Testimonials

My dealer brought me a StudioPlayer to compare to the CH C1.2

While a $40,000 product can’t be called “cheap” this is truly a remarkable product and an incredible bargain for what you get relative to other comparable DACs at this price point. Before even getting into the sonic details, what you get is remarkable. Same guts as the big super expensive Wadax, some of the best (if not the best) constructed gear I have ever seen (incredibly good connectors for plugs/cables, big aluminum chassis, etc.), no add on boards (like the CH C1.2 an others) as well as a CD/SACD player. While I haven’t owned the “best” or “most expensive” of MSB, Wadax, etc. I have owned some very good units including the previously top of the line MSB Select.

This unit really is a bemouth. Packed perfectly in a hard travel case, no simple “industrial cardboard box” like my CH. It is heavy a 2-man job to get out of its case and onto the rack, at least at my age.

While the website talks about “streaming” with Tidal Connect, which I thought (other than the playing a CD/SACD) would be the only way I could listen until the unit became ROON capable, I am happy to say, JPlay worked without a hitch not just for all my files but Tidal and Qobuz as well. So, my big concern with not being Roon capable (as YET) really has no relevance as JPlay is an excellent (if not better) alternative.

First up was my old SACD Cat Stevens “Tea for the Tillerman”. First listen I knew this was special. Detail, depth, transparency, imaging and bass control were beyond anything I have ever experienced. Before Elliot from Bending Wave brought me the unit, I did some extensive listening the night before, with some of Chris’s selections from his playlist, a recent playlist released in a review of the DCS Varese as well as some of my old favorites. I had the area set up for comparison to do an A/B comparison after we had it all set up. With the unit still cold, literally just out of its travel case, during the first 20 seconds of SACD, I had a feeling the need for a comparison was NOT going to be necessary. To say I was stunned is an understatement. I didn’t want to be hasty in jumping to any conclusions (although difficult not to) as this was “physical media” which I haven’t listened to on the CH and questioning could that be why it was so good? We listened to most of the disc.

We decided to let it warm up, went to lunch and then started streaming after returning. Carefully listening to those tracks I listened the night before. One after enough I tried to remain stoic, just moving from one to another. After a couple of hours Elliot said, should we switch? To me the answer was very clear and with a loud shout as he was standing to make the switch I screamed NO, let’s keep listening. There really was NO need to compare. There was no comparison. The subtleties of the music, the depth of image and bass, clarity and effortless manner of reproduction of what I have listened to so many times was transformational. My system is pretty much dialed in, my sound room is a dedicated one, that has been carefully (but not overtreated) treated with some great electronics.

Needless to say, the CH is leaving with Elliot, the StudiopPlayer is here until my unit, which I happily purchased arrives.

This is not a good or great product but a remarkable product in all aspects, especially relative to the CH C1.2 at the same price point.

I will post some pictures and some more about my experience. When Elliot was telling me how good this unit was relative to the big WADAX which he has in his listening room, I of course was skeptical, however, I have known Elliot for years and his recommendations, setup capabilities and service I never question so when he recommends something I listen.

This is something special.

Now that my system is fully broken in, I have to say, this is the happiest I have ever been with a system. I’m glad I listened to and trusted you, both in the recommendation of the Riviera and trusting you with the final setup of my room.  Replacing the CH M10 and L10 with the Riviera has been not just an evolutionary step but, to me, a revolutionary one. While I like to subscribe to the De Niro philosophy in Heat, of “don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat” when it pertains to high end audio, I also prefer to listen to music rather than constantly looking for the “holy grail”.  My philosophy is one that even if I have spent a lot of dollars, if there is something more inviting and engaging and if I have the funds, I won’t deliberately cheerlead what I have for the sake of rationalizing. This is how I felt after listening to CH (back then M1.1 and L1) when compared to my then AR and how I currently feel about the Riviera compared to my recently departed M10 and L10. The Rivera has the most effortless and dynamic capabilities I have ever experienced in my system. I will leave the description of tonality, balance, imaging, transparency, timbre, and dynamics to those who do it for a living, as from my perch, it is about listening and enjoyment which have surpassed all expectations.  I really wasn’t expecting what you had promised and couldn’t be happier. 

I do plan to make comments on your room. I need to think and honestly find descriptions of what I heard. In short, your room needed many visits and time to absorb the information being provided. Of the many rooms I went to with my girl over 3 days there were a few we loved. By day 2 this dwindled to a handful. By end of day two it was three rooms. Day three it was two and yours was so far ahead of the second it’s embarrassing to say what room it was. What your room did is re construct how playback of music sounds to myself and my girl. I truly had tears in my eyes so emotional. My girl hit me on the back on two tracks you played. The flamenco track was beyond any sound reproduction I’ve ever heard period. My girl was a singer dancer and knows what real music is, she too was emotionally attacked too. Lastly anyone who intends to understand what a system like yours is. needs time to begin to re learn what is taking place there. It’s sad how many people play one track or just hear a track or two and validate any conclusions we both thank you for taking the time to play and comment on tracks It was not just fun but an enjoyable experience.

When Elliot offered me the possibility to upgrade the Aeon Fine to the Aeon Reference, I was hesitant at the beginning, as I was very happy with the sound I had, and I thought I would just get more, better-defined bass, which I was not missing at all. Anyhow, the conditions were good, and the timing convenient. Also, the current system and room acoustics were finely tuned, so I thought this is the right time to have the best sound I can, and I went for it.

Even though it was not planned that way, by good luck the Aeon References arrived in my home the same day the Aeon Fine left. So I had the privilege of a very fresh, almost immediate, memory of the sound of the Fine in my room for comparison with the References. As soon as they arrived, I quickly installed them in the same spot and left the system warming up for an evening listening session, as I was leaving the next day on a trip.

For initial listening, I picked up a record I heard the previous night with my daughter. Nothing audiophile type, just good well-recorded music (Simon & Garfunkel Live in Central Park reissue), and used the same arm/cartridge combination (Graham Phantom Elite 10”/Transfiguration Proteus Diamond). The previous night the sound was magical and my daughter and wife were amazed at what they were hearing. So not an easy challenge, especially when they started with the precondition that the big speakers were just an exaggeration of mine, as they could not sound any better. I kind of agreed with them and was secretly hoping that I did not make a mistake. I did not.

Contrary to my expectations, the bigger speakers were not about more bass. In fact, the difference in bass quantity was not big. Bigger differences could be appreciated in bass extension and definition. This was great but somehow expected. What really impressed me was the midrange, how with the additional definition in bass and the speaker configuration, the voices and sounds became completely detached of any physical constrain, no coloration, no dynamic constrain, perfect 3D sound materialized in thin air. It is not that the Aeon Fine were lacking in any of these aspects; in fact, they were the best I had heard anywhere in my life, but this is something else. The positioning, purity of voices, guitars, pianos etc, the retrieval of ambiance details, the perfect integration of sound from top to bottom, and the ability to convey all the dynamic nuances of every sound is amazing.

I was so sure of the improvement, that I invited my daughter to listen to them, and did not say what to listen for, just played the same record. The reaction was priceless, as she started to smile, then quietly laugh and started pointing in the air the location of each one of the sounds (as context, she has been listening to high-end systems all of her life, plays piano and is lovely but disarmingly straightforward in her opinions). Same reaction from my son, who kept me late that night playing record after record. The funny part is that during dinner, they asked me to explain how an almost similar product can produce such an exponential improvement, and I have to create all sorts of semi-crazy theories.

I wanted to share this with you, as my humble way to acknowledge the effort and level of perfection you have achieved with your products, and to encourage to keep doing what you are doing, as the results transcend the realm of electronics and sound reproduction and take you to a magical place were I only listen to music, detached from all physical limitations.

Best regards

Now that my new Goebel Aeon speakers have been dialed into my room, and the system has settled down, I am very glad to tell you that these speakers have exceeded all my expectations, by a lot. For the benefit of other readers here, my current system comprises a TW Acustic Black Knight table, two TW arms, Kuzma 4Point 9, Graham Elite, Transfiguration Proteus D, Ortofon Century MC, Lyra Atlas and Miyajima Madame Snakewood, SRA Base, CH P1, L1 and 2x M1 (bi-amping the speakers) on SRA rack and bases, all Goebel interconnects and now Goebel Aeon speakers. Room is a library that measures 29´x16´ with slanted wood ceiling that starts on the system end 9´and 27´on the other end, concrete walls with different finishes (wood, library, wallpaper), mostly reflective with beautiful acoustics. Previous speakers were Nola Baby Grand Gold 2 and Nola Grand Reference Gold 2. My first reaction when setting up the speakers was of a nice surprise, as I placed them near where I though should be, and they sounded great there, from there kept dialing in and they kept improving, but never sounding bad, simply getting better. I could have left them in the first spot and still would be the best speaker I ever heard, and from there went up a lot. The bass in this speakers is just amazing, deep, powerful, perfectly defined in every note, really fast and zero color or overhang. The resolution of the bending wave component is perfect, voices have no trace of box sound, impact, dynamics, image, are all there in full, very fast and with proper warmth. The only problem I can see with this speakers is not for me, but for you, as they can easily be my last speaker for a long while. They are that good.

Hi Raphael,

I had the upgrade done last Wednesday. Just got the new caps broken in late Saturday BUT went in for hip replacement surgery on Monday, so haven’t been listening since.

However, during my pre-op time with it here are my impressions.

1. First, AMAZING company and kudos to you guys for arranging this in the least intrusive manner possible at a cost that incredibly reasonable
2. Stirling was AMAZING. Not only was he incredibly efficient and helpful but unlike so many other people, he treated my equipment like I am sure he would his own. He took incredibly good care of my amp and was incredibly diligent in the upgrade. He followed up to make sure all was working properly, explained the break in of the new caps and listened to the system for awhile and was great to talk with.
3. This is NOT an upgrade. This is like getting a whole new amp. I loved the M1 but these new caps bring a new level to transparency, transients and especially the low end. Just a much more balanced sound than I thought was possible.

Can’t wait to get back to listening.

You guys have been awesome and in my opinion, this is how you build customer loyalty. I have talked to Elliot many times about how so many companies “churn” their customers and as a result, lose their customers. This is how you keep you customers loyal.

Great Job!!!

We couldn’t quite recall the exact date, but I first met Elliot Goldman at one of his earliest stores in South Florida and although he doesn’t remember the specifics, I sure did. It was one of those audiophile demos that you never forget, even if it was some 30 years ago. Elliot introduced himself, turned the lights down low, and cranked up Dead Can Dance on an all Spectral rig driving the big Genesis speakers. I never forgot it. Nor did I forget a most hospitable host who never tried to sell me a thing (as if I could afford it anyway.)

The Bending Wave Goebel speakers have attracted lots of attention, and although the “Grand Opening” for his new brick and mortar store Front Row Theater” is a week away, once again, a visit to the area prompted me to call Elliot to see if I might be able to visit to hear them. He graciously welcomed my visit.

There’s always so many things to assess when hearing a SOA system for the first time as you try to attribute what to what. Is it the room? The electronics? The cables? The gear? Etc. But one thing you can take to the bank, is that Elliot knows his sh** and knows how to set-up a good system. And with that, let me just say that I had a wonderful visit. Not only was it good because I got to hear a fabulous music system. But what is equally great in the world of an amateur traveling audiophile (although I am an amateur to Ked and wish I had his frequent flyer miles), is that it’s even better when you hear and learn about great music at the same time. Surprisingly, Elliot doesn’t consider himself an audiophile as much as he considers himself a music lover. His playlists are eclectic and decidedly “non-audiophile”, unless you want them to be. But when he is left to do the driving, just sit back and soak it up. It’s a genuine treat. I never would have guessed for example, that I’d be listening to some country singer from Houston whose lyrics are worth paying attention to hearing. As regular WBF readers know, Elliot has offered a limited version of his playlist to those who have asked him directly. Yet he says there’s still a few hundred songs or so that he hasn’t dropped into his yet!

So let’s get to it. How did the Bending wave speakers sound? Well, to begin, you can bet they didn’t sound too shabby since they were being driven by about 500K worth of CH Precision gear plus Goebel cabling. Seriously, if I had to limit my adjectives more discretely, the word I would use is “purity”. One might presume that would be the case since The Bending Wave driver is nearly a full range driver. In reality, it covers from 160Hz to the bat range of hearing, so one shouldn’t be surprised that a lack of crossovers for most of the range translates to a perceived “purity” of sound that does indeed set a very high audio bar for listening. There is also an array of 3 conventional drivers each above and below the Bending Wave driver for augmentation below 160Hz, but for the most part, it is the uniqueness of the Bending Wave that accounts for the majority of the range of sound one hears.

We spent a few hours listening to an all digital-sourced series of recordings and a recurring comment when listening to some oldies but goodies (60’s through 80’s analog recordings burned to digital) was just how good they are which for the most part, I had not previously appreciated. This is clearly direct testimony to the merits of the system Elliot put together for which the Bending Wave driver is a big part of its success.

Of interest, Elliot also had a pair of the Goebel Divin speakers in the room but they were not hooked up. Priced a bit higher to the Bending Wave, they do not use the Bending wave technology. I’ll let Elliot provide the rationale for the strategic decision that is the basis for Goebel’s unusual marketing decision if he wishes. But they are said to provide their own unique benefits for listening including more formidable deep bass and higher efficiency. I hope to be able to hear them on a future visit. No doubt the Bending Wave will be attracting a lot of well-deserved attention in the weeks and months ahead. You’ll also be able to hear them at AXPONA if you’re going.

Now I have the unenviable task of returning home and scurrying to find all the great tracks Elliot played for me today while trying to accept the limitations of a more conventional driver system that use well-designed crossovers (Wilson Alexandria S-2), but there-in lies the rub, There is little argument that for many things in audio such as capacitors, a similar mantra can also be said regarding crossovers that “the best sounding crossover is no crossover at all”. The Bending Wave driver is a formidable achievement that is certainly worth hearing. If indeed you hear them, I’m sure that like me, you will be thinking long and hard about what you heard for a long time after you leave Elliot’s shop.