Another great Ovator test

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Originally posted by Frank Abela:

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Originally posted by joesilva:
While there was no doubt an improvement when going from C20 to C30, it was the little X2 that I enjoyed the most. I only wish Derek would use a Crescendo tweeter on the X2's as they are one of the finest small speakers I have ever heard partnered with Naim equipment IMHO.

Hi Joe, interesting you should say that. I've listened to all the Kudos speakers and love the X2 and C2, but not at all convinced by the ones using the Crescendo tweeter! In my view, although the tweeter itself is undoubtedly a very fine unit indeed, it highlights itself quite brazenly in the C20 and not quite so brazenly but still fairly obviously in the C30. I find that the beauty of the X2 is its homogenous cohesive presentation. I fear the Crescendo would once again spoil the party.

In my opinion (and I know there are many respected posters here who will disagree with me on this), the Crescendo models need to better integrate that unit. If they did, these models would be truly formidable contenders.

Hello Frank,

I have to admit I like the X2 as is, and could live quite happily with them. There is no guarantee of course that the Crescendo tweeter would improve on the overall performance of the X2. However, I was under the impression that the X2 was built to a certain price point, and therefore I felt a little more performance may possibly be tweeked out of the speaker through use of a higher performance tweeter. What works in theory may not work in practice and a more expensive tweeter could actually result in poorer sound quality or a shift in emphasis. What matters is how the speaker sounds as a whole.

My experience with the Crescendo tweeter (I own a pair of ART Emotion Silver Signatures) is in line with your view that the Crescendo tweeter can highlight itself quite brazenly if not properly trained. My Emotions had a resistor of small value subsequently inserted just before the tweeter to do just that.

KR,

Joe