Reference 3A Dulcet Loudspeaker
The Dulcet; The Best Mini Monitor in the world? Quite possibly.
I have auditioned many small audiophile loudspeakers. Some image very well, some had great bass, but most all of them were colored in some way. Its as if one had to overlook major flaws and focus on the strengths of them. Its possible, but not a good formula for long term listening.
The Reference 3A Dulcet is in my experience the best mini monitor to date. It has all of the characteristics I love, a holographhic soundstage, transparency with no colorations, deep bass, and simply a joy to listen to for hours on end. No other speaker I have carried or auditioned has come close to the performance and build quality of the Dulcet. I highly encourage you to place the Dulcet on your short list of mini monitors to demo. Contact us toll-free at 888-998-9335 and we can arrange to send you a pair to listen to in your own home, on your own system.
The Dulcet, like all other Reference 3A loudspeakers, incorporates a midbass driver that uses no crossover. Nothing in the signal path to degrade the sound means more sound, without loss or phase-shift reaches you. This is immediately apparent upon hearing the Dulcet. Harmonics are richer, more layered, detail is unbelieveable, but without the usual treble tricks. No need for them since the driver is directly coupled to your amp.
"...Right out of the gate, there was something special going on. My room filled with grand music, which stretched to nearly the width of the long wall while extending to the ceiling. I was taken aback by these little buggers. I have listened to small stand-mounted speakers in the past, most notably the Sonus Faber Signums. The Signums are about 10 percent smaller then the Dulcets, but offer maybe 75 percent of the width and breadth of their stage while failing to disappear as magically. I might as well add that the Signums are about 60 percent more expensive than the Dulcets. The sound was nearly perfectly balanced. I noted no significant distractions—not bad for a first impression...." - Positive Feedback
And its not just the disappearing act of the Dulcets that is impressive. These things have bass! I have represented other mini monitors that delivered good bass, the Mark & Daniels come to mind, but bass with harmonics and tonal balance, I can't say I've heard anything that tops the Dulcet. But don't just take my word for it. Read below.
"...Boom! Where did that come from? The bass emanating from the general direction of the Dulcets was nothing short of amazing. Monitor speakers are never purchased for their resounding bass. I, for one, opt for the refinement and imaging that can be achieved from smaller speakers, and for the price I accept a modest low end. With smaller than average speakers, it seemed reasonable that their bass response would be commensurate with that of other monitors. Not so. The bass met or exceeded the bottom end of all of the stand-mounted speakers that I have heard. The bottom end is advertised to be 48 Hz, which is not the lowest of the speakers I refer to, but the Dulcets' bass was much more satisfying. ..." - Positive Feedback
From the Reference 3A web site
Astonishingly deep & resolute bass, seamlessly integrated to a pristine treble, the Dulcet delivers a relentlessly engaging musicality from a tiny enclosure. Loudspeaker enclosures made in smaller dimensions are inherently more rigid, reducing enclosure resonance dramatically. Drivers mounted in closer proximity will naturally create a better point source from which more uniform sound waves eminate.
Smaller cabinet sizes also improve cabinet diffraction effects for enhanced imaging and clarity. However, most compact loudspeakers have some sonic traits that are commonly accepted as limitations. They are lacking in lower bass fundamentals, dynamics, efficiency and they generally sound small. In keeping with the characteristically full and dynamic Reference 3A sound, a radically new approach was implemented to design our Dulcet loudspeaker from the ground up.
All alternative methods known or newly created by Reference 3A were applied. Often ignoring commonly known physical limitations and natural obstacles, a thoroughly new main driver was developed. This amazing four-inch driver fulfills our objective of achieving unusually deep and articulate bass. The Reference 3A Dulcet has set new standards for compact monitor loudspeaker designs in achieving uncommonly full and rich sound.
Reviews
- Dick Olsher's August 2008 review of the Dulcet
- Positive Feedback's Dulcet review from 2004
- Sixmoons.com reviews the Dulcet from 2004
- TNT Audio and the Reference 3A Dulcet from 2005
- International Audio Review auditions the Dulcet
Other Reference 3A Models
Veena | Episode | Grand Veena
