The sense of musical purpose in the ensemble playing is as apparent as it is engaging. Structure and counterpoint are a model of clarity, the phrasing and the drive through the phrases beautifully captured. Proportions are natural and the band plays in a single, coherent space, each instrument precisely located. The air around and between players and the space between them is clear, even if the acoustic boundaries are less so. The easy stability of the continuo playing and multiple repeats are the perfect foil for the sparkling freedom and agility in the perfectly articulated solo parts. These concerti were written to display a virtuoso’s style and technique and Rachel Podger is equal to the task, poised and capable yet also exhilaratingly flamboyant when it’s required.
Just as the music is a perfect showpiece for the tight ensemble performance of the HBS and Podger’s brilliant playing and inspired direction, it’s also a perfect example of the uncluttered clarity and musical coherence that goes hand in hand with the Comtesse’s unabashed linearity. The speaker’s positive refusal to be drawn into audio histrionics, exaggeration or ‘enhanced voicing’, coupled to its astonishing neutrality make this one of the most detailed and revealing speakers I’ve used. With no baggage to get in the way, it delivers the pure, unvarnished truth of what is on the recording. Thankfully, its rhythmic coherence and ability to track the dynamics in the incoming signal manage to stir life into even the murkiest and compressed preventing this speaker ever becoming sterile, disjointed or musically destructive. The Comtesse NEVER trips over its own four feet.
Accurate without being academic, revealing without being musically detached. If you want to know what’s on the recording and how the piece is being played, the Comtesse will take you there. It’s lack of additive colouration makes it a willing partner to a whole host of electronics: just be ready to hear what those amps really sound like. But that also means you can gently lean the presentation one way or another. With its compact dimensions and flawless finish, the Comtesse will grace both large and small rooms, although I suspect it will more often be found in the latter. Meanwhile, its undiluted low-frequency linearity makes it a perfect partner for integration with a high-quality sub-woofer. I’ve been using it both ways, with the subs adding a dimension (literally) that makes the speaker less editorial when it comes to the choice of material. The baby Divin doesn’t NEED a sub, but that doesn’t mean it won’t play along. Standing alone, the bass notes are there – just don’t expect them to thud against your rib-cage. Instead, marvel at their agility and the way they start and stop… I haven’t even mentioned the AMT tweeter – the same unit that graces the other (far more expensive) Divin models. It’s exceptionally transparent and detailed, airy and beautifully integrated. It’s where so much of the focus, attack and precision in the sound originates. But the real marvel here is that the bass can keep up. But keep up it does and the result is as seamless as it is perfectly poised – spatially, rhythmically and harmonically.
A new geography…
In awarding these three speakers the exalted status of class leaders, I will inevitably upset some readers along the way. What, no Wilson or Magico? No Rockport or any number of other contenders? I could wallow in the arguments for or against certain models. I could point out that for each of those manufacturers, their best efforts either fall outside of this price band or outside of my experience. Certainly, a speaker like the Rockport Lynx would qualify in the latter category: I’ve heard it sounding great – but I’ve never heard it in my own system or under controlled circumstances. But such debate is somewhat beyond the point.
