The Pearl Sibelius Speaker offers a Direct Connection to the Heart. HiFi Magic in a Box.

Рет қаралды 23,502

Ай бұрын

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Written Review with MORE thoughts: www.stevehuffphoto.com/2024/0...
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Today I want to share my thoughts in a pair of speakers that are very unique in the modern world of HiFi Audio Systems. These speakers feature one tiny 4" small driver to cover the treble, the bass, the midrange..all of it. These little tiny drivers are remarkable and offer up a sound, paired with the solid oak cabinet of the Sibelius, that is rich, human, soul filled and magical.
This is a speaker that brings the artists to the room where you can almost feel them. IN this video I also cover what these speakers are not the best at (though they are very good at it).
I wish I could keep these and you can snag a set for $6-$7k USD. Well worth it in every way.
Enjoy!
Media Contact/Review Contact: stevehuff1@icloud.com

Пікірлер: 73

@dwmb484 Ай бұрын

I’ve had the Sibelius for 2 years. My listening room is my living room, which is small to medium sized for a living room. I have never got close to 90dB without it being way too loud. I have not experienced any distortion or muddying of the sound on metal or electronica at my realistic listening levels of way below 90dB. Also these speakers come in at 87dB sensitivity, which is medium efficiency. When I drove them with the Pass Labs INT-25 power and grip was a bit lacking. But that all changed when I got the Pass Labs INT-60, and using balanced XLR. This reference amp drives the Sibelius magnificently. So amp matching is important, and yes these are boutique speakers which are not meant to rock out at volume levels which are in any event damaging to your ears. And as Herb Reichert of Stereophile recently said: “the purpose of home audio is not to create realism per se but to present recordings in a manner that allows users to access the main pleasures the music and recording have to offer in a format suitable for domestic consumption.” The Sibelius are magic, with rich timbres and tonality. And are not bright speakers.

@HiFiHuff Ай бұрын

When I say here and in my written review that these are not the best for metal or rock, I am talking in comparison to other speakers. For example, the X2 does metal/rock much better than the Pearl but if one hasn't heard the X2 do metal them the Pearl sound with metal would be fine. They do ok with metal but that is not what they are made for. With Jazz/Classical/Vocals they best the X2 for all out realism. I also tested these with some pass gear as well though Harley is right, they sound best with Class A or good Class D. Remarkable speakers but they do have limitations vs some others due to the one small 4" driver. Those limitations are that they do get slightly muddy (compared to other speakers in the same price range) when turned up very loud with aggressive music. Even so they still sound great with metal and rock, but if that is ones main music choice there are better speakers for that. What I love about them is the way the treble does this 3D thing with some music. World class instrument separation and all with a glow that puts me in a great mood when listening. Always a smile! Enjoy!

@latecomerr Ай бұрын

About 5 years ago I heard the Sibelius speakers at the Munich HiFi show plus I was able to hear everyone who attended the show comment on them. I drive them with Rogue audio tube amp and Geshelli DAC with Qobuz hi fi streaming. Unlike you I think the stands make a huge difference. As you say this all heart and the reason I listen to any music. I am not a casual listener I have to have the room darkened and my eyes closed.

@Zzz-lz9kb Ай бұрын

Love the minimalist design. Zu Audio owner here. Appreciate the FRD ethos. Just the music piped through the speakers cables to the speakers and nothing else. Would love to try the Sibelius.

@urbangardan1 Ай бұрын

I have had a pair for about a year - purchased them for the reasons listed here and they deliver in every way - atmospheric and detail and 3D and very natural - excellent with High Fidelity Cables

@kristofvadnai7468 Ай бұрын

Did you upgrade from them?

@HiFiHuff Ай бұрын

100%. I can’t stop listening. Like none other I have had here. I’m posting some clips on my instagram right now :)

@peterseaman9542 Ай бұрын

Accurate and informative review. Thank you. I love Markaudio drivers. The amazing Pearl Sibelius are sadly out of my price range BUT i do have the 6.5 inch, Markaudio MOAP 11 single drivers in a pair of Frugal XL Horn cabinets (self-build kit) and every positive comment made in this review i can say is also true about my speakers which are 100% keepers. Individual instruments and vocals have never sounded so real, coherent and detailed. Hope to listen to Sibelius speakers one fine day.

@dougg1075 Ай бұрын

Man that’s the coolest audio room. Livin the dream

@danielgeiger7739 Ай бұрын

I have a pair for a couple of years. Agree on almost everything you said. Re the base and spikes, you can put the spikes onto furniture discs and then it is easier to move the speakers on the stands. I can attest to wide genre range. From baroque chamber pieces where I can hear the room (I had thought that was audiophile nonsense until I heard it) to post-punk, neo-folk, various -wave (dark, cold, witch, new), electronica, even indie and punk (GBH, Rites of Spring). Wider than speaker soundstage, depth, detail, musicality, disappearing speakers, it is all there. I tried adding a sub (REL T9), but no matter the placement, it destroyed the cohesiveness of the sound from the Sibelius. I drive them with a PassLabs XA25 and a PrimaLuna EVO300 pre. Works great in my 18 x 18' room (diagonal set-up), can play them till it hurts my ears without the sound getting distorted, usually though at 65-70 dB. Best $4K I spent in audio. And Harley is absolutely top in customer service and communication.

@HiFiHuff Ай бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/r7OFY7GS39qRXYU.htmlsi=WuZdoCyJ3g04mJdK - Here is al ink to Harleys video that goes into the story of the Sibelius speakers. Enjoy!

@jponsie Ай бұрын

I've heard these before, you've described them well. I was super impressed by them.

@swiss889 Ай бұрын

These reviews are coming thick and fast and i love it 💗

@carlbrown3634 Ай бұрын

Nice review! Thanks for sharing.

@classicrock7890 Ай бұрын

Pearl are doing their own UK made SE triode amp. Sounded great together. I heard them playing Bob Marley and they were fine with this type of music. According to their web site there are currently supply issues with the amp.

@hong5011 Ай бұрын

Enjoyed the review very much. I have been using a pair of Sibelius CG speakers for over 2 years powered by CAT tube pre and power amps. They are truly magical. FYI if you were to use the stand with Stack Audio's Auva 100 isolators it will improve the sound quite a bit.

@donjohnson3701 Ай бұрын

I ran across a used pair of Acoustic Technologies Classic speakers (transmission line, 3” full range driver). At first I was skeptical that such a small driver could produce a satisfying sound stage, but after listening to them I blown away!

@otherwillsmith Ай бұрын

I am dying to hear these speakers! I have a pair of Mark Audio Pluvia 7HDs that I built some Pensil style enclosures for, and while the cabinet design differs a bit, it’s nearly identical in size and layout. I am blown away by the way these things sound! I know Harley worked with Mark on some custom spec drive cones for his Sibelius and I really hope I get the chance to give them a listen at some point. Thanks for another great review!

@craigosterberg5045 Ай бұрын

Thanks for review

@TimofejNenarokov Ай бұрын

What you describe is similar to what people say about ZU Audio DWX speakers.

@pabloosvaldopenizzotto1098 Ай бұрын

Great review! I think these speakers are amazing. I would like so much to get the opportunity to listen to them. The fact that there is no crossover is great. There is no delay and phase rotation in the signal. I am wondering if the transmission line is supposed to be implemented in the wood cabinet is adding some phase rotation to the low frequencies. Regards

@Ricky-cl5bu Ай бұрын

Amazing speakers I’d love a pair

@HiFiHuff Ай бұрын

Me too. I am listening now as I answer this comment. So addicting. I can’t afford them at this time but maybe one day. I’d love a set in cherry or dark walnut. Maybe even British racing green. They offer various colors and two driver colors, copper or silver.

@Ricky-cl5bu Ай бұрын

I like the copper drivers there Mac audio drives specifically made for him , there brilliant drivers are they are

@trevorharrison29 Ай бұрын

Talking of a driver handling a wide range of frequencies, the small 75mm 3 inch titanium driver in my Fyne Audio Vintage 12s handle 750 Hertz to 26 Khz.

@michaelcorlet2998 Ай бұрын

Gr8t review.honest and realistic.cheers. your right humans enjoy music . music.audiop

@carlesjuliavallmajo3812 Ай бұрын

interesting speaker , have to hear it , thanks

@HiFiHuff Ай бұрын

Thank you!

@net_news Ай бұрын

i really love these speakers I hope they were a little bit cheaper... here in europe they are over 6k including shipping and taxes.

@chrisvand2678 Ай бұрын

Build them yourself! Just go full on DIY, buddy. It's not that hard.

@user-mm6jm2bs6b Ай бұрын

Thanks for the review. Any thoughts on how these might pair withthe Enleum Amp 23R or has it been too long since you had the amp in house?

@Lobo243 Ай бұрын

Man im envy of your beautiful room 👌

@frankkahlweiss9696 Ай бұрын

Very nice review, did you hear the Sibelius with the Daniel Hertz Maria 350 and how do you compare the Sibelius to the Amber from DH? Thanks for the review.

@denisdunaj 20 күн бұрын

@@frankkahlweiss9696 I am also interested in how these compare

@ke_houston4148 Ай бұрын

Nice review. How do you compare these to OGY.

@filmalchemistfish472 Ай бұрын

Wondering how does it compare with Fleetwood deville?

@bryanwilliams3665 Ай бұрын

Every speaker has pros and cons..I wonder does this speaker have the speed/immediacy and transparency of an electrostatic ( eg Martin Logan ) bearing in mind that design has its caveats too.

@grlucas Ай бұрын

How do they sound with the Willsenton R300? You do still have that amp, right?

@jdm-uk-yank Ай бұрын

I know it was a while ago but how would you compare it to the Dynaudio Heritage Specials?

@hamidrezahabibi8111 Ай бұрын

One of my few desert 🌵 island 🏝️ loudspeakers and it’d be nice to have a review of Translator from 3squareaudio 🇬🇧

@mariocassar3117 Ай бұрын

Which part of the hearth, please?

@Acoustic_Theory Ай бұрын

The Ubiquitous Mr. (Harley) Lovegrove

@samuilc8000 Ай бұрын

I wonder if they do justice to the solo piano in classical music. I usually find small driver lacks in feel, if not accuracy.

@urbangardan1 Ай бұрын

yes - worth a listen if you can find a pair - might not seem important but even the detail and sound of the pedal being pressed is present and hyper real

@kristofvadnai7468 Ай бұрын

Listen to Nils Frahm - Chant

@danielgeiger7739 Ай бұрын

Not sure about piano, but certainly harpsichord. Also viola d'amore, which I know well as I play it myself. Scarily accurate and life like.

@bryanwilliams3665 Ай бұрын

I wonder that too...A 4" driver simply does not have the surface area of a 4ft x3ft Piano soundboard..Same reason no loudspeaker can recreate the 100ft x100ft point source of a symphony orchestra..The physics is not there.. (They don't build a 100ft full range speaker lol)

@vladimirdorta6692 Ай бұрын

Do they come with spikes (or spike threads)? I would rather have them as you show them, without the stands.

@urbangardan1 Ай бұрын

come w spikes

@urbangardan1 Ай бұрын

I changed out spikes for Isoacoustic and both excellent but of course different

@AF-rd2vf Ай бұрын

How much?

@clearbrain 22 күн бұрын

Mark audio is great So are lot of other full range speakers... Two way etc...cant ever give this realistic sound

@ufarkingicehole Ай бұрын

I would imagine they would struggle with seperation of lower mids/low frequency and dynamics

@Error2username Ай бұрын

Some imagine the earth is flat😂🎉

@danielgeiger7739 Ай бұрын

EBM tracks separate very well in the percussion/drum machine area. No complaints. I would think the limiting factor is rather the amp for dynamics, not the speaker. I use a PassLabs XA25 on my Sibelius.

@user-vr3sq1kq6i Ай бұрын

all this is old news 25 years ago Caine and Caine was making speakers just like this

@pblogger9065 Ай бұрын

Unique is not modifiable. (Great review as usual.)

@HiFiHuff Ай бұрын

These should never be “modified” as they are just right as is.

@joenovak6393 Ай бұрын

Price point to all products. I do not take advise from KZfaq reviewers. Anything in the Audio chain MUST be reviewed by one's own ears.

@tomgillett4791 Ай бұрын

Indeed! Unique is one of a kind. Something its either unique or it's not. Nothing can be more/most, less/least unique.

@tarquineous Ай бұрын

Anything can be modified. Just be careful.

@tomgillett4791 Ай бұрын

@@tarquineous Modified here is a grammatical term. It does not refer to modifying equipment.

@InPursuitOfLiberty Ай бұрын

I suspect that these speakers are limited to a certain type of music ie acoustic instruments (?) All said, I recently demo'd ATC 50ASL ACTIVE speakers with their built-in Class AB tri-amp and was blown away! They were paired with an incredible preamplifier by Angela-Gilbert Yeung-s C312 and the synergy was outstanding. I'm now hooked on active speakers.

@firstprib7742 Ай бұрын

I have an eversolo dmpa6 feeding an atc scm20asl pro. All atcs need a sub otherwise i am a happy camper.

@larrykenner8095 Ай бұрын

How do they sound playing Return to Forever …”Theme to the Mothership”? Sorry to get so specific 😂. It was a great studio performance but so so mix… I just loved that particular band at the time.

@garth56 Ай бұрын

So no SET???

@HiFiHuff Ай бұрын

A SET amp is not needed with these. Even the company says class A or class D will sound best and they are right. Same with the OGY and BOB. The AGD duets, honestly, have a very similar vibe to the best SET amps I’ve heard. They, for me, best any amps I’ve ever heard in 36 years. That goes for tubes, class A monos, SET amps, etc. I’m sure these can sound wonderful with a nice set amp but they are not designed for those 3-4 watts amps.

@jericlee1509 Ай бұрын

wait till hear maop x 5 better than alpair ( sebelius)😊

@peterseaman9542 Ай бұрын

the 6.5 inch MOAP 11 speaker drivers are simply stunning - top of the Markaudio range. I have them in Frugal Horn XL cabinets. I cannot wait until 5pm every day when i can start the music listening session. Never felt like that with any hi fi system in 40 years. Heavenly.

@nathanevans6277 27 күн бұрын

I'm using Jordan Eikona driver. I have directly compared them to the Alpair and the Jordans were in a different league, much better all round.