Given the necessary power, Lilli will do large-scale music, albeit from her own rather individual (but no less interesting) perspective. But I’d be reluctant to sacrifice agility and articulation in search of that power. If you choose to build a system around the Neodios’ musical connection, running a more modestly powered amp that maximises the speaker’s strengths at the cost of some editorial impact on choice of material is a compromise you mind find you make. Push-pull tube amps appeal, as does Neodio’s own HQA amplifier. If large scale romantic works, prog or heavy rock is your thing, then the Vienna Acoustics Haydn Signature is better able to project weight and scale. But if you are after the most direct and immediate musical connection, there are few speakers at anything like this size or price to match the charms of Neodio’s little Lilli. It’s worth making her acquaintance and learning just what she can do, if only to better understand the challenges that other (often larger) systems face – and the musical costs that come with their own chosen compromises. It all boils down to a question of music and/or message. It might seem bizarre to describe Lilli as a no compromise design, but in one, very real sense she is: it just depends which end of the telescope you’re looking through…
Price and availability –
Lilli loudspeakers – €4,500/pr
Lilli + stand – €5,300/pr
Lilli + stand + Harmonie Footers – €5,900/pr
(All prices including 20% sales tax)
Manufacturer –
Seven Audio
33100, Bordeaux
France
www.neodio.fr
