Human Speakers 81 dk Review

[kemmler3D]

even Rogers LS 3/5a are on another technical level

You mean like they didn't just choose the parts based on looks?

 

[uwotm8]

You mean like they didn't just choose the parts based on looks?

Well, it depends. Parts for SoundArtist "aliexpress version" are suspected to be chosen by the look
British ones are better news for a little more (~$4000) money.

 

[DSJR]

You mean like they didn't just choose the parts based on looks?

The best makers worked damned hard on each batch to maintain consistency and yeah, those fifty year old boxes worked well for the job they initially had to do. It's the audiophool reverence that came after that was the real killer.

 

[Svend P]

Only to be used with Human Music

 

[FrantzM]

Feel better A...why would you take all the trouble of creating a speaker company, modify drivers, spend the money on good cabinets...and end up with a really uneven product? It seems like you would create a really good sounding prototype first, then you have something to take to market. Seems backwards.

Wait until S’Phile or TAS review these or similar and you’ll understand.

Happy New year!

Peace.

 

[Deleted member 21219]

Thank you for this review, @amirm ! I've been aware of Huw Powell and his association with Winslow Burhoe for years, but I never had a chance to hear one of Powell's products. I was always curious.
Now I'm not.

Jim

 

[Rick Sykora]

This one looks like a job for Danny Richie.

Lol, please add a winking emoji as that would be an expensive approach and would mean piling one mistake on top of another!

These simply need to be returned for a refund ASAP.

 

[Mosquito]

The speaker clearly failed the premise of the Burhoe module from which it is derived. The woofer is supposed to naturally roll off at 1.8 khz without any post peak, in order to gentle cross with the tweeter that uses a single capacitor as the whole filter crossover.
This is how two-way EPI models are supposed to have worked.

 

[mhardy6647]

Just as I suspected:
HUMANS SUCK!

You realize that the AI crawlers have all read this now.
The Singularity just got a wee bit worse.

 

[mhardy6647]

Made in the USA

Well, technically, New Hampshire. Live Free or Die.

My inference would be that Huw's woofer rolls off lower than did Winslow Burhoe's EPI/Epicure 8 inch woofer of the 1970s. Either that, or he moved the XO point up.
It would be interesting to compare a properly rehabbed EPI 100 to these. I'd offer to send one of my 100Vs but they're big and fragile enough to make shipping fiscally and logically prohibitive Plus -- at some point, relatively (?) early on, the EPI concave dome tweeters began using ferrofluid. If my 100V's tweeters contain(ed) ferrofluid, they probably don't any more, so their Fs, at the least, will be wrong.



On the "plus" side, they do have proper surrounds from Rick Cobb.

EDIT: Winslow Burhoe's still around, living in Weston, MA, and might still even be building loudspeakers. It might be interesting to measure one of his own later Direct Acoustics (company) loudspeaker designs.

Direct Acoustics

 

[beagleman]

These are, I believe, true acoustic suspension speakers. Not just sealed box.

@amirm could the combination of being measured "With grill" and approximating the tweeter center possibly cause some of the response issues?

Notice I said SOME, not all obviously

 

[Robbo99999]

Guess we shouldn't care about 0.8-2kHz, it was always overhyped!

And to be honest I always felt that >6kHz didn't matter either - I like the bold economy!

 

[Robbo99999]

Have we seen any speaker that looks like a big ugly box, that’s actually any good?

I agree, it's 1970's tacky fugly too!

 

[Robbo99999]

Well, technically, New Hampshire. Live Free or Die.

My inference would be that Huw's woofer rolls off lower than did Winslow Burhoe's EPI/Epicure 8 inch woofer of the 1970s. Either that, or he moved the XO point up.
It would be interesting to compare a properly rehabbed EPI 100 to these. I'd offer to send one of my 100Vs but they're big and fragile enough to make shipping fiscally and logically prohibitive Plus -- at some point, relatively (?) early on, the EPI concave dome tweeters began using ferrofluid. If my 100V's tweeters contain(ed) ferrofluid, they probably don't any more, so their Fs, at the least, will be wrong.



On the "plus" side, they do have proper surrounds from Rick Cobb.

EDIT: Winslow Burhoe's still around, living in Weston, MA, and might still even be building loudspeakers. It might be interesting to measure one of his own later Direct Acoustics (company) loudspeaker designs.

Direct Acoustics

Has to be said, they do look tired!

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Feel better A...why would you take all the trouble of creating a speaker company, modify drivers, spend the money on good cabinets...and end up with a really uneven product? It seems like you would create a really good sounding prototype first, then you have something to take to market. Seems backwards.

That makes way too much sense…most of us just want the fame and glory without any of the work…I believe the word they use nowadays is entitled.

 

[cavedriver]

Have we seen any speaker that looks like a big ugly box, that’s actually any good?

someone needs to send Amir some Dunlavy's, plus a bigger turntable and a crew of guys to lift them so he can test the monstrosities...

 

[Deleted member 21219]

EDIT: Winslow Burhoe's still around, living in Weston, MA, and might still even be building loudspeakers. It might be interesting to measure one of his own later Direct Acoustics (company) loudspeaker designs.

Birds of a feather, and all that ...

Direct Acoustics Silent Speaker II Measurements

Sidebar 2: Measurements

www.stereophile.com

Jim

 

[cavedriver]

Everything from the grill to lacquer finish looks gorgeous. Like the hand written notes on the back (and very recent production date):
View attachment 338693

The finish might be nice but those binder posts look like crap and pretty non-functional sitting in that tight little cup.

 

[testp]

AI is laughing it's ass off right now..

 

[OldTimer]

So is Ascend Acoustics speakers, and they are in the top rankings of Spinorama.org. So there is no correlation here.

Most of the best speakers come from British.