Gilmore Audio planars revealed

Yo Albert, I think we had the same boss.

One thing about 'home dealers' - they may not always have much to comparitively audition in the way of competing product alternatives...

(BTW Keith, I've heard the Mahlers...none too shabby a benchmark...)

Truthfully folks, I have been unemployed for nearly a year now, and the job market in my field is so bad (wireless telecommunications) that I am probably going to get into the audio industry as a manufacturer and as a dealer to earn an income. I will oficially leave reviewing before I sell my first product. Nothing is set in stone yet.

My advice about the Gilmore speakers really goes for just about ANYTHING. I have always belived that buying items that will last a long time (and spending a bit more $$$) is the best policy. A person just needs to do a cost of ownership analysis. Most people do not have this foresight. Heck, I have fallen into the trap to impulse and bad decisions many times in the past.

In the realm of audio, I think people should try to keep their minds and ears open. Judging a product solely based on gossip and/or reviews and/or a brief listen in showroom conditions is jumping to conclusions. Gossip should never be trusted. Reviews may be a little better than gossip; however, I have been a professional review, I know and have met many professional reviewers, and frankly, I do not trust most of them further than my 5' 3" wife could throw any of them. Take reviews with a grain of salt (even mine, heh heh). Show conditions suck in general. I have heard very few showrooms that I liked better than my home system setup. After I get back from a show, I tend to listen to my system and develop a newly re-found appreciation for it.

I will readily admit that I am a friend of Mark Gilmore. This does not mean I am biased towards him or his products. I have several friends that are audio reviewers that I personally think have no ear for music and could not match a system if their life depended on it. Mark Gilmore on the other hand, really does know his stuff. Gilmore speakers were not designed in a garage by an audio tweaker who tweaked an existing product (say Carver's speaker) until it sounded right/much better. Gilmore designed and tested the speakers using Computer Aided Design and Computer aided Manufacturing technology. Thus, the speakers were first designed and built virtually with computer software using hard math and science. The math said these speakers worked before they even had a prototype built.

Gilmore has been working on these speakers for a long, long time (more like 15 years than 15 months). I have heard a lot of speaker systems. Most I do not particularly care for. I would honestly take a pair of the Gilmore speakers (even the small model 3) over any speakers I have heard EVER. You just have to hear them in a home audio system to appreciate them to the fullest.

Albert Porter - It is my understanding that your problem with the Gilmore speaker is one of aesthetics. I can understand this. As the old saying goes: There is no accounting for taste. The look of the Gilmore's does not phase me in the least. My primary concern is the sound quality of a component. Aesthetics are nice... but in the end, I want the best sound possible. I do think that the color of the Gilmore speakers really does matter a lot depending on the color scheme of your listening room. I do like some of the upgraded solid colors a lot (the darker the better).

Zaikesman - I do like the Mahlers. But as good as my system sounds with the Mahlers (my Mahlers may be some of the best sounding ones in the US), I think the Gilmore speakers are leaps and bounds better.

Must run.

KF

Yes there is a big problem with aesthetics. Certainly not with the inventor Mark Gilmore.

I like Mark very much. We've spent countless hours on the phone together over the last few years, we elected to do part of CES 2003 and 2004 together including going out to dinner together both years. 2003 show the speakers were not even known to me, I was enjoying his company and discussing his involvement with SLOG (Sound Lab Owners Group)

I have not ruled out the Gilmore's, I am very frustrated with how things have evolved. I wish the negotiations and decisions were between Mark and I.

FYI,

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ymisc&1079370369&openusid&zzTok20000&4&5#Tok20000

KF