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Both speakers eschew the cosmetic trick of any midrange emphasis but the Megan whose bass chops for a box its size are unusual managed more blackness and room grumble on the tough bass runs of Brit post-rock Transmission’s "Albion" [2008’s Sublimity] with its prior Killing Joke members. It also dove a bit lower on the power beats of Kode 9’s "Black Smoke " [2011’s Black Sun]. To my mind today’s Italians are a real discovery. Not least relative to their lower sticker, they show remarkable talents on treble presentation, PRaT and tacit staging. Nearly casually they add impeccably pure tone colors without any grey filter and a very transparent soundstage. Accordingly the Heolos are capable of developing very ‘life-like’ listening pleasures. In this even far pricier efforts really can’t add much. Color me thus deeply impressed by the truly high-end niveau the Heolos reach on these counts.
Once we consider the midband and bass and floorstanders in the Gamma’s price range however, they produce below-average pressure and extension and should be more properly viewed as compact monitors with integral stands. Combined with ‘ruler-flat’ upper mids and highs this makes for a tonally lighter and more direct rather than opulent ripe presentation.
The Heolos focus on the upper body of the tonal spectrum without getting pushy or artificial when mated with neutral or even warmish/earthy electronics. Biwiring too can be explored. I thought a Real Cable biwire leash was slightly superior than my far more expensive though single-wire HMS Fortissimo.
Another consideration is the listening room itself. The Gamma should do better in normal to more highly damped spaces rather than sparse acoustically hard ones. For standard-sized rooms the Italians ought to have sufficient headroom though by design they aren’t party animals. They present an easy load where even less than potent valve amps should do fine.
Psych profile
A highly transparent, microdynamically and texturally well-drawn very authentic treble range.
Ultra precise but believable image focus and depth layering whereby the soundstage is transposed backward rather than forward to the listener and not particularly tall.
Brilliant timing for extraordinarily well-developed PRaT to make this speaker into a ‘fast’ type.
High resolution.
An overall lighter energetic presentation which combines a less voluminous bass and midband with ruler-flat upper registers.
Flawless fit’n’finish though the three footers and absence of outriggers can make it easier to topple the speaker.
Facts:
Concept: 2-way bass reflex floorstander
Finish: White, black, sand, other colors by request
