GIK Acoustics / Odyssey Audio - EVERGREEN B & C, Room 9000
*Odyssey Audio is not currently a sponsor but shared a room with GIK and was covered as part of that room.
The system configuration included:
No code has to be inserted here.
The whole system can be purchased for $6,700.
Background / Specifications
GIK Acoustics has numerous variations of acoustic panels, bass traps, and diffusers installed around the world... with locations in the U.S. and Europe.
Odyssey Audio is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and makes all their products in house. The Kismet Beryllium Reference speakers are new for RMAF. Treatment of the room included rear corner traps, diffuser / traps for the first reflection points, plants, and front corner traps. There were also some patent-pending traps in the back of the room.
Joe's Impressions
Bryan Pape from GIK was in the room when we got there and showed us the treatment that was used in the room - they have a new patent pending design that incorporates material and air into the panel - look for more details at the GIK website. The panels are super easy to install and move around - making treating your room a snap!
I really liked the design and finish on the Kismets - they have a unique trapezoidal design and the dark finish was really well done. They image perfectly for vocals with a incredibly wide and deep soundstage - I understand why Klaus makes it a point to only have a couple seats set up in the room as you really need to sit in the PLP to get the full effect.
Instruments - the piano especially - were very crisp and detailed. I wrote three times in my notes about how much I really liked the piano tracks on this system - it was just so soothing and finger-tapping at the same time! Vocal dynamics were also handled really well - no surprise here after hearing the Loreleis at CapFest - and vocals had a very natural sound that I normally equate with a ribbon / horn speaker. Low end sounded very good here - while most setups struggled with the room limitations and their propensity for boomy bass, the combination of GIK treatment and Odyssey speakers did a real good job taming this.
This system is definitely one of those examples I spoke about in the general thread - it is a system that in my opinion sounds like a high-priced set up but is within the budget range of us ordinary joes. This was another one of my top five set ups for the weekend.
Wayne's Impressions
In some rooms I had to ponder what to say about a system or a pair of speakers. In the Odyssey Audio room, it was easy. The Odyssey Kismet Beryllium Reference speakers are fun, accurate speakers at a nice price.
Klaus Bunge was kind enough to give me some focus time with his system. Having paid a lot of attention to tweeters in various products, I was drawn to the easy smoothness of the beryllium dome tweeter in use. With some tweeters I had listened to, you could hear how hard they were working to impress. This tweeter made its job sound easy. Sibilants were balanced and clear. Imaging in the upper ranges was solid and tight with no smearing on my most stringent test tracks. I won't say that it equaled the RAAL tweeter being raved about elsewhere or the plasma tweeters I had drooled over, but it sure came close.
How accurate are these speakers? Maybe not quite true reference grade, but close - there were no glaring deficiencies that showed up with rock, bluegrass instrumental, female vocal, or piano on the tracks I had brought along. And they were fun to listen to, had some character while remaining faithful in reproducing the music as it sounded on my own reference systems.
All Odyssey products are manufactured in the USA, Klaus is proud to point out - 100% USA, 0% overseas, stated a poster on one wall, paraphrased slightly. Klaus insists that all Odyssey speaker designs meet the following criteria:
Great, engaging sound along with budget-friendly prices made the Odyssey Kismet Beryllium Reference speakers very easy to like. The system price of $6,700 was refreshing as well.
Dennis' Impressions
I really enjoyed Klaus's Odyssey gear. Combined with Bryan Pape guiding placement of the GIK Acoustic room treatments, the room's walls disappeared, leaving no hint at all that we were listening in the confines of a 12 x 12 hotel room.
Nice, wide soundstage with holographic images filling in the center, the sound was mellow and easy to listen to. I found myself rocking back and forth with the music, an involuntary motion that is always a good sign that I am getting into what I am hearing.
*Odyssey Audio is not currently a sponsor but shared a room with GIK and was covered as part of that room.
The system configuration included:
No code has to be inserted here.
The whole system can be purchased for $6,700.
Background / Specifications
GIK Acoustics has numerous variations of acoustic panels, bass traps, and diffusers installed around the world... with locations in the U.S. and Europe.
Odyssey Audio is based in Indianapolis, Indiana and makes all their products in house. The Kismet Beryllium Reference speakers are new for RMAF. Treatment of the room included rear corner traps, diffuser / traps for the first reflection points, plants, and front corner traps. There were also some patent-pending traps in the back of the room.
Joe's Impressions
Bryan Pape from GIK was in the room when we got there and showed us the treatment that was used in the room - they have a new patent pending design that incorporates material and air into the panel - look for more details at the GIK website. The panels are super easy to install and move around - making treating your room a snap!
I really liked the design and finish on the Kismets - they have a unique trapezoidal design and the dark finish was really well done. They image perfectly for vocals with a incredibly wide and deep soundstage - I understand why Klaus makes it a point to only have a couple seats set up in the room as you really need to sit in the PLP to get the full effect.
Instruments - the piano especially - were very crisp and detailed. I wrote three times in my notes about how much I really liked the piano tracks on this system - it was just so soothing and finger-tapping at the same time! Vocal dynamics were also handled really well - no surprise here after hearing the Loreleis at CapFest - and vocals had a very natural sound that I normally equate with a ribbon / horn speaker. Low end sounded very good here - while most setups struggled with the room limitations and their propensity for boomy bass, the combination of GIK treatment and Odyssey speakers did a real good job taming this.
This system is definitely one of those examples I spoke about in the general thread - it is a system that in my opinion sounds like a high-priced set up but is within the budget range of us ordinary joes. This was another one of my top five set ups for the weekend.
Wayne's Impressions
In some rooms I had to ponder what to say about a system or a pair of speakers. In the Odyssey Audio room, it was easy. The Odyssey Kismet Beryllium Reference speakers are fun, accurate speakers at a nice price.
Klaus Bunge was kind enough to give me some focus time with his system. Having paid a lot of attention to tweeters in various products, I was drawn to the easy smoothness of the beryllium dome tweeter in use. With some tweeters I had listened to, you could hear how hard they were working to impress. This tweeter made its job sound easy. Sibilants were balanced and clear. Imaging in the upper ranges was solid and tight with no smearing on my most stringent test tracks. I won't say that it equaled the RAAL tweeter being raved about elsewhere or the plasma tweeters I had drooled over, but it sure came close.
How accurate are these speakers? Maybe not quite true reference grade, but close - there were no glaring deficiencies that showed up with rock, bluegrass instrumental, female vocal, or piano on the tracks I had brought along. And they were fun to listen to, had some character while remaining faithful in reproducing the music as it sounded on my own reference systems.
All Odyssey products are manufactured in the USA, Klaus is proud to point out - 100% USA, 0% overseas, stated a poster on one wall, paraphrased slightly. Klaus insists that all Odyssey speaker designs meet the following criteria:
- They must be emotionally engaging. I can attest to that. I had a great time with the Kismet Beryllium Reference speakers, more so than with some speakers at 3x to 4x the price.
- They must project a good soundstage. Again, the Reference speakers excelled.
- They must have accurate tonality. Three for three.
Great, engaging sound along with budget-friendly prices made the Odyssey Kismet Beryllium Reference speakers very easy to like. The system price of $6,700 was refreshing as well.
Dennis' Impressions
I really enjoyed Klaus's Odyssey gear. Combined with Bryan Pape guiding placement of the GIK Acoustic room treatments, the room's walls disappeared, leaving no hint at all that we were listening in the confines of a 12 x 12 hotel room.
Nice, wide soundstage with holographic images filling in the center, the sound was mellow and easy to listen to. I found myself rocking back and forth with the music, an involuntary motion that is always a good sign that I am getting into what I am hearing.