# REVIEW: Octet Matrix DE7 monitor speakers (a HeadFi Exclusive review)



## project86

*INTRO*
   
  Most people think of headphones as an alternative to speakers. It’s true that many of us initially started using headphones because of some limitation that precluded us from using a big speaker based system. Maybe your room won’t accommodate speakers, or your budget is limited, or maybe you have roommates or neighbors who wouldn’t appreciate hearing your music all the time. Whatever the case, headphones are an excellent tool to get around these problems. But many of these things change over time: people get older and generally increase their income, moving out of their parent’s house or their dorm room in the process. At some point speakers start to become appealing again. Along with that comes the discovery that headphones and speakers need _not_ be mutually exclusive. Many folks have multiple setups that they are very happy with, and this is possible even without an enormous budget.
   
  If you’ve spent most of your “audiophile” time in the headphone world, the land of speakers can be pretty intimidating at first. Yes, there are some expensive headphones out there. But speakers really take it to another level. While most top level flagship headphones sell for somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500, a quick search at Audiogon.com shows me well over 200 sets of speakers selling for prices above $2,000. Keep in mind that these are used prices. It would be easy to observe the speaker landscape and get discouraged, not knowing where to begin. Is it really necessary to spend big money just to get a decent pair? Should folks on a modest budget just give up?
   
  The answer of course is no. Despite the huge number of high end firms on the market there has always been a good number of speaker companies focusing on the other end of the spectrum. Many of these companies cater to a wide variety of budgets, offering low cost models with at least some measure of “trickle down” technology from their more expensive brethren. Additionally, we are seeing many companies of the “Internet Direct” variety. Without a dealer network needing to take their historically large percentage of the sales price, these companies can afford to sell very high quality product for generally lower prices than what you will find in your local shop.
   
  The focus of this review is a new company called Octet Matrix Audio. Recently launched, Octet Matrix operates as an internet direct company, primarily selling speakers at this point. I discovered the company while browsing online and figured I’d give them a try; two months down the road, I’m absolutely glad I did.
   
  Their website, http://www.octet-matrix.com, explains their name choice:
   
_Octet Matrix: An inherently stable atomic structure that exists in nature and has been adopted for use in human creations. The presence of the octet crystalline structure in diamonds improves light refraction characteristics providing a value 200 times that of otherwise equivalent diamonds._
   
  Their “product philosophy” page further explains:
   
_We believe quality products that provide outstanding customer experiences are not the result of haphazardly tossing expensive components into a device, but are the result of understanding the relationship between the component and the human experience. *Octet Matrix Audio* uses a truly integrated technical and experiential development process that allows us to better understand the tradeoffs every development effort must make. This process allows us to put cost where it matters most to the customer, and to find robust, but less costly components where it doesn’t. This approach allows us to provide products with better performance than many competitive products costing several times that of Octet Matrix Audio products._
   
  Can you figure out where they are going with this? Basically the idea is that by choosing the proper configuration of components and assembling them in an ideal fashion, the end result can be much more than the individual parts themselves would suggest. Experience from the headphone world confirms this notion. How many headphones use similar drivers, with nearly identical materials for the enclosure, yet sound completely different? A Denon D7000 will never be confused with an Audio Technica W5000, despite both being expensive designs with wooden housings and drivers that are just 3mm different in size. Or consider Grado headphones – using nearly identical drivers from the lowest sub-$100 model all the way up to the flagship $1700 PS1000. Or yet another example, this one being possibly the most germane to the current review: the Thunderpants TP1 headphone – an $80 model, expertly upgraded and tweaked, resulting in arguably the best sealed headphone currently available at any price. Clearly high end parts alone are not enough to guarantee spectacular results, nor are relatively modest components necessarily an indication of mediocrity.
   
  I ended up getting the Octet Matrix DE7B speakers. The DE7 line is their monitor sized speaker, and the B stands for Black. They are also available with real wood veneers in either cherry or maple. All flavors sell for the same $349 per pair including free shipping. There is also the BA21, a matching MTM design model (they call it a “Balanced Array”, not to be confused with a line array) that goes for $259 each. This can be used as a matching center channel or else use two of them as main speakers. A 15” powered subwoofer rounds out the collection, which seems very competitively priced at $349 shipped. There is also a unique line of powered wireless monitor speakers which are based on the DE7 and BA21. These active speakers feature a lossless wireless connection, enabling you to place them in a separate location from the audio source. I almost went for these just out of sheer curiosity but I really don’t have a need for the wireless aspect, and I already had amplification. I encourage you to check out the website and see these designs; as far as I know there is nothing else quite like it on the market.
   
  Based on the pricing and language on the website, it seems clear that Octet Matrix is focused on high performance at relatively reasonable prices, achieved through good design. This is obviously much easier said than done. Wondering what the history of the company was, I had an excellent email exchange with founder Scott Lightner. I asked him who designed the speakers, and he replied:
   
_The DE7 and BA21 designs are mine. I have 30 years of experience in the audio industry with 22 years dedicated specifically to the loudspeaker industry._
_ _
_I focus on acoustic design, mechanical design, basic electrical design, and system integration. We utilize outside resources for wireless design and any other specialized technologies._
   
  OK, that sounds like a good starting point. Next I asked him about comparisons to other reasonably priced speakers on the market:
   
_We use competitive comparisons during development, but do not release the brands/models or the results. Because our goal is providing reasonably priced high end speakers, we will say that our primary design goal in each category is to meet or exceed the performance of highly regarded competitor’s speakers with price points several times that of our products._
   
_ We do provide some basic performance data (on and off axis response plots) on our products because they demonstrate conformance to our belief that flat and balanced power response is, by a considerable margin, the most important characteristic of a good loudspeaker._
   
  This was sounding more and more like statements that would come from such technically minded companies like Anedio or Violectric. If you think there is a lot of nonsense and misinformation in the headphone arena, you should see the speaker world… for every reasonable designer out there it seems that there is at least one interesting character cranking out “exotic” designs in his garage with little regard for measurements. The funny part is, these can fetch big prices, and sometimes end up evolving into very prestigious brand names. If that is something you are looking for, this review will not be helpful. That’s not to say that one can’t build a great sounding speaker on their own. Indeed, there are many DIY designs available online that have the potential to sound very good for a relatively low price. I tend to think of the better internet direct speaker companies as offering a similar experience for those of us lacking the resources to complete the build ourselves.
   
  Getting back to the DE7, I asked Scott if they were made in the USA or overseas:
   
_That depends on your definition of “made”. We assemble, test, and pack all loudspeaker systems in Lake Zurich, Illinois. We purchase most drivers, cabinets, baffles, crossover assemblies, printed circuit assemblies (wireless products), etc. from offshore sources._
   
  Although not 100% “made in the USA”, this is still much closer to home than you would get with many other speakers, even some far more expensive models. To some people this matters very little but to others it might be a big deal. You’d be surprised at how many speakers are just existing models from an OEM source. They get purchased by a well known audio company, rebadged, and sold for several times what the original model had gone for in its local market. The company selling these as their own had literally zero involvement with the design or building of the speaker. I was pleased to hear that Octet Matrix is not one of those types, because it is not something you can immediately tell just from reading a website.
   
  Another thing I really like about this company is their 30-day in home demo policy. They offer a full refund if you aren’t satisfied with the product for any reason. Since shipping was included in the original price, you would receive a full refund, and would really only be out the amount that it costs to ship it back. This has become the mark for quality internet direct speaker companies and it really speaks of the confidence Octet Matrix has in their products.
   
  At this point in the review you might be saying to yourself “These look like interesting speakers and all, but why is he reviewing them on a headphone website?” Allow me to explain. Since I have a somewhat high profile around here due to my frequent ramblings, I tend to get a_ lot_ of private messages asking for advice. I try my best to answer each and every one of them, because I enjoy this hobby and want to help people out as much as I can. It’s time consuming but very enjoyable and I’ve had many great exchanges with people over the last few years. One topic I frequently get asked about is speaker recommendations. I was really into speakers prior to my HeadFi days so I’ve tried many different brands and types. Unfortunately my prior budget recommendations are no longer in production, and most of my other past favorites are priced a bit higher than what most people are looking for. My current main speakers are no longer in production and I was never 100% satisfied with them in some aspects, so I decided to try and find a reasonably priced replacement. If I liked them well enough I would be able to recommend them. I’m certainly glad I made the switch.
   

   

Inside view of the grill, attaches via magnets
   
*DESIGN*
   
  Here is a summary of the specs from the Octet Matrix website:
   
*Features*

 Cabinets are constructed of 3/4” MDF with internal bracing and a 1” MDF baffle to minimize audio colorations caused by sympathetic cabinet wall vibrations. Available in cherry and maple veneer and piano black lacquer finishes.
 Smooth on and off axis frequency response to maintain accurate frequency balance, even in difficult listening environments.
 Gold plated 5-way binding posts accept up to 10 AWG wire.
 Magnetically shielded to prevent video interference and magnetic media data damage.
 5-1/4” mid bass driver with low resonance pulp cone provides detailed midrange with low distortion, while the natural rubber surround supplies a highly damped termination and evenly distributed compliance.
 1” doped cloth, ferrofluid damped dome tweeter maintains linear response characteristics beyond ±45° off axis.
 High quality crossover components include metalized polypropylene capacitors and air core inductors. Inductor windings are placed at 90° angles to minimize mutual inductance.
 
   

 *[size=10pt]Impedance[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]8 ohms[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Sound Pressure Level[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]85 dB SPL (2.83 volts, 1 meter)[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Continuous Power Rating[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]75 watts[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Crossover[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]4 kHz, 4th order acoustic slopes[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Enclosure Type[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Tuned Port[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Port Tuning Frequency[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]55 Hz[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Frequency Response (anechoic, full space)[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]+ 2.6 dB, - 3.2 dB, 100 Hz - 16 kHz[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]Frequency Response (recommended mounting)[/size]*
 *[size=10pt]+ 2.1 dB, - 3.8 dB, 75 Hz - 16 kHz
 + 2.1 dB, - 5.4 dB, 75 Hz - 20 kHz[/size]*

   
   
  The DE7 is a relatively smallish monitor speaker. Sometimes referred to as “bookshelf” speakers, I prefer the term “stand-mount monitors”. Sticking the speakers into an enclosed shelf is probably not the way to go if one plans on doing any type of critical listening. We can’t all have dedicated listening rooms with ideal speaker placement, but stand mounting should be doable in most cases. At 7.5 inches wide, 12 inches tall, and just over 11 inches deep, the DE7 is reasonably sized. It won’t dominate your room or demand industrial grade stands but it also doesn’t look puny. At 14 pounds each it is somewhat of a heavy speaker for its size and price, which is indicative of build quality. This is a rear ported design so it does require at least some spacing from the rear wall.
   
  Although the DE7 comes in your choice of three finishes, the front baffle is always non-glossy satin black. I’ve historically appreciated that approach because it minimizes distractions and light reflections from the listener’s point of view. Personally, I like to run my speakers with the grills off, but if it has a bright colored wood or shiny piano black finish then I would rather leave them on. The black front baffle approach solves this problem. Speaking of grills, the DE7 grills are held in place with magnets. This means no pegs to break off, and a cleaner overall look to the front.
   
  Here is the frequency response chart for the DE7:
   
   
   

  (Click to open)
   
  As you can see, the chart shows a nice smooth frequency response throughout the range that one would expect from a monitor of this size. Obviously we shouldn’t expect to see a totally flat full range response down to 20Hz, and the chart reflects that: these speakers start to roll off around 90Hz, are down roughly 4dB by 70Hz, and approximately 8dB by 60Hz. I suspect this measurement is done in some type of anechoic chamber since the low frequency data doesn't completely line up with my real world experience. As I’ll discuss later, they actually did surprisingly well when used on their own. Many smaller speakers claim to reach into the 50-60Hz range, and the DE7 doesn't stand out as being thinner than those models, so I suspect it is just a difference in the types of measurements being reported. But subwoofer augmentation is always nice to have (as it is with nearly all speakers of this size) to fill in the lowest regions.
   
  Folks around here are used to looking at Tyll’s headphone measurements, but you may not be familiar with FR charts for speakers. Generally speaking you are looking for a flat response across the board. Here is a link so you can view measurements of various speakers:
   
http://www.soundstagenetwork.com/measurements/speakers/
   
  Obviously these were not measured in the exact same setup as the DE7, so there will be some variability, but the general idea remains. As an example, check out the measurements for the $3k Harbeth Model 30. I’ve heard those described as having a very “British” sound, and some people love them, but it’s easy to see how they would not be an ideal match for every room. A nice flat response is going to give a more consistent performance no matter where the speakers are placed, and my use of the DE7 in several different rooms seemed to confirm that. As with headphones, a simple FR chart does not give you the whole picture, but it is a good start. Go ahead and look at other speakers from that link, and see if the $349 DE7 seems out of place with others costing 3-10 times the price (or more!).
   
  I asked Scott for his opinions about break in, and here is his reply:
   
_In general:_
_1)      I’m of the “get your ears dirty and listen” school of thought when it comes to speaker break in. Most commercially available speaker systems will exhibit a small shift in driver compliance with use, but the end result in system low frequency performance is negligible. The one exception I am familiar with is in a heavily treated cloth spider (the corrugated, usually cloth impregnated suspension attached to the apex of the cone). The supplier referred to it as “Iron Cloth”, and because of the heavy amount of treatment, the compliance would break down over a longer period of time. If an Iron Cloth spider were used with a cone with a very compliant surround, the compliance shift could be significant over a longer period of time than with normal spiders. However, because the primary use of these spiders was in “subwoofers” designed for small automotive enclosures, the mass usually dominates the resonant frequency, and the end result is still small._
   
_2)      If a paper cone is not treated properly with stiffening lacquers, the pulp at the cone apex (where it is connected to the voice coil) can break down over time and damp the high frequency response of woofers and midbass drivers. I believe this to be responsible for most reports of “improved” midrange performance with break in._
   
_Specifically:_
   
_1)      The DE7 midbass drivers exhibit about a 5% change in compliance with extended use, which is well within the normal tolerance range for production. In the current design, this change produces less than 0.5 dB change in low frequency tuning. The compliance of the natural rubber surround of the DE7 midbass drivers does not change with time and use like many foam surrounds do, creating a smaller long term compliance shift than drivers with foam surrounds may exhibit._
   
_2)      The DE7 midbass drivers do not exhibit significant apex material breakdown when exposed to over 500 hours of moderate to high level signals. Additionally, the highly damped dust cap helps maintain control of the high frequency response of the midbass driver._
   
  Statements like the above are evidence of his extensive background in the field. Next I asked one of my usual questions: What do you think the biggest compromises are in the DE7 speakers? Obviously it is not a "cost no object" design so cuts had to be made. Some designers are much better at making these cuts than others. 
   
  Or, to put it another way: 
   
  What would you improve in the DE7 if you could double the price? Going much farther than that and we would probably move into other territory beyond the small monitor design, so I'm not so much interested in what you would do for 4 or 6 times the price. 
   
  Scott answers:
   
_One of the significant factors for our low cost strategy is our direct to the consumer sales model. Without the markups from distributors and secondary dealers, we are able to keep our prices lower than competitors that do utilize the distributor/dealer sales model. More importantly, Octet Matrix Audio was founded on the concept of providing value and a lot of attention is given to the price/performance relationship during product development._
   
_I rarely get to the point in which I have to think in terms of what “cuts” need to be made to meet a cost target. I am always conscious of cost when designing a product, and let the design goals guide the design. When I run into a conflict between cost and design goals (almost always), I try to look at different ways to meet the design goals. More often than not, this process leads to a less expensive, and better, product. I also rely heavily on the supply chain relationships that I have developed over the years to provide low cost, high quality components and to help achieve cost/performance targets. Many engineers I have worked with fail to effectively utilize supplier’s knowledge to balance cost and performance._
   
_When I can’t find an alternative, I then have a decision to make about priority: conformance to the cost target, or conformance to the design goals. If cost is the priority, then I have to consider “cuts”. In the case of the DE7, I was able to meet the design goals within the target cost._
   
_Here is the strategy and development process behind the DE7:_
   
_1)    A bookshelf speaker is by necessity a compromise design because it must be small to meet the needs of those who seek out a bookshelf speaker. It could also be argued that some buyers of bookshelf speakers buy them solely based on price, but that is not the market we serve._
   
_2)       A bookshelf speaker is a compromise design because of the inviolable relationship between cabinet size, low frequency extension, and system efficiency. A bookshelf speaker must be small, therefore it compromises low frequency extension, system efficiency, or a little of both. In the case of the DE7, I chose a little of both because:_
   
_a.       Small woofers/midbass drivers that will fit into a bookshelf speaker can’t reproduce very low frequencies because of the high excursion requirements, and_
   
_b.      Most people would consider the idea of a 200 watt per channel amplifier to drive bookshelf speakers ridiculous._
   
_3)       One way to reduce the cost of a system is to use drivers that do not require complicated crossovers. Low frequency drivers that have consistent, controlled and extended high frequency response don’t cost more in the way of materials, but do usually require more time and care in design. The DE7 uses the minimum number of components to produce the desired 4th order acoustic crossover slopes (theoretically, the resistor in series with the tweeter could be eliminated, but in practice most good tweeters will have to have their level attenuated to match the levels of other system drivers). Low frequency drivers with cones that look cool, and cost more (carbon fiber, aluminum, etc.) often have significant high frequency break up resonances that require elaborate crossovers to properly control._
   
_4)       After the drivers were chosen, dozens of crossovers were computer modeled to arrive at a handful of designs that were compared against one another, against a DSP equalized DE7, and against several competitive models in controlled listening tests._
   
_5)       I believe in using high quality crossover components, but do not believe that “boutique” components provide additional benefits. No $50 capacitors here! If you use capacitors with a low dissipation factor, inductors that don’t saturate within their intended use, and resistors that are non inductive beyond 20 kHz, you’ve done what you can to eliminate problems from crossover components._
   
_6)       The final design was selected based on the belief that most bookshelf speakers will be mounted near the rear wall and will benefit from low frequency room loading. This allowed an additional 1.5 dB of midband efficiency without sounding too bass deficient when placed away from boundaries. This was the design compromise based on typical usage, not on cost._
   
_To your second question: “What would I do to improve the DE7 if I were to double the price?”_
   
_1)      I would probably use a different tweeter which would be a little smoother and allow a lower crossover point._
   
_2)      I would add a few crossover sections to smooth out a few small bumps and dips._
   
_3)      I would redesign the grille/baffle interface so that the grille is flush with the baffle. This would require expensive tooling to do correctly._
   
_To put this in perspective, these changes would create a DE7 similar to the DE7 with DSP crossover/equalization that was used as the design reference. You can hear a small difference in a blind listening test, but most listeners would not be able to determine which was playing without a side by side comparison. This would probably increase the cost to the consumer by $50 to $75. To actually double the cost, I would probably develop an amplified version with onboard DSP crossovers and equalization._
   
_Sorry if you were looking for unobtainium tweeter domes, lead cabinets, or wire bombarded with beta rays, but the best loudspeakers I have experienced are simply well designed with good, but not necessarily exotic components. Conversely, I have heard awful loudspeakers in which the primary goal seemed to be to toss in every expensive component the designer could find. I have always argued that great loudspeakers shouldn’t cost as much as they do, and while the DE7 does have room for improvement, I believe it to be in a price/performance class with few rivals._
   
  Once again, the man obviously knows what he is talking about. And once again he reminds me of the folks behind some of my other favorite gear, such as James Kang of Anedio or Fried Reim of Lake People/Violectric. These are people with high levels of technical expertise to back up their products. Clearly not everyone will be enamored by this type of approach but there are at least as many who will embrace it. I certainly think there is a time and a place for more expensive speakers, even those that are considerably so, but most of the time that involves large dedicated listening rooms and/or very high listening levels. For the average sized room with imperfect acoustics (like mine), a speaker like the DE7 makes perfect sense.
   

   

   

   

   
   
   
*BUILD QUALITY*
   

Photo courtesy of Octet Matrix Audio. Click to enlarge
   
  The DE7 is a very nice looking speaker. My model, with the 6-step piano black lacquer finish, is quite eye catching. It does not show any seams anywhere and the only visible screw holes are the four in the front baffle. It makes for a sleek look overall, contrasting the more “traditional” rectangular shape. The rear panel features a single set of high quality binding posts (sorry, no bi-wiring). I had no problem using either banana plugs or spade connectors, and I’m sure bare wire would be fine as well. The DE7 is very light on logos – the front panel and grills don’t have any markings in the usual spots, and there is only a small label on the rear indicating the brand and model. I actually like this approach – why would I need to be reminded of the brand each time I see the speakers? And why, in our modern age, would I possibly need to have the frequency response and sensitivity listed on the back of every speaker? That just seems like an outdated practice.
   
  Simply put, the DE7 looks and feels like it could be a much more expensive model. I used to have the NHT Classic 3 when those were first released; I believe I paid $900 for them, and felt that they looked very nice at that price. The DE7B, while possibly giving up some style points for being more “boxy”, looks every bit as nice in terms of build quality. Another similar model which I never technically owned but did have plenty of experience with in my home was the Onix Reference 1 MKII. At $1500 for the piano black finish, it is a great example of a “higher end” monitor speaker. Yet aside from a bit of extra heft (roughly 6 pounds heavier per speaker), you have to look extremely closely to find any advantages over the $349 DE7. Specifically, the DE7 has a _very_ faint “orange peel” appearance to the finish, as did my Classic 3s, while the Onix speakers had a slightly more even look to them. This is really only visible if you use a brighter reflection and specifically look for it. It isn’t bad on its own; most new cars have a much more obvious orange peel look to the factory paint jobs. I tried my best to capture the finish in my pictures, so judge for yourself if you can even see it. Ultimately they are very attractive. And knocking on the sides reveals a very solid thump, so the cabinets seem just as inert as the more expensive Onix and NHT models.
   

I tried to capture the reflective properties of the finish. 
   

A reflection from an overhead light, as seen in the top of the DE7
   

With grill on
   
   
*PACKAGE*
   
  The DE7 ships in a very well packed box. Each speaker has thick Styrofoam holding it in place and separating it from the outer walls of the box as well as from the matching speaker. Underneath, each speaker gets an extra layer of thin foam coverage to prevent any nicks or scratches to the finish. Mine arrived in flawless condition.
   
  The only accessory included with the speakers is a CD. This CD contains some simple audio tracks used for setup, as well as all documentation – user guide, setup recommendations, warranty info, and other articles. At this price point I wouldn’t expect anything more.
   

   

   

   

   
   
*EQUIPMENT*
   
  Associated equipment used to evaluate the DE7 speakers:
   
  Source: JF Digital HDM-03S audio server, Rotel RDV-1092 CD player, Grace IRDT200 media player
   
  DACs: Violectric V800, Anedio D1
   
  Amplification: Lead Audio LA-200 integrated, McIntosh MAC1700 integrated, Parasound 2125
   
  Preamp: Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2
   
  Stands: Sanus NF30
   
  Subwoofer: Dayton Titanic MKII 10”
   
  Other: Not that I think it matters in terms of sound quality, but I used a Panamax MAX 5400 power conditioner most of the time. Speaker cables and interconnects were Impact Acoustics SonicWave, digital cables by Ethereal.
   
  Speakers (for direct comparison): Pinnacle BDC-1200, Insignia NS-B2111 (heavily modified)
   
  Listening room: I moved the speakers (and various other gear) around to several different rooms in order to get a better idea of how they perform in different environments.
   
  The first room was a small semi-dedicated listening room, roughly 12’ by 12’, with an 8’ ceiling. It is carpeted and has some bookshelves around the sides, but is essentially an untreated room. Speakers were placed about 3’ out from the wall and used both with and without a sub.
   
  The next room is a larger living room area, which is connected to a dining room and kitchen with no walls separating any of them. It has very high angled ceilings that climb to roughly 13’ at the highest point. The room itself is roughly 12 by 20, but when the adjoining rooms are taken into account it is much larger. In this setup, the speakers were placed slightly less than 1’ from the back wall, and the sub was placed in a corner where it seems to integrate well into the room.
   
  Lastly, I lugged the speakers and other equipment to a friend’s house to try. This was in a smaller living room roughly 10’ by 14’ with 9’ ceilings. They speakers were used without a sub and were out 2’ from the back wall.
   
*LISTENING*
   
  I started out in the smaller listening room with a subwoofer. I had a hard time getting the sub dialed in, because of the small room, but eventually I was able to blend them properly to the point where the sub was not calling attention to itself. It only had to be turned to roughly 1/5th of its maximum volume.
   
  I was immediately stuck by the smoothness and neutrality of the midrange – male vocals especially sounded natural yet very distinct.  I would almost call the mids “rich” sounding but I don’t want to imply that they are colored or enhanced in any way. Since smaller speakers like this can’t be expected to produce deep bass, they often compensate by having thicker mids to draw your attention. Octet Matrix doesn’t try that slight of hand trick, instead opting to pass on the mids as transparently as possible. I find that this approach might not be as striking upon initial listen, but over the long term will be a much better experience. They really delivered the unique voice of Livingston Taylor on the 24/96 release of his album “Ink”. Lesser speakers (and headphones for that matter) can gloss over the distinctions between him and his brother James. While both brothers are baritones, James’ voice is sweeter and more smooth, with added clarity up top. Livingston is warmer and a little more rough, with a “weathered” character to it that somehow makes it seem even more down to earth and relatable. I’ve heard someone describe James as “silk” and Livingston as “plush velvet”.  
  The DE7 was absolutely up to the task of resolving these differences. Likewise, listening to “Yo-Yo Ma plays Ennio Morricone”, I could clearly hear the “wood” tone of the instrument being played, rather than merely the string. This demonstrates the DE7s capabilities with regard to timbre and leading edges.
   
  Highs were very impressive as well. I played one of my favorite tracks for testing highs, The All Star Percussion Ensemble playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D. It’s a fairly sparse arrangement for most of the song, so the triangle being played is easy to focus on. It seems like it would be simple enough but I’ve found that many systems struggle to reproduce it in a completely lifelike fashion. The reproduction chain really has to nail the attack and decay of each individual sound, and the triangle often comes up lacking. Not so with the DE7. It extended beautifully but was not overly hot, which is a delicate compromise to achieve, thereby contributing to an overall sense of realism. Another example is the excellent snare drumming on the track “Flim” by The Bad Plus. Yes, a snare drum’s fundamentals top out around 300Hz or so, but the harmonics go much higher. It’s the region around 9-10kHz that gives them a sense of “snap”. Once again, it would be easy to overdo it, resulting in a wince inducing tone, but it would also be easy to smooth it over and lose that last bit of realism. The DE7 does neither.
   
  Lows were very satisfying considering the modest size of these speakers. On HeadFi, we are accustomed to spending a few hundred dollars on a headphone and getting solid bass extension down to at least 30Hz. It’s a very different story when you have a whole room to pressurize. The DE7 has a solid punch and heft to it though, to the point where I didn’t miss the sub much when using this smaller listening room. I was actually surprised when I tried some of my favorite reggae tracks by Matumbi, Third World, or Blackbeard. It won’t rattle your chest with bass, but it does have a fullness to it that is satisfying enough in most cases. Real kick drums don’t generally go much lower than 50-60Hz, so you are generally only missing that last bit of information by running without a sub. On “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” from the album Mephisto & Co. (Reference Recordings), there was a noticeable distinction between the bass drum and contra bassoon when they both played at the same time. This is the sort of minor detail that can get lost with lesser speakers. That being said, when configured sans subwoofer the DE7 is not capable of capturing the absolute full range of the contra bassoon, nor a few other instruments like tuba or pipe organ (obviously). This deficiency is certainly not limited to this particular speaker, but spending significantly more and likely getting a somewhat larger monitor speaker will generally offer an improvement in this area. Still, a properly dialed in subwoofer is really the only way to get true full range performance out of a monitor speaker, and I doubt anyone familiar with the capabilities of average sized monitor speakers will find the DE7 deficient. Or to come it from another angle: I’m assuming the Sub Octave 15 subwoofer by Octet Matrix is a reasonably high performance model. At a combined total of $700 for that sub and the DE7 monitors, is there a tower speaker out there that could match the combo as far as resolution, from the mid 20Hz region all the way up to 20kHz and beyond? I realize that pure frequency response isn’t everything, but it is a compelling argument nonetheless.
   
  Reviewers like to wax poetic about the soundstage and imaging produced by this or that speaker. I find that somewhat misleading because what you are mostly describing is an interaction between the speakers and the room. Even the seating arrangement will be a factor. Yes, every aspect of the sound will be somewhat dependant on the room, but I find this one area to be the most variable. When you make a purchase based on a review, you _are_ buying the same speakers, but clearly _not_ buying the same room. So the resulting soundstage presentation might vary wildly from those experienced by the reviewer. I realize this is unavoidable but it still strikes me as awkward whenever I read a speaker review. I suppose the best we can do is attempt to find optimum placement and write about that experience, hoping that the reader will achieve some level of similarity. So having said all that, I’ll use a small disclaimer: I’m reporting on the soundstage and imaging produced in _my_ particular rooms, under the best conditions I could figure out. Maybe this goes without saying.
   
  In my smaller room, I found imaging to be very accurate. There was a good sense of space overall, capturing the differences between a large concert hall and a smaller venue. Many recordings don’t contain much of this information – many of my favorite rock bands certainly don’t, even the ones I consider to be “pretty good” recordings. But when it is there, the DE7 will serve it up in a convincing fashion. This is an area where a good speaker will have the advantage over a good pair of headphones. I was able to clearly hear the placement of performers in their respective locations, with an accurate impression of who was where in relation to each other.
   
  An important thing that the DE7 does very well is disperse sound in a wide pattern. Some speakers are totally lifelike when the listener is in their sweet spot, only to have the illusion collapse when the listener shifts over by a small amount. The DE7 doesn’t seem to care if you are tall, short, standing, sitting, etc. Tonal balance remains pretty much the same. Scott Lightner tells me that the DE7 response will maintain less than a 1 dB variation up to 10 degrees off axis, making toe-in a very small factor. Looking at the FR chart, you can see how there is very little deviation even at 30 degrees off axis. Move to 45 degrees off axis and things mainly change above 10kHz, giving a slight lack of shimmer. Instruments generally keep their same timbre and voices remain clear. This type of performance is hard to find even when spending significantly more money on a speaker.  
   
*POWER*
   
  I used several different configurations to test the DE7. Overall I would not classify this as a demanding speaker. With a gentle 8 ohm presentation and a sensitivity of 85 dB, most amps should be able to drive them to satisfying levels. They would not be ideal with flea-powered tube amps but everything else should be fine.
   
  I started out with the Lead Audio LA-200 integrated. Delivering 25 watts per channel, I found that it got plenty loud for my tastes, even at roughly 60% on the volume dial. At 80% volume I consider it quite loud in this room, and any higher would be unwelcome. The only exception would be with very quiet jazz tracks, but even then I could use full volume and generally get loud enough volume levels. Loudness aside, I found this pairing to give superb performance, with resolution and detail transcending the combined $1100 price by a considerable margin.
   
  Next I tried my classic McIntosh MAC1700 integrated. At 50 watts per channel, it has significantly more power than the Lead Audio. In this smaller listening space I found that the extra headroom didn’t do much for me. It did have a somewhat more dynamic, warm sound to it but at the expense of some detail. You’ve likely heard it said that something “sounded like a blanket was thrown over it”, meaning that there is a muffled effect, and a lack of openness. I wouldn’t go so far as all that, but there does seem to maybe be a thin film over the presentation when used with the MAC1700. It wasn’t terrible but I definitely prefer the presentation of the Lead Audio unit. Perhaps I need to have this unit serviced. I used to love using the built in (tube) FM tuner section, but these days I rarely if ever listen to analog radio.
   
  Lastly, I borrowed a Parasound 2125 (125 watts per channel) and used my Analog Design Labs Svetlana 2 as a preamp. The fairly beefy amp combined with the delicate, emotive Svetlana 2 made a great combination. I got the dynamics of the McIntosh with most of the clarity of the Lead Audio unit. Still, I found that I didn’t really do much that the LA-200 couldn’t do in this room, and it took up much more space (and cost much more money) in the process. The Lead Audio gave a more neutral presentation and although somewhat less exciting initially, it would be more pleasing in the long run.
   
  While far from definitive, I think this shows that the DE7 speakers are capable of pairing well with most amps out there. I briefly tried a home theater receiver (older JVC RX-D701 digital amp, 110 watts per channel in stereo mode) and it performed admirably, so everyone should be able to get good sound out of these speakers.
   
*ROOMS*
   
  I later moved to my larger living room in order to test the DE7s under less than ideal conditions. This room is actually quite bad: it has a tall ceiling which makes it prone to echoes, and it doesn’t allow placement very far out from the rear wall. Its sheer cubic volume seems to beg for a large speaker, yet its setup doesn’t allow for much more than stand mounted monitors or small towers.
   
  I didn’t have high expectations for the DE7s in this setting, but once again they ended up impressing me. What they lost due to the larger space they seemed to make up for by room loading. They almost seemed to have _more_ authority on kick drums and other low frequency tones. But at higher volume levels I did feel that a sub would be more desirable here than it had been in the prior room. Once again it took me a bit to integrate the subwoofer to be totally transparent, but once I did it was a smooth transition between them. Maximum volume was still acceptable with the Lead Audio integrated, and more than enough with the higher power options, assuming you don’t expect ultra-high volume “wake the neighbors” type listening. The only minor downside here was that the soundstage became slightly less spacious. It remained good enough to give a convincing “out of speaker” effect with better recordings.
   
  Lastly I used the LA-200/DE7 combination at a friend’s house, without a sub. I didn’t bother bringing the other amps with me, and frankly I don’t think they would have been necessary anyway. Music sounded great in here, with solid extension from top to bottom and a sense of ease that made me want to just keep listening. We also tried a few Blu-Ray movies, each with an entertaining soundtrack – Into the Wild, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, TRON: Legacy. My friend was blown away by how much more enjoyable these movies became when their engaging audio was played through something better than a tiny television speaker. The wide dispersion made them particularly well suited for dialogue, easily tying it to the characters on the screen no matter which chair I sat in.
   
  Once again, this is far from being definitive, but I believe it points to the DE7 working quite well in a wide variety of listening spaces.
   
*COMPARISONS*
   
  The first comparison was with my modified pair of Insignia NS-B2111s. I built the new crossovers designed by Dannie Richie of GR Research, and upgraded the enclosure with “No Rez” and additional bracing. The end result is a surprisingly good sounding speaker, comparable to various models I’ve heard in the $300-600 range. In comparison, the DE7 is significantly more detailed, especially in the upper mids. I got a much more clear sense of the pronunciation on the lips of vocalists. High hats had more distinction. Cymbals had more bite. I don’t want to imply that the DE7 is comparatively bright though – both models had roughly the same quantity there, but the quality was different. The Insignias had an inviting midrange, with a sort of LS3/5A bloom to them, but at the same time they seemed a little muffled. They were capable of higher volumes than the DE7 but that advantage was nullified by their tendency to break up a bit during complex passages. Despite being a fun project and a nice sounding speaker, the modified Insignias were simply outclassed by the Octet Matrix DE7s.
   
  Next I used my current “main” speakers, the Pinnacle Black Diamond BDC-1200. These are slim towers using a quad array of 4” drivers along with a 1” silk dome tweeter. I’ve owned them for about 5 years now and have been fairly satisfied with them, but never completely blown away. I paid $1100 for them. My biggest gripe has always been their tonal balance, being somewhat on the bright side. But I stuck with them due to the almost holographic way they imaged, presenting sound as floating in mid air in front of the speakers. What’s more, they cared little if I sat in the sweet spot or off to the side a bit. No other reasonably priced speaker I’ve encountered has been able to do this as well as the Pinnacles. They actually remind me of the Sennheiser HD800 – they make me wish for a bit more bass, and at times the highs can become grating, but nothing else can quite match their spaciousness. The DE7s did not quite match them in this area but brought me most of the way there. In addition, they did not suffer from the same need to tone down the highs via EQ. And the DE7 had better mids – I had not noticed any deficiency in the Pinnacles until I did a head to head comparison, but they sounded a little congested compared to the DE7, which is more able to handle anything you throw at them. Both speakers did quite well with very high quality material, but the Pinnacles stumbled more with mediocre recordings. All of these little things added up to make the DE7 the more enjoyable speaker.
   

   

   
*CONCLUSION*
   
  Octet Matrix Audio, as a brand new company on the market, has really hit one out of the park with their DE7 monitor speakers. I had reasonably high expectation for them but they have far surpassed what I thought could be achieved for $349.
   
  On looks: my wife asked how much they sell for, and I told her $349. She remarked that they looked very nice for a $700 pair of speakers, not realizing of course that I meant “per pair” rather than “each”. This sounds like reviewer cliché but it is absolutely true, and my wife has seen more speakers than most people I know.
   
  On build quality: there is nothing here that gives the DE7 away as costing any less than $700-$1000, minimum. I can’t speak for the wood veneer options, but the piano black lacquer finish is very well executed. The highly inert cabinet also screams quality.
   
  On ease of use: they seem to work equally well in a wide variety of rooms, and should be satisfied when paired with just about any halfway decent amplifier. They also don’t mind being positioned fairly close to a rear wall. Dispersion is very wide, so listening significantly outside of the sweet spot is not detrimental.
   
  Finally, on sonics: the highly detailed sound retains a smooth, even tone that works well with most any genre of music, producing a level of organic realism that is frankly unheard of in this price range. I have heard other budget speakers with strengths in certain areas, but never anything that performed so well across the board for so little money.
   
  The real indicator of how much enjoyment one gets from a set of speakers comes down to one thing: how often do they get used? I’ve had the Octet Matrix DE7s in my house for roughly 2 months now, and I’ve listened to them nearly every single day for at least some length of time. Some days it was intense scrutiny using my best hi-resolution material from Reference Recordings, 2L Records, etc, played back over a high end signal chain. Other times it was as simple as streaming Pandora or 320K internet radio stations over my Grace Digital Tuner while I did chores around the house. My kids have become used to it and will literally demand music if I don’t turn it on early enough for them. All of this is a departure from my previous speakers, which probably got used 2-3 days per week at the most. Despite costing 3 times what the DE7s cost, I ended up giving those speakers away to a friend.
   
  This is certainly not the first time a lower priced speaker has been able to successfully compete on a higher level. The PSB Alpha B1 has caused many folks to wonder why they would ever need to spend more. The NHT Classic 3 has been called the best speaker under $1000, despite costing several hundred dollars less than that. And the Onix Reference 1 was considered by some to be on par with competition in the several thousand dollar price range. I’ve spent time with all of those models, and I would absolutely choose the Octet Matrix DE7 over any one of them. It offers a rare blend of competent all-around performance that is truly spectacular for any speaker, much less a pair selling for $349 shipped.
   
  I highly recommend that anyone in the market for a small to mid-sized monitor speaker give them a try. The 30-day in home trial is in place in case you end up disagreeing with me… but I have a hard time believing that anyone would end up needing to use it.


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## project86

-Reserved-
   
  HeadFi acting strange with pictures, I'll try to get the rest added shortly.


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## project86

Ok, pictures fixed.


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## allyl

Eloquently written, as always. Hopefully these are still in production when I move on up in both age and income


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## project86

Quote: 





allyl said:


> Eloquently written, as always. Hopefully these are still in production when I move on up in both age and income


 


  Thanks!
   
  Seriously, I'd love to have some more people try these out. They really are impressive. I've heard various "entry level" designs from NHT, B&W, Monitor Audio, PSB, Paradigm, Wharfedale, Epos, etc..... and honestly I don't think any of those could hold a candle to the Octet Matrix DE7. I do respect those companies (some more than others), and of course as you go higher up the chain it _is_ possible to get a better speaker. I'm not saying the DE7 is on par with a PSB Synchrony One for example. But it comes awful close for very little money. 
   
  Someone please try these out so I can have some confirmation! 30-day return policy makes it easy.... any takers?


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## Jelic

Dang, very nice review... I'm pretty interested. We'll see, I already have AV40's and a decent full sized 5.1 system. The only problem is where to put them =(


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## project86

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Dang, very nice review... I'm pretty interested. We'll see, I already have AV40's and a decent full sized 5.1 system. The only problem is where to put them =(


 


  If you don't need them or have room for them, why are you interested? Dumb question.... as an audio nut, of course you are interested! Practicality is an afterthought (at best) for people like us.
   
  Seriously though, I think these speakers would definitely be suitable for near-field listening, provided you had the desk space to give them a bit of breathing room (as in: not pushed flush against a back wall). They have a very clear sound that can handle the delicacies required by close up listening. Obviously you'd need a nice compact amp to pair them with.


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## JRG1990

I wonder how these compare to other passive monitors like the behringer b2030p & b2031p , Alesis Monitor 1 MKII Passive's these are all cheaper aswell.
  
    Quote:


project86 said:


> Highs were very impressive as well. I played one of my favorite tracks for testing highs, The All Star Percussion Ensemble playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D. It’s a fairly sparse arrangement for most of the song, so the triangle being played is easy to focus on. It seems like it would be simple enough but I’ve found that many systems struggle to reproduce it in a completely lifelike fashion. The reproduction chain really has to nail the attack and decay of each individual sound, and the triangle often comes up lacking. Not so with the DE7. It extended beautifully but was not overly hot, which is a delicate compromise to achieve, thereby contributing to an overall sense of realism.


 
   
  The triangle is difficult for speakers with anything but metal tweeters to get right, the triangle is a metal instrument it has a long decay "ring" to it's sound, fabric tweeters have much quicker decay than metal tweeters and actually dampen the sound and can't capture that long decay and ring, a fabric tweeter of any kind can't accurately reproduce the sound of the triangle. The Octet Matrix DE7 has a [size=10pt]1” doped cloth tweeter therefore without even hearing it I don't think it's [size=x-small]reproduction[/size] of the triangle is accurate not matter how good it sounds. [/size]


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## project86

Quote: 





jrg1990 said:


> The triangle is difficult for speakers with anything but metal tweeters to get right, the triangle is a metal instrument it has a long decay "ring" to it's sound, fabric tweeters have much quicker decay than metal tweeters and actually dampen the sound and can't capture that long decay and ring, a fabric tweeter of any kind can't accurately reproduce the sound of the triangle. The Octet Matrix DE7 has a [size=10pt]1” doped cloth tweeter therefore without even hearing it I don't think it's [size=x-small]reproduction[/size] of the triangle is accurate not matter how good it sounds. [/size]


 


  I have to disagree with you there. Just because a triangle is made of metal, that does not necessitate a metal tweeter to properly reproduce it.... any more than the reproduction of a drum would require a mylar driver, or a clarinet would require a wooden driver, or a human voice would require a driver made of flesh.
   
  This is a common misconception. It usually goes the other way, where metallic drivers are demonized for sounding overly bright. Brightness is a result of numerous factors, not just tweeter materials, and there are bright sounding speakers using every variety of driver material you can think of.


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## Jelic

Nice... well you may have me sold. I wouldn't mind having these replace my AV40's, do you think that'd be suitable? I also currently have a Denon AVR 1910. The Denon can do multizone 5.1 + 2.0, and I'm thinking of setting these speakers as my new 2.0 system. (everything is connected to my computer and in the same room)  What are your thoughts on that?


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## project86

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Nice... well you may have me sold. I wouldn't mind having these replace my AV40's, do you think that'd be suitable? I also currently have a Denon AVR 1910. The Denon can do multizone 5.1 + 2.0, and I'm thinking of setting these speakers as my new 2.0 system. (everything is connected to my computer and in the same room)  What are your thoughts on that?


 


  It sounds like a good plan, assuming you have enough room for the speakers. How is the placement? Would they be stand mounted, or sitting on a disk, or what? And what are the room boundaries - back wall, side walls? I'm fairly sure that the DE7s would need a little more breathing room than the smaller AV40s. 
   
  Assuming you have the space, I say go for it. The 30-day trial makes it a lot less of a risky endeavor.


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## Jelic

Alright, hah I've ordered them. They'll be sitting on a desk next to a wall, not ideal placement, but I think they'll be fine. Worse comes to worse, I can use them as a pair of high quality bookshelf speakers for my 5.1 system (or graduate to 7.1)


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## project86

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Alright, hah I've ordered them. They'll be sitting on a desk next to a wall, not ideal placement, but I think they'll be fine. Worse comes to worse, I can use them as a pair of high quality bookshelf speakers for my 5.1 system (or graduate to 7.1)


 


  Taking the plunge! I hope they are as satisfying for you as they are for me. Please follow up with some pics and impressions once you have spent some time with them.
   
  What finish did you get? I kind of wish I had tried the cherry but it wouldn't match with anything in my room.
   
  My only complaint about the piano black is that you could easily scuff up the bottom if you have them sitting directly on a desk. I use Blu-Tak to couple them to my stands. 
   
  Based on the DE7, I plan on ordering the BA21 to use as a matching center channel. I've got some on-wall speakers to use as rears, so I'll convert my current 2.1 setup into a 5.1 setup. That way I can finally use some of my surround SACD and DVD-A titles.


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## Jelic

Nice! Yeah, I also picked up the piano black ones. My entire desk is black, along with pretty much all the equipment on it, so I kinda wanted everything to blend. I'm planning on using a pair of rubber, angled stands that I have on the desk, so it should be alright. Hopefully they aren't too large, but they'll be sitting next to a 30in monitor heh. I'll definitely post my impressions after I receive them, but they won't be here for a week or so...


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## project86

Sounds good. What sort of stands are they? I'm picturing something like the Auralex Mopads but I'm sure there are other similar items out there.


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## Jelic

Hah actually very similar, I have [size=small]Audioengine's DS1 stands. [/size]
   
http://audioengineusa.com/Store/Audioengine-DS1
   
  It boggles my mind that they're $30, but oh well haha. I guess I'll be using them forever...


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## Jelic

Oh, another quick random question... I was thinking of getting a pair of Senn HD650's to pair with my Denon AVR 1910 amp... how does that sound to you? Do you have any other recommendations? I prefer headphones with a strong/tight bass response... I have the HD 595s at the moment, but the low end is just disappointing. Heh, people tell me you're the guru of reviews around here, so I'd love some advice =) Hopefully my DE7's will be here soon as well, I ordered over the weekend though with 7 day shipping sigh...


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## project86

Those stands should work fine, as far as I can tell. They might be a little narrow if you tried to use a bigger speaker, but the DE7 should be small enough.
   
  What other headphones have you tried? The HD650 is a solid performer, but you might be able to get by with spending less. Also I'm not sure how good the headphone output on your Denon would be. Just because it is a surround receiver, doesn't mean it is automatically crap (as some people would have you believe).... but the 300 ohm HD650 _is_ somewhat difficult to drive. 
   
  Have you ever tried Grados? The lower models like SR80 are available for cheap (or even cheaper on the used forum here), and they do have a nice bass punch to them. Not the most refined sound in the world but certainly enjoyable. Best of all you can really go crazy messing with modifications, which can be a fun way to get even more bass.


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## allyl

As you can see, I've sold Jelic on a number of items (his disposable income is much higher). Out of curiosity, would you surmise that the LA-200 would do a considerably better job (both in the technicalities of its DAC and the integrated function) than his receiver?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





allyl said:


> As you can see, I've sold Jelic on a number of items (his disposable income is much higher). Out of curiosity, would you surmise that the LA-200 would do a considerably better job (both in the technicalities of its DAC and the integrated function) than his receiver?


 


  Probably.
   
  I don't want to sound like a snob, because Denon makes great receivers. But it is hard for any surround receiver to compare to a more dedicated unit like the Lead Audo LA-200.
   
  I think the 191X models usually sell for $500-600. At that price they have to do 7 channels of amplification, all the proprietary DSP stuff, D/A conversion for all channels, video processing/upconversion/transcoding, AM/FM and XM radio, licensing fees for DTS, Dolby, and Audyssey.... the list goes on. I'm sure Denon leverages their massive size to get low prices from their suppliers, but the sheer number of parts going into each box means it isn't really fair to compare it to an integrated receiver or dedicated DAC/amp device. 
   
  So I'm fairly confident that the Lead Audio unit would be a significant improvement. But that doesn't preclude the Denon from sounding pretty good too.


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## Jelic

Hmmm thanks for the thoughtful reply! I'll definitely consider the LA-200, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the headphone out from my AVR 1910's. When powering my 595's, the sound quality is markedly improved vs the audio out from my Xifi Titanium HD's built in headphone amp, and significantly better than the amped headphone out from the AV40's. So far, I'm very happy with it, so we'll see how things go. I wonder if other people have had good experiences using their receivers as a headphone out? I have an E11 that was gifted to me by Allyl (thanks man!), so I'll do some back and forth testing and see which one I prefer when I get my 650's I suppose...


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## WarriorAnt

Wait a second.  Are you saying these speakers only cost $349?   They look to have an AMAZING build for that price.


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## Jelic

Yep, only $349... I particularly liked how project86 had that Q&A with the founder. At first I glossed over it, but after reading the entire review thoroughly I was even more impressed. I can't wait for these to come in... 
   
  One more random question, did you get a tracking # for the shipment? So far I've gotten payment confirmation, but no shipping info yet...


----------



## Jelic

Ugh one final question as well, HD 650 vs Ultrasone Pro 900? I found the HD 650 for around $325 and the Pro 900's for around $379... the Pro 900's are easier to drive, but I haven't been able to find nearly as much information on them... what's your opinion on the bang for the buck?


----------



## Jelic

Hah okay, never mind with the shipping issue, I e-mailed them and Scott Lightner replied within 15 minutes with my tracking info. My speakers are scheduled for delivery tomorrow =) Sooo excited haha, these guys at Octet Matrix are pretty awesome. Props to them for having excellent customer service... now we'll see how good the speakers actually are =)


----------



## project86

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Hmmm thanks for the thoughtful reply! I'll definitely consider the LA-200, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the headphone out from my AVR 1910's. When powering my 595's, the sound quality is markedly improved vs the audio out from my Xifi Titanium HD's built in headphone amp, and significantly better than the amped headphone out from the AV40's. So far, I'm very happy with it, so we'll see how things go. I wonder if other people have had good experiences using their receivers as a headphone out? I have an E11 that was gifted to me by Allyl (thanks man!), so I'll do some back and forth testing and see which one I prefer when I get my 650's I suppose...


 

 Take your time, no rush to buy more and more.... enjoy what you have and then take it from there.
   
  Receivers headphone outs seem to vary wildly from terrible to pretty darn good. There seems little rhyme or reason to them: NAD tends to sound pretty good but I have heard a few that were not. Mass market receivers (lower end Onkyo, Denon, Pioneer, etc) are likely to sound acceptable but not great, yet I've also heard some that were pretty impressive. It really comes down to your particular model and headphone combo. I will say that they tend to have an easier time with low impedance headphones like Grados, but that's another generalization.
   


  Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Wait a second.  Are you saying these speakers only cost $349?   They look to have an AMAZING build for that price.


 


  Right? If you walked into my living room and I played some music on them, you would have no clue they cost much less than $1k based on sound and appearance. And then to hear that they are not just less than $1k but _significantly_ less.... I'm interested to see what this company does next. If they made a "statement" speaker that sold for $500-750 or so, that could be trouble for many other manufacturers. 


  Quote: 





jelic said:


> Ugh one final question as well, HD 650 vs Ultrasone Pro 900? I found the HD 650 for around $325 and the Pro 900's for around $379... the Pro 900's are easier to drive, but I haven't been able to find nearly as much information on them... what's your opinion on the bang for the buck?


 

 I haven't heard the Pro900 myself. People seem to either love them or else hate them with a passion. HD650 is probably a more likely fit for many people.


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## Jelic

I see I see, thanks for your helpful replies! I think my speakers should be getting in today. I'll do a comparison vs my AV40's and let you guys know how it goes. I'll try taking some pics too, I should have a decent review up by tomorrow...


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





jelic said:


> I see I see, thanks for your helpful replies! I think my speakers should be getting in today. I'll do a comparison vs my AV40's and let you guys know how it goes. I'll try taking some pics too, I should have a decent review up by tomorrow...


 


  Looking forward to your review.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





jelic said:


> I see I see, thanks for your helpful replies! I think my speakers should be getting in today. I'll do a comparison vs my AV40's and let you guys know how it goes. I'll try taking some pics too, I should have a decent review up by tomorrow...


 


  Sounds good, but no rush - take your time to enjoy them and figure them out.... worry about the rest of it later.


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## jisu

How do these fare against the PSB Imagine Mini's?


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## project86

Quote: 





jisu said:


> How do these fare against the PSB Imagine Mini's?


 


  Good question. I haven't had the pleasure of trying those out yet, so I can't make specific comments. Obviously the Minis are more compact so they may fit in certain situations where the DE7s would not. But the Minis are also rear ported, which negates a bit of the benefit to having such a small size. I can't find an FR chart to compare but I suspect low frequency extension would be superior on the DE7. And obviously there is a price difference.
   
  PSB is a speaker company that I greatly admire, and every speaker I've ever heard from them was enjoyable. But beyond that I can't say.


----------



## Jelic

The promised review has finally arrived! I received these speakers a few days ago, and it was love at first listen. In fact, the reason why this review took so long to get up was because I completely revamped my setup so that I could rebuild it around these speakers. Anyway, I apologize for the picture quality, all I had on hand was my iPhone. 
   
  First! A quick money shot with the beautiful, glossy finish on the DE7. These speakers are seriously hefty for their size, and build quality is outstanding. Since P86 already posted plenty of glamour shots, I'll just post one crappy pic as proof that I actually own these =) 
   

   
  Anyway, moving on to my current setup... it's definitely not ideal, I'm using these speakers as desktop speakers, but even with the crappy placement, they sound heads and heels above my old M-Audio AV40's. I had thought my AV40's were pretty decent desktop speakers. They're generally highly rated for their price point ($140 street price, $200 MSRP), and are considered "reference monitors". However, as soon as I hooked up the DE7's, it was obvious that they were in a completely different league. Before we continue, here's a pic of my current desktop audio setup... 
   
  
   
  Receiver: Denon AVR 1910
  Primary System: Pure Acoustics Supernova 5.0
  Subwoofers: Energy S10.3 (10 in) and Acoustech H-100 (12 in)
   
  And if you care, here's my overall home theater/home office setup... this gives you a decent idea of the acoustic properties of my room. Previously, the receiver was located underneath my projector screen. Over the weekend, I completely redid my wiring scheme so that I could move the receiver to my computer desk (underneath my Dell 30 in monitor), and bundled the cables together with wire loom. 
   
  
   
  Okay! Moving on to the juicy stuff. The DE7s are actually set up as my "Zone 2" speakers at the moment. While all of the speakers are connected to the receiver, I can quickly and easily switch between home entertainment and desktop systems. It's also important to note that both of my subs still output sound while in the "Zone 2" mode, so essentially I'm running a 5.2 and a 2.2 system independently. The audio inputs are HDMI for home theater mode and optical in for desktop mode. 
   
  As soon as I received the speakers, I did a quick A/B listening test with my AV40's. The DE7's aren't even comparable. They blew the AV40's out of the water. The AV40's sounded hollow and tinny in comparison. I feel like my entire listening horizon has moved forward. All I could really think was  "This is what true audiophilia feels like" (which is probably not even close to true). I'm a relative noob when it comes to being an audiophile, I've always had a taste for good speakers, but I feel like this is the first time I've really taken the plunge into something higher end. The highs are crisp, the mids flow incredibly smoothly, and the bass is punchy without being overbearing. Of course, since I have 2 subwoofers, a lot of the low end is taken over by them, but even with the subs disabled, the DE7's hold their own quite well. With the AV40's, there was an artificial bass boost built into the amp. While this did increase the volume of the lower end, it was easy to tell that the frequency response dropped off dramatically. With the DE7's there's no such feeling at all. The low end rolls off incredibly smoothly, with a perfect balance that I've never really experienced before. The combination of clarity, and smooth frequency response really puts these speakers in a different league. Furthermore, they blend very well with my subs as well, although they hold their own just fine. Separately, these speakers aren't super picky about placement and are relatively versatile. 
   
  Even versus my Pure Acoustics system, which is a full sized, full range system, the DE7's never sounded lacking. In fact, the clarity is noticeably superior. Of course, my Pure Acoustics system isn't exactly top end, although the quality is comparable to the mid range Polk home theater systems. My Pure Acoustics system replaced my old Energy Take Classic 5.1 system, and are at least a couple steps above the much smaller Energy Take Classic system, which retails at $400. 
   
  Overall, for $350, I am very happy with my purchase. The only issue I have with my current setup is that the speaker placement isn't ideal. If anyone has suggestions on how to improve the speaker placement, I'm all ears. Even with the not-so-ideal placement though, the sound stage is excellent. It feels somewhat airy and enveloping, instead of muffled and hollow like my AV40's. The sound stage definitely improves as you increase the listening distance though. Anyway, I hope this is helpful, I'm sorry I can't compare these to anything higher end, but I am confident in saying that these are the best speakers that I've ever owned. Thanks for reading!


----------



## HappyVirus

If you guys don't mind, a question here.
   
  I had an Audioengine A5's, but had to sell it because I was moving into a dorm, and I had my head phones and IEM so I didn't think much of it.
   
  Now that I'm getting my own place, I want to invest in speakers again, and this seems like the perfect choice.
   
  If I wanted to run these speakers, what other equipments do I need?
   
  I have an Auzentech Prelude as my computer soundcard. Would I need a DAC or an AMP to run these speakers? (possibly both?)
   
  Thanks in advance!


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## Jelic

I'm running it via optical from my desktop to my receiver. Unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to run it directly from your sound card, you'd need an amp with speaker outputs. The LA-200 would pair very well with these if you want a super high quality amp with speaker outs. I'm just using my Denon AVR 1910 receiver, which is a mid-end home theater receiver.


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## HappyVirus

I have a really old Sony Home audio system. It is hooked into a 5.1 system, but it has many audio/video inputs such as optical, hdmi, and etc.
   
  Is getting an amp better? or are receivers good as well?  (I'm thinking receiver as it can be used for more things later on)
   
  but if amps are better, I'm okay with an amp.


----------



## Jelic

So a dedicated amp is only for powering your headphones/speakers, it still needs something to convert the signal from digital to analog (DAC conversion). Usually that would be your sound card. These speakers aren't powered though (no built in amp), and that's why they need a separate device to amp them. The LA-200 and your Sony receiver do both the DAC and amplification. I'm using just a regular home theater receiver like your sony, so that'd work just fine most likely. If you wanted to get fancy, like I said before, the LA-200 would fit the bill.


----------



## HappyVirus

Hmm I guess the tiny OPAMP on the card doesn't do much for these badboys eh?
   
  I see...I think I can do what you're doing...in a similar way.
   
  I can run optical from my sound card to maybe an amp/receiver, then from there, I use the speaker cables to connect to the speakers...right? ^^


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## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





happyvirus said:


> Hmm I guess the tiny OPAMP on the card doesn't do much for these badboys eh?
> 
> I see...I think I can do what you're doing...in a similar way.
> 
> I can run optical from my sound card to maybe an amp/receiver, then from there, I use the speaker cables to connect to the speakers...right? ^^


 

 You might give this a try.
  http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20127102-47/improve-the-sound-of-headphones-desktop-speakers-for-$39/?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=TheAudiophiliac


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## project86

Sounds correct to me.
   
  The only thing that stands out is that you called it a "really old" Sony and then said it has HDMI. Maybe our definitions of "really old" are different, but if it has HDMI then it can't be_ that_ old. In any case, it should work fine.
   
  Jelic - thanks for the impressions! I'm glad that you are as impressed as I am with the DE7s. It's the sort of thing where I wish it was feasible to send my pair around as a loaner (as I've done with other gear), so people could get a sense of just how much quality is in these little $349 boxes. 
   
  EDIT: I was replying to the post before WarriorAnts. I'm not sure if the HM-101 is going to be any improvement at all over the Prelude soundcard. I'd go coaxial out straight to the Sony receiver.


----------



## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Overall, for $350, I am very happy with my purchase. The only issue I have with my current setup is that the speaker placement isn't ideal. If anyone has suggestions on how to improve the speaker placement, I'm all ears. Even with the not-so-ideal placement though, the sound stage is excellent. It feels somewhat airy and enveloping, instead of muffled and hollow like my AV40's. The sound stage definitely improves as you increase the listening distance though. Anyway, I hope this is helpful, I'm sorry I can't compare these to anything higher end, but I am confident in saying that these are the best speakers that I've ever owned. Thanks for reading!


 


  Thanks for the effort!  These little speakers sound intriguing.  Project86 always seems to find the good stuff no one else knows about...
   
  If you are asking what it is you can do to improve the sound of your desktop setup I would say the answer is that you are just too close to the speakers.  Personally I am not a fan of near field listening even though I've had to mix for 24 years in near field environments. But desktop situations are what I call ultra near field.    It is my experience every speakers needs space to breathe, a lot more space than any desktop can provide.  If you have the room you can get a nice pair of stands for those beauties, move your desk away from the wall and set them up for listening behind the desk in that manner.  I know that seems awkward and perhaps not as ergonomic as you would like but more space means better soundstage, better definition, better frequency response.


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## Jelic

Thanks guys! I'm glad my review was somewhat helpful, honestly that was my first "real" speaker review lol. Hmm and WarriorAnt, thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately I don't have the room in my apartment to move my desk forward much... it's hard to find the perfect balance between ergonomics and sound quality sigh. Also, having the receiver underneath the monitor puts it just a bit too high... where it's not terribly uncomfortable, but a bit annoying. If anyone has suggestions on how to better position all of my gear, I'd love to hear more suggestions. I might just go back to having the receiver next to my monitor...


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## WarriorAnt

I know what you mean I have been trying to figure out a desk position that would allow me to have the desk away from the wall so I can try out the Mini Maggies.  as for your receiver making you screen to high you just have to forego  symmetry and move it over to one side or the other.


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## Jelic

Forego symmetry? Such blasphemy... just kidding =D Yeah, it's incredibly difficult when you're limited in space sigh. I really want these speakers to sing...


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## project86

Mmmmmmm..... Mini Maggies. If only I had the desk space for them.
   
  Jelic, there is a key difference between "not quite optimal" and "terrible". Your setup might not deliver 100% of the potential that the DE7s have, but it should still be quite good. Contrast that with my computer desk, which is some big armoire thing that my wife picked out. I don't bother using anything nicer than the little $149 UFi UCubes because there's no point - even if something better would fit, I wouldn't sound much better.
   
  So I guess my point is this: do what you can to adjust things until they are as good as you can get them, but ultimately be happy with your situation.


----------



## Jelic

Hah thanks, yeah you make a good point. Overall, I'm still incredibly happy with them =D


----------



## project86

Jelic: Any updates on your experience, now that you've spent a few weeks with your new speakers?
   
  Did you ever end up swapping things around or are they still in the same position as your pics earlier?
   
  I'm surprised more people haven't given these babies a try.


----------



## Jelic

Hah in fact I did redo my desks yet again... I actually replaced the old 2m long tabletop with two 1.5m tabletops and moved the receiver over. Now my girlfriend has her own desk right next to me hah... Here's the latest pic of my setup... I'm still loving the speakers though =D


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## project86

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Hah in fact I did redo my desks yet again... I actually replaced the old 2m long tabletop with two 1.5m tabletops and moved the receiver over. Now my girlfriend has her own desk right next to me hah... Here's the latest pic of my setup... I'm still loving the speakers though =D


 


 Looking good! I like the "blackness" of it. Black speakers. Black Denon AVR. Black Ultrasone Pro900s. I need to try those one of these days. How do you like them?


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## Jelic

Haha yeah, I like the blackness too, unfortunately my girlfriend is less of a fan. Sigh, she's slowing turning my bachelor pad into an actual home lol. The Pro 900's are spectacular. The receiver actually does a very good job of driving them. The main thing I noticed was that the Pro 900's definitely need a bit of burning in before you discover their full potential. At first they sounded pretty great, but it felt a bit muffled. After 50 hours of burning in, this has improved significantly, and now they really really sing. However, I still prefer speakers/sub over headphones, and I think in overall sound quality, the DE7s beat the Pro 900's, although that's not a fair comparison since I also have two subs working with the DE7s, and I love being able to feel the room shake because of the bass =D


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## allyl

my favorite part is the toaster robot underneath the monitor.


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## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Haha yeah, I like the blackness too, unfortunately my girlfriend is less of a fan. Sigh, she's slowing turning my bachelor pad into an actual home lol.


 
   
   





    


  Is that the excuse you have for the nail polish and hand cream near your rig?  Get an audiophile grip now before it gets worse!


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## project86

Quote: 





warriorant said:


> Is that the excuse you have for the nail polish and hand cream near your rig?  Get an audiophile grip now before it gets worse!


 


  I wasn't going to say anything, but now that you've mentioned it.....


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## Jelic

Hahaha *cough* she's slowly taking over. Luckily, she's incredibly supportive of my random audio buying sprees and enjoys quality sound as well. Although she owned skullcandy IEMs before I met her... now she has a nice pair of UEs!


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## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





jelic said:


> Hahaha *cough* she's slowly taking over. Luckily, she's incredibly supportive of my random audio buying sprees and enjoys quality sound as well. Although she owned skullcandy IEMs before I met her... now she has a nice pair of UEs!


 


  Oh you poor sod! They always say that at first!  It's like a play from the handbook!


----------



## allyl

Jelic lucked out. She even lets him game from time to time


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## Jelic

Indeed, from time to time... but yeah, it seems like all chicks have the same operating manual or something... eventually they take over before you even notice. OH WELL, it's worth it in the long run!


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## project86

I agree (says the guy who is happily married for over 10 years).


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## WarriorAnt

Quote: 





project86 said:


> I agree (says the guy who is happily married for over 10 years).


 

 25 years here.  But in that 25 never a question as to how much a piece of gear costs. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




    No mention of the gear fitting in with the decor either.


----------



## whitefroded

I am very interested in these but don't want to be disappointed due to my low end receiver (Onkyo r580). Due to my budget constraints and constant IEM buying frenzy, I don't really have the funds to upgrade the receiver (to what I really want that is) but do want to upgrade the speakers. This hobby is turning out to be like my alcohol hobby, once you discover how good it can get, it is very difficult to accept anything less. The farther up the spectrum I get with IEM's the more I really begin to critically analyze the portrayal of sound everywhere I go, including, to my detriment, my own living room.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





whitefroded said:


> I am very interested in these but don't want to be disappointed due to my low end receiver (Onkyo r580). Due to my budget constraints and constant IEM buying frenzy, I don't really have the funds to upgrade the receiver (to what I really want that is) but do want to upgrade the speakers. This hobby is turning out to be like my alcohol hobby, once you discover how good it can get, it is very difficult to accept anything less. The farther up the spectrum I get with IEM's the more I really begin to critically analyze the portrayal of sound everywhere I go, including, to my detriment, my own living room.


 


  I imagine you would be fine with that AVR. Entry level Onkyo has always been better than entry level Sony (in my opinion). The DE7 speakers sound pretty darn good with everything I've connected them to, including some lower-spec integrated amps. You might not be wringing the last inch of performance out of them, but overall it should be satisfying. 
   
  BTW I'm still really enjoying mine. I plan on buying the center and converting to 5.1 for the full SACD and DVD-A experience. I've never really done that before - I've already got some rear speakers sitting unused, so why not?


----------



## whitefroded

Thanks for the quick response. I think I might call them on Monday and see if they can give me a deal if i buy the DE7's and the center channel. Thanks again Project86, your input is always appreciated.


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## project86

No problem. 
   
  Just remember that they can be returned within 30 days if you hated them for some reason. Personally I hope you get a set in the darker wood color, so I can see some good pictures.


----------



## rrt0000

I'm interested in upgrading from my aktimate mini speakers and have a few questions.

I have a powered subwoofer that has line level input/output. I assume it is as simple as connecting the output from an amp to the sub then another line to the speakers?

Would it matter that my subwoofer is powered? :s

The other issue is I need to choose an amplifier. I can find a cambridge audio Azur 550A for an alright price. Would this be better than a entry level onkyo receiver?


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rrt0000 said:


> I'm interested in upgrading from my aktimate mini speakers and have a few questions.
> I have a powered subwoofer that has line level input/output. I assume it is as simple as connecting the output from an amp to the sub then another line to the speakers?
> Would it matter that my subwoofer is powered? :s
> The other issue is I need to choose an amplifier. I can find a cambridge audio Azur 550A for an alright price. Would this be better than a entry level onkyo receiver?


 

  
  Sorry for the delay, I just realized that I hadn't answered yet.
   
  Your assumption is correct - running the stereo amp output through the powered sub, then out to the speakers would work perfectly. I'm assuming the sub is powered because you don't generally see many passive subs intended for home use. 
   
  The Cambridge integrated would be plenty good for this type of system. The amplification should be of higher quality than that of an entry level surround receiver. Those units have so many features built in that something has to give.
   
  The only thing to consider is the tone controlls/EQ/room correction features that the Onkyo might have. With a difficult room, something like Audyssey room correction might be more beneficial than the increase in amplification quality from the Cambridge. If you are doing more near-field type listening then that won't be the case. Honestly though - the Cambridge or an entry level Onkyo would both sound terrific.


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## rrt0000

I'm now considering a Marantz PM6004. I don't think I will go the receiver route as the room I'm in I'd basically a box with my computer setup centred in the middle towards the back wall. I'm planning to have the DE7 on speaker stands.

The subwoofer is indeed powered and has EQ so should hopefully integrate ok.

Have you heard either the Adam a5x or krk vxt6? I'm starting to wonder if it would be easier to go down the active speaker route.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





rrt0000 said:


> I'm now considering a Marantz PM6004. I don't think I will go the receiver route as the room I'm in I'd basically a box with my computer setup centred in the middle towards the back wall. I'm planning to have the DE7 on speaker stands.
> The subwoofer is indeed powered and has EQ so should hopefully integrate ok.
> Have you heard either the Adam a5x or krk vxt6? I'm starting to wonder if it would be easier to go down the active speaker route.


 

 The closest thing I've spent any significant time with is the older Adam A7. I think those went for $1100/pair or something like that. They sounded great, especially in the mids which were very open and clear. But I found the top end to be a little "over-saturated" if that makes any sense. The Octets matched their top end extension while remaining nice and smooth. The larger driver on the Adams meant for more bass extension though it wasn't significantly better overall. 
   
  I heard those in a near-field situation and only listen to my DE7 from 8-10 feet away, so it isn't exactly a fair comparison. Just based on my limited impressions though I wouldn't disqualify the DE7 compared to any of these potential alternatives. It really is a great pair of speakers if you have the space for them. 
   
  BTW I'm a fan of those Marantz stereo units like you mentioned. Lots of bang for the buck.


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## rrt0000

The motivation for me to stay away from near field speakers is that in a few months time I will be moving and will have a "man-cave" where I can set up my gear anyway I want (as per the gf).

 At the moment i'm limited to a 10x13ft computer room which means i'll have to have the DE7 around 3~4ft max away from me. Do these work alright as near field speakers?


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## Mauricio

The piano finishing is nice, and so is the gold-plated speaker terminals, of course.  The speakers look a lot more bare, however, on the inside.  What happened to the electronic crossover or the amps?  Oh yeah, I forgot.  It's a passive speaker.
   
  So let me get this straight.  You have some nice mid-, high-end components that I am sure put out a pristine signal.  But then you deliberately chose to pass the signal through an array of power inductors, capacitors and resistors?  Why do you do this?  Everything is so high-tech and electronic, and then comes the crossover.  Have you given any thought to how that pristine signal is being marred by the crossover?
  
  Quote: 





project86 said:


> Photo courtesy of Octet Matrix Audio. Click to enlarge
> 
> 
> *EQUIPMENT*
> ...


----------



## project86

Quote: 





mauricio said:


> The piano finishing is nice, and so is the gold-plated speaker terminals, of course.  The speakers look a lot more bare, however, on the inside.  What happened to the electronic crossover or the amps?  Oh yeah, I forgot.  It's a passive speaker.
> 
> So let me get this straight.  You have some nice mid-, high-end components that I am sure put out a pristine signal.  But then you deliberately chose to pass the signal through an array of power inductors, capacitors and resistors?  Why do you do this?  Everything is so high-tech and electronic, and then comes the crossover.  Have you given any thought to how that pristine signal is being marred by the crossover?


 

 What would you suggest for a similarly priced alternative which does not have a crossover?


----------



## Mauricio

I am not suggesting that you make do without a crossover.  I am suggesting that you--and your crossovers--join the electronics age.  Does it not strike you as odd, indeed a bit anachronistic and disjointed that here you have some electronic wizardry (Rotel, nice.  Violectric, wow. etc.) and then all bets are off, and you are making do with these large power inductors and capacitors.  Do you know what that's doing to the signal and to the sound?
   
  I am suggesting that instead of piano finishing and gold plated terminals your $$ money would have been better spent on an active crossovers and matching amps for the drivers.    You know, those eccentric type of speakers that have--lo and behold--electronic crossovers that dispense with the Neanderthal passive crossovers of the pre-electronics age.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





mauricio said:


> I am not suggesting that you make do without a crossover.  I am suggesting that you--and your crossovers--join the electronics age.  Does it not strike you as odd, indeed a bit anachronistic and disjointed that here you have some electronic wizardry (Rotel, nice.  Violectric, wow. etc.) and then all bets are off, and you are making do with these large power inductors and capacitors.  Do you know what that's doing to the signal and to the sound?
> 
> I am suggesting that instead of piano finishing and gold plated terminals your $$ money would have been better spent on an active crossovers and matching amps for the drivers.    You know, those eccentric type of speakers that have--lo and behold--electronic crossovers that dispense with the Neanderthal passive crossovers of the pre-electronics age.


 


  My question still stands - what products are out there to replace these speakers, for similar pricing? Do you suppose that doing away with the piano gloss finish and gold terminals would be enough to offset the cost of an active crossover system? 
   
  Or are you merely suggesting that I personally am not using nice enough speakers and should look elsewhere? 
   
  Because I don't quite get what your intentions are in posting here.


----------



## Mauricio

My intention is for you and others to think outside the technological straighjacket, to think outside the archaic box of passive designs.  For under $350 you had the following choices in active monitors:
   
*Fostex PM0.5n*

   
   
   
*Tannoy Reveal 501A*

   
*Mackie MR5 MkII*

   
*KRK Rockit 5 G2*

   
*Behringer Truth B2030A*


----------



## project86

I see. So in your mind, the active aspect of those designs necessarily trumps driver, amplification, and build quality, along with general aesthetics. Have you actually listened to any of those or do they just fit into your notion of "Active is Always Better"? Because I have experience with several, and they certainly are not all equals. Active speakers have benefits but are not necessarily always superior, especially when we are talking about low price points. 
   
  Interestingly, Scott Lighter of Octet Matrix did mention a more advanced design using active crossovers with DSP correction. This was his reference sound used for judging crossovers on the production model DE7 speaker. After using computer modelling to compare dozens of designs, they settled on a few of the best to do real world listening tests compared to the reference unit. The active unit would be significantly more expensive than the passive version.


----------



## Mauricio

Yes, I've listened to three of those five.  And, yes, for me sound quality trumps aesthetics.


----------



## gnarlsagan

Thought I'd revive this thread. I bought the DE7B last year after reading project86's review. My main requirement was an even FR, and the DE7 definitely nails it. Details throughout the FR are clear and transparent to my ears. Dynamics are impressive, especially with some good live recordings like Jeff Buckley's Live at Sin-e. I use the ER4S as my daily, and it sounds pretty damn close to the DE7.
   
So thanks to project86. I hope more people catch on to how awesome this speaker really is. I only wish I had more experience with high end speakers so I could throw a little more weight behind my opinion. I can say that out of the speakers I've heard, the DE7 is clearly the most accurate. I can also compare the DE7's quality to iem sound characteristics, and imo it compares extremely well.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gnarlsagan said:


> Thought I'd revive this thread. I bought the DE7B last year after reading project86's review. My main requirement was an even FR, and the DE7 definitely nails it. Details throughout the FR are clear and transparent to my ears. Dynamics are impressive, especially with some good live recordings like Jeff Buckley's Live at Sin-e. I use the ER4S as my daily, and it sounds pretty damn close to the DE7.
> 
> So thanks to project86. I hope more people catch on to how awesome this speaker really is. I only wish I had more experience with high end speakers so I could throw a little more weight behind my opinion. I can say that out of the speakers I've heard, the DE7 is clearly the most accurate. I can also compare the DE7's quality to iem sound characteristics, and imo it compares extremely well.


 
   
  Thanks! I forgot about this thread. These speakers remain very good, even if most people have never heard of them. I've had some other speakers come through lately including the Salk WOW1 and the Sjofn HiFi (the clue) both of which cost 3 or 4 times what the Octet speakers cost. The Salk and Sjofn are better in certain ways but in terms of value, the Octet is off the charts.


----------



## gnarlsagan

project86 said:


> Thanks! I forgot about this thread. These speakers remain very good, even if most people have never heard of them. I've had some other speakers come through lately including the Salk WOW1 and the Sjofn HiFi (the clue) both of which cost 3 or 4 times what the Octet speakers cost. The Salk and Sjofn are better in certain ways but in terms of value, the Octet is off the charts.




Awesome thanks for the update! What would you recommend if I ever wanted to upgrade to something with a similar form factor? Not that I'm dissatisfied with any aspect of the DE7, I'm mostly curious as to what I'd have to spend. There are so many options out there.


----------



## project86

Quote: 





gnarlsagan said:


> Awesome thanks for the update! What would you recommend if I ever wanted to upgrade to something with a similar form factor? Not that I'm dissatisfied with any aspect of the DE7, I'm mostly curious as to what I'd have to spend. There are so many options out there.


 
   
   
  I ended up with the Sjofn (the clue) as it worked better in my room, where placement out from the wall is not as easy. With (the clue) I can slam 'em all the way up against the wall - they were designed to do just that. And (the clue) looks just like a slightly larger DE7 - very similar in appearance. They reach deeper and have a similar top end, which is not at all fatiguing but still packed with detail.


----------

