Legacy Audio makes some really big speakers and the Whisper XD is the biggest of them all. Prices range between $20-23k based on finish and options. The Focus SE (on the right, below) comes in around $10k.
I’ve been on the hunt for full range speakers for some time now (though I think I have that solved), and more than one editor of an esteemed audio magazine has assured me that the Whisper, especially the latest XD version, is the speaker to get.
I remain unconvinced, but that’s another story. For the Whisper demo I was able to catch the tail end of, I was surprised at how delicately such a massive speaker plays. Ultimately, however, I expected those giant drivers to be more authoritative, but given the demo room they were in (moveable air-wall!), my guess is that the demo crew decided to use the clever tuning/crossover gear that the Whisper comes with to better mate the speaker to the room. Which is a pity, because after escaping the Martin Logan room, I was kinda working up a tolerance for big bass.
Coda provided the amp/pre — I’ve never heard of them, nor heard them, before, but the look was very reminiscent of a Pass Labs/Parasound hybrid.
Ayon Audio’s CD07 was on deck for disk spinning.
Bill Dudleston was the one of the nicest people at Axpona (well there were a lot of nice people to include Joseph Audio, Scaena, Tidal Audio, Tyler Acoustics, and Maker Audio to name a few), but Bill was the nicest! He had an interview to go to, but seemed like he’d rather stay in the room with me and talk tech!!! The Whisper XD is now my dream speaker! It has dynamics that I have only seen equaled by horn speakers, and have the best pacing that I’ve ever heard…I mean best pacing at the show to me! Check out that Dynamic Drum track on his demo CD – that tells a lot! I even got a photo op with Bill – that was top notch!!!
Thanks for stopping by the Legacy Audio room. The three founding members of Coda were all at Threshold when Nelson Pass moved on, so your intuitive read on the cosmetics is a bulls-eye.
Right again on the DSP settings for Whisper – set lab flat. Their was another 12dB of bass headroom left untouched in the dual 500 watts amps per speaker but we elected to be kind to neighbors. -Bill Dudleston
LOL! Well, you were probably the only room that bothered to be kind. Beautiful speakers, Bill.
These speakers can rock if called upon.
Link me by email and I will tell you about a new 3 way heil from Precide…their first ever!