I learned from the brochure that at over 300kg/ea., the model sounding so good was the Aidoni. Alas, the smaller Pirol was still 100kg. The conclusion was simple. These seemed to be really interesting products but the chance of their manufacturer being willing to deliver them to my place close to nil. Still, it's always gratifying to meet a truly passionate maker and sample the fruits of an obsession. So, the visit had been worthwhile regardless. When I stepped outside, I talked to two people who work for Michael. They turned out to be Polish. As it happened, it wouldn't be the last time all of us met.

For several months, the SoundSpace Systems speakers were one of my fondest show memories. Then one day my phone rang. Michael was ready to deliver a pair of Pirol for review. He was about to personally escort a sold pair to a Warsaw customer and wanted to leave a second pair with me. He intended to subsequently pick up mine for the 2019 Warsaw show November 8-10. If you're attending, check them out at the Sobieski hotel.

There obviously was no way I could refuse him. I was pretty sure that in the decent acoustics of my room, his heavyweights would shine and provide me with a unique experience. But there was to be more. Michael suggested that I first visit him in Berlin, there listen to both models and only then commit to reviewing Pirol. Warsaw to Berlin is a short trip. I accepted. We met and spent a whole day at his home. I didn't take photos to respect his privacy. But I had a chance to listen to the speakers in a room much larger than mine to appreciate his vision on how these two models should sound and to learn more about him. He spent time in New York and several years in South Africa so has seen life from different perspectives and soaked up various cultures and musical styles. I think that helped him tune his speakers so they will play any genre, including average not just audiophile releases.

That's exactly what we did with numerous records from Michael's impressive vinyl collection. We listened to classical, Jazz, Blues, Rock, electronica, even Pop to experience the full potential of both his models. We did relatively new releases and some older than either of us. We heard mostly Aidoni but at some point switched so I could hear how the smaller model compared in a quite large space. Aidoni obviously offered even higher performance, one that many of even the most demanding music lovers would probably spend their lives with happily but Pirol was quite similar in general sonic terms. In that +100m² space, the larger model had the edge mostly on scale, momentum, to some extent dynamics, resolution and bass extension. It was better but especially in a smaller 25-40m² room, Pirol would be the smarter choice not only because of the significant price drop. Aidoni simply needs space to  spread its wings so on performance, Pirol can be better once rooms shrink. I also had a chance to look at the workshop where crossovers for both models were soldered up right in front of me. As Michael said, they are one of the critical elements of the design, hence premium parts and meticulous assembly are key. It was an interesting day and I definitely liked this approach to kicking off a review. I could do it more often if manufacturers agreed.