The Wall
Active Member
Yes indeed, no doubt they serve their purpose however must be handled very carefully to prevent splitting...
HiHas anyone bought/booked the Aarka yet? I’d like to hear an audio sample if available.
Thanks. I’ve sent you a PM.Hi
I have a video clip which I had recorded during auditioning Aarka. It’s recorded in a phone. Kindly send me your what’s app number.I can send it to you.
please note - after I had auditioned it Jacob had changed the bass drivers, board, and the tube as well.
Hi SachinThanks. I’ve sent you a PM.
Nice to her this Jai. Was this at Jacobs place ?I got a chance to hear the new Maargas on a recent Kochi trip. I own the Aarkas and Harbeth c7es3. My comments on the Aarkas and Harbeths here: https://www.hifivision.com/threads/rethm-coming-out-with-bookshelf-speakers-aarka.76900/post-976425
The Maargas are clearly from the Aarka family but are a large step forward in performance. Things to note:
- the overall tonality is similar to the Aarkas but with a touch more warmth - slightly closer to the Harbeths
- scale and dynamics are notably better and these are suitable for a large room. The overall sound is more effortless
- they retain the Rethm signature disappearing act despite the larger size
- resolution is a big step forward from the Aarka and the Harbeths. even beat the Harbeths on midrange resolution, which was a surprise!
- bass has better extension and definition than the Aarkas and is competitive with the Harbeths plus a Rel s510, albeit with slightly less impact than what the Rel provides
- treble extension is similar to the Aaarkas and a notable step up from the Harbeths
overall these are great speakers. Do need a good setup though. The demo was with an ec design dac, micro Zotl preamp and Rethm set power amp
Size on these is less intimidating than the Saadhanas. The depth is similar to the Aarkas with a bit more height and width added on
Yes, at his place. The amp is an old design I think. Variants of it have been part of the setup for years. It’s not sold commercially currentlyNice to her this Jai. Was this at Jacobs place ?
Curious if he has a new SET amp.
Any guidance regarding the pricing...I paid a visit to Jacob George yesterday, at the Rethm Studio. I'd visited him last to listen to the Aarkas. And I'd not yet listened to the updated current generation line (Saadhana/Maarga/Trishna) that has been getting plenty of praise at Axpona 2023.
I've listened to every generation of Rethms by now, and I own a (previous gen.) Trishna and a Gaanam Amp. I've seen these speakers get better and better every time Jacob George rolls up his sleeves and gets down to improving them.
Yesterday, I listened to the Maargas. This time around, the improvement in sound is HUGE over the previous generation. So much so, that it is not just an incremental update/improvement. The only way I could describe it is that they sound the same, yet so much different. The family sound (natural, easy to listen to, holographic imaging, very deep and wide soundstage, speakers are invisible) continues. The difference in scale and dynamics is really what hit me the most. These sound HUGE, and they fill the room up so effortlessly! Tone-wise, they're ever so slightly less sparkly, but with much better integration between the top end and the middle end (and between the middle end and the low end too).
The current gen. Maargas will beat the socks off the previous gen Saadhanas (their much larger, top of the line model) in scale and dynamics. I'm sure the current gen Saadhanas are now an absolute force to reckon with!
The associated kit was the same as before: Tidal Music via Roon, Innuos Server, EC Designs DAC, Micro ZOTL Preamp and Rethm's own Gaanam Amp (6922 & 6N6p, 6C33C).
Please forgive the phone photos. I didn't take a camera with me.
I didn't ask. I have no intention of upgrading, and from experience, asking is the first step in that slippery slope... I do know that the international price is $12,900. (It'll be lesser in India).Any guidance regarding the pricing...
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On the hind- side , this is what i like about the new rethms, fuller and richer vs thin and forward presentation of the lowther....this makes me forget how the speaker sounds and helps me concentrate on the music...Got an opportunity to demo the maarga's yesterday. my wife and kids accompanied me and to our luck, jacob sir being the gracious host he is, welcomed us to his home, which is an architectural masterpiece, set in a divine, well curated property..eliciting almost a forest like aura.
Coming to the infamous demo room, I had demoed aarka an year back, this visit was to experience Maarga - it didn't disappoint, but it didn't excite as well. For the first time i felt Rethm was clinical with no contours. If you like your music accurate, maarga is right up there, it's neutral. Soundstage and depth is aa with all rethms, just incredible.
I would bet on amps which elicit warm character to work really well with Maarga. Would have loved to test it with lyrita 2a3's and such.
Overall, I felt, for smaller rooms, like in an apartment, Aarka would be a better option, tonally, I felt aarka had a bit more contour, which I prefer. Aarka has a Soundstage which is scary for it's size..and this is when it was played in their demo room, which is large!
As someone who has had the earlier sadhana (lowther) version, I am sorry to say, I still find that version more suited to my taste... The way So What plays on the lowther era Rethms is scary, it's visceral.