Ivor Humphreys Hi-FiNews JANUARY 2005
.............'Polite'
is a word that too easily damns with faint praise, and in the first few moments
of listening to these speakers I did wonder if it was appropriate
in just that way. This is a sound not unlike that of the Quad ESL-63 - so clean
and seamless in the HF as to seem almost subdued, until you realise that what
is missing is the artificial edge imparted by so many conventional tweeters,
even today.
..........This aria for soprano, flute, lute, continuo and strings has all that
is required to worry a mid/HF driver but the AMT conveyed it with a seamless
grace, separating the bow on string noise from the notes themselves, responding
to the 'chuff' start of each note on the baroque flute, the finger-work on the
lute and to the fine, sibilant detail in the voice. There was nothing in this
presentation for the ear to query. It was convincing in every regard.
......Here
the Syrinx was conspicuously successful in its essentially 'tuneful' low frequencies,
Beethoven's crucial double-bass lines appropriately purposeful and natural sounding
at any pitch, and remarkably free of resonant boost.
.......Again the Syrinx gave an excellent account of itself, realising the full
compass and weight of the instrument, detailing Debussy's subtle tonal inflections
exquisitely, maintaining the delicate harmonic structure of sustained chords
as they fade towards silence, true to the bright top end of the Steinway and
entirely equal to the dynamic requirements and percussive nature of the louder
passagework. Few speakers, certainly of this modest size, do all this quite
so convincingly.
Rock and pop retains its propulsive attack, the sound being crisp and responsive.
The plethora of busy, studio-contrived positional detail with which somany of
the familiar hi-fi show demo favourites claim our attention, was always stable
and true.
The Syrinx is an extremely rewarding, essentially musical speaker......... Ivor
Humphreys Hi-FiNews JANUARY 2005
Supplier: Sugden 01924 404088 www.precide.ch
HI-FiNews verdict:
A loudspeaker with a capable, well-defined and exceptionally refined sound.
What's more, it's well made nicely presented and has a modestly-sized cabinet
Precide is distributed in the UK by Sugden.