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The V38s added more depth and three-dimensionality to the small monitors without substantially modifying their overall tonal balance. It thus affected neither the monitors' reproduction of piano or male vocals. It did however add visceral impact without getting excessive when connected to my preamplifier with its line-level inputs. Connecting the low-pass inputs directly to the second pair of unbalanced outputs of my Totaldac Reference A1 however, the V38s demonstrated its stunning fire power. The sonic result now was even more impressive but the level of monitors and sub had to be adjusted separately. The 2.1 Atohm’s compact proposal now was incredibly consistent and an interesting option over medium-sized floorstanders. Bass felt highly accurate and clearly benefited the three-dimensionality of the soundstage.
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Listening to Hands [Emarcy - B003MPB3EC] featuring Dave Holland on mandolin and flamenco guitarist Pepe Habichuela, the balance between both was quite perfect. Many systems with excessive brightness tend to give precedence to the guitarist. The GT1 supported by the Atohm subwoofer allocated equal distribution of space to both protagonists and Dave Holland no longer was just a sideman but fellow soloist. The dynamics felt quite enhanced but didn’t inject any dryness or deterioration of timbres. |
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| On the 7th album of oud player Joseph Tawadros The Hour of Separation [Enja - ENJ-9555 2], John Patitucci's double bass was thrown into deep relief and doubled to perfection the swirling lines of Tawadros' oud. The very good differentiation of tones achieved by the Atohm set highlighted the excellent combination of instruments and genres. The oud was simply sumptuous - simultaneously haunting and warm, elegant and earthy. |
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Bruckner's 8th Symphony played by the Wiener Philharmoniker under Boulez [DG B00004TL2N] was equally convincing. Once again the Atohm sub brought further depth and weight to the overall result with an elegant and nuanced bottom end. The rhythmic performance of Boulez was well preserved by the monitors, which seemed to breath effortlessly even during the most intense passages. The soundstage had a high degree of accuracy and most instruments were clearly localizable. The demanding finale was portrayed at quite realistic levels without apparent compression or distortion. |
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| On Colbran the Muse with Joyce DiDonato [Virgin Classics B002LMOCFY], the mezzo's gorgeous voice was impressive on tone modulation and body. Here her soprano is filled with subtle details, trills, runs and coloratura exploit that make this album a delightful experience. The precision of the singer’s placement especially relative to depth, the perfect reproduction of the venue’s natural echo and the very precise localization of the chorus in width and height were definitely outstanding features for such a small speaker. |
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Conclusion: A high point for the Bizontain! The GT1 is a not so frequent illustration of what can be achieved by serious engineering and design. Although technically advanced, the Atohm monitors don’t portray any kind of high-end arrogance and can find their place in most standard living rooms in a large range of dimensions. These breezy speakers get you involved but never stress or tire the listener whilst preserving a very honest overall level of detail and genuine timbre accuracy. They make a definite difference over many competitors on phase and time coherence despite the apparent neglect of these aspects with the vertical baffle. Here they achieve stunning performance. If you are looking for overall clarity, phase precision and soundstage accuracy within maximum physical compactness, the Atohm GT 1 should be on your list. The Rafale V38s subwoofer is a very competitive and price-efficient contender which provides ideal bottom-end extension to the French monitors.
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Quality of packing: Good.
Reusability of packing: A few times.
Ease of unpacking/repacking: Reasonably easy.
Condition of component received: Flawless.
Human interactions: Very responsive and helpful.
Pricing: Excellent value for money. |
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