Specs & Pricing

Eben X-3
Loudspeaker
mid-hall, yet there were even times when the
sound approximated what I hear while sitting
at the keyboard—talk about subtle details
coming through on recordings. To get an idea
of the Eben’s low-frequency extension, I used
a Jorge Bolet recording of Liszt’s Funérailles
[London], which repeatedly, and hauntingly,
hits the lowest “C” on a piano. After hearing
the note (with a fundamental frequency of
32.7Hz) on the Eben, I ran over to my Grotrian
Steinweg concert grand in the next room and
played the same low “C.” The overall sound
was remarkably similar—far closer than I
would have expected. Another surprise was
the clarity of fast octave-runs in the bass on
many of my favorite Chopin pieces, which on
most big speakers sound slow and muddy, but
not on the X-3. The bass matches the speed of
the treble which, in turn, matches the brilliance
of the top end of a Steinway. I found myself
devouring my classical and jazz collections of
piano recordings and appreciating the artistry
of some of favorite performers like Emil
Gilels and Bill Evans even more.
Voices were also riveting. The Eben
uncovered subtle cues, like the changes in a
singer’s breathing, moisture in the mouth, and
the launch of consonants, without artificial or
additive sibilance. Occasionally, an individual
note would have an added emphasis, suggesting
perhaps a slight cabinet resonance or room
interaction, but the image of the vocalist
was well focused and behaved, staying at or
behind the plane of the speaker rather than
being thrown forward into your lap as some
horn speakers do. If you hear any distortion,
it’s most likely your cartridge mistracking or
amplifier clipping, or tape-saturation on the
recording.
While I typically favor beauty over accuracy,
dipoles over direct radiators, and a mid-hall
versus front of the hall perspective, the Eben’s
uncanny ability to capture the dynamic realism
and hard transients of a live performance, as
well as its many other fine attributes, ultimately
won me over. This is a speaker that may very
well change your sonic priorities, too, and
it is equally at home with rock, bluegrass,
jazz, and classical. The Eben has a wide and
deep soundstage within the boundaries of
the speaker, sacrificing some of a dipole’s
air and expansiveness at the sides of the
stage for more imaging precision and
stability. Although it doesn’t plumb the
subterranean depths of a MIDI synth
or pipe organ, it is a relatively full-range,
reference-caliber transducer with a
sound that is compelling.
Part of the fun of being an
audiophile is discovering components like the
Eben X-3 that bring one closer to the recorded
performance, or better still, the concert
hall, jazz club, or rock venue. Indeed, the
Eben X-3 produces far more than its
fair share of breathtaking moments and
goosebumps. Like other components
of reference quality, it can dig out
seemingly hidden information in your
favorite recordings and make you feel
as if you are hearing them for the
very first time. While it may force
you to swap out components you
previously held in high regard,
its sonic payoff is substantial
and can move you closer to
the sound of the real thing.
Once you’ve experienced its
realism and immediacy, it’s
hard to accept anything
less. TAS
Specs & Pricing
DYANA AUDIO DISTRIBUTING/RAIDHO NORTH
AMERICA
46 Elaines Way
Eliot, Maine 03903
(207) 451-9369
dyanaaudio@comcast.net
eben.dk
Type: Three-way, floorstanding loudspeaker
Driver complement: One planar-magnetic
tweeter; one 6.1" midrange cone; and four 6.1"
woofers
Frequency response: 30Hz–50kHz
Sensitivity: 90dB
Impedance: 6 ohms
Dimensions: 7.1" x 53.15" x 13.8"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Price: $15,800 (standard grey metallic finish);
$17,500 in piano black and other custom finishes
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
VPI Aries/Graham/Koetsu, and Clearaudio
Ambient/Satisfy/Concerto analog systems; Musical
Fidelity Tri-Vista 21 DAC; Chapter Preface Plus
preamplifier and Couplet amplifier; MFA Venusian
preamp (Frankland modified); PrimaLuna
Prologue 6 amplifiers; Hyperion HPS-938 and
Quad ESL-57 (PK modified) loudspeakers; Nordost
Valhalla and Virtual Dynamics “David” cables
December 2006 The Absolute Sound 85