Verity Audio Sarastro - Anybody heard

I agree with Jtinn. I heard the Sarastro at the CES and it seemed like the ribbon tweet sounded a little detached from the midrange and the balance was a little tilted up in the treble. It might have been the DCS front end (which I never found particularly musical), but the Sarastros simply didn’t sound as coherent as my beloved Parsifals.

I auditioned the Lohengrin a couple of days back with Matisse tube equipment and a digital processor whose name now escapes me.

The setting was not ideal - the room was fairly small, etc.

The sound was certainly impressive, yet after an hour or so of listening, I couldn't help but feel that the upper frequencies were a little strident and on some recordings the sound was hard and glassy.

The distributor (I was in his studio) said the Sarastro is fairly close in sound and that the ribbon tweeter - like super tweeters - is something you (need to) get used to. Maybe, and as with all music demonstrations, the sound you get is the result of synergy (or lack of it) between the different constituent parts. I'm not sure that the Matisse equipment is in the same league as the speakers and the digital processor did clearly 'process' the sound.

I have auditioned the Parsifals twice, partnered first by McIntosh monoblocs (350 watts) + McIntosh tube preamp, and then, later, partnered by McIntosh integrated tube 75 watts per channel. In both cases the source was the outstanding McIntosh MCD/MDA 1000 CD transport and DAC.

The first demonstration showed the Parsifals on splendid form: fine integration of the different drivers, timing, liquid midrange - and, above all, sheer musicality that many other speakers in this range and above (Wilson/Watt 7; Vandersteen 5; Talon Firebird) simply can't match. Well, that is, of course, in my view!

The second demonstration showed the limitations of the partnering McIntosh integrated tube amp, which could not drive the speakers to an acceptable level, and which produced more distorted and wobbly sound than you could shake a stick at.

Of course I would like to listen to the Sarastros. In the meantime, I have no doubt that, partnered with the right amps and digital source, the Parsifal is a speaker which is hard to beat in small/medium sized rooms. It has detail, soundstage (especially depth), grunt, and outstanding midrange. It is definitely one of the most MUSICAL loudspeakers I have ever heard and it retails for around 50% of the Sarastro. It is also a finely designed and unobtrusive loudspeaker.

I listened to the Sarastros at the recent Montreal show and would have to agree with the impression that the ribbon tweeters did not appear to integrate well. They were also quite strident sounding and the whole setup which used a large solid state amp, Ayre I think, was not very musical. The Lohengrin was there only on static display.

By contrast, the Parsifal Encores were in two systems and sounded much better than I've heard them before. In one setup they were driven by Nagra solid state mono amps. In another room they were being used to demonstrate the Tenor 150 stereo hybrid amp which was driven by the EMM Labs DCC2. The latter setup was helped by being in the best proportioned large room at the show with the speakers about 15 feet apart. The Parsifals had no problem filling this room with glorious sound.

I'd go with the Parsifals over the Sarastros and spend the difference on fine ancillary equipment.

I'm with Brian. At this price I definitely suggest checking out the Rockports. Very much worth a trip to Rockport, Maine, in my opinion. Incidentally, it would be a great time of year to go too.

I had a few great opportunities to spend some time with both the Lohengrin and the Sarastro. The tweeter integration issue is just nonexistent. I think that both loudspeakers are fabulous and very musical. I finally bought the Sarastro three months ago and wouldn't hesitate to buy the Lohengrin if I could afford it.

I was also a bit sceptic at the beginning. But now, I spent enough time with the Sarastro to confirm that it is an amazingly coherent loudspeaker. Some are misinterpreting what's going on. Verity has made this ribbon tweeter airy and open. It is no comparison with any kind of normal dome tweeter (soft or metallic and even beryllium). It is so much better. But I do understand that it can be confusing. Poorly integrated tweeters are usually noticeable because they sound separated from the system. They often have crossover points located at rather low frequencies. Low enough to allow perceivable differences in speed and tonal balance between the tweeter and the midrange. I remember hearing the old Celestion 3000. It was suffering from an improper integration. The Meadowlark and the Newform also have this problem. On the other hand, the Aerial 20 and the Verity's stand far away from this typical integration problem. One has to be careful. We are so used to associate a ribbon tweeter with an integration problem that we tend to use the same argument every time. And in my opinion the Sarastro and the Lohengrin tweeters integrate perfectly well. More often than not, a high quality equipment, possess the defaults of its qualities. In other words, it is extremely difficult for ultra high end loudspeakers to exhibit their normal performance in show conditions. And this is logical. More you increase the performance potentiality of a product more critical the whole setup becomes. The potential exists and can only be reached with special care. Such a product needs special attention. Amongst crucial aspects that I discovered, I found that the break in time is extremely important. Better is the product, longer it takes to break it in. Unfortunately, Manufacturers often neglect this aspect and often bring new products to shows. When brand new, it does sound harsh for a while, but don't be fooled by this improper tweeter integration issue. If you are patient enough, if you dedicate yourself to optimize everything then you get something fabulous. The highs sound sweet and delicate and give a seamless feeling of unlimited extension. The tonal balance and homogeneity are just perfect. I heard the Sarastro at the Montreal show. The first day I listened to it, the sound was ok but not impressive. I went back the last day and the Sarastro was doing things I never heard from any other loudspeakers before. Only three days for such an improvement. Imagine having it for more than a year? Even Soundstage Magazine pointed that out. I tell you, even though I love the Parsifal, the Sarastro is another league.

Over the years, I discovered that high performance products are extremely revealing for what's going on at the up front equipments. Moreover, even when fully broken in, it usually takes them awhile to settle after being moved. With high performance products, any evaluation under show condition should be done very cautiously. Too often we (including myself, I have to admit) are misjudging such a piece of equipment at first taste. I found the Sarastro and the Lohengrin to be really revealing of what's going on before them. Such highly dynamic loudspeakers won't be forgiving equipment or setup limitations. And believe me, these speakers are extremely transparent and are only revealing what's going on before. As far as the Sarastro is concerned, playing with my setup made all the difference.

As I said, I had the chance to spend sometime with both the Lohengrin and the Sarastro, getting excellent support from the people at Verity, and decided to acquired the Sarastro. In my own opinion, both are extraordinary products. The Lohengrin is offering the best bass performance I have ever heard. Its top to bottom coherence is flawless and so dynamic ! The Sarastro is also one of its kind being very coherent and highly dynamic too. I really love it. For a product of that size, it offers a phenomenal and precise bass performance. In both cases, the ribbon tweeter is really natural. If you have the chance, try to listen to Keith Jarret, "Live at the Blue Note" playing "Autumn Leaves" and pay attention to the percussions. I have heard the most natural and alive reproduction of cymbals I have ever heard. So much better than my old BW 800.