Unity Audio Signature 1s suggests that they are capable of making a superbly musical sound that at times approaches the real thing. Although I would not describe the speaker as having "no shortcomings"—Lew Lipnick will never live that one down!—listening to the review pair was always a pleasure, never a chore.

Is it the speaker for you, Gentle Reader? Only you can answer that question. "Recommended Components" Class B—which is where I think the Signature 1 belongs—includes some excellent speakers. I suggest checking out as many of them as possible. Just be sure that you listen to the Signature 1s before you make your final decision.

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Footnote 1: Before they were broken-in, the Signature 1s sounded brighter still.

Footnote 2: The Fountainhead (faux marble) version of the Unity Audio Signature should have less of this boxy coloration.

Footnote 3: Two of the worst-sounding demonstrations I've heard at audio shows involved speakers with five-figure price tags.