{"id":1238,"date":"2009-02-03T13:14:49","date_gmt":"2009-02-03T18:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.soundadviceblog.com\/?p=1238"},"modified":"2009-02-14T01:58:05","modified_gmt":"2009-02-14T06:58:05","slug":"ces-2009-21000pair-german-physiks-unicorn-speaker-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.soundadviceblog.com\/?p=1238","title":{"rendered":"CES 2009: $21,000\/pair German Physiks Unicorn Speaker System"},"content":{"rendered":"

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German Physiks Unicorn Speaker System<\/strong><\/p>\n


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\nGerman Physiks makes speakers that\u00a0range from $21,000 to over $200,000 per pair. \u00a0They use a driver they call the\u00a0“DDD” for “Dicks Dipole Driver” which\u00a0is a pure Walsh cone made of carbon fiber.\u00a0 \u00a0You can read about Walsh speakers and their original developer,\u00a0Ohm Acoustics\u00a0<\/a>at my page Ohm Walsh speakers: unique technology, stunning performance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I’ve used Ohm Walsh speakers since I was in college (still have my original pair, as well as a pair each\u00a0of Ohm As and Ohm Fs, and several samples of the modern designs) so I was obviously anxious to see how a cost-no-object speaker built with refined Walsh technology would perform.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Close-up of DDD (Walsh) Driver<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a longtime proponent and user of Walsh speaker technology, I was very disappointed when I heard these speakers.\u00a0 While they sounded good and were very transparent, they did not sound as good as Ohm models selling for a tiny fraction of the Unicorn’s $21,000 asking price.\u00a0\u00a0At $21,000 any speaker should blow you away, and these merely sounded good.\u00a0 Based on prior listening experience I’d say the Ohm MicroWalsh Tall speakers selling for around $1,000 provided comparable sound quality to the Unicorn, and the $3,000 Walsh 200 Mk. 2 I tested recently (review coming soon) completely dominate them in every respect- detail, bass response, richness, sweeteness, and that elusive character that allows the music\u00a0to absorb you and sweep you away\u00a0.\u00a0 The $3,000 Definitive Technology Mythos STS SuperTowers I heard later that same day also provided sound\u00a0far superior to the Unicorn.<\/p>\n

I am sure many others in the industry will look at the price tag, look at the workmanship and fawn all over them, but I am less than impressed.\u00a0 For my $21,000 I will take a pair of STS SuperTowers or Walsh 200 Mk. 2s with\u00a0corresponding surround speakers, an Anthem front projection system,\u00a0and Anthem electronics to work it all- and I’d probably still have some change left!<\/p>\n