I made a mistake with the drum test track. This is the correct one. www.discogs.com/Various-Usher-The-Diamond-Revolution-/release/7085659 The video was really long already so there are many things I did not touch on. For example, the singer mouth position is actually a bit higher than what I am used to comparing to other speakers. One day, I hope to film their studio and check out their other speakers. They do have dealers worldwide, reach out to them if you would like more info.
I also came across tracks (ie Speak Softly, Love) which the mouth position is slightly higher or off center. I wonder if that was how it was mixed. But it seems to change with the distance/height i sit from the speakers, or the speakers placement itself.
Thomas & Stereo I really like higher mouth position, I listened the Gauder Acoutics lately and they immerse the vocal bit higher from what I use to and it sounds more realistic to me. Very enjoyable.
Thank you, Thomas, for such a great, informative, and insightful review. Your explanation and description of the 3D imaging and the air around instrument was the best and most innovative description I have ever heard not to mention fun. Great job! Ofra Gershman
@@ThomasAndStereo the video is not . it still , you still haven't used a Laserdisc of return of the jedi to test these loudspeakers with the rancor scene .
I have been looking to purchase outstanding speakers that will just blow my mind and draw me in for a few years now . Following your review, I auditioned the Grand Avant-Garde intensively, twice (looking into every aspect of the sound, imaging bass etc). It blew my mind!!! I must say that the Grand Avant Grades are outstanding at 15k and even 5 times the price. I definitely intend to purchase a pair. Thanks Thomas, you were right on every aspect of your review. I love your reviews very informative and friendly, keep them coming.
That is so nice of you to take the time to let me know and really glad you are able to hear the speaker in all its glory. One of the thing I noticed with the speaker is you need good electronics to drive it, especially if you want to hear all the nuances in the bass. Thanks again and this made my day.
Thomas, you are one of my favorite reviewers because you qualify and explain your opinions so people can have an idea where any product lies in the mass of equipment available today. I always get something from each of your posts that really helps me see if that product is something I would want or try. Thanks for the great information.
Just a terrific review with fine description of sound elements others would miss or not put over in such fine detail.Especially in the difference in bass accuracy vs quantity and force.A pitch perfect review
These have always been my favourite since I first heard an earlier version at an audio show and also at a Toronto dealer with Pass Labs equipment. I really enjoyed the soundstage demonstration with your band. They are awesome. 😁
VERY descriptive, Thomas! I really could "feel ya'" as you talked about the speaker's performance. You're getting better everyday my man. The honesty is "palpable." All the best.
It's obvious you truly enjoy what you're doing...which = sincerity = honest expression. And THAT is appreciated. Especially since there's so much phony crap everywhere.
Thomas your pure expression easily understood, great job. That Is enough for buyer decision. Manufacture used own live recording as their reference is honourable. .
just subscribed from watching an older video and then proceeded to watch the rest and work my way up to the newer material. I have to say your videos were good before, but you really raised things up a notch! Good work and love your reviews.
@@ThomasAndStereo To be honest i do not know the omnidirectional speakers you have. It is safe to assume that even if the principle is the same not all omnis are made equal. I only have experience with Duevel.
I neglected to thank you Thomas for your review on the GAG's. After watching your video, I started looking and luckily found a mint pair of Grand Avant Garde's. They are exactly as you described them and are by far the best speakers I have ever heard (In my room) :). Thank you!
Excellent review, Thomas! Really like the way you isolated to 3 essential strengths of these speakers. The Grande Avant Gardes could be the endgame speaker for many folks...that 12 second test track is amazing...you know, if you sold off some of your speakers, you could probably buy these new...LOL!
Yeah that is a great test track. Problem is a lot of speakers have a hard time passing it and in real life, I do t know how many people listen to music that requires that kind of speed.
I really have to audition a pair of Gershman speakers one day. I always hear about them but have never seen them anywhere, and I live in Toronto! Great review as usual.
Hi Thomas! I really enjoyed this episode. You ARE my favorite HiFi-ology professor! That Is one elegant looking pair of speakers. The finish work is gorgeous. I really like what you said about having no ear fatigue listening to these. That is one of the main things that I love about the speakers that I am currently using. Using the Pikachu band to illustrate 3D holographic sound was awesome. I really the Ofra Gershman part at the end of the video. I found it both informative, and entertaining. Cool to see, and hear from a face from behind the brand. Have a great day man!
Thomas, these do sound amazing in your room just from that small clip. I can’t imagine being there in person. I was lucky enough to hear these and a few other Gershman models in person at a few audio shows. I noticed you always go through the trouble of making disclaimers about some of your opinions and asking people to be kind with their comments. It’s unfortunate that you always have to do so because people just can’t respect someone else’s opinions. Keep up the good work.😊
Greetings from HK. The way you described soundstage with Pokemon (3D) vs manga-zine (2D-ish) with a fluffy-thingy dancing through the 'air' is too funny and must be a 'first' in audio review.......
Thomas, this was an amazing review. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into not only reviewing these large speakers but also the unique way in which you describe what you hear which I can totally relate to. One day I might be able to afford these speakers, thinking about selling my Ohm Walsh, Tekton Double Impact and Kef LS50w (and maybe a motorcycle) to get one of these 😁. BTW I like your home band 👊🏻
What a great video Thomas! I really enjoyed your description of sound stage and imaging and the explanation at the end about the bass trap was fascinating. You make a really good point here too, perhaps better than most reviewers, in that the room plays such an important part of the system, it cannot be discounted. It is frustrating to read comments from audiophiles with far better access to nice equipment than I do, arguing that one fancy speaker is better than another without any consideration to the space in which the speakers will be used and in which they need to create this holographic sound stage we crave. A great engineer once said,”You cannot change the laws of physics “ and he was absolutely right! Thanks again for the food for thought, great review.
Wow, one of the best reviews I've seen, period. Excellent work Thomas, you've grown so much as a reviewer and I appreciate your views on all things audio. Together with Sean at Zero Fidelity, you guys are the go to for truly understanding gear and what you get, when you buy into a product. Truly exemplary. *Room not included*😉
I've been in this hobby for about 40 years, and I can tell you this much: If I had the scratch ($), these would be my go-to choice of speakers. The way you describe them is spot-on. Aside from their fantastic sonics, I LOVE the fact that they are forgiving (which you don't get too often in high-end audio these days, imo). To anyone in the GTA who might be interested in them, just fyi - they're available at Toronto Home of Audiophile on Steeles.
Thomas appear's to be having loads of fun, playing with his lil stuffed toys! Scurrying between & around 'da band! Lol!! The speakers ARE very good sounding, admittedly! Soldier on, brother!!
Ah Thomas I just about died laughing seing you play with the pokies keep up the great work that you do I just luv watching your vid's very informative.
Every time I've had the pleasure of hearing Gershman's, I've liked it. At audio shows, you're inundated by products. Room after room you dodge in and dodge out. It takes something special to stand out and be memorable. I can count on one hand gear at each show that stuck with me. When I first heard the Focal Uptopia back in the mid 90's, that was one that stuck with me. People were going ga-ga over the Wilsons. Meh. Gershman is another. Interestingly, Focal and Gershman have similar goals, but each find an organic sound in very different ways. I'll stick with my Focal Kanta's for now. I did just blow my wad on a new Lexus - kind of a roundabout way to get a Mark Levinson sound system, but you gotta do what you gotta do! 😄
Great video as always. 5:53 Looks like our Can.Gov. meeting where they decided the Blue Jays/The Elite can play again. Cough,cough, yep seems fair to me.
I bought a used Nexus and then I could afford a pair of ( used) Focal's Electra 1028 Be 2. I'm very happy with both ! And Thomas: they don't sound harsh at all with silver ( Silech) cables !
@@wa2368 You know anything about petrol prices over here in Holland ?? Not to mention the environmental issues. Oh, I forgot: you don't have them in the US :-(( Corvette...no way!
Mmmm, Gershman.... I’ve always found their speakers to be so beautiful, and I’d love to actually hear a pair. Love your band made up of books and stuffed animals. That was a great comparison between the two. “It’s a different solution for a different crowd”. - Very well said, but so true, Thomas! I love Gershman’s method of testing their speakers too. Absolutely excellent review, man. Thanks, Thomas!
Somehow missed this one, you are the best in describing high end sound differences. I feel like I’m in hifi university watching you, getting schooled. Haha Thanks Thomas
Hi Thomas, nice video. Still has not driven me away from my beloved Kanta 2's. They given me exactly that 3D voice feel of Anita Baker singing to me in my living room or the detailed instrument rips of SRV playing Tin Pan Alley and the drum play in the opposite corner. Btw don't forget to your daughter back her band mates, lol. Take care.
I love this guy. I mean come on ... a Pokémon band to demo a 3D soundstage? Made my day. BTW I owned an older version of the Gershman Avant Garde speakers for 12 years. Nothing could touch them.
Hi Thomas,i’m a big fan of your reviewing. honest and professional. thats very rare those days. i own a copland cta 408 (tube amp- 75 wpc) do you think it can match those Gershman avangarde? thank you for your respond Ran
Stop apologizing for the price of the components. High end audio is expensive. There are already too many people reviewing the same entry-level gear. I come to you for the good stuff, not junk I can afford.
Not really, People just pay ridiculous prices to say " I own this" im also guilty owing B&W 802D and McIntosh amps. However now that I DIY, my $1,000 DIY speakers sound just as good as my B&W 802D in a blind test. Amps are DIY with Pascal and Ncore. Cant tell them from MC501 monoblocks. Just depends how you spend your time and money
@@longdoo1 so far I only built solid stage amps using Hypex, Ncore, Pascal. I would like to try a tube amp but lacking some experience. Class D solid state are really easy. I did build one with toroidal power supply but honestly the Pascal and Ncore sound better.
@@bionicbob1285 I agree with you! The industry is ridiculous, it seems you have to have at least 15k speakers to even qualify for the club. Meanwhile you hear hyperbolic reviews about a speaker with 6in woofer in 1cuft cabinet having deep powerful base which is a physical impossibility.
really not exactly the same but I often have wondered why why many vintage receivers, when in full on FM stereo mode & "locked in", create a 3d sound stage with all different kinds of speakers. This phenomenon has always blown me away.
Thomas I have just started to watching your videos. Your amazing man.you r true audiophiles and very nice person. I love your videos and your simple style.PLZ MAKE A COMPARISON VIDEO BETWEEN B&W FORMATION DUO, ELAC NAVIS AND KEF LS50 WIRELESS IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THEM WHO R LOOKING TO BUY WIRELESS HIFI SPEAKERS LIKE ME. I am asking you to make this video because I only trust you amongst all the youtubers .LOVE FROM INDIA THOMAS. GOD BLESS YOU
Dam you can learn alot from this guy Thanks Thomas ! That room is amazing !i heard echos from the finger snaps ! Ohh reverb my bad audiophile terminology is killing me softly , Me learning 😆
Dear Thomas, have you thought that the two speakers that you have liked the most so far (PMC DB1 and the Gershman) have the same tweeter? It is not a mere coincidence. It is a very neutral and natural tweeter, which after seeing several of your videos, seems to be a feature that you really appreciate. You make very good reviews. Kind regards from Argentina.
Really glad to hear you mention the speaker size in relation to the room Thomas. Could you remind me of your room dimensions? If I recall correctly it's relatively long and skinny, is that right?
@@ThomasAndStereo Perfect, that's helpful for reference. I'm about to move to a new home with a 13x15 room. You've got a little more space, but it's always helpful to know if it overloads your room, it would almost certainly overload mine.
This has to be one of the best YT reviews of speakers I have seen. Ever. Congrats! The drum test track was it a recording of Avantgarde playing or a clip from the CD?
Thomas & Stereo I can’t really hear much with airpod pro but through my stereo speakers, I hear a lot of information and nuances in the bass. Great test track.
Well, the recording at the end. It is the first time I can hear the voice higher up compared to the finger clapping! They feel at a different height, in a different plane on the IEMs. Very interesting! Now, also, the voice... man she sounds sweet singing here compared to other videos. Bass wise, min 20:14-16. The underlying bass, what the hell is that bass!? It comes before everything engages, like a preparation for what is coming. I can hear the rumble below the rest of the music creeping up. What a bass!... what do you use to record the clips if you don't mind? I understand that the 3D soundstage was astonishing, which helps to believe there are bodies and a puffy band in the room, that's quite something. I have a bit of that, and it's great. Yet, was it believable? Tone-wise. I explain, sometimes the ultimate detail, by example, is great but tone-wise it detaches me from believing what I hear. Wood sounds way sharper than what wood would be, by example, because the wood has this soft sound to it when two pieces of wood find each other. And it changes related to how porous the wood is, sure. But, that's precisely why. I find very interesting their way to voice speakers based on direct experience. I will be moving to Ottawa next year so I have to be mindful of my expenditure this year. But once I am settled, I will be definitely auditioning these too. I will be taking a debit for my last speakers, they need to sit between 10 and 20K Canadian. Very interesting speakers! Thank you for your time Thomas.
O God, ugly hideous looking. Triangle looking instead off straight. I'd prefer a 140cm tall and 44cm Deeeeep cabinets with straight oblong plain simple with sharp edges.
Thomas ....Thanks for the reviews Brother ... Have you ever heard of Plinius a New Zealand amp ... If you get a chance try the RA 150 or the RA 300 ... Awesome amps that will blow ya mind and are unrivalled for the Money .... Kind regards
Thomas ... That's a nice integrated amp ... The RA150 and RA300 are power amps .. Have a look at Plinius New Zealand web page for there range of Components ... Kind regards Brother 😉
Thomas, great videos, really enjoy your channel and approach to presenting and reviewing products. I'm leaning towards these GAGs in what I hope will be my last speaker purchase. I budgeted up to $20k, and these check off the price box as well as some of the important characteristics I'm looking for (musicality, bass, nice top end, imaging). I want to pair an amp that will bring out the best in these...would you recommend the Bel Canto monos, Hegel, Bryston, Pass Labs? At 89db and 6ohm, want to make sure they get some power. Currently have a tube preamp (Rogue RP7), but open to a system pairing that works best. I have an opportunity to listen to these at someone's home in the US, and he has them paired with a powerful PS Audio amp (another option). I'd love to know your thoughts on what paired well. Thanks and keep the videos coming!
I would say reach out to them as they have more experience. For me, the more power the better. Of course, you want quality watt. I never got a chance to really try other amps with it as I was using the Lumin amp with it most of the time.
@@ThomasAndStereo ok, thanks Thomas. I found an article that talked about pairing with 200 watt amp, really made them sing. Ofra has already helped me arrange a demo, very helpful. And keep up the good work, really enjoy your videos.
nice review but i expected it, these are the same qualities i hear even though mines are early versions. i've never seen a negative review on gershman speakers. i'm interested in hearing a review on the flagship 130k posh model.
Great review Thomas !, and rushed to buy a pair :). if you had to chose one between Mcintosh MA 7200 (#1), Krell 300 i, Moon and Hegel H190/390/590, (other). What would have been been your choice , value for money? (my room is 3.5x3.5x2.7 m. sometime I would like to take it to the living room 7x7x4 m). assuming I have no other gear with me at all and at least streaming is a must ?
I have never listened to anyone of those so your guess is just as good as mine. I will chose Mcintosh simply because the resell value is the best and also, it will sound ok. Maybe not the best but good enough.
@@molchomusic well they all seems to check the box for good matching except the Moon and Hegel 190. I say this because Moon is too neutral for me, H190 not powerful enough. You need a lot of watts to get the very best from these speakers. Remember, these speakers don't have a midbass bump so when you pair it with something that is too neutral, it might end up sounding thin.
Hey Thomas, you are right, you can have the best speaker in the world at home, but if your space is too small or too big for the room, everything will be lost. Grtz Phil
Great review. I have Gershman Avant Garde. I have tried it with my Plinius SA 102, Audio Research 150m.2 and Nakamichi Stasis PA5 amps. I also have Plinius M16 and PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium preamps. It works best with Plinius SA 102 and PrimaLuna. I guess my Gershman would sound better with even higher caliber amp, but I wonder how much better then Plinius SA 102. For many other speakers I had, I normally do not go over 12 o'clock volume level, but for Gershman, I set 1 ~ 2 o'clock level. Yes, I listen to music loud. Even more powerful amp (200+ Watts) might perform better. Not cheap class D amps, but high quality class A or class AB amps.
These speakers scale really well with better equipment. It was supposed a talking point which I omitted due to time. You do need a lot of power with these speakers.
@@ofragershman9390 thanks Ofra! i hear there's a center channel in the works (Grand studio Center?).. also i'm a bit worried/concerned that these speakers would require super high end amps like lumins..i was considering 400-500Wpc Class D amps great review @thomas you've put a monkey in the wrench for this 20 year B&W lover...
Hi Thomas, can you say a few words about the sound of those Compound 4 ? How do they compare with the Gershman in terms of bass and, other highlighted speakers that you have owned ? Thanks for helping us in audioworld !
Hi Thomas, thank you for a very interesting video. I couldn’t help noticing that the speakers are resting in small chips ( I’m using the same with my Fact12s) but interestingly there is an added interface between chip/ floor, which looks like a white cloth material. Please could you expand on this? All the best Peter
Thank you Thomas for the excellent review of the Avant Garde. They are superb speakers. I own a pair but the imaging from mine does not seem as amazing as you describe. I was wondering if you could suggest some reasons why that is. My system consists of a Bryston integrated amp (B100SST), rated at 117w/c, the Bryston BDP-2 digital player and an Oracle Delphi III turntable with an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge. The room is a combination family room and kitchen approx. 15ft wide by 22ft long. The speakers are 4.5ft from the 15ft back wall. I know a lot of other factors could affect the overall sound but given this info, could you suggest upgrades or tweeks that could improve the imaging. Pierre
Do you have the latest Grand avant-garde version? I am thinking about your case and there are 2 possibilities. First, you have to keep in mind at the time, I was driving it with close to $30k of electronics. Innuos music server + Exasound E28 + Audio Research + Lumin power amp + $$ cables. The key for me was finding the amp with another power to drive it properly. The avant-garde is really hard to drive. Second, maybe your triangle distance is not optimal? The fact you can pull them out 4.5ft is very good. Have you experimented with the distance between the speakers as well as where you are sitting?
Great suggestions by Thomas.You can also contact us at Gershman Acoustics, we can give some tips and suggestions These speakers can reproduce an unbelievable 3D imaging, it's just a matter of set-up.
Really liked your band. Would love to see them live 😅. With what kind of genre do these speakers excel, or are these good with all types of music? Your music clip (crystal eyes) is more a Pop song, while I would think these are better with classical, jazz.
I like instruments with these speakers because I like picking out the instruments in the sound stage. I dont' remember listening to a specific genre where I go like nah.
Maybe a more direct way to ask...what did you pair the GAGs with...your warm components or cool components? The moon, classe, cayin? The Schiit or Modwright preamp? Again, thanks for the great content! Just watched the Lumin review, but can’t buy both GAGs and Lumin!
I did try it with Moon and classe. It was ok but once I put the Lumin in, the bass detail went up. I did use the Modwright preamp but now wished I had the audio research LS25 with it. For me, it has to be something that control the bass well. It does feel like a speaker that needs good watts.
Thanks. I took your advice and called Ofra, she was so helpful and a delight to speak with. And we agreed if I’m making the investment to buy the speakers, don’t skimp on the amp. Make an investment on amp that can power them to their full potential, which will help when I want to play them loud. Keep up the great work Thomas, and thanks for the info.
I made a mistake with the drum test track. This is the correct one.
www.discogs.com/Various-Usher-The-Diamond-Revolution-/release/7085659
The video was really long already so there are many things I did not touch on. For example, the singer mouth position is actually a bit higher than what I am used to comparing to other speakers. One day, I hope to film their studio and check out their other speakers. They do have dealers worldwide, reach out to them if you would like more info.
I also came across tracks (ie Speak Softly, Love) which the mouth position is slightly higher or off center. I wonder if that was how it was mixed. But it seems to change with the distance/height i sit from the speakers, or the speakers placement itself.
Thomas & Stereo I really like higher mouth position, I listened the Gauder Acoutics lately and they immerse the vocal bit higher from what I use to and it sounds more realistic to me. Very enjoyable.
Thank you, Thomas, for such a great, informative, and insightful review. Your explanation and description of the 3D imaging and the air around instrument was the best and most innovative description I have ever heard not to mention fun. Great job!
Ofra Gershman
Thanks Ofra for giving me the chance to review these.
@@ThomasAndStereo the video is not . it still , you still haven't used a Laserdisc of return of the jedi to test these loudspeakers with the rancor scene .
Hmm, sad to see you guys don't have a distributor in Norway. Seems like the perfect speaker for me and for a lot of rooms.
@@puttyputty123 just email them
I have been looking to purchase outstanding speakers that will just blow my mind and draw me in for a few years now . Following your review, I auditioned the Grand Avant-Garde intensively, twice (looking into every aspect of the sound, imaging bass etc). It blew my mind!!! I must say that the Grand Avant Grades are outstanding at 15k and even 5 times the price. I definitely intend to purchase a pair. Thanks Thomas, you were right on every aspect of your review.
I love your reviews very informative and friendly, keep them coming.
That is so nice of you to take the time to let me know and really glad you are able to hear the speaker in all its glory. One of the thing I noticed with the speaker is you need good electronics to drive it, especially if you want to hear all the nuances in the bass. Thanks again and this made my day.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks again, I will definitely pair it with a good Amp
Thomas, you are one of my favorite reviewers because you qualify and explain your opinions so people can have an idea where any product lies in the mass of equipment available today. I always get something from each of your posts that really helps me see if that product is something I would want or try. Thanks for the great information.
I appreciate it
i like gershmanacoustics, one of the few people in speaker design i respect.
You have out done yourself! This video was informative and fun!
i Agree, very informative delightful and fun
These are, without a doubt, my favorite speakers at any price point.
I'm with you
Great Review! I’d love to hear these! From your description they seem awesome and all in a smaller package. Thank you Thomas!
Just a terrific review with fine description of sound elements others would miss or not put over in such fine detail.Especially in the difference in bass accuracy vs quantity and force.A pitch perfect review
Thanks Charles. Many times I would read a review and just miss the key points. For that reason, I took time to highlight a few key points.
And another very informative and meaningful review, great job Thomas
These have always been my favourite since I first heard an earlier version at an audio show and also at a Toronto dealer with Pass Labs equipment. I really enjoyed the soundstage demonstration with your band. They are awesome. 😁
Cool band you have over there lol.
The books analogy is awesome!.
Thomas, almost every time i listen to one of your reviews, i learn something new. Thanks for the hi-fi education.
Glad to hear it!
VERY descriptive, Thomas! I really could "feel ya'" as you talked about the speaker's performance. You're getting better everyday my man. The honesty is "palpable." All the best.
I appreciate that!
It's obvious you truly enjoy what you're doing...which = sincerity = honest expression. And THAT is appreciated. Especially since there's so much phony crap everywhere.
What a cool review!! Knocked it out of the park.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Dangerous...once you hear details in the lower registers it's hard to un-hear it. Another great review and presentation - thanks Thomas!
Thanks for watching!
Love the sound of the piano in the Gershman clip. Would love to own those speakers.
Thomas your pure expression easily understood, great job. That Is enough for buyer decision. Manufacture used own live recording as their reference is honourable. .
Awesoms Insight and video!!! Thank you Thomas!!!
just subscribed from watching an older video and then proceeded to watch the rest and work my way up to the newer material. I have to say your videos were good before, but you really raised things up a notch! Good work and love your reviews.
Awesome, thank you!
Excellent Thomas. Next level video. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Serious speaker builders
Thanks Thomas. Very nice video. 😊
Glad you enjoyed it
Thanks Thomas! Just want to say im new to your chanel and have been enjoying your knowledge and passion for music and audio!
Glad you find it entertaining.
Great review and very fun to watch. The way you describe the sound-stage, walk around the musicians, is exactly how omnidirectional speakers do it.
I need to figure out how to get my omni speaker to sound like that. Maybe the fact that I have too much treatement in my room is working against it.
@@ThomasAndStereo To be honest i do not know the omnidirectional speakers you have. It is safe to assume that even if the principle is the same not all omnis are made equal. I only have experience with Duevel.
Good use of visual explanation for describing an auditory experience!
Thank you!
Watching the video a 2nd time...so much great information!!! Thank You!!!
Glad you Really enjoyed it.
I neglected to thank you Thomas for your review on the GAG's. After watching your video, I started looking and luckily found a mint pair of Grand Avant Garde's. They are exactly as you described them and are by far the best speakers I have ever heard (In my room) :). Thank you!
Wow! Thanks for letting me know and glad you are enjoying them.
Holy moly. You own all those stuff? Amazing!
Excellent review, Thomas! Really like the way you isolated to 3 essential strengths of these speakers. The Grande Avant Gardes could be the endgame speaker for many folks...that 12 second test track is amazing...you know, if you sold off some of your speakers, you could probably buy these new...LOL!
Yeah that is a great test track. Problem is a lot of speakers have a hard time passing it and in real life, I do t know how many people listen to music that requires that kind of speed.
They make really good products,
I really have to audition a pair of Gershman speakers one day. I always hear about them but have never seen them anywhere, and I live in Toronto!
Great review as usual.
You know their studio is at Toronto!
@@ThomasAndStereo I know... just have to get my butt in gear, I always hear such wonderful things about them.
Hi Thomas! I really enjoyed this episode. You ARE my favorite HiFi-ology professor! That Is one elegant looking pair of speakers. The finish work is gorgeous. I really like what you said about having no ear fatigue listening to these. That is one of the main things that I love about the speakers that I am currently using. Using the Pikachu band to illustrate 3D holographic sound was awesome. I really the Ofra Gershman part at the end of the video. I found it both informative, and entertaining. Cool to see, and hear from a face from behind the brand. Have a great day man!
Thanks, I am sure Ofra will appreciate it and thanks for dropping by.
Thomas, these do sound amazing in your room just from that small clip. I can’t imagine being there in person. I was lucky enough to hear these and a few other Gershman models in person at a few audio shows. I noticed you always go through the trouble of making disclaimers about some of your opinions and asking people to be kind with their comments. It’s unfortunate that you always have to do so because people just can’t respect someone else’s opinions. Keep up the good work.😊
Yeah and I appreciate people take my ask seriously.
Using a real piano and recording of it to test! I buy that idea!
Eventually you will realize it’s extremely difficult to record a piano!
They have nice room, tall ceiling with diffusers
Greetings from HK. The way you described soundstage with Pokemon (3D) vs manga-zine (2D-ish) with a fluffy-thingy dancing through the 'air' is too funny and must be a 'first' in audio review.......
Thomas, this was an amazing review. Thank you for all the time and effort you put into not only reviewing these large speakers but also the unique way in which you describe what you hear which I can totally relate to. One day I might be able to afford these speakers, thinking about selling my Ohm Walsh, Tekton Double Impact and Kef LS50w (and maybe a motorcycle) to get one of these 😁. BTW I like your home band 👊🏻
Glad you like the review! Tekton DI? Really nice speakers.
Awesome video, love the explanation and use of tiny helpers! :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a lovely band.
As usually, great job! Congrats and thank you for such a great and informative post! 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done Thomas, like your review it’s original and instructive. Thanks! To bad that we can’t listen theses speakers in the Montreal area. :(
Maybe the next audio show but just not the same at an audio show.
The band bit - absolute genius! Love it :-)
Thanks for reviewing the Gershman Grande Avant Garde. They are definitely amazing speakers~
What a great video Thomas! I really enjoyed your description of sound stage and imaging and the explanation at the end about the bass trap was fascinating. You make a really good point here too, perhaps better than most reviewers, in that the room plays such an important part of the system, it cannot be discounted. It is frustrating to read comments from audiophiles with far better access to nice equipment than I do, arguing that one fancy speaker is better than another without any consideration to the space in which the speakers will be used and in which they need to create this holographic sound stage we crave. A great engineer once said,”You cannot change the laws of physics “ and he was absolutely right! Thanks again for the food for thought, great review.
Wow, one of the best reviews I've seen, period. Excellent work Thomas, you've grown so much as a reviewer and I appreciate your views on all things audio.
Together with Sean at Zero Fidelity, you guys are the go to for truly understanding gear and what you get, when you buy into a product. Truly exemplary.
*Room not included*😉
Thanks Mark.
I Agree, Outstanding!
I've been in this hobby for about 40 years, and I can tell you this much: If I had the scratch ($), these would be my go-to choice of speakers. The way you describe them is spot-on. Aside from their fantastic sonics, I LOVE the fact that they are forgiving (which you don't get too often in high-end audio these days, imo).
To anyone in the GTA who might be interested in them, just fyi - they're available at Toronto Home of Audiophile on Steeles.
Mate, very good review!
Thomas appear's to be having loads of fun, playing with his lil stuffed toys! Scurrying between & around 'da band! Lol!! The speakers ARE very good sounding, admittedly! Soldier on, brother!!
Thumbs up for the band!
Great
Thank you Thomas very informative video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Grand Studio model powered by Krell 300 integrated caught my interest at the Toronto Audiofest. I'd love to have a listen to these.
Ah Thomas I just about died laughing seing you play with the pokies keep up the great work that you do I just luv watching your vid's very informative.
Hehe, I thnk the Pokies are the star of this video!
Every time I've had the pleasure of hearing Gershman's, I've liked it. At audio shows, you're inundated by products. Room after room you dodge in and dodge out. It takes something special to stand out and be memorable. I can count on one hand gear at each show that stuck with me. When I first heard the Focal Uptopia back in the mid 90's, that was one that stuck with me. People were going ga-ga over the Wilsons. Meh. Gershman is another. Interestingly, Focal and Gershman have similar goals, but each find an organic sound in very different ways. I'll stick with my Focal Kanta's for now. I did just blow my wad on a new Lexus - kind of a roundabout way to get a Mark Levinson sound system, but you gotta do what you gotta do! 😄
Nice, thanks for sharing your experience and glad you also noticed the Gershman at the show.
Great video as always. 5:53 Looks like our Can.Gov. meeting where they decided the Blue Jays/The Elite can play again. Cough,cough, yep seems fair to me.
I bought a used Nexus and then I could afford a pair of ( used) Focal's Electra 1028 Be 2.
I'm very happy with both !
And Thomas: they don't sound harsh at all with silver ( Silech) cables !
Lexus?!?! Should have gotten a Corvette instead.
@@wa2368 You know anything about petrol prices over here in Holland ??
Not to mention the environmental issues.
Oh, I forgot: you don't have them in the US :-(( Corvette...no way!
Thanks Thomas I really enjoyed listening to your thoughts on this speaker.
Glad you enjoyed it
My God Thomas, you outdid yourself with this video. Very entertaining, and I hope the band members were well compensated.
Mmmm, Gershman.... I’ve always found their speakers to be so beautiful, and I’d love to actually hear a pair. Love your band made up of books and stuffed animals. That was a great comparison between the two. “It’s a different solution for a different crowd”. - Very well said, but so true, Thomas! I love Gershman’s method of testing their speakers too. Absolutely excellent review, man. Thanks, Thomas!
Yeah, I think it is because I meet a lot of audiophiles that I quickly realized they all have different taste and there is no 'best'.
Somehow missed this one, you are the best in describing high end sound differences. I feel like I’m in hifi university watching you, getting schooled. Haha Thanks Thomas
I appreciate that!
Thomas has a new hobby, high end stuffed animals =). Another good review and bucket list item.
Haha...I have so many at home because of my kids.
Very nice cabinets
Hi Thomas, nice video. Still has not driven me away from my beloved Kanta 2's. They given me exactly that 3D voice feel of Anita Baker singing to me in my living room or the detailed instrument rips of SRV playing Tin Pan Alley and the drum play in the opposite corner. Btw don't forget to your daughter back her band mates, lol. Take care.
Yeah, you have a big room and those Kanta will shine.
speakers must match room.. exactly
Nice review! Could you do a review of the gershman studio ii speakers too? :) more affordable for the masses
I love this guy. I mean come on ... a Pokémon band to demo a 3D soundstage? Made my day. BTW I owned an older version of the Gershman Avant Garde speakers for 12 years. Nothing could touch them.
Nice, a subscriber of mine went out to buy a used one and he loves it, he put his own speaker up forsale right away.
Wow that b-roll Intro was LIT AF 😍👌😮
Hi Thomas,i’m a big fan of your reviewing. honest and professional. thats very rare those days.
i own a copland cta 408 (tube amp- 75 wpc) do you think it can match those Gershman avangarde?
thank you for your respond
Ran
Yes, definitely, there is a fantastic synergy between them.
than you so much
So jealous Thomas! I have fomo over here with my Studio II's and their review...
Nice, looking forward to your review.
Would love to hear your review on Cube Audio Nenuphar in your room.
Stop apologizing for the price of the components. High end audio is expensive. There are already too many people reviewing the same entry-level gear. I come to you for the good stuff, not junk I can afford.
I agree
Not really, People just pay ridiculous prices to say " I own this" im also guilty owing B&W 802D and McIntosh amps. However now that I DIY, my $1,000 DIY speakers sound just as good as my B&W 802D in a blind test. Amps are DIY with Pascal and Ncore. Cant tell them from MC501 monoblocks. Just depends how you spend your time and money
@@bionicbob1285
Can you tell me more details of your DIY, so far I have my tube hybrid project with very good sound and speaker but want to improve.
@@longdoo1 so far I only built solid stage amps using Hypex, Ncore, Pascal. I would like to try a tube amp but lacking some experience. Class D solid state are really easy. I did build one with toroidal power supply but honestly the Pascal and Ncore sound better.
@@bionicbob1285 I agree with you! The industry is ridiculous, it seems you have to have at least 15k speakers to even qualify for the club. Meanwhile you hear hyperbolic reviews about a speaker with 6in woofer in 1cuft cabinet having deep powerful base which is a physical impossibility.
really not exactly the same but I often have wondered why why many vintage receivers, when in full on FM stereo mode & "locked in", create a 3d sound stage with all different kinds of speakers. This phenomenon has always blown me away.
That true. If piano sounds real the speakers are good. This is how I do my fist test to
I wonder if the sloped design helps in the soundstage,
Gershman are bit of a hidden(expensive) gem in speaker world, very nice.
Yeah, they make good speakers, it is just the need to let more people know.
Thomas I have just started to watching your videos. Your amazing man.you r true audiophiles and very nice person. I love your videos and your simple style.PLZ MAKE A COMPARISON VIDEO BETWEEN B&W FORMATION DUO, ELAC NAVIS AND KEF LS50 WIRELESS IT WOULD BE GREAT FOR THEM WHO R LOOKING TO BUY WIRELESS HIFI SPEAKERS LIKE ME. I am asking you to make this video because I only trust you amongst all the youtubers .LOVE FROM INDIA THOMAS. GOD BLESS YOU
Dam you can learn alot from this guy
Thanks Thomas ! That room is amazing !i heard echos from the finger snaps ! Ohh reverb my bad audiophile terminology is killing me softly , Me learning 😆
Lol. Thanks for dropping by Tee-Jay, always a pleasure to hear from you.
@@ThomasAndStereo Thanks Thomas 😆
Hi thomas great review I wish you can do me a big favor please do a review on the gershman grand studio2
I might eventually review the higher end model since there are already mulitiple reviews on the Studio 2.
The grand studio 2 its their highter end one it looks like a pair of studio 2 stacked on each other thanks for the responce
@@decki1409 oh, I think they did ask me to review that one too.
That's great i hope you do soon, i will a comparison between the grand studio 2 and the avant garde
@@decki1409 It will be a while cause I have too many things in for review.
Dear Thomas, have you thought that the two speakers that you have liked the most so far (PMC DB1 and the Gershman) have the same tweeter? It is not a mere coincidence. It is a very neutral and natural tweeter, which after seeing several of your videos, seems to be a feature that you really appreciate. You make very good reviews. Kind regards from Argentina.
Oh, I did not know they used the same tweeter! Thanks for the comment and feedback.
@Jony Ross The PMC tweeters are made by Scanspeak and SEAS. The woofers are made by VOLT or SEAS. The soft dome midrange driver is made by VOLT.
Really glad to hear you mention the speaker size in relation to the room Thomas. Could you remind me of your room dimensions? If I recall correctly it's relatively long and skinny, is that right?
It is 13x19 ft. Thanks.
@@ThomasAndStereo Perfect, that's helpful for reference. I'm about to move to a new home with a 13x15 room. You've got a little more space, but it's always helpful to know if it overloads your room, it would almost certainly overload mine.
This has to be one of the best YT reviews of speakers I have seen. Ever. Congrats! The drum test track was it a recording of Avantgarde playing or a clip from the CD?
Thanks. The drum test track was from the CD.
Thomas & Stereo I can’t really hear much with airpod pro but through my stereo speakers, I hear a lot of information and nuances in the bass. Great test track.
Well, the recording at the end. It is the first time I can hear the voice higher up compared to the finger clapping! They feel at a different height, in a different plane on the IEMs. Very interesting! Now, also, the voice... man she sounds sweet singing here compared to other videos. Bass wise, min 20:14-16. The underlying bass, what the hell is that bass!? It comes before everything engages, like a preparation for what is coming. I can hear the rumble below the rest of the music creeping up. What a bass!... what do you use to record the clips if you don't mind?
I understand that the 3D soundstage was astonishing, which helps to believe there are bodies and a puffy band in the room, that's quite something. I have a bit of that, and it's great. Yet, was it believable? Tone-wise. I explain, sometimes the ultimate detail, by example, is great but tone-wise it detaches me from believing what I hear. Wood sounds way sharper than what wood would be, by example, because the wood has this soft sound to it when two pieces of wood find each other. And it changes related to how porous the wood is, sure. But, that's precisely why. I find very interesting their way to voice speakers based on direct experience.
I will be moving to Ottawa next year so I have to be mindful of my expenditure this year. But once I am settled, I will be definitely auditioning these too. I will be taking a debit for my last speakers, they need to sit between 10 and 20K Canadian. Very interesting speakers! Thank you for your time Thomas.
I use a Tascam Dr07 and given my room has not a lot of echo, usually recording is pretty clear. Yeah, go check them out when you have a chance.
I really like your stories 👍👍
Darth Vader said he wants his speakers back asap
O God, ugly hideous looking. Triangle looking instead off straight.
I'd prefer a 140cm tall and 44cm Deeeeep cabinets with straight oblong plain simple with sharp edges.
Thomas ....Thanks for the reviews Brother ... Have you ever heard of Plinius a New Zealand amp ... If you get a chance try the RA 150 or the RA 300 ... Awesome amps that will blow ya mind and are unrivalled for the Money .... Kind regards
I was offered to review the Plinius Integrated (Hautonga) amp. Maybe I should give it a try.
Thomas ... That's a nice integrated amp ... The RA150 and RA300 are power amps .. Have a look at Plinius New Zealand web page for there range of Components ... Kind regards Brother 😉
Thomas, great videos, really enjoy your channel and approach to presenting and reviewing products. I'm leaning towards these GAGs in what I hope will be my last speaker purchase. I budgeted up to $20k, and these check off the price box as well as some of the important characteristics I'm looking for (musicality, bass, nice top end, imaging). I want to pair an amp that will bring out the best in these...would you recommend the Bel Canto monos, Hegel, Bryston, Pass Labs? At 89db and 6ohm, want to make sure they get some power. Currently have a tube preamp (Rogue RP7), but open to a system pairing that works best. I have an opportunity to listen to these at someone's home in the US, and he has them paired with a powerful PS Audio amp (another option). I'd love to know your thoughts on what paired well. Thanks and keep the videos coming!
I would say reach out to them as they have more experience. For me, the more power the better. Of course, you want quality watt. I never got a chance to really try other amps with it as I was using the Lumin amp with it most of the time.
@@ThomasAndStereo ok, thanks Thomas. I found an article that talked about pairing with 200 watt amp, really made them sing. Ofra has already helped me arrange a demo, very helpful. And keep up the good work, really enjoy your videos.
nice review but i expected it, these are the same qualities i hear even though mines are early versions. i've never seen a negative review on gershman speakers. i'm interested in hearing a review on the flagship 130k posh model.
Ofra is the coolest lady @ planet!
Yeah she looks good too the older the better just like wine. 😆 .
Well done!
Great review Thomas !, and rushed to buy a pair :). if you had to chose one between Mcintosh MA 7200 (#1), Krell 300 i, Moon and Hegel H190/390/590, (other). What would have been been your choice , value for money? (my room is 3.5x3.5x2.7 m. sometime I would like to take it to the living room 7x7x4 m). assuming I have no other gear with me at all and at least streaming is a must ?
I have never listened to anyone of those so your guess is just as good as mine. I will chose Mcintosh simply because the resell value is the best and also, it will sound ok. Maybe not the best but good enough.
@@ThomasAndStereo what would have been your best match for those, according to your experience with them?
Thanks ;)
@@molchomusic well they all seems to check the box for good matching except the Moon and Hegel 190. I say this because Moon is too neutral for me, H190 not powerful enough. You need a lot of watts to get the very best from these speakers. Remember, these speakers don't have a midbass bump so when you pair it with something that is too neutral, it might end up sounding thin.
@@ThomasAndStereo clear and appreciated! I got also a reccomendation for Luxman 509x
Hey Thomas,
you are right, you can have the best speaker in the world at home, but if your space is too small or too big for the room, everything will be lost.
Grtz Phil
Great review. I have Gershman Avant Garde. I have tried it with my Plinius SA 102, Audio Research 150m.2 and Nakamichi Stasis PA5 amps. I also have Plinius M16 and PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium preamps. It works best with Plinius SA 102 and PrimaLuna. I guess my Gershman would sound better with even higher caliber amp, but I wonder how much better then Plinius SA 102.
For many other speakers I had, I normally do not go over 12 o'clock volume level, but for Gershman, I set 1 ~ 2 o'clock level. Yes, I listen to music loud. Even more powerful amp (200+ Watts) might perform better. Not cheap class D amps, but high quality class A or class AB amps.
These speakers scale really well with better equipment. It was supposed a talking point which I omitted due to time. You do need a lot of power with these speakers.
Great sound , but How about the comparison to TAD E1-TX ? Thanks Thomas
Great review! Could these be used for 40% HT and what center channel would one get? Or is it purely for 2 channel music?
Yes definitely, you will not need a sub. You can use studio ll as centre. Sensational!!!
@@ofragershman9390 thanks Ofra! i hear there's a center channel in the works (Grand studio Center?).. also i'm a bit worried/concerned that these speakers would require super high end amps like lumins..i was considering 400-500Wpc Class D amps
great review @thomas you've put a monkey in the wrench for this 20 year B&W lover...
@@xtctaz yes, there is a center channel available
Hi Thomas, can you say a few words about the sound of those Compound 4 ? How do they compare with the Gershman in terms of bass and, other highlighted speakers that you have owned ? Thanks for helping us in audioworld !
are the beautiful piano pieces available?
No idea but the artist is Zita Pertak
It sounds like Ofra send her video from the International Space Station.
That's a lot of Space and Soundstage.
Hi Thomas, thank you for a very interesting video. I couldn’t help noticing that the speakers are resting in small chips ( I’m using the same with my Fact12s) but interestingly there is an added interface between chip/ floor, which looks like a white cloth material. Please could you expand on this? All the best Peter
Oh, those are just chair leg floor protector I got from the dollar store. That way, I can push them around in my room whenever I change speakers.
Thank you Thomas for the excellent review of the Avant Garde. They are superb speakers. I own a pair but the imaging from mine does not seem as amazing as you describe. I was wondering if you could suggest some reasons why that is. My system consists of a Bryston integrated amp (B100SST), rated at 117w/c, the Bryston BDP-2 digital player and an Oracle Delphi III turntable with an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge. The room is a combination family room and kitchen approx. 15ft wide by 22ft long. The speakers are 4.5ft from the 15ft back wall. I know a lot of other factors could affect the overall sound but given this info, could you suggest upgrades or tweeks that could improve the imaging.
Pierre
Do you have the latest Grand avant-garde version? I am thinking about your case and there are 2 possibilities. First, you have to keep in mind at the time, I was driving it with close to $30k of electronics. Innuos music server + Exasound E28 + Audio Research + Lumin power amp + $$ cables. The key for me was finding the amp with another power to drive it properly. The avant-garde is really hard to drive. Second, maybe your triangle distance is not optimal? The fact you can pull them out 4.5ft is very good. Have you experimented with the distance between the speakers as well as where you are sitting?
Great suggestions by Thomas.You can also contact us at Gershman Acoustics, we can give some tips and suggestions These speakers can reproduce an unbelievable 3D imaging, it's just a matter of set-up.
Really liked your band. Would love to see them live 😅. With what kind of genre do these speakers excel, or are these good with all types of music? Your music clip (crystal eyes) is more a Pop song, while I would think these are better with classical, jazz.
I like instruments with these speakers because I like picking out the instruments in the sound stage. I dont' remember listening to a specific genre where I go like nah.
So this is a winner. A potential end-game speaker. Darn, really curious now. Love your amazing reviews Thomas 👍
Maybe a more direct way to ask...what did you pair the GAGs with...your warm components or cool components? The moon, classe, cayin? The Schiit or Modwright preamp? Again, thanks for the great content! Just watched the Lumin review, but can’t buy both GAGs and Lumin!
I did try it with Moon and classe. It was ok but once I put the Lumin in, the bass detail went up. I did use the Modwright preamp but now wished I had the audio research LS25 with it. For me, it has to be something that control the bass well. It does feel like a speaker that needs good watts.
Thanks. I took your advice and called Ofra, she was so helpful and a delight to speak with. And we agreed if I’m making the investment to buy the speakers, don’t skimp on the amp. Make an investment on amp that can power them to their full potential, which will help when I want to play them loud. Keep up the great work Thomas, and thanks for the info.
Hi Thomas, what are those speaker stands in the room with those Gershman speakers?