Buddha's bagel. How does it stack up to Lao Tzu's? Both are holey. Jest aside, a proper extro is expected to pronounce standing in the broader context of what else is out there. Given my familiarity with this speaker breed, I feel decently placed to do so. Until the Vox5 from Martin Gateley hits formal production, there's nothing like Alberich². Whilst I haven't heard Rethm's latest generation, in my book omni bass can't touch RiPol bass. The same goes for Cube and their docked proposals. Having owned standalone Nenuphar v2 until recently, I'm confident that even absent a direct A/B, it can't compete below ~150Hz. It's precisely why I've kissed passive bass good-bye years ago. So if in July 2025 Alberich² was still unique, a unicorn of sorts, what did that mean for my very rare supply of blue ink? Despite the bagel's hole—non-threaded through-holes in the outrigger plinth, an overly enthusiastic bass attenuator that should come on slower, no high-pass option—a Blue Moon Award was inescapable. Nenuphar had nabbed one when it bowed. So had Qualio's IQ. Now Voxativ go farther still. They incorporate what I think is the best domestically achievable bass loading, build in the necessary plate electronics in custom not Hypex execution then sleeve the lot in the most attractive trimmest threads of my already awarded champions.

For how well they have materialized this clever semi-active widebander hybrid as a new sub species, a Lunar Eclipse Award is the only appropriate distinction we have on this site. Congrats to Marie Adler and team Voxativ in Berlin. You've really gone where none have before. Or as Sir Richard wrote, "I have only a mind to live, to enjoy, to work as an artist, to produce my works – but not for the muddy brains of the common herd."

PS: If Stereophile's Herb Reichert waited 50 years on Hagen², he shouldn't wait 50 days to hear Alberich². I wonder what he'll make of it? If he calls it a super Herb speaker, that 's' shall secretly stand for Srajan. Can you tell I had fantastic fun with this assignment? Not to be left out in the cold, my Polish contributor Dawid Grzyb quickly inked his own assignment so that my Irish samples could swing by Warsaw before making their final return to Berlin. That netted this 2nd opinion also with an award.

PPS: On August 31st, "a high-pass filter for Hagen². Fresh from our laboratory, we are delighted to share something new. Inspired by Srajan Ebaen of 6moons, the idea of equipping Hagen² in the Alberich² system with a high-pass filter—preventing large bass excursions at higher levels—has proven to be brilliant. Srajan illustrated this with an outboard analog crossover. While convenient, not everyone has access to one. Hence we are now developing our own pure analog solution. First listening sessions are truly inspiring: greater clarity, effortless flow and a natural ease especially with classical music. More to come."