AVM & Gauder Akustik

"Gauder?" I pondered as I went into the room shared by German electronics manufacturer AVM and speaker manufacturer Gauder Akustik, "I know that name." And when I met speaker designer Roland Gauder, I remembered why the name was familiar. Roland Gauder was the designer of the Isophon Europa II loudspeaker that Larry Greenhill had favorably reviewed for Stereophile in April 2004.

Gauder explained that while he had designed and manufactured the speakers sold under the Isophon brand, he was now selling the speakers under his own name. We listened to the black-finished three-way Gauder Berlina 7 speakers ($29,000/pair) and though the room was too large, too reverberant, it was obvious that these speakers showed great promise on Chris Jones' "No Sanctuary Here" from the album Roadhouses & Automobiles. The white speakers in my photo are the Arcona 100 ($7900/pair).

The Gauder speakers were being driven by AVM's new MA8.2 monoblocks ($24,760/pair), which each weigh 42kg (92 lbs) and have increased output-stage bias current compared to the earlier MA8. Preamp was AVM's PA8 ($11,200) and source was the CD8T CD player. This is available with a tube in the output stage ahead of the solid-state line drivers for $12,900 or without the tube for $9750. The tube is a dual-triode similar to an ECC83, but exclusive to AVM.

Source : stereophile[dot]com