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VintageFlanker

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I didn't see much, if any discussion about it, so let me open a thread about the just released Cabasse Rialto.

This is a next-gen speaker from the historic French manufacturer, basically a compact 3-ways, DSP-powered active bookshelf, with wireless and streaming features. Their look is very minimalistic, but after seeing them IRL, I have to admit I like the industrial design. Icing on the cake being its volume knob, sitting on top of one speaker, and surrounding a circular IPS screen. You can control the Rialto either with this, or with remote or dedicated app. Guys from Cabasse told me than they use their own streaming ecosystem (already introduced by the Pearl series, along with their new Abyss amp/streamer). Support for Roon Ready is planned with the release, which I believe to be... right now.

RIALTO_lifestyle8-scaled.jpg

RIALTO_lifestylebis (1).jpg
ae741ff5-rialto-cabasse-lance-ses-premieres-enceintes-hi-fi-et-connectees-au-format-bibliothe...jpeg


I did personally give them a listen at PAVS 2022 earlier in November. Subjectively, I found them to sound very good. First surprise was the soundstage that felt big and wide, not what I'm used to hear out of most coaxial designs. Overall signature seemed mostly balanced and smooth, with decent low end extension and good abilities to go loud without distort:
Cabasse3.jpg
Cabasse rear.jpg
Cabasse.jpg


What about pricing? When they were announced at PAVS, MSRP was expected to be 2700€, but I now see them listed everywhere at 2990€ VAT included... Which puts them between KEF LS50 Wireless II and Buchardt A500.

Manufacturer's specs

Stereo system

Max volume 121 dB peak stereo (uh...)
Frequency range 30 – 27 000 Hz
Speakers drivers: 13 cm BCI coaxial midrange x 2
17 cm HELD woofer x 2

Amplification per speaker
Treble: 300 W RMS / 600 W peak
Midrange : 300 W RMS / 600 W peak
Bass : 450 W RMS / 900 W peak
(that's a bit much)

Amplification performance
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise : THD+N = 0,005% – (1W, 4Ohm)
Saturation: 0
Background Noise 0 dB at 50m (-15,5 dB SPL at 3m)

Connectivity
Ethernet – Wi-Fi – Bluetooth – Optical SPDIF – Analog RCA – USB – TV jack

Port link to connect the 2 speakers optically in case of low internet speed

Audio formats
Supported formats MP3 – AAC -WMA – AIFF – FLAC – ALAC – Ogg- Vorbis – DSD 64/128 – WMA lossless

Automatic Calibration

DAC 768 kHz / 32 bits

High-resolution Multiroom

Music streaming services
Tidal Qobuz Deezer Spotify Napster

Dimensions: 26 x 20,6 x 23,9 cm
Weight : 19.5 kg
(for the pair, I guess)
RIALTO_BLACK_TOP.png
Rialto_07.jpg
Rialto_05.jpg
 
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thewas

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VintageFlanker

VintageFlanker

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Here is a German review of them, unfortunately they didn't do the multitone distortion measurement they usually do at their loudspeaker reviews.

Thanks. Can't wait to see expensive measurements of these. I could try to email Cabasse, asking to send a sample review to Amir (since Erin is actually on hold) or at least anechoic FR of their own, but I don't expect much...
 
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thewas

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Their specs seem a little ... optimistic. There is no way those tiny speakers handle 1050WRMS without melting.
The competing Devialet Phantom I 108 dB have supposedly also 1100 Watts RMS, guess for short peaks and marketing it works. ;)
 

fineMen

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Decidedly a lifestyle speaker without further interest. In case, well, the product's appearance doesn't please me either.

Is it an option for you, still on the hunt? Neuman's 150?
 
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VintageFlanker

VintageFlanker

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Decidedly a lifestyle speaker without further interest
...Expect for some looking for lifestyle, all-in-one speakers. Which is... many many people in consumer audio, actually. ;)
By the way, it sounds better (and deeper) than bestseller LS50W2 to me.
Is it an option for you, still on the hunt?
Not at this very moment. So far, I'm happy with my A500 Signature Edition !
Neuman's 150?
Way too ugly to enter my home. But I could consider a pair in a dedicated room, if someday I have the cash for that.
 

fineMen

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...Expect for some looking for lifestyle, all-in-one speakers. Which is... many many people in consumer audio, actually. ;)

Ja, the connectivity options are more prominent than sonic quality. The above mentioned German 'review' proves it. I'm sure that measurements are not provided because it wouldn't be worth the intellectual effort. Better fool around with digital formats anf their merits
 

Geert

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the connectivity options are more prominent than sonic quality. The above mentioned German 'review' proves it.
Does it? The reviewer compares it to the KEF LS50 WII and concludes "The bottom line is that the Rialto are at least on par with the competition, just with a slightly different basic character and greater internal bass potential". So for the intend purpose they're probably perfectly fine.
 

fineMen

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Does it? The reviewer compares it to the KEF LS50 WII and concludes "The bottom line is that the Rialto are at least on par with the competition, just with a slightly different basic character and greater internal bass potential". So for the intend purpose they're probably perfectly fine.
I think so. For me the LS50 is not 'real' in that it would not deliver enough SPL to live up my expectations for high fidelity. It's an unreasonable comparison to begin with: life-style vs life-style; sound don't worry.

Anyway, we don't see any data (except for connectivity options for geeky smart-phoners), so what is this about? Speculation ... let's see.
 

JSmith

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I have to say I cannot stand speakers (the smaller one) that have a circle around the drivers... which look chopped off on the sides.

It literally looks like someone thought they were too wide and took a samurai sword to them. :p

The tower looks good though and all I would have an interest in.

What happened to fat speakers though? :cool:


JSmith
 

dasdoing

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looks like the perfect speaker for recently married young hipster couple in the freshly aquired apartment.
auto-room EQ....option to elevate bass. all streaming services suported. looks instresting for visitors.
what you want more?
 

FrantzM

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Don't know what to make of these until they go, at least, through an ASR-style review. It is very easy to dismiss "Life-style" speakers but some of these sound surprisingly good and measure well to boot. SONOS 5 for example. A pair of SONOS 5 vertically mounted on a good stand, would surprise and delight many.
Cabasse has been making leading-edge speakers for a while, way before, coaxial and active were fashionable... To be colloquial,:Them people at Cabasse know a thing or two about Loudspeakers.
TBH, the specs are overly optimistic but... Let's set aside all biases.

Peace

Edited because of @JSmith .. :D post
 
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fineMen

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looks like the perfect speaker for recently married young hipster couple ...
I stop ranting. When I started my professional carrier my work was about a swarm of mobile clients connecting to a server for some extra computing power (processing + database). It failed because today even my free-Linux powered tooth-brush would easily outperform the moon-lander's computer of Apollo 13. Why is it that in every thing around an 'intelligent' option is mandatory?

Same here, why put all that auto-adjust, connectvity==conversion options into the device? As if the user was just too lazy for any other than paying the bill.

If not, the Neuman 150 would be a real alternative, and being honest a visually more pleasing one to put it mildly. In case paint it pink. Still a cheap option.
 

dasdoing

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As if the user was just too lazy for any other than paying the bill.

not everybody has time for hobbies. and a young hipster couple definitly doesn't. it has to work right out of the box. and the sound is probably extraordinary for them. why invest hunreds of hours for improvement only audiophiles will apreciate?
at the end we are basicly freaks. ultimate quality of sound is not as important as we make it. if it delivers emotions it is good enough.
 
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VintageFlanker

VintageFlanker

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I don't understand the lifestyle backlash. Like, at all.

Lifestyle all-in-one, streaming speakers may both measure great and provide High Fidelity sound. In fact, some of them are actually measuring way better than vast majority of speakers tested here...
CEA2034 -- Buchardt A500 The Theoretical - Flat (new) Setting (1).png
CEA2034  --  Kef LS50 Meta Wireless II (Bass Extension Mode == Extra  Phase Coherency == On).png

On some higher end level...
Dutch & Dutch 8c CEA2034 (SPINORAMA).png

Anyway, as for the aforementioned Cabasse Rialto, we still have no clue at this point. My little listening experience in a show is that they sounded just great, when compared with much more expensive passive speakers exposed...
 
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VintageFlanker

VintageFlanker

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the response is a little fake if you look at this
It's not as "fake".;)

As any DSP active speaker will apply compression anyway. This specific compression plot has been widely discussed in the A500 thread, as its is affected by the LLE (Loudness) feature, inherent to this Master Tuning. That's why bass differs so much from the 76dB target and the Spin. It indeed remains close to a full range speaker at 80dBSPL. IRL measurements: regular A500 easily hits 25Hz in-room up to ≈85dBSPL. My A500 Signature Edition push it even more further with the stock MT.
 
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