Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Gear, I don't doubt it. That said, he didn't even bring the Vandersteen 7's into his room and they too are flat all the way out (all of Vandersteens are). They have near pistonic drivers and sound the way you mention you like things, but he didn't go for them either. I too feel most things are too bright and get fatigued very easily. You've seen my posts elsewhere. So many companies tip their highs a DB or two and that's because at first blush they sound extended, but the reality is, they are just distorted and not flat. Flat to some is boring. To most reading this thread, it's nirvana.

Ctsooner, the driver compliments and designs are very different on the two speakers. The Isis uses a titanium compression tweeter and not a soft dome like the 7. It also does not uses power bass drivers. So who knows....

Guys, this is not a matter of flat vs not flat. We are talking about crazy expensive, top tier product in all directions. I'm sure all of them are "flat" from the sublimely low frequency to the ridiculous ultra sonic. It's not a matter of specs, and I don't believe it's a matter of distortion. Every speaker I have heard, tried, or purchased is considered state of the art, whether it was to my taste or not. To say that the Avalom Isis or the Vandy 7 or the Dynaudio Comsequence has more distortion or isn't flat or is in some way colored is pretty much ridiculous. These speakers are all designed to the best of their perspective companies abilities with their particular take on Uber Speaker design, acoustics, psycho-acoustics, phase/time alignment management, voicing, etc. Add to that the fact that even the worlds perfect speaker will sound totally different in my room versus your room and it makes the whole damn process that much harder.

The Trenner & Friedl Isis is simply voiced differently then the CU. It has different priorities, completely different design and different psycho-acoustic properties. As a result, it does 28hz to 40khz flat and throws a soundstage you can drive an RV through. It's voiced a certain way and accomplishes it's particular goal with great success. It does this with simplicity, elegance, refinement and is utterly understated. It is the warm cabin on top of the mountain with a roaring fire, a well broken in leather chair by the blazing hearth and a glass of Cognac VSOP that is that perfect temperature to simply float from the glass and evaporate relaxation onto your palate.

The CU is a masterpiece in engineering and complexity of design, crossover implementation and artistic beauty. It applied over 30 years of continued success from a brilliantly unorthodox design and improved upon it. It is not understated nor is it overzealous. Although brimming with drivers, it's nigh impossible to identify anything other then a unity of sound, a meticulous amalgam of perfection that paints a picture as if from a single brush stroke. Yes, the colors are more vibrant then those chosen by Trenner & Friedl but equates to comparing the spectacular colors of a sunset over the ocean as the sun descends just to the horizon to the majestic flow of heather and wheat during a gentle breeze at the base of a grey and white mountain range of breathtaking beauty. One is simply not better then the other. They both touch the sole and enraptured the spirit.

It's a nice place to be- deciding between those vistas. No bad choices, only choices.

An extended audition is truly the best way to tell. I would call an extended audition a purchase. The beauty of it is that if one finds its not all it was initially, the other option is just a sale and a purchase away....

CTSooner - my final decision against the Vandy 7 had to do with how their low frequency driver is implemented. I understand all the tech behind the low frequency signal attenuation prior to amplification and the fact that it "theoretically" conveys the voice of the amp to the woofer but I don't believe it to be 100% effective in real life application. It works, but it's best implementation would be with Vandys own amps. I wasn't ready to give up completely the magic that comes from my Burmester Amps in those lower frequencies. I also didn't love the down firing, side ported design. I heard it and felt it but I did not get that direct radiation I prefer. In the end, It was just a matter of implementation and preference. They are sensational without doubt, but I found other choices suited my tastes more.

Matt, I think the discussion was circling around the perception of the Isis as "rolled off" and what that actually meant in terms of engineering. The fact that the room played a roll is very interesting. Still more time on the stove for the Isis obviously.

Manufacturers of electronics regularly quote distortion specs. Speaker manufacturers do not. There is a reason for that. They are distortion machines...:)