Yup, got Mk2’s as well, currently both stacked and bi amped. Awesome speakers.
Just checked your profile, spill the beans on the 28’s then.
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I wonder sometimes if I should have gone for six of those panels, rather than six of the black (standard) ESL57 panels. On balance, I think that the Peter Walker originals that I have are best - apparently he had advice/assistance from Christopher Heal (of Heals Department Store fame) in the design of the ESL57.
So I think of them as classic examples of modern design, plus the noise that they make is wondrous!
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New Gurus coming very soon I am told.
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They’ve got the new 28s on the website which look like they are based on their prototype from some time ago of a passive driver sub in a stand under the Qm10s @Donkeyhaute has a pair listed in his profile, would love to hear opinion on them.
This from Eric Ring at Guru Audio a few weeks back:
‘Btw. The Junior will be replaced with a new speaker. Launching the spring as Guru 8, together with a new 'Guru 12’ (bigger stand mount n the same design).’
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Cheers, that’s really interesting, the 12 could be a real star. Hope they have managed to sort themselves out as really became a victim of their success and couldn’t keep up with demand and quality, fortunately I got the party early before the issues set in big time.
Don’t suppose that had any pricing expectations.
Re Guru, have they gone down the direct purchase route as per Buchardt, or do they still have a dealer network?
There is dealer in London I believe but direct appears to be the way on the website.
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Yes. Er. I was a little trigger happy there, Adam. In a fit of bureaucratic fervour I updated my profile after buying them. Erik is shipping them today. I can share a few thoughts once I receive them, if that is of interest?
I appear to be the first domestic purchaser. Some others are already in dealerships I believe. Production is ramping up and they should be at full steam by Summer.
Hi, yes definitely of interest, long term fan of Guru’s, what they do well few get close to in the right environment and that’s why they’ve always been keepers.
I always give their website a quick look every now and then to see if there is anything new and that’s where I saw the 28’s, hadn’t seen anything in the press or usual places about them.
Did you get to hear them somewhere first or was this gut/impulse/based on previous Guru experience?
cheers, adam
Well, since 2009 I’ve had the MK Ones, Twos and Threes and I agree with your assessment of their strengths. My daughter (2) stuck an exploratory finger through a tweeter last autumn and I duly shipped the MKIIIs back to Erik for repair. A pair of ATC SCM11s (bought predominantly because they were a local firm and had metal grilles) had a very different and, to me - conditioned by 14 years of Gurus - less satisfying presentation. Erik popped up by chance to message me about the prototype that would become the 28s describing them as having “more of everything” that the QM10s have and that basically sold me on the 28s. That and the fact they can go up against a wall.
I’ve listened to loads of potential replacement candidates over the years, mainly only to answer for when you want volume out of the ordinary but always found that for the 90% listening time when (lets face it) stupid volume isn’t required nothing could convey the involvement they achieve. This is even more pronounced at lower volumes where other speakers tend to shy away.
Guru’s replaced my B&W 805s, which I had for many years, but definitely enjoyed the volume turned up to come to life.
It was only covid boredom and intrigue with all the amazing reviews that the Kef LS50 Metas were getting that I ordered a pair. They spent a while in the cabin before I finally got to terms with their presentation and requirements on positioning. They are incredibly transparent and now supplemented with a pair of KC-62’s, which give a really good full range presentation.
However, the Guru’s are deployed on my cabin system which has Densen amplification and sound amazing. I’ve also gone and paired up the mk1’s and mk2’s in a stack and its incredible.
I’ve got Townshend Isolda cable on the mk1’s and Kudos KS-1 on the Mk2’s as I always found the Mk1’s had a bit more high frequency edge than the mk2’s and the cable difference really makes them sound as one. With the two in tandem vocals have genuine height and the volume capability is really enhanced. I’ve got them genuinely bi-amped so that helps as well.
Guru’s are always definitely fun first and that’s where the saw off so many speakers on home demo as they just put a smile on your face and keep time like nothing else.
They both still look immaculate and I had them both since their respective launch dates.
Hope the new ones bring all the promise to the party.
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That’s a great description of their addictive nature. There’s something very fast but ‘chesty’ in the midrange that nothing else I’ve heard quite captures. The ATCs were thoroughly admirable but ‘hifi’ and lacked that narcotic colouration. I’ve never cared much for massive amounts of bass but with a 555 PS, by the way, I swear they gain extra low-end range.
Your cabin system sounds fascinating. I’ve never thought of stacking them. I believe the tweeter and crossovers changed from MkI to MkII so it makes sense they’d present differently.
On your point re the KEFs, I eventually cracked and ordered a pair of KEF LS50 Wireless II for the kitchen in the US and I am very impressed. They have some sort of digital room correction so I can shove them right back against the rear of the shelving. I’ll attach a couple of pics.
I’ll report back on the 28s and apologies to everyone from derailing this excellent thread a little.
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Those Guru’s look amazing there, great colour match. Love their bespoke stand too.
Thanks! The stands are called Stillpoint. Erik was making them over Covid with a carpenter. How do you stack the Qm10s, by the way? They’re not bi-wirable?
Have you heard them? I haven’t. I always thought they looked absolutely incredible, but was never sure if they were more of a form over function thing?
Unfortundly never heard them the higest bowers model i heard was the Nautilus 802 in 2 occasions once with classe electronic at a electronic show in Madrid Spain.
second time somebody i know owns them with a full accuphase system.
Like this, given they have they sponge feet then they sit nicely on top of each other and both sit atop a classic Target R2 stand, which was always a heavyweight king, probably about 50kg a stand without the speakers.
Then have Densen Beat b100 (integrated) and B300 (power amp) driving each pair independently (they are gain matched).
Couple of years back trialled this but inverted top pair of speakers (so upside down) so the tweeters were as close as possible but more recently just left them right way up.
I cannot claim this was my idea, I remember that the revered Tim De Paravicini did the same with two pairs of Ls3a’s and inverted the top pair to get tweeters closest possible and Ken Kessler raved about it.
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