March Audio Sointuva

[Penelinfi]

Pic: front plate.

View attachment 328909

That wood turned out nice. I can't figure out if I like all wood better or something like that navy blue front panel with wood elsewhere

Also is the badge inset now? Looks better that way.

 

[Holmz]

That wood turned out nice. I can't figure out if I like all wood better or something like that navy blue front panel with wood elsewhere

Also is the badge inset now? Looks better that way.

Some real 1st world issues to contemplate there…
(Well done sir.)

 

[sweetchaos]

Thanks!

rating
Tonality: 7.3
Bass extension: 32Hz
Flatness: ±1.2dB

Measurements for speaker March Audio Sointuva AWG

www.spinorama.org

That's insane!

This becomes the king of bookshelf speakers, beating "Kef Reference 1 Meta (Erin) (Using Long Port)" as the #1 spot...and 22% cheaper than Kef. Update: I'm comparing US prices.

Congrats to March Audio for creating such a well-measuring speaker!

I've updated my 'passive speaker' recommendation thread already.

 

[sweetchaos]

@Matias

Is the speaker you bought the same as the one Erin measured?
I saw the name AWG on spinorama.org, and assumed it was a newer speaker, than the one Erin measured.
Maybe I’m just confused.
Perhaps @pierre added it by mistake as a new speaker, but it's actually the same speaker?

 

[sigbergaudio]

Tonality looks very similar to our SBS.1 speakers, which makes me believe they will sound very good in-room! Congratulations on great measurements!

 

[Penelinfi]

@Matias

Is the speaker you bought the same as the one Erin measured?
I saw the name AWG on spinorama.org, and assumed it was a newer speaker, than the one Erin measured.
Maybe I’m just confused.
Perhaps @pierre added it by mistake as a new speaker, but it's actually the same speaker?
View attachment 329201

The Sointuva WG is the original with paper Purifi
The Sointuva AWG is an updated version with aluminium Purifi.
The website hasn't been updated for a while, plus most builds shown have been with the paper Purifi .

 

[Penelinfi]

Some real 1st world issues to contemplate there…
(Well done sir.)

Well I mean so is fussing over the sound and measurements of loudspeakers

 

[sweetchaos]

Oh, that explains it.
Thanks for clarifying.

Why the hell didn't March Audio create a new page on his website for "The Sointuva AWG is an updated version with aluminium Purifi" then?

 

[Penelinfi]

That's insane!

This becomes the king of bookshelf speakers, beating "Kef Reference 1 Meta (Erin) (Using Long Port)" as the #1 spot...and 22% cheaper than Kef.

Congrats to March Audio for creating such a well-measuring speaker!

I've updated my 'passive speaker' recommendation thread already.

In Australia, KEF Reference 1 meta : $15k
March Audio Sointuva : $6k
That leaves you $9k for an amp and subs
Or just use it for something else lol
Or buy a pair of Ukkonen with it $9k

 

[sweetchaos]

In Australia, KEF Reference 1 meta : $15k
March Audio Sointuva : $6k
That leaves you $9k for an amp and subs
Or just use it for something else lol
Or buy a pair of Ukkonen with it $9k

I was comparing US prices.

 

[Matias]

Yes, wrong picture on the Spinorama website for the AWG, still using the paper woofer (WG) instead of the aluminum woofer (AWG).

And also yes, March Audio's website still showing the paper woofer WG only. Aluminum woofer AWG is new, just released, only 2 pairs sold yet.

 

[sweetchaos]

Here's the comparison:

The Sointuva WG is the original version with paper Purifi => the one Erin reviewed.
The Sointuva AWG is an updated version with aluminium Purifi => data from Warkwyn facility (3rd party Klippel NFS), reported by Matias yesterday

 

[Matias]

Yesterday I was comparing its distortions in 86 dB to the very best from Erin's website.

Loudspeakers

The Sound of Science

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Look how the Sointuva AWG has below -50 dB of THD above 70 Hz. None can match this, KEF R3 Meta and JBL 4367 come closest.

Sointuva AWG

Kii Three

Dutch & Dutch 8c

Mesanovic CDM65

KEF Reference 1 Meta

KEF R3 Meta

Genelec 8331A

JBL 4367

Dynaudio Special Forty

Revel F226Be

Revel M126Be

Arendal 1723 THX Monitor

Buchardt S400 MkII

Ascend Sierra-1 V2

The Blade Metas 1 and 2 come closest in linearity and extension - for 17.5 and 12.5k USD each pair respectively!

Easily compare loudspeakers measurements

www.spinorama.org

Sointuva AWG continuous line x Blade 2 dotted line.

We can see that the Sointuva AWG is possibly the best speaker when considering linearity, bass extension and low distortion. Even compared to more expensive and/or larger speakers. Phenomenal!

 

[Purité Audio]

Well yes and no, the Sointuva doesn’t have the bass extension of the 8C or the cardioid response which really helps with actual in room measurements then again the 8C is much more expensive .
The March designs are superb though looking forward to seeing the Ukkonen plots.
Keith

 

[Matias]

In my experience, below 32 Hz there is no musical signal anyway, so I would gladly make that trade off.

Don't trust me, test it yourselves: with a full range system, choose a bass heavy music, turn the volume up, and then set a low pass filter at 32 Hz and hear what is left.

 

[Purité Audio]

I suspect you are correct but it is quite nice to have full level output at those low frequencies.
Audibility of THD is an interesting question, when we first took delivery of the Kii BXT subs I measured them and distortion was as you would expect way lower than the Kii Threes alone , you can switch the BXTs in and out from the Kii control so easy to compare, I played extremely loudly so loudly that he Kiis limited their output ( flashing led ) but honestly I couldn’t hear that distortion or lack of that distortion with the BXTs engaged.
Keith

 

[Penelinfi]

In my experience, below 32 Hz there is no musical signal anyway, so I would gladly make that trade off.

Don't trust me, test it yourselves: with a full range system, choose a bass heavy music, turn the volume up, and then set a low pass filter at 32 Hz and hear what is left.

I'd still be using subs for certain things. I listen to some songs that do have content down there that is good to feel/hear. Also given that the level of bass down there usually needs to be higher.

I would have liked to see multitone distortion vs other speakers especially a three way like kef to see how well it does.

 

[boXem]

I suspect you are correct but it is quite nice to have full level output at those low frequencies.
Audibility of THD is an interesting question, when we first took delivery of the Kii BXT subs I measured them and distortion was as you would expect way lower than the Kii Threes alone , you can switch the BXTs in and out from the Kii control so easy to compare, I played extremely loudly so loudly that he Kiis limited their output ( flashing led ) but honestly I couldn’t hear that distortion or lack of that distortion with the BXTs engaged.
Keith

That's interesting, I had the exact opposite experience. Switching off the DXT was associated to a degradation of everything in the medium area.

 

[Purité Audio]

That’s interesting I had the Kii/BXTs here ( we were the first retailer in the U.K. to stock them) for what three of four years and I conducted that comparison for myself and for customers many times.
Actual in room FR measurements between off and on are virtually identical except for around +3-4dB output in the lower bass .
Keith

 

[boXem]

That’s interesting I had the Kii/BXTs here ( we were the first retailer in the U.K. to stock them) for what three of four years and I conducted that comparison for myself and for customers many times.

In no way I was implying that you could be wrong. Just relating a different sighted experience .

Actual in room FR measurements between off and on are virtually identical except for around +3-4dB output in the lower bass .

Which perfectly makes sense. But differences in distortion won't be highlighted by such a measurement.