Review of Rockport Altair speakers from TAS...

[cmalak]

This review appeared in Issue #214 but just got posted on-line. There is also a nice interview with Andy Payor, founder and designer of all Rockport sepakers: Rockport Technologies Altair Loudspeaker (TAS 214) | AVguide



View of Robert Harley's listening room from a top view:

[Face]

Great article, thanks!

[jazzhead]

Impressive review ..... has anybody had an opportunity to have a listen to these babies and evaluate them ... either at a dealers place or even better still at home.

[JSCC]

Dealers place, yes, with Jeff Rowland Amps. The local dealer, who handles MBL had them a year back. BIG speakers. BUT very nice sound. I was smitten with MBL then, so did not really look hard on them. Sorry, no home testing.

[cmalak]

Originally Posted by jazzhead

Impressive review ..... has anybody had an opportunity to have a listen to these babies and evaluate them ... either at a dealers place or even better still at home.

I have heard the Miras, the Ankaas, and the Altairs (have not heard Aquilas which sit between the Altairs and the Ankaas). My next hoped for speaker will be the Miras (the Altairs are way out of my reach). I think Rockport speakers are some of the best out there. They do all the "hifi" things very nicely but that is not why I like them. I lust after them because they do music like very few other speakers. The quality of their bass is unmatched in my opinion. They have deep, meaty, textured yet very articulate, musical and punchy bass. The midrange delivers vocal and musical timbres realistically and naturally and again presents images on a soundstage that have meat on the bones (they are not flat facsimiles of the real thing rather they have real body and texture). Highs are natural and extended but not in your face like so many other hifi speakers. They are also very dynamic speakers, imbuing music with the energy of the real thing.

If you have a chance to audition them, I would strongly recommend that you do so. Build quality is phenomenal and Andy Payor is great to talk to if you have questions about his products. He melds the rigor/discipline of an engineer with the sensibilities of a music lover. Great speakers. Great company.