Canton karat reference 2

VR3
VR3 Posts: 28,640
in 2 Channel Audio
Stumbled upon these in my work travels Friday, very interesting speaker.

Totally different sound than the utopias

Crossovers are mounted in their own enclosure I side the speaker, weigh 16 pounds! I haven't opened the hatch yet to check them out

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- Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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Comments

  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,283
    I'm digging the baby invasion...
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    Very nice! Excellent score there!
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    The baby mat works great to damp the floor a bit 😜
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    Heck of a crossover!

    Clarity cap, looks similar to the px series... Mox resistors, nice inductors, not bad at all!

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    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • Emlyn
    Emlyn Posts: 4,489
    edited April 2021
    Nice. Those would probably cost $20K + if they were built in Germany these days. Looks like a lot of care went into building those crossovers and that costs money!
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,441
    Digging that.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    edited April 2021
    Thanks guys.

    The current top of the line runs for 40k retail, which those speakers are quite a bit different than these, but this pricing difference is pretty normal it seems. The mezzo utopia in 03 was 13k, the modern equivalent now is 50k
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • TEAforONE
    TEAforONE Posts: 1,026
    Very impressive! I bet they sound great. On a side note,I’m curious about the covers on your other speakers. Did you make those?
    See my profile for list of gear.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    I had those made by digital deck covers, they did an incredible job, perfect fit!

    The sound impressions are mixed right now, but I think I need to move the utopias out of the way to get the full jist.

    I can say the grills make them sound down right awful but with them off they can put on a show. Tons and tons of bass and bass extension, that's for sure
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    So finally took a moment to move the utopias to a corner and messed with these more. They need space, huge room...

    I would gather these would really excel in a 20x30x10 room, huge great room environment. They sound best in my room about 3 ft off of the back wall and they just have unlimited amounts of bass, excellent staging. The room is definitely loaded though, just to small for them to really breathe.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    So after swapping the left and right speaker so the woofers are on the outside, much much better in my room.

    I ordered some clarity cap cmr and path resistors for the tweeter network. Also ordered some outriggers for the front and spikes for the back
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    So I've had these hooked up for a month or so and listened a little here and there.

    I positioned them so that the active bass drivers face outwards, this tamed the bass response in room to normal levels. The thing that really helped was tightening everything, almost every screw needed 5 or more turns! That dramatically helped the midrange to bass transition.

    Overall a good speaker, but definitely don't image like I am used to with the utopias. A very different presentation.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • invalid
    invalid Posts: 1,365
    I heard their reference speakers a couple years ago in one of the big ballrooms at axpona, I really liked the sound of them.
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  • TEAforONE
    TEAforONE Posts: 1,026
    Are they keepers?
    See my profile for list of gear.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    Will see... I plan to upgrade the tweeter network to the CMR caps and path audio resistors, will see!
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    Need one more resistor and I ordered some parts for the midrange circuit
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    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,640
    Bypass the 150uf cluster with a duelund jdm bypass, changed the series resistors in the kids to path audio, full clarity cmr and path audio on the tweeter circuit...

    Such a huge difference than before

    dh8p4uc90psd.jpg
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • audioluvr
    audioluvr Posts: 5,582
    When you're done, and ready to get rid of them... In with 15!
    Gustard X26 Pro DAC
    Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
    B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
    Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
    Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
    Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)

    There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,201
    edited June 2021
    VR3 wrote: »
    Bypass the 150uf cluster with a duelund jdm bypass, changed the series resistors in the kids to path audio, full clarity cmr and path audio on the tweeter circuit...

    Such a huge difference than before

    dh8p4uc90psd.jpg

    w3p1byudrkkn.gif
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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