VIENNA ACOUSTICS Imperial Liszt
Floorstanding loudspeakers
The Imperial Liszt is a 3-way loudspeaker. It features the brand new version of Vienna Acoustics' proprietary Flat-Spider-Cone coincidental driver that is derived directly from The Music, the company's flagship model. The tweeter and the midrange driver share their acoustic centers, alike the drivers that have been successfully implemented by KEF or TAD. In the Imperial Liszt this coincidental driver assembly occupies a separate chamber. By separate I mean that the chamber is actually a piece atop the main enclosure - an aluminum mechanism allows it to pivot.
Function and form
The Flat-Spider-Cone is the result of collaboration with Danish ScanSpeak. The midrange employs a flat driver using polymer material strengthened by glass fibers, which further gains structural rigidity from twelve large 16mm reinforcement “Spider” ribs. Thus Vienna Acoustics achieve necessary stiffness from rather soft plastic cone. The driver's motor comprises of neodymium magnet assembly and a massive 50mm voice coil.
The tweeter is a silk dome and it is installed at the center of the midrange driver. The aluminum pivoting mechanism helps a listener to perform minute toe-in adjustments for an optimal listening field.
On paper the Vienna Acoustics Liszt is a 4 ohm speaker with an impedance minimum of 3.1 ohms at 100 Hz. This plus 91dB sensitivity makes the Liszt not demanding load for any amplfier. The owner will not be limited by anything but his own sound preference. The finish of the speakers is flawless and all the finishes on offer - cherry, redwood, black gloss and white gloss - look terrific. I have to mention excellent binding posts that were designed in-house and are delight to work with, or easily adjustable spikes that allow all adjustments to be performed on-the-fly without a necessity to tilt the speakers.
Bass management
The pivoting mechanism does not allows tilt, like The Music flagship, but it is a very clever thing nevertheless. The top unit is vented for better tranzient response and higher sensitivity.
When I looked into the manual I was surprised at 28Hz bottom end specification - the rather slim enslosures does not look like that. The explanation is in their depth, 40cm is more than with other speakers.
The Imperial Liszt's sound is analogue - it exhibits warmth that brought my attention to humans behind instruments. The way they approach music is similar to Sonus Faber speakers - it is the rich sound that enhances tonal colours but does not bury details. The bass of the LIszt is confident and critical recordings, like Come On In My Kitchen of Cassandra Wilson, sound spectacular. I wished for a bit more tranzient speed and definition but other than that there was nothing to complain. The thuds of a kick drum were like a fist punching my belly, very physical and weighty. However, the moment when the mallet kicked the skin was less articulated than with the best speakers in the category.
Clarity & delicacy
The coincidental speaker provides quite a good level of sonic tranparency. The top range is a bit tilted up which lends spark to the music. This plus the rounded bottom end gives the sound plasticity and certain liquidity. Microdynamics and the tiniest textural details are not the Liszt's strengths but who cares if the music flows so beautifully in the room.
Tonal accuracy
I mentioned that the Liszts are tonally very rich speakers but this richness is built by fundamentals rather than higher harmonics. Depending on the music that I listened to I either missed the colour blooms or not. If you prefer listen to you music collection without audiophile aspirations (read: without analysing every bit of sound) then the Liszts are the right speakers for you. The aforementioned Cassandra Wilson was delight to listen to musically, but when I switched to Audio Physic Avanteras for comparison, it was clear how much remained hidden sonically. I assume it would be pretty safe to pair the Liszts with analytical sounding amps or cables - that could be a good partnership to bring the balance between the musicality and audiophilia.
Spatial resolution
The depth is big with the Liszts, with the soundstage moved far beyond the speakers plane. I had an opportunity to switch between Bowers & Wilkins's 802 Diamonds, the Imperial Liszts and Focal's Maestro Utopias - both the competitors were more forward sounding than the Liszts. This may be due to subjectively recessed midrange (or tilts at the frequency extremes, depending on what you take for a reference). Thus the soundstage of the Liszt may sound bigget than it really is and it is imaged from a x-th row perspective. I never had the impression that I sat in the first row with the Imperial Liszts.
By pivoting the top section one can change the ratio of direct and reflected sound. Not only for very directional highs, but also for less directional midrange. I could not find the setting that would be the best in universal way - recording by recording the Liszt's head seduced me to adjust it a bit. I think that sooner or later many owners of the Liszt will have a list of settings that suit best the music genres they listen to. Some material from 80's, like otherwise well recorded and highly dynamic Duran Duran's Notorious were too agile until I rotated the top units for severe toe-in when their axes met in front of me. I assume that the possibility to play with the Liszt's top unit is unique and great.
Recommended resellers
Kohut Audio, Košice, tel. +421 905 642 156
Manufacturer's website: http://www.vienna-acoustics.com
Associated components
- Sources: Accuphase DP-510, Ayre CX-7e MP
- Amplifiers: Accustic Arts AMP II MkII / Accustic Arts Tube II, Accuphase C-2820 / Accuphase A-65
- Loudspeakers: Jmlab Focal Maestro Utopia, Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamond, Audio Physic Avantera a Vianna Acoustics The Music
- Interconnects and speaker cables: AudioQuest Niagara a Oak
- Power cables: Cardas Audio Clear a Golden Reference
- Power conditioning: Accuphase PS-1220
Gallery
ACOUSTIQUE QUALITY AQ Passion
Acoustique Quality has been around since early 90’s. The company’s loudspeakers were always close to what can be characterized a good value for money, with a bit of pre-2000 vibe. Speaker by speaker the guys in Acoustique Quality ...
Recommended resellers
AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232
ANTE Supersonic One
The Supersonics were visually inspired by Lamborghini Countach racer. The functional elegance of the Lamborghini does not come at budget costs and neither the Ante does. The price tag of €160,000 keeps the Supersonics in the company ...
Recommended resellers
Media Control, Bratislava, SK, +421 905 613 928
AQ Canto 5
An experience that moves your soul. This is how Czech loudspeaker manufacturer presents the brand-new Canto range. For the company, the Canto is a milestone, so important that they decided to dedicate a special website to it. The ...
Recommended resellers
AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232
AUDIO PHYSIC Avantera
The Audio Physic’s HHCM midrange drivers are fantastic. The realism of both male and female vocals through the Avanteras is nothing short of magic. The Avanteras skillfully blend a cocktail full of colors, sonority, textures, ...
Recommended resellers
CZ: High-End Audio Studio, Praha, tel. +420 224 256 844
SK: Platan Audio, Hlohovec / Bratislava, tel. +421 905 409 802
AUDIO PHYSIC Cardeas Plus+
Audio Physic's original Cardeas was like an album of a respected band that was recorded just because it had to be recorded due to a contract. Not like the album that was recorded because the band wanted to. I sighed with relief that ...
Recommended resellers
CZ: High-End Audio Studio, Praha, tel. +420 224 256 844
SK: Platan Audio, Hlohovec / Bratislava, tel. +421 905 409 802
AURUM CANTUS V6F
The Aurum Cantus V6Fs have the ability to dissapear from your ear-view - they move an orchestra to your living room instead and let you bathe in an expanding and transparent soundstage. After listening to the V6Fs you'll find ...
Recommended resellers
Hifi studio MeLissa, Brno, tel. +420 777 04 1313
AVANTGARDE ACOUSTIC Uno Fino
Should your priority is to blend the speakers with your interior and make them visually disappear, the Avantgarde Acoustic Uno Fino is not for you. I am not in favor of color lacquers on speakers and prefer natural veneers where ...
Recommended resellers
HI-FI studio TYKON, Ostrava, tel. +420 723 449 894
