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This review first appeared in the July 2017 issue of high-end hifi magazine fairaudio.de of Germany. You can also read this Quadral review in its original German version. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with the publishers. As is customary for our own reviews, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of fairaudio or Quadral - Ed.
Reviewer: Thomas Johannsen
Analog sources: Thorens TD126 III, Ortofon Nr. 2
Digital sources: Burson Audio Conductor Air DAC, CD players Quad CD66, Marantz DV9500, Denon DCD 50
Integrated amplifier: Abacus 60-120D Dolifet
Preamp: Quad 66
Power amp: Quad 606
Loudspeakers: ALR Step 3, Monkey Banana Gibbon Air, Quadral Aurum Megan VIII, Raumfeld M
Review component retail: starting at €2'000/pr
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“Those rock, dad!” And my 20-year old daughter Sophie wasn't just referring to the looks of Quadral's Aurum Galan 9 when, by chance, she popped into my home office listening space to catch a few bars of the Doldinger CD spinning just then. But back to the beginning. Today we'll look at the optics, build and sonics of this compact monitor from Hannover's speaker house.
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Compact like these 21x33x29cm HxWxD figures does not always put 10kg on the scale as here; per box. Add another half kilo for the magnetically attached grill whose counter magnets underneath the veneer maintain clean optics when off. This build isn't just robust. The real hardwood skins are immaculately finished, the drivers inset with minimal and even gaps, the logo chromed and set into the upper edge rail. Best keep a polishing cloth handy to keep that shiny (not included) or the matching 2cm tall footers with their layer concept for decoupling. Quality continues aft with biwire terminals. My only nit would be the sharp edges around the screw bores. The slimming cheeks not only present a narrowing profile to prevent a squatty appearance but non-parallel walls reduce internal standing waves and their resonances. To get inside for a look-see, a 2.5mm hex key loosened the skinny driver and terminal fasteners to reveal another nit. Whilst solid hookup wiring with thick insulation ticked off the right boxes, the unwieldiness of the dielectric made the cables' push-on connectors seem slightly under-dimensioned. Those with a solder gun could play DIYer to create mechanically and electrically superior connections.
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