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In all aspects these are exceptional designs. They aren’t for everyone or all occasions. Even so they are a perfect alternative for most equivalent speakers on the market. Their sound is highly pleasant and despite their mid-level resolution they surprise by revealing recorded elements which are usually omitted. The sound is a direct derivative of their near-field monitor genetics. That’s why the sound is very similar to high-quality headphones - but not 'small' like that of earspeakers. This presentation fully engulfs the listener in a new space that transports us to elsewhere; a recording studio or concert venue.
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There won’t be rave volumes but like with headphones, that’s not expected. For pairing, my first choice would be a tube amp. A big part of my audition was conducted with the beautiful KT66-based Quad II Classic integrated above. This was a brilliant ensemble cast with the ultra-interesting German Ramses II SC and IC cables. Vocals were saturated, tacit and space was finely distributed. The treble was sweet but with this amp I had it sitting at –3dB. Transistor amps will be fine too as long as they’re not bright, clinical or aggressive. That the Terra wouldn’t appreciate.
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This speaker of course isn’t the eighth wonder of the world. There are weaknesses. Resolution is middle of the field and dynamics are restricted. The virtual images lack clear shapes and appear similar to how headphones present them. We remember once again that they should be placed closer than usual. This can become their biggest asset. There’s been an ongoing debate between pros and audiophiles about the suitability of near-field monitors in the home. Opinions vary as does advice. I have my own thoughts on the subject. First, we need to answer what we will use the speaker for. For a classic audiophile setup in a large room with standard placement, these will obviously be wrong. But when placed as intended—closer and with a narrow stereo base—it could end up being the ultimate solution for specific rooms and enforced positioning. This includes computer systems. If you cannot manage a good distance between your seat and the speakers; and want cosmetics as good or better than top lifestyle designs but with truly excellent sound - the Terra II Pro could be the solution.
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Description: The Terra II Pro is the most popular model of the company. They walked off with the prestigious Japanese Audio Excellence Award. This is a two-way bookshelf speaker whose bass-reflex cabinet is a sphere which should minimize standing waves over the usual vertical panels. The front baffle is sloped to physically time-align the drivers. It is wider on top and narrower on the bottom. This shrinks the optical impact but also becomes somewhat of an open baffle for the tweeter. Its back is adorned with a metal company logo but no classic enclosure. From here an arched metal trim extends downwards, sporting the model name as classy cut-out. The back of the sphere sports a treble adjustment knob which actually is no traditional knob but more of a sculpture which shows the terrestrial globe. On its circumference is a subtle indicator. These markings indicating chosen damping factor and treble level are engraved The damping and amplification scale is in dB.
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In this two-way, the treble is handled by the Vifa 25mm XT25SC90 ring radiator whose stock mounting plate the Bulgarians replaced with a short aluminum wave guide not for acoustic gain but impedance coupling to the room. The woofer is a 110mm Morel driver with NdFe motor, cast basket and very large 50mm voice coil. It has a treated paper diaphragm and rubber suspension. Below the mid/woofer sits the aluminum bass-reflex port. The loudspeakers are placed on three spikes—one in front and two in the back—with a pair of speaker terminals in-between. |
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Although these terminals look Chinese, they are in fact Supra Boxcon issue. The banana entries face downwards so when using classic stands (which I discourage) or placing them on a table top, banana plugs cannot be used.
The spikes are removable and come with surface protectors. I could not disassemble the speakers to report on its crossover parts or whether internal damping is used. I do know however that the internal hookup also is from Supra.
Frequency response: 69-25kHz ±3dB
Impedance: 8Ω
Efficiency: 86dB 1W/1m
Recommended amplifier power: 30 to 100W
Dimensions: 380 x 180 x 290mm (HxWxD)
Weight: 6.8kg
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opinia @ highfidelity.pl
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