Morel Fat Lady Loudspeaker

Jonathan Valin has posted a review of the Morel Fat Lady loudspeaker ($32,000/pair) at AV Guide. His conclusions:

Whether they were completely right or mostly right and a little wrong in creating their high-tech undamped carbon-fiber enclosure, Morel and Mr. Kauffman have undoubtedly created a truly outstanding loudspeaker in The Fat Ladies—one that several on my listening panel like above all others I’ve yet had in my home. I know precisely why the Boyz feel this way: The Fat Ladies reproduce instruments and voices with a timbre that is uncannily like the real thing and with an overall balance and lack of coloration that is well-nigh perfect (the Ladies are neither bright nor dark nor both—anywhere); their slight droop in the top treble makes for no irritation or aggressiveness in the upper frequencies and does not rob the speaker of treble extension or resolution (or, at least, not much); their bottom end is as smooth, finely detailed, and deep-reaching as that of any ported speaker I’ve heard, without any of the peakiness that adds spurious “slam” to ported bass; their soundstaging is excellent; and they are always a pleasure to listen to.

While I’m not sure that they signal the end of the ball game when it comes to high-end transducers, they are nonetheless an impressive and innovative debut from a company not previously known for building reference-level loudspeakers and a superb and relatively economical choice for well-heeled listeners who value the sound of the real thing above all else. From me and the Boyz, they come most highly and affectionately recommended.

You can read the full review here.