DOMEPHASE Poison I
Stand mount monitors
The Domephase surprised me with perfect build quality - looks like Chinese manufactures are now becoming benchmarks as far as the craftsmanship is concerned. On top of that the Poisons use quite unusual design principles to deliver the goods.
Function and form
The Domephase is a brand of Chinese Microlab Electrical. The know-how is German, so is the coaxial driver. The reasoning behind coaxial drivers is simple: if a tweeter and a midrange driver share the same acoustic center they should approximate the holy grail of hifi, the one-point source. In classical coaxial designs the tweeter is mounted in the middle of the midrange tweeter (KEF, TAD and some others). Thus the tweeter actually resides in the center of a "waveguide" that is represented by the midrange cone. This results in usual dips and peaks in the tweeter's radiation pattern as it sees symmetrical environment around.
The coaxial driver of the Poison is inverted, i.e. the dome tweeter (28 mm) sits in the center of an inverted cone (180 mm). Thus the surroundings of the tweeeter are convex and the sound is dispersed rather than waveguided.
Sensitivity 86dB, impedance 4 ohms, no bi-wiring.
Bass management
The Poison are relatively small speakers (480 x 256 x 368 mm) so no surprise the bass I heard was not deep - it was pretty flat down to 50Hz with quick roll-off below this point (measured with Nordost Tuning & Set up Disc), so below 40Hz I could not hear anything. There is no reflex port, the Domephase are closed speakers.
On the other hand, though not deep, the bass was very punchy. It reminded me of the Wilson Benesch Discovery in how it was articulated and energetic. No wonder that Rolling Stones were the right food for the Poisons.
Clarity & delicacy
As mentioned, the coaxial driver components are made in Germany (Reckhorn). It is the type of technology that - alike Class D amplifiers - will need few years to refine. Thus the voicing of the Domephase was quite forward despite the speakers were driven by Reimyo electronics that is exactly the opposite with its Japanese sweet sound. I missed more liquid textures of highs, a piano was a bit rough to my ear. This is not the case with aforementioned Rolling Stones that were re-energizeed through the Domephase as if the decades old recordings were made yesterday.
Tonal accuracy
What they missed in textures they tried to make up with timing. The enclosures of the Poisons are rigid and they do not store energy. The sound did not stay in the speakers, it was fast and efortless, so I could savour percussive instruments (Sting) with vigour of a machine gun.
The same thing that I observed with the textures applied to harmonies - I missed more believable envelopes of instruments, more colours.
Spatial resolution
I found the Domephase Poison I to be less sensitive to placement. They are closed speakers so you may them put closer to a corner than usual. Not that they would not benefit from the walls far away from them, but at least the bass did not become too boomy when placed near the front wall.
Imaging of the Poison was less precise than I am used to with small stand mounts. It resembled more diffuse character of sound, close to what I heard in past from Mirage omnipolar speakers. Comparing the Domephase with my resident Revel Ultima Studio2 was like comparing apples and pears. Is the diffuse sound more natural? Perhaps it is... give the Poison I a listen and make your own judgement.
Recommended resellers
K datu zveřejnění této recenze se nepodařilo lokalizovat oficiální zastoupení pro EU.
Manufacturer's website: http://www.domephase.com/en/
Associated components
- Sources: Reimyo CDT-777 transport and DAP-999EX D/A DAC
- Amplifiers: Reimyo CAT-777 MK2 preamplifiers and KAP-777 power amplifier
- Interconnects and speaker cables: Harmonix HS101S, Exquisite
- Power conditioning: Reimyo ALS-777 power stabilizer, HIJIRI X-DCH Nagomi power cords
Gallery
AQ Passion Orca
The Passion Orca is an improved version of the Acoustique Quality’s flagship stand-mounted speaker. Alike any other top model the Orca received meticulous attention to detail with only one exception: it was not designed as a ...
Recommended resellers
AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232
ATOHM GT 1.0
These Atohm monitors are like a magnifying glass that lets the listener look deep into music. Despite their size they provide explosive dynamics against clear and quiet backdrop - not unlike premium headphones that let you hear a ...
Recommended resellers
Nisel SK, Bratislava, tel. +421 905 203 078
AURUM CANTUS Leisure 3SE MkII
The craftsmanship is immaculate - the glossy finish is spotless and seamless, this Aurum Cantus monitor is like a supersmooth monolith. There are several layers of hand-polished lacquer on the cabinet that is assembled from extremely ...
Recommended resellers
Hifi studio MeLissa, Brno, tel. +420 777 04 1313
BOWERS & WILKINS 805 Diamond
Unlike the previous generations of B&W’s the new Diamonds are real diamonds. Within its price range they rank amongst the best available loudspeakers and in certain aspects (airy detail, excellent soundstaging, responsiveness and ...
Recommended resellers
Eurostar Ostrava, Dobřejovice u Prahy, tel. + 420 323 606 877
Jasyko, Brno, 541 210 108
Profimedia, Opava, 553 759 017
BOWERS & WILKINS PM1
The PM stands for "Prestige Monitor". Bowers & Wilkins ventured into Bugati and Bentley's world with the timeless and luxurious design, sleek aerodynamic curves and premium technologies. It has been long since I had such a exquisite ...
Recommended resellers
Eurostar Ostrava, Dobřejovice u Prahy, tel. + 420 323 606 877
Jasyko, Brno, 541 210 108
DALI Katch
The Dali Katch is a piece of beauty. The reviewed Cloud Gray unit with its smoky pink-beige finish was an ultimate eye-catcher for any female visitors. VThe visual appeal of a luxury handbag easily overcomes any objections of your ...
Recommended resellers
CZ: Horn Distribution, Praha, +420 272 656 485
DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY Demand D9
The size of the D9 does not allow to pair the dynamic abilities of these small monitors with a sense of scale and weight, yet they can play impressively loud without any stress. And you bet I played them loud. Add crystalline highs ...
Recommended resellers
CZ: Horn Distribution, Praha, +420 272 656 485
