During the final stages of set up, two things became almost brutally apparent. The first was just how revealing the recent Trifonov/Babayan Rachmaninov For Two discs are (DGG 486 4805) when it comes to overall system linearity, integration and the evenness of the top-to-bottom energy spectrum. The second was the massive impact made by fore and aft adjustment of the tweeter housing. Rotating the control knob on the top of the cabinet to alter tweeter position affects not just timing but also perspective. The superb understanding between the two pianists creates a single yet contrasting musical whole from the two separate parts. Adjusting the tweeter control(s) brings the intimacy of that understanding into sharper focus, locking the two parts together in terms of timing, the attack and riposte so critical to not just this music, but this arrangement of it. Playing the Symphonic Dances (unquestionably the highlight of the second disc) the complex, interlocking parts fall into place, the musical momentum builds, the crescendos don’t just explode dynamically, they punctuate and accentuate musically. The results are as irresistible and spectacular as they are musically compelling – when you get it right…
Getting it right depends on several things. The first and most obvious is that the toe-in/listening axis and apparent ‘rake angle’ on both speakers must be identical. That means working with the base cabinets to get them precisely positioned and angled before addressing the tweeter control. I set the two speakers with identical listening distance, toe-in (angular off-set) and rake angle. I actually tilted the front face of the bass horns very slightly forwards (0.3 of a degree) as experience suggests this improves low bass propagation in all speakers, not just horns or subs. With those details locked in, it was time to trim the bass controls and finally adjust the tweeter distance. With the bass dialled in, this proved remarkably straightforward, with clear audible cues to tell you when things are approaching correct. Which is where the timing, the sense of ensemble/conversation within the music and the overall perspective come in. The temporal aspects of performance should be obvious, but what was really surprising was the affect of the tweeter control on the perceived seating position or angle of view. Pushing the tweeter forwards (towards the listener) audibly tilted the stage, just as if your seat at the concert had been hoist into the air – and not by a small amount! Then, as the tweeter moves backwards, so your seat settles into its natural position – a fascinating opportunity to fine-tune your home listening experience to match a preferred concert seat, assuming you have one. Final step is to ensure that both tweeters are set identically. You can rely on the scales etched on the side of their housings, but your ears are going to be the final arbiter. Once again it’s all about focussed energy, note density and timing.
