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The Clearwave is essentially a hybrid design. It marries two state-of-the-art drivers, a ceramic mid/woofer with a ribbon. It achieves an artful level of cohesiveness. It approaches but does not match the coherence of the Feastrex MTA-F60 especially at levels where the Feastrex is king. Since the small widebander attains performance normally achieved only by full-range electrostats, the 72R’s status of ‘close by comparison’ is commendable. Above the level where the Mike Tang Audio loudspeaker reigns is where the Symphonia shows a clear advantage with its combination of dynamic prowess and greater extension that lent superior weight and impact to big orchestral pieces. A choice between the two would be governed by listening requirements.

A RAAL comparison I could make was interesting because it pitted a product in the house against one in memory of a year past. The Bogdan Audio Creations Catalina was a massive 2-way monitor pairing the RAAL 140-15D with a 7-inch Scan Speak for an entirely different driver combination. The cabinet was a hand-built labor of love comprised of an 18-layer lamination of aluminum, MDF and solid Cherry cut by jig saw requiring a month of build time. It was a musical powerhouse but also weighed in at a hefty $22,000 with matching stands. The driver blend accomplished by Mr. Petrescu was quite successful, integrating resolution, warmth and dynamics over a wide range of volume. How did the two compare?

The two showed different priorities on how they integrated their drivers. The Bogdan Catalina makes the RAAL dominant. The Clearwave gives prime play to the Accuton. This affords the 72R a warmer balance and a bit more body but also takes away some of the tweeter’s potential snap and envelopment in the process, making it the more forgiving of the two. Those preferring more RAAL contribution will find the transparency and transient attack of the Catalina more to their liking. Dynamics were a tradeoff. The Catalina was a bit more convincing especially at lower levels but the Symphonia had the bass impact advantage due to its deeper extension. Resolution and apparent coherence went to the Catalina by a small margin where it trumped all hybrid designs that have been in house thus far. The 72R approached that standard but did not quite meet it. Given the huge difference in price, it still represented an exceptionally high standard of performance.


Comparing against my Apogee Duetta Signature made for a contrast in strengths. The Clearwave was significantly more efficient and had the robustness and dynamic range to take advantage of the power at its disposal. It played its best hand with the RAAL tweeter, parading a level of control that even the Apogee had a hard time matching. But factor in that the RAAL operates over a much narrower range and that equation worked more in the favor of the Apogee. The Duetta Signature offered a coherent line source sound with a consistent high level of resolution over a much wider range and thus imposed itself even less on the music. There are reasons why this speaker retains its high status.

The contest however was not all one-sided. It was classic rivalry between full range and well-executed hybrid designs where the 72R countered with its own strengths. The Symphonia had the advantage in dynamic impact especially in the bass where it could throw slam into modern music that the Apogee treated in a more understated manner. It could also show a bit better transparency at the RAAL‘s end of the spectrum where it was simply more open and extended. If the Apogee remained the more convincing overall, the Symphonia made a strong case for high resolution, dynamics and wider amplifier compatibility. People with different priorities may find the 72R hybrid a preferable choice.

Has Mr. Kunz put a RAAL-based speaker into the hands of the masses? Not quite. It does put it squarely into financial sights of the mid audiophile tier however - and tantalizingly so. The driver match is very good and will take serious money to better. The Symphonia 72R has all the virtues of an intelligently crafted hybrid and few shortcomings. The footprint is small and the speaker is built with high-end pedigree in aesthetics and sound. And it does have that RAAL tweeter. Who should be interested? Any serious student of the art should give them a listen. Anyone looking for a floorstander that can do exceptional resolution with convincing kick and bass will find much to like. Those seeking near state-of-the-art hybrid performance at this price will be impressed. Those demanding more will require considerably thicker wallets. Who should look elsewhere? Those listening at predominantly lower levels will find the presentation acceptable but not optimal Audiophiles who absolutely demand the openness of panel speakers will find this hybrid remarkable but still a hybrid. Available through authorized national dealers. International sales direct from Clearwave Loudspeaker Design at the time of review.
Quality of packing: Each speaker comes in its own separate custom box. The speakers are wrapped in soft 1/8" foam, then all corners have formed foam edge protectors followed by 2" honeycomb followed by double-walled cardboard with honeycomb pallet runners underneath the box. Each packed box with 72R speaker is approximately 100lbs.
Reusability of packing: Yes.
Condition of components received: Perfect.
Delivery: Hand-delivered by distributor.
Website comments: Extensive and includes a forum for discussion.
Human interactions: Professional and informative.
Warranty: 5 years   

Final comments & suggestions:  Smartly engineered RAAL-based hybrid that delivers some serious musical ability at the asking price. Those who covet the sound but either prefer a monitor speaker or find the cost of the 72R beyond their financial territory should note that Mr. Kunz does offer a second loudspeaker that may suit those requirements.

Clearwave Audio website
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