Incredible, what do you have them mounted on?
Very nice system. Still running the 52? I would consider trying some orea’s under your components.
We changed a few things this year, including the rack and position of all the electronics.
The full system is in my profile but here’s a link to the system as it is today:
System Pic 2021
Best regards, BF
They look really nice in your room.
Are these brand new??? if they are they will take around 3 months to run in … and boy does that make a difference!! I have the little S12’s and the bass reach is to around 38hz…in a small room…epic…let us know how you get on…very jealous…enjoy!!
Hi,
I actually got these second hand, they were used by a prominent cable manufacturer to design products, they got the V2. These Gaia feet have increased my enjoyment immensely. This is the bass I alway hoped to have. Deep, powerful, chest thumping, no overhang or fog, great and discernable at low levels. Yet no resonances excited except at louder than tolerated levels. These are my end game speakers for this room. If I move to a bigger house, I will need a bigger model 
When the G3’s came out I was thrilled, I adored the Originals in print only, the reviews really made them and the Blade 2 seem like the end game speakers. I went with Vivid because I was concerned about too much bass with the Blades, similar to the Joseph audio Perspectives. I was disappointed a bit with the bass until I upgraded to the 500dr and got the feet, now it’s completely satisfying in every way. When I hear something I don’t like it is alway upstream of the G3’s, they’re the perfect speakers. The Revel Gems were pretty great too, but missed deeper bass.
2 Likes
Laurence is a genius designer…even the little S12’s are amazing…I emailed Laurence directly…and he replied such a great guy. I am sure your speakers are utterly amazing…people just don’t realise how game changing these speakers are…they make a judgement on looks…which is unfair…as they look so much better in the flesh…when you can appreciate the form…
As for the blade…I was not that impressed…for sheer size…what did impress me was the LS50 which Kef demoed against the blade…
Yes, agreed, these speakers are by far the best I’ve used. I love the looks, though maybe more sans Gaia’s. The tapering at the top makes them less imposing than the smaller Gems on stands.
I’d love to hear if Mr Dickie tried the footers.
1 Like
What we’re the real effect of the Gaia feet? Are your speakers on a suspended wooden floor or concrete? I was thinking about using them mainly in an attempt to tighten bass even further…what are your thoughts…
Easily one of the best things I have ever bought in 30 years in audio. Really profound increase in detail, resolution, size, deep bass, especially at low volumes. Suspended wood floor.
Have anyone had a chance to listen to the Kaya 45s please, admittedly a bit curios as I’m 6 miles away from the factory? ATB Peter
1 Like
No I have not…but I can assure you…if you listened to my S12’s you would be astounded…the 45 will be epic… I suggest you email them for the attention of Laurence…and see how you get on… They are a match made in heaven as far as Naim elecrronics is concerned…also you could speak to Analogue Seduction…I sure they will have demo pair you could listen to…I found them very helpful…
2 Likes
They do a very nice gun metal finish which is semi matt … this gives a different look to the speaker…mine are piano black and the finish is amazing…
1 Like
I have Vivid Kaya S12 with Naim Supernait 3, NDX2 and Solstice Special Edition. Kayas are a perfect match with Naim. The sound is tight, dynamic and clean. Anyone considering speakers for the Naim system should try Vivids alongside with traditional options.
8 Likes
Now that’s a cool system!
1 Like
I use S12’s too they are utterly brilliant!!! the speed and resolution is fabulous…totally agree they love Naim amplification…with a 500 system they defy belief…
1 Like
The Vivid GIYA G3 looks very interesting too.
Its internal design and rounded shape suggests good performance.
But it is far from the industrial design of the NAC S1.
If you are thinking of changing speakers, I think that
Raidho and Magico are nice options to consider and a great match for your S1.
From Soundstage audio site review :
« For the past six years, my frame of reference has been defined by the original and Mk.II versions of Magico’s Q7 loudspeaker ($229,000/pair for Mk.II). I’ve had a bunch of speakers in-house during that time, but each time I’ve returned to the Q7s, which remind me why I invested so much in them – money, and the time and effort required to move them in and out of position whenever a new set of review speakers arrives. The differences between the Magico Q7 Mk.II and the Vivid Giya G1 Spirit were striking. In terms of build quality, the Magico wins hands down, and I don’t mean only for its heavy-duty construction – the Magico’s mechanical tolerances look much tighter, and the finish work has no peer.
Then there’s the sound: As I said earlier, the Vivids could play louder and freer than anything I’ve ever heard in my room. In this regard, they eclipsed even the Magico Q7 Mk.IIs – I’ve never heard a speaker fly like the Spirits do. Although in this regard the Magicos are better than any other speaker I’ve ever heard otherthan the Vivids, the Spirits were able to go places no other speaker would dare go. Specifically, the Q7s rounded off the very tippy top of dynamic peaks; the Vivids left the jagged edges at the pinnacles intact. This was true across the audioband, and was noticeable above 95dB SPL.
Conversely, where the Magicos beat the Vivids was in articulation – again, across the audioband. From the bass up through the highs, the Q7 Mk.IIs simply revealed more nuanced detail, seeming to decipher even the tiniest audio cues that, by comparison, the Vivids glossed over. For instance, in Crown Imperial: Festive Music for Organ, Winds, Brass & Percussion, with organist Mary Preston and Jerry Junkin leading the Dallas Wind Symphony (24/176.4 WAV, Reference HR-112), the bells and cymbals in William Walton’s Coronation March sounded more subtle and refined, which made the sound seem more lifelike. For me, this makes the Magico the ultimate speaker for high-resolution audio; in this regard, the Vivid is merely very good.
As good as the G1 Spirit’s bass was – and from 30Hz up, it was punchier and more physical than anything I’ve heard – I’ve heard deeper bass from other speakers. The Q7 is definitely one of those, but another is the original version of the Rockport Technologies Arrakis ($165,000/pair, discontinued). Playing my longtime reference for low-frequency authority, Bruno Coulais’s music for the film Himalaya (16/44.1 ALAC, Virgin), the Spirits couldn’t come close to achieving the Rockports’ seismic room lock. Maybe there’s room for a Giya model above the G1 Spirit after all. And remember that the Spirit costs $93,000/pair – much less than the Rockport or Magico. »
THE VIVID COSTS 1/3 of the Magico Q7
Associated Equipment
- Speakers – Magico Q7 Mk.II
- Amplifier – Gryphon Audio Designs Antileon Evo, Soulution 711
- DAC-preamplifier – Soulution 560
- Sources – Apple MacBook Pro running Sierra 10.12.1, Roon, and Tidal HiFi streaming service; Oppo Digital BDP-103 universal BD player
- Cables – Nordost Valhalla interconnects, speaker cables, power cords
1 Like
I think Vivid are aware that the tweeter has room for improvement…and I would not be surprised if they did not bring out a berillium update which would improve speed and detail even further… I have never heard Magico…speakers I am sure they are phenominal…