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ROYAL DEVICE LAURA STUDIO MK II with MIRANDA HORN REVIEW
by Constantine Soo
DECEMBER 1, 2003
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Read the
TECHNICAL
BACKGROUND
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Specifications:
Type: 2-way back horn loaded full-range speaker system with custom bi-wiring speaker cable.
Miranda tweeter horn: modified SEAS ¾ inch soft dome tweeter without frontal phase plug, 24 dB
slope filter at 9 KHz with no serial attenuation
Woofer: full-range 8 ½ inch custom woofer, crossover-less design with 24 dB high slope with
mechanical frontal phase plug for acoustic high-pass filtering and break-up control, no serial
attenuation, 9.5 kHz bandwidth with phase reversal triple folded back horn loading
Frequency Response: 24 – 20,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 98.5/6 ohm, minimum impedance 4.6 ohm @200 Hz (101 dB “A” weighted ambience
measurement)
Power handling: 1.5 Wpc minimum, 50 Wpc maximum
Recommended Amplification: 2 to 8 Wpc single-ended triode monoblocks with 6 ohm transformer
tab, and other single-ended tube amplifiers up to 15 Wpc
Recommended Amplification: 2 to 8 Wpc single-ended zero feedback triode or better SET
amplifiers with 4 or 8 ohms nominal transformer tap.
Dimensions: 39.5”H x 10”W x 16” D
Weight: 54 lbs. each
Finish: handcrafted cabinet in 1 inch Norwegian multi-ply birch wood
Price: $10,895 per pair
Manufacturer:
Aliante s.r.l., Viale dell’Industria 19 – 21052, Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy
Tel. +39 0331 354070 Fax. +39 0331 342445 Direct fax. +39 0331 354903
Website: http://www.royaldevice.com
North American Distributor:
O. S. Services, Inc.
10153 1/2 Riverside Drive, #159
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Tel. 818-632-0692
Website: http://www.ossaudio.com
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AUDITION
When driven directly by the volume control-equipped, 25 Wpc
Audion Golden Dream Level 6 monoblocks, whether it was
playing the SACD Dvorak: Symphonies 8 & 9 (478 617-2), or
the Corydon Singers’ 1986, Redbook CD vocal rendition of
Samuel Barber’s “Agnus Dei” in Bernstein Chichester
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Psalms (Hyperion CDA 66219), music presentation by the Royal Device
Laura Studio Mk II with Miranda Horn was dynamic and expressive.
One of the most powerful single-ended 300B-based parallel monoblocks
available, the Golden Dream’s conveyed impressive scale and speed in
dynamic transients suggested by the Klipschorn, accompanied by a luminous
instrument texturing that reminded me of my Sound Lab experience, infusing
the presentation with enticing credibility. Dimensionality-wise, with
exceptional channel separation as accorded by the Audion Golden Dream’s,
the Laura’s rendition of the Dvorak Symphony’s recording venue undertaken
by the Budapest Festival Orchestra was expansive, and the extraordinary
depth on the horizontal plane was profound.
The semi-horn speakers also had an utterly convincing and refreshing
suppleness that endowed the reproduced orchestral sound from the Dvorak
SACD with resoundingly authentic characteristics. The proclamation of the
orchestra’s horn section and the sweeping tenderness of the strings
transcended the reenactment of the event by virtue of the sound’s beauty.
With Audio Note’s DAC 5 Special at the helm deciphering the Corydon
Singers’ RBCD, the Laura competently unveiled cues from the session.
Using no instrumental or orchestral accompaniment, the Corydon Singers,
under the baton of Matthew Best, created a sound that rivaled the sonic
beauty of any orchestral “Agnus Dei” in its complex and yet coherently layered
choral soundscape. The crossover-less main driver of the Laura showcased
the intensity contrasts between the baritones and the mezzo-sopranos during
the many ups and downs in their intonations.
Most importantly, the RD’s differentiation of the underlying baritones and
sopranos was devoid of the annoying ambiguity many other speakers would
impart on the vocalists’ minute but important variations in intonations and
pitch. In this regard, the Laura’s sheer midrange liquidity reminded me of my
Apogee Duetta Signatures’ ribbons.
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In JVC’s 1996 XRCD Sampler (JVCXR-0001-2), the Laura’s
rendition of Carmen Lundy’s vocal in “’Round Midnight” was
sumptuous and textural, and with a glamorously open top end
that endowed Masami Nakagawa’s haunting and reverberating
flute instrumentation in her version of “’Round Midnight” with a
rather fitting footprint.
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JVC’s 1960 Scheherazade XRCD2 (JVC JMCXR-0015) was
another gem that illustrated the visions of artists of earlier
generations. Via the AN DAC 5 Special- and Audion Golden
Dream-equipped Laura Studio Mk II with Miranda Horn, the
very evocative and feminine touch of violinist Sidney Harth was
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thoroughly showcased, reminding me with not simply that he had eclipsed the
Germanic Michel Schwalbe’s style (DG 289 463 614-2) from a 1967 DG
session; but also the extent to which the sound of the vintage JVC master was
noticeably warmer than the Germanic DG’s.
In sheer listenability, the XRCD2 version’s richness of tone and the violinist’s
realization of an inquisitive and lovely Scheherazade were meticulously
reconstructed by the Italian speakers. The unmistakably caring and diligent
playing of the JVC violinist was only set back by the vintage instrumental
textures as compared to the DG’s version, in which the Germanic violinist had
an exacting stance that may please yet other audiophiles. The Laura’s
portrayal of the DG’s top end clarity and the slightly distant sound
appropriately placed the yellow label’s perspective in the admiration of those
preferring discipline and the objectivity thus accorded.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
When driven by another 300B amplifier, namely the $15,000, 8Wpc Loth X
JI300 Integrated 300B Amplifier, the Royal Device Laura Studio Mk II with
Miranda Horn offered comparable tonal vividness with an edge on textural
contrasts, although falling short on the last degree of transient articulation as
accorded by the Audion Golden Dream Level 6 monoblocks.
Throughout the playing of SACD’s and XRCD2 CDs alike, the Korean
amplifier’s distinction in texture depiction induced a tonal vividness via the
Laura’s that augmented the speaker’s liquidity immensely in midrange to
upper midrange, raising the crossover-less driver’s tonal opulence factor
further. The 300B integrated was also a remarkably compatible match for the
speaker’s 98.5dB sensitivity.
There were pleasant surprises when I coupled the Royal Device Laura Studio
Mk II with Miranda Horn loudspeaker system to either my EL34-based $3,450
Music Reference RM9 Mk II, or the $2,450 GW Labs 270, 6550-based
amplifier. Most noteworthy was the GW Labs as armed with dual C-core
transformers, for it amassed competent transients from the crossover-less
speakers without over-exciting the Miranda Horns. Although neither amplifier
was capable of the textural and tonal refinement of the more expensive Audion’
s and Loth X, they nevertheless represented affordable, viable alternatives in
compatible amplification.
CONCLUSION
The Royal Device Laura Studio Mk II with Miranda Horn was capable of a
sparkling midrange and tonal opulence rivaling those produced by my Apogee
Duetta Signature and Genesis VI. Then, the defining moment for the Italian
loudspeaker occurred when it was conjuring up incredible low-level resolution
resembling those from the Audio Note AN-E SEC Silver speaker, making it
the next most resolute transducer I’ve auditioned.
Although the semi-horn’s bottom end definition, magnitude and dynamic vigor
were all not as blatant as the $9,500 Genesis VI’s trio of active woofers, the
Royal Device had competent and convincing sense of scale and weight in the
conveyance of a full orchestra.
The highly encompassing design philosophy of Roberto Delle Curti’s Aliante
Royal Device Laura Studio Mk II with Miranda Horn loudspeaker system
incorporated the speaker cable interface with the drivers into the fundamental
design process itself to achieve the loudspeaker’s final disposition, as the
proprietary RD cables were crucial for the speaker to project the extremely
well-balanced frequency distribution across the entire audible band.
Non-RD cables, such as my very affordable Tara Labs Phase II with TFA
Return, or the mid-priced Cardas Quadlink 5C, or even the very resolute
Audio Note AN-SPx, would incite incongruity from midrange to top-end with a
subdued upper midrange, disrupting overall coherence of sound.
Secondly, in addition to the fact that the Royal Device’s direct-radiating 8 ½-
inch midrange/woofer unit and partnered horn tweeter needed to be put well
into the room for more seamless driver integration, the semi-horn system did
not produce audible bottom-end resonance aft of the speaker to benefit
corner placements, which was also indicative of either very well-regulated
phasic behavior from the main driver, or an extremely well-dampened cabinet.
Roberto’s white paper leaves no doubt in one’s mind of his objection to the
common, random system matching practice, in addition to his view that many
audiophiles become irritated at the High End Audio in general because of
rampant instances of system incompatibility. It takes tremendous effort to
arrive at a system in sound reproduction in the form of the Royal Device, and it
is another monumental and painstaking effort to compile the process in
writing.
An active loudspeaker system is the only other viable alternative I am aware of
that addresses the amplifier/cable/loudspeaker interface scenario. We shall
examine this alternative in the future when opportunity arises.
Associated Equipment:
Digital Front End
47 Laboratory 4705 Progression DAC
47 Laboratory 4705-G Gemini Progression DAC
47 Laboratory 4707 PiTracer CD Transport
47 Laboratory 4713 Flatfish CD Transport
Audio Note CDT-2 CD Transport
Audio Note DAC One 1.1x Signature
Audio Note DAC 5 Special
CEC TL1 CD transport
GW Labs DSP Engine
Harmonix Reimyo DAP-777 20bit K2 DAC
Sony SCD-777ES SACD/CD player
Amplification
47 Laboratory 4706 dual mono Gaincard S with DACT24 & Cardas posts
Audio Note M8 preamplifier
Audio Note Conquest Silver Signature monoblocks
Audion Golden Dream 300B monoblocks
Decware SE84C
GW Labs 270 tube power amplifier
Linn Klimax Twin
Loth X JI300 integrated amplifier
Music Reference RM9 II power amplifier
Reference Line Preeminence Two passive preamplifier
Reference Line Preeminence One Signature power amplifier
Z-systems RDP-1 Reference Digital Preamplifier
Speakers
Apogee Duetta Signature
Audio Note AN-E SEC Silver
Celestion SL700
ELAC CL330JET
Genesis VI
Klipschorn
Loth-X BS1
Tannoy Churchill Wideband
Cabling
Audio Note Sogon digital cable (1m, RCA)
Audio Note Sogon interconnect (2m pair, RCA)
Audio Note AN-Vx interconnect (1.5m, RCA)
Audio Note AN-V silver interconnect (RCA 1m, 2 pairs)
Audio Note AN-SPx speaker cable (2m, bananas, bi-wired)
Audio Note AN-La copper speaker cable (8 feet, bi-wired)
Canare L-5CFB 75-ohm digital cable (RCA, 1.5m)
Canare D206 110 ohm digital cable (AES/EBU, 1.5m)
Cardas Quadlink 5C (8 feet)
Granite Audio #470 silver cables (RCA 1m, 2 pairs)
Granite Audio #560 AC Mains (2)
Illuminations D-60 75 Ohm digital cable (1.5m, RCA)
Loth X
Royal Device Bi-wire speaker cable
Van den Hul MCD-352 (8feet)
Accessories
ISO, Salamander Synergy 20 (2), ASC Tube Traps and Flat Traps
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