Mpl

Hello Joachim,

Thanks for the extensive inputs of this OB speakers.

I and other DIY"ers will appreciate if you could summarize the open baffle size and required drivers with Xover components.

Few years back ,when visiting Hong kong ,i had auditioned Audio Physic speakers,the sound of which i had liked ,and only recently came to know that you were the designer of the Audio Physic speakers.

So from audio Physic experience, i can say that you are few of the best designers.
Thanks and kind regards

mekr
 
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Orchid Audio PLL1 [English]

I had a pair of these on loan for a long time, they have a fill in drive unit. In many ways the best speaker I ever heard and made me realise most speakers have no bass ( rumble on CD's from 78's for example, not heard on any other speaker as like the engine room of a locomotive, not something that worried me but got past Mr Parker of BBC records ).

David the designer is not an easy man to get on with. I liked him very much for that as he seemed to he able to tell the truth. He had no sucess with these speakers as people couldn't understand a word he was saying. I was with this reviewer when these speakers were delivered. He was questioning everything and not really getting the point.

David made an amp which was not unlike C Audio.

The thing I liked best about these speakers was showing layers. To be frank better than Quad ESL 57 or 63's. My Maggies also. Earth Wind and Fire became a type of magic never heard before or since. Not what people call imaging or even stereo. Space not intended in laying down tracks. The sort of thing that makes how the illusion came about clear. I never met anyone who hated that . The Beatles didn't like hi fi as they thought it made them sound less professional. That's like anyone, we know what we did wrong. The listening fatigue was very low with these speakers. The speaker very open and bright so not what one would think.

The speakers had a very odd thing about them. They did not favour every said to be good amplifier. An odd one that worked was Quad 306 ( not 405 ). That was an amplifer of no real merit up to that point, not as good as 303 I think . All of it's bad points made OK and just about loud enough. David although worried I tried the 306 said the load although 4 ohms was easy to drive. Many amplifiers sounded coloured through them. I suspect this was the power supplies being heard. The distortion of all were below the point where it should be important.

His own C-Audio clone was excellent. I suspect John Curl's amp is similar from the small amount I know. David now has retreated to his work at SSL mixing desks. The name Orchid comes from the words original meaning. Speakers with b...s.
 
BTW. I did not like David's gaint valve design through the speakers. It sounded bloated and less than subtle. It was many KT88 in cathode follower. The solid state amp was very low in colouration. The system I used was an Audio Research preamp and the solid state Orchid amp with the PLL1. I had to have hospital treatment for my back in both UK and Belgium due to the speakers. Even now I am not completely better. I have lifted speakers for years and worked on a farm. These were the ones that caused me problems.

Orchid Precision Audio speaker - pink fish media