Should 'a' been a contender

A long time ago, maybe the late 80's but maybe the early 90's, a local guy--I think the inventor, named Bill something--demoed some Metaphor speakers for us at Gifted Listener Audio in Centreville, VA. They looked and sounded fantastic and I think were around for a few years but never took off. There were two models I believe and I really thought they sounded great.

One word: Hales. Although I never got to meet Paul, I had the good fortune of meeting his business partner/co-designer Larry. A real class act. I spent a couple of years working on the sales floor of No.Cal's only Hales dealer in Oakland in 2000-01 and the Hales were just the best sound overall that I had ever heard. Nothing too esoteric, just good solid design and execution with quality components. Such a shame the company left the consumer market so abruptly.

After they closed, the boss asked us to spend time with other speakers to help pick a brand to fill the hole in our product lineup. We already carried Meridian and Genelec on the active side, B&W, Canton and Triad on the passive side, so the new brand had to fit well at the top. Reps from several manufacturers came by to show their wares. The boss eventually went with Snell, and they are very nice speakers. But nothing ever really came close to the overall music that flows out of Paul's designs to my ears. -jz

hales were magic for sure. i remember listening to a revalation 3 against a brightly painted 20k speaker, and the hales actually sounded way better.......i believe the waveform brand was marked from the beginning by those who were loyal and beholden to the brightly painted brand and destined to be thrown under the bus, even though they were remarkable. they are still remarkable too.

hales were magic for sure. i remember listening to a revalation 3 against a brightly painted 20k speaker, and the hales actually sounded way better

I agree the Hales Revelation 3 was (is) a revelation but it is often more desirable to a own a more expensive "statement" piece that really looks ultra impressive than an ordinary box that just sounds great. Guests will remark on the "statement" but not the other.

sumo aria. used a tensioned mylar membrane as the transducer. still regret selling mine.