Can't wait to see the Rosewood + TPCD combo. It will be awesome!
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Cadentia 3 Product Development thread / Audio First Designs
- Thread starter Audiofirstdesigns_Harry
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I wasn’t aware of the woofer upgrade option. Sounds interesting. Could you elaborate?
OP
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Thank you very much Milt!
OP
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As requested by a customer, I am sharing his comments of the Cadentia 3 here:
[Last puzzle: from pleasurable sound to High-End (realism)]
I was fortunate that Harry visited to demo his Cadentia 3 prototype. I invited a choral and piano music expert for feedback. We were both stunned by the lifelike realism.
My setup then was planar speakers with a subwoofer. The Cadentia outperformed them in every respect—even delivering a wider, more open soundstage than the planars' specialty.
Only its size concerned me in my small room. Yet I knew matching this quality would cost double or triple elsewhere. I soon ordered the DIY kit.
When it arrived, the musician’s family—choir conductor, piano teacher, and their gifted son who shares great music with me—came over immediately. We listened to Beethoven and Chopin piano, choral works, musicals, orchestral pieces, pop (Radiohead, city pop…), Interstellar OST, and more. We clearly heard vocal control and instrumental nuance.
Everyone felt: Music has no boundaries. High or low, loud or soft—sound flows freely. Astonishing, rare realism.
One more thing: After watching movies with just the Cadentia 3, I am going to sell my subwoofer. Hope my true comments can help people to understand your masterpiece.
[Last puzzle: from pleasurable sound to High-End (realism)]
I was fortunate that Harry visited to demo his Cadentia 3 prototype. I invited a choral and piano music expert for feedback. We were both stunned by the lifelike realism.
My setup then was planar speakers with a subwoofer. The Cadentia outperformed them in every respect—even delivering a wider, more open soundstage than the planars' specialty.
Only its size concerned me in my small room. Yet I knew matching this quality would cost double or triple elsewhere. I soon ordered the DIY kit.
When it arrived, the musician’s family—choir conductor, piano teacher, and their gifted son who shares great music with me—came over immediately. We listened to Beethoven and Chopin piano, choral works, musicals, orchestral pieces, pop (Radiohead, city pop…), Interstellar OST, and more. We clearly heard vocal control and instrumental nuance.
Everyone felt: Music has no boundaries. High or low, loud or soft—sound flows freely. Astonishing, rare realism.
One more thing: After watching movies with just the Cadentia 3, I am going to sell my subwoofer. Hope my true comments can help people to understand your masterpiece.
Sure.
I've always maintained that speaker cone material is immaterial.
To me, TPCD is an advance. As in everything audio, the entiire implemantation is of equal importantance.
Harry Y. had mentioned that he didn't hear any audio advantange between the standard driver vs. the TPCD but there was an unnamed consideration.
For me, I figured the other drivers are TPCD why not all of them.
Asked Harry for that option, rosewood cabinet & the stands.
No problemo.
Be aware, currently a rosewood finished cabinet is a 12 week wait.
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This is twice we've heard about the unnamed consideration. I can only imagine the WO24TX-4 would result in less distortion, but a higher F3. The crossover would surely need to be modified as well.
It's interesting this is an option that is not mentioned on the website.
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Harry tested both so the crossover work has already been done. I have the paper version and have been very happy with it's overall performance and think most will too..
I have no doubt that Harry would have already handled this aspect. But it's not advertised, nor accounted for, or measured by anyone publicly. So is it better or not?
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According to Harry he didn't see a big enough difference. Maybe someone will send one in for measurements. Adding the SKU to the website would help, and then Amir could order and measure.
Measurements Schemerments.According to Harry he didn't see a big enough difference. Maybe someone will send one in for measurements. Adding the SKU to the website would help, and then Amir could order and measure.
I'm going to pre-emptively confirm my confirmation bias & declare that without listening to the Cadentias, the TPCD woofer sounds better.
Not only that, it looks cooler & the rosewood veneer lends a deep gloss luminescence to the overall fidelity.
There you have it.
IngMishael
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Haha... I feel ya
To put my tongue in cheek post in context.
Measurements are the foundation of any audio gear evaluation.
That said there is the also the subjective.
Each component has it's own unique list & system synergy is key.
To me, speakers are the end point, the most overtly mechanical\physical\visible component.
To put it simply I get more stoked\anticipate a speaker purchase more than any other single system component.
The customer review Harry posted above is revealing.
In the end I went with Cadentia3s.
I love the combination of baltic birch cabinerty internal bracing, gorgeous veneer, wave guide baffle etal.
Now I have to wait, impatiently...
Planned system|:
SMSL SU-10
Oppo 205
Roon on Synology NAS SSD server
Intel NUC
Anthem STR-1
Emotiva XPA-1 Gen2 monoblocs subject to Buckeye Purifi option
Cadentia 3
Subs TBD
Canare\Neutrik\Ohno XLR interconnects
Kimber 12TC with WBT spade ends.
Room: 21w x16d x 9h == 3,024 cubic ft
Feel free to critique trash my system.
Apologize for thread bloat.
Won't happen again
Measurements are the foundation of any audio gear evaluation.
That said there is the also the subjective.
Each component has it's own unique list & system synergy is key.
To me, speakers are the end point, the most overtly mechanical\physical\visible component.
To put it simply I get more stoked\anticipate a speaker purchase more than any other single system component.
The customer review Harry posted above is revealing.
In the end I went with Cadentia3s.
I love the combination of baltic birch cabinerty internal bracing, gorgeous veneer, wave guide baffle etal.
Now I have to wait, impatiently...
Planned system|:
SMSL SU-10
Oppo 205
Roon on Synology NAS SSD server
Intel NUC
Anthem STR-1
Emotiva XPA-1 Gen2 monoblocs subject to Buckeye Purifi option
Cadentia 3
Subs TBD
Canare\Neutrik\Ohno XLR interconnects
Kimber 12TC with WBT spade ends.
Room: 21w x16d x 9h == 3,024 cubic ft
Feel free to critique trash my system.
Apologize for thread bloat.
Won't happen again
staticV3
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There's a ton of redundant and pointless hardware in here.
The STR-1 I hope is at least in part for using Anthem Room Correction, but then what's the SU-10 for? You'll get better sound feeding the STR-1 directly via SPDIF (when using ARC, as you should).
Also why buy an integrated Amp if you'll use external Monoblocks anyway? An AVP would make much more sense at that point, like the new Tide16.
The Oppo I guess is for playing and watching Blu-rays, but again why spend so much for the built-in DAC if you'd get better fidelity bypassing that anyway? A pure transport with just HDMI/SPDIF/AES3 output would perform better and cost less.
Good to be jazzed for your future setup. But like it's said above, too much redundancy and unnecessary stuff listed. You should re-evaluate what you're spending money on.
No 1, the STR-1 is a pre-amp not an integrated & yes it has ARC Genesis.
Been an Anthem ARC user since it came out.
Besides many AVPs and integrateds have pre-outs why?
I've had the Oppo for years, SMSL DAC is a more recent purchase.
It's been measured\reviewed on this site
In fact all of the above gear predates the Cadentias obviously.
Are people never curious to compare gear?
None of the gear is expensive imo.
The Cadentias are by far the most expensive component
Sheesh
Been an Anthem ARC user since it came out.
Besides many AVPs and integrateds have pre-outs why?
I've had the Oppo for years, SMSL DAC is a more recent purchase.
It's been measured\reviewed on this site
In fact all of the above gear predates the Cadentias obviously.
Are people never curious to compare gear?
None of the gear is expensive imo.
The Cadentias are by far the most expensive component
Sheesh
IngMishael
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I think my take away is I am more about streamlining than stacking a lot of components. that is all. And I think that is what they are trying to convey in their comments
I should've posted this before.
I appreciate any & all input on my system choices. Always willing to learn from others.
Like everyone here I have my preferences on what hardware deserves the heirarchy of monetary investment.
I have a penchant for certain over-engineered gear.
I default to front end gear.
Source, pre-amp, speakers, room, matching power amp(s) to the speaker.
Biggest variable is the recording.
From here on out it's only about the Cadentia3s.
I think Harry's vision & expertise has resulted in a legit achievement in speaker design.
We're spoiled for speaker choices right now.
I appreciate any & all input on my system choices. Always willing to learn from others.
Like everyone here I have my preferences on what hardware deserves the heirarchy of monetary investment.
I have a penchant for certain over-engineered gear.
I default to front end gear.
Source, pre-amp, speakers, room, matching power amp(s) to the speaker.
Biggest variable is the recording.
From here on out it's only about the Cadentia3s.
I think Harry's vision & expertise has resulted in a legit achievement in speaker design.
We're spoiled for speaker choices right now.
IngMishael
Senior Member
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and that is a good mindset to have now that you have genuinely reached the pinnacle in terms of speakers.
I couldn't have put it better myself. Looking forward to see what Harry's going to pull out of the hat next...
Hello!
I have just finished the Cadentia 3 a week now and I m blown away by these speakers
I have owned numerous custom speakers with scan speak revelator drivers and seas excel,also b&w ,wharfedale and have listened to many high end speakers but Cadentia beats them all by far.There s so much realism and details from this speaker and is not difficult to integrate them in any room.
I use them with my diy open baffle h frame subwoofers.They do go very low themselves but I m a Bass head and need a bit of headroom with bass
Amazing design @Audiofirstdesigns_Harry !
I have just finished the Cadentia 3 a week now and I m blown away by these speakers
I have owned numerous custom speakers with scan speak revelator drivers and seas excel,also b&w ,wharfedale and have listened to many high end speakers but Cadentia beats them all by far.There s so much realism and details from this speaker and is not difficult to integrate them in any room.
I use them with my diy open baffle h frame subwoofers.They do go very low themselves but I m a Bass head and need a bit of headroom with bass
Amazing design @Audiofirstdesigns_Harry !
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