Reference’s Episode speaker is among its two siblings Veena
and Grand Veena, it retains their sound quality but has more efficiency, easy amplifier
load and power requiring only few watts.
Each speaker also
has 3 nails at the position shaping like tiger’s foot.
The Canadian company Reference creates the speakers based on
the minimalist theme, “simple is the best” of famous Daniel Dehay with a basic
design “tilted surface – no crossover” the rear output can reproduce music
lively and artistically.
Episode of Reference 3A uses directly coupled (no
crossover) hyper exponential 8" (20 cm.) woven carbon-fiber main driver to
originally convey music fastest, by eliminating intermediary effect of cross-over’s
components.
The speaker’s tilted front surface at high angle is a mark
of Reference 3A. The front wall - owning a thickness varying from 39mm to 25mm
to reduce resonance – leans at an essential alignment to help the speakers
accurately locate and create an identical sound way.
Beside high quality part, advanced technology is applied to
optimize the speaker’s output like Bybee Quantum Purifiers filter, Mundorf
silver capacitors, AVM fluid that cools wires. Especially, Murata gold-plated
ceramic membrane is equipped with “harmonic enhancer” to give high and
extremely high voices, proving super treble’s important role.
Super tweeter brings a little mystery in around 19 kHz and
its ranges to over 80 kHz (plus 2 more octaves compared to 20 kHz ranged pair
of speakers), beyond human’s hearing limit. This super tweeter may cause
addition because it narrows down the distance between live music and reproduced
one. Once Murata super tweeter is disconnected, the result seems like turning
the light off, everything becomes darkened.
Episode is also noticed in every little detail such as: the
drivers are firmly mounted on the cabinet just like being mouth to body backbone;
the thick steel stands are able to handle vibration, standing on 3 big bronze
nails which are separately designed.
Even external wires and cable linking drivers are all made of
crystal oxygen-free copper to maintain the homogeneous and intact signals. Thus,
you shouldn’t underestimate replacing a short 5-6cm LC-OFC wire connecting
drivers in Reference 3A speakers.
In Reference 3A, many things seem simple but turn out to be superb.
This is a pair of
full-range speakers with 3 ranges: super treble, treble and mid/bass.
In an experience, Episode was evidently to play with. Despite
either 10 watt Separo Single-ended SE001 integrated light amplifier on one side
or Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum 90 Wpc on another side, the sounds all got awake,
powerful and extensive; clear and classy, elegant and experienced with Separo,
vibrant with Magnum…
When Episode was played with Separo SE3001 tube amplifier,
acoustic guitar sounded sweet and coherent, cello was distinguished, violin
appeared harsh. The speaker produced instrumental performance lively with no
fault. When vocal showed up, there was a feeling that the singe had been
clearly performing on the front.
Once Episode was joined with the pricey integrated
solid-state amplifier KWI 200 (200W/8Ohm) of Modwright and PrimaLuna Prologue Classics CD
player, the total solution was counted for the tube because PrimaLuna Classic uses
tube circuit producing its own instinctive sound while KWI amplifier didn’t
affect much. This system had reached the top.
In experience of Episode with
PrimaLuna Prologue Classics CD player plus LS100 preamplifier
and expensive KWA 100 of Modwright, the outcome was far better. The legendary
short-life English cellist Jacqueline Du Pre’s performance in cello sonatas of
Brahms, along with the pianist Daniel Barenboim, was very recognizable. It
appeared the same as these celebs’ voice, which are not only romantically
powerful but also skillful, sincere plus peaceful…
Du Pre’s cello sound spread naturally as if Du Dre and her
husband were presenting. The harsh cut sound of her bow vibrated as an
infrequent note, which had its own position but didn’t depend on that post.
Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 by the conductor Sir Georg Solti
of Chicago orchestra wasn’t “stuck” like in lower solutions. The bass is clear
at a certain level but not chaotic. Other part was okay, vocal was better. It
was like listening in a great theatre.
Trying Episode speaker with Rogue Audio M-180
Tube Monoblock Amplifiers, the system uses high class Calypso pre
amplifier of Aesthetix; Denon DCD 3300 CD player; BeoCord 9000 Cassette
Deck; Pioneer XL-1550 turntable (phono pre Music Hall pa1.1) and various wires
of Analysis. This setting was nearly perfect (and maybe more with an upgrade of
power supplier).
Nice speakers,
quality sound plus romance and power
Collaboration in Bach’s chorale (cassette produced by
Archive Produktion in Germany in 1975) and Opera Cavallera Rusticana của
Mascagni (Cassette produced by Deutsche Grammophon in 1966 in Germany) all
used the big system and sounded excellent. LP Dvorak: Symphony No9 In E
Minor, Op95 "From The New World" produced by Nippon Columbia in
Japan in1975 (Supraphon Copyrighted) was represented brilliantly and finely.
For instrumental soloist, a piano student in Ho Chi Minh
Music Academy was invited to listen the system’s performing the CD Box: The
Glenn Gould Edition – Bach – Toccatas BWV 910 – 916. He appointed:” I feel so confused.
He (Goud) is playing here”. Glenn Gould (1932 – 1982) is a piano master,
along with Bach, Mozart, Beethoven… and also master in recording. The Glenn
Gould Edition is the most wanted of audiophiles around the world.
Classic guitar in Katona Twins CD (Albeniz duel) was fleshy
and smooth though many rasgueado chords were supposed to be sharp.
Albeniz, Mallorca (Serenada espanola)… are the name that stole many guitar
dedicated hearts.
Finally, LP Music Music – Helen Reddy produced by Capitol
Records Inc. in the U.S.A. in 1976 freshly comforted us with electronic guitar,
woodwinds, bass guitar and soft vocal. Young as she was, Helen performed
naturally and skillfully.
The most impressive was CD Men at 40 – High Definition
Audio Master Compatible Digital, which included a list of Chinese songs sung by
Chinese singers. However, the first song was a familiar French one. A mixture
of Eastern Asia vocal with soft Western music turned out to be interesting and
exciting. Episode of Reference 3A can make audience forget about time.
Specifications
3-driver
design, 2 baselines, reflex bass
(1) 24mm
dome soft treble – frequency response: 38 Hz – 20 kHz, fluid cooler for wires
(1) 15mm
dome super tweeter Murata – frequency response: 10.000 Hz – 100.000 Hz
(1) 200mm
Bass/midrange cone with membrane made of 2 layers of carbon fiber, steel
chassis
Extended
low frequency: 30Hz (DIN)
Frequency
response: 38 Hz - 20 kHz at ± 2 dB
Sensitivity:
91 dB
Suitable
Amplifier: 25 – 210 watt RMS
Maximal
power input: 100 watt
Impedance:
compatible with 8 Ohm
Phase: Almost
constant at 10 degree/ 94 dB
Size: 114
cm high, 25 cm wide, 39cm deep.
Weight: 25
kg
Color: piano
black (demo version) or maple, red.
RRP: $6,300
(colored version)
Overviews
Good
High-class
Support
most types and demands
Bad
Regular
use and require preservation like piano
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