The Cleopatra - A new Speaker by First Note - Proudly made in INDIA

[shibashis]

No, you are not alone! There are quite a few, who think, this speaker sounds flat and life less. I didn't get the opportunity to hear it. But, few FMs, who I am in touch with personally, told me point blank that this speaker falls miserably in every aspect. Initially, I was gung-ho about its origin, Kolkata; as I am a Kolkatan. I spoke to few FMs over the phone and all of them gave negative feedback. Surprisingly, nobody wanted to post his opinion on the forum, because nobody wanted to be labelled 'rebel. Come on! 200K for this speaker???? Sonodyne also makes speakers ( I'm not talking about Sonodyne Sonus series) that cost more than 100K. Does this speaker sound better than Sonodyne's Avant?
I won't be surprised if our forum members, in huge number, join the herd and speak highly of this new entrant.

Why are you criticizing a speaker which you have not heard personally?

 

[Amitkg]

Why are you criticizing a speaker which you have not heard personally?

I replied, but I don't know, why it didn't appear. I haven't been notified if it's deleted by mods.

MODERATOR NOTE:
It has been deleted.

 

[saheb11123]

People start criticizing and bad mouthing without even been in the presence of the product. Wow!!
And I also know the reason for the backlash, because some people don't know how to handle certain situation and differentiate between personal and other situation.

 

[keith_correa]

Why are you criticizing a speaker which you have not heard personally?

Did he criticize? Where did he do that? I thought he quoted people who heard the speakers and who had expressed their opinion. Nothing wrong in doing that.

 

[jai1611]

Did he criticize? Where did he do that? I thought he quoted people who heard the speakers and who had expressed their opinion. Nothing wrong in doing that.

He went far enough to imply they sound inferior to Sonodyne speakers without ever hearing them. That seems pretty unfair to me.

Quoting while saying that the FMs who heard the speaker didn't want to say anything seems bizarre. This is a very open forum with people free to criticize products they don't like (as is visible in this thread as well). The assertion that someone didn't want to post criticism worrying about the reaction seems strange. Is that what they said or is that what he interpreted? Could it be that the people who actually heard the speaker weren't convinced one way or another to post something publically? That's happened to me with audio products in the past. In a subjective hobby like ours, I guess its common enough.

 

[keith_correa]

He went far enough to imply they sound inferior to Sonodyne speakers without ever hearing them. That seems pretty unfair to me.

I dodn't think so. He made a statement and followed it up with a question [which no one has answered]. I didn't read anything more than that into it.

Quoting while saying that the FMs who heard the speaker didn't want to say anything seems bizarre. This is a very open forum with people free to criticize products they don't like (as is visible in this thread as well). The assertion that someone didn't want to post criticism worrying about the reaction seems strange. Is that what they said or is that what he interpreted? Could it be that the people who actually heard the speaker weren't convinced one way or another to post something publically? That's happened to me with audio products in the past. In a subjective hobby like ours, I guess its common enough.

Maybe. Said, interpreted, unconvinced, whatever. But then that was their opinion which was expressed to Amitkg which he then quoted. Period. The fact still remains that he did not criticize the speakers unlike what people here are assuming.

 

[jai1611]

I dodn't think so. He made a statement and followed it up with a question [which no one has answered]. I didn't read anything more than that into it.

Maybe. Said, interpreted, unconvinced, whatever. But then that was their opinion which was expressed to Amitkg which he then quoted. Period. The fact still remains that he did not criticize the speakers unlike what people here are assuming.

Have you ever heard a speaker that "falls miserably in every aspect"? I haven't (even crap Rs1.5k computer speakers have something good to offer). I have heard speakers that are overpriced, bright, muddy, opaque, boxy, not to my taste and even downright annoying to listen to. But not something that bad that it is an absolute fail in all respects - ie a speaker with no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

As per the original most "few FMs, who I am in touch with personally, told me point blank that this speaker falls miserably in every aspect." Those a very strong criticism to make. To me its hard to believe that multiple people thought that a single speaker was so bad - an absolute fail with nothing to offer. Remember this opinion is attributed to a "few FMs" - by definition 3+ (two would be couple). In a subjective hobby like ours, people tend to have very different preferences and varied opinions on the same product. Such extreme views attributed to multiple people seems more like the bias of the person repeating the statement rather the original conversation.

In the end my scepticism may turn out to be unfounded and the speaker may well be an absolute fail. I am curious enough about it after the strong views expressed in this thread to go listen to it. If the speaker is indeed "an absolute fail", that too will be a new audio experience for me

 

[arj]

I am not sure how anyone can hear a system and blame the speaker for it ! In the end it's a system . I would rather trust the designer ( I respect sangram for his knowledge) ..maybe the product needs more tweaking and that can be done with constructive criticism

 

[saheb11123]

All of these started because of something else, the member's criticism was nothing but hitting back because of a personal issue.

Esteemed FMs let me ask you a question, suppose me and you we had a quarrel about something which is personal, if now I launch a product would you turn and blank utter bad words against the same product without even seeing or testing it?

 

[keith_correa]

the member's criticism was nothing but hitting back because of a personal issue.

At last count, 2 FM's pointed out shortcomings [in their opinion of course] in the speaker and the 3rd [Amitkg] quoted other FM's who supposedly told him about shortcomings that they perceive. Is that the "criticism" that you are referring to? Which particular FM are we referring to here when you say "the member's criticism"? I think it's better that if we have something to say, we come out and say it instead of beating around the bush and getting all rhetorical.

@jai - I have a feeling that these un-named FM's views stem from the fact of expectations. If I knew that the speakers cost upwards of a lakh [or two], while listening to them, I would expect them to grab my attention [in a positive way] and keep it. Hell, if I were listening to a pair of speakers that costs a couple of lakhs and it did not have that "wow" - I would go ballistic wondering what the hell was in there that warranted the money. And if someone defended the cost by pointing me to the wood and the plinth and the driver etc., I would have flipped them the bird.

 

[ghatgepatil]

All of these started because of something else, the member's criticism was nothing but hitting back because of a personal issue.

Esteemed FMs let me ask you a question, suppose me and you we had a quarrel about something which is personal, if now I launch a product would you turn and blank utter bad words against the same product without even seeing or testing it?

You see, that is human nature. Everything is 'personal'. It ain't what you might have seen in such movies like 'The Godfather'. Micheal Corleone's immortal lines ... It is not personal Sonny, it's strictly business . It does not work so in our world. Everything's personal !

 

[saheb11123]

Haha. Well said.

 

[shibashis]

Did he criticize? Where did he do that? I thought he quoted people who heard the speakers and who had expressed their opinion. Nothing wrong in doing that.

Jai1611 put forward everything that I would have said in post#50 and did it perfectly.

I have nothing against him / someone not liking a speaker, he may or may not like something, that is perfectly alright. There was an overtly condescending tone in the post which was underpinned by the comparison to Sonodyne, I see it that way. Sonodyne may or may not make great/average/pedestrian speakers, but without hearing the speaker in question any or every comparison and criticism is unfair.
There is also an objection to the 200K price, of course it is expensive (if assuming it is the price), again the point is how do we know it is the price? Is there any statement from the designer/producer that will be the price? What is the source of this information? Again 'other forum members'? A lot of hearsay I would say.
A lot goes on in assumption, including the sweeping statement that the speaker in question performs 'miserably'! Unfair and insensitive to the very core.

 

[keith_correa]

You see, that is human nature. Everything is 'personal'. It ain't what you might have seen in such movies like 'The Godfather'. Micheal Corleone's immortal lines ... It is not personal Sonny, it's strictly business . It does not work so in our world. Everything's personal !

This!!!! hyeah:

...don't let anybody kid you. It's all personal, every bit of business. Every piece of shit every man has to eat every day of his life is personal. They call it business. OK. But it's personal as hell.

 

[moktan]

Jai1611 put forward everything that I would have said in post#50 and did it perfectly.

I have nothing against him / someone not liking a speaker, he may or may not like something, that is perfectly alright. There was a overtly condescending tone in the post which was underpinned by the comparison to Sonodyne, I see it that way. Sonodyne may or may not make great/average/pedestrian speakers, but without hearing the speaker in question any or every comparison and criticism is unfair.
There is also an objection to the 200K price, of course it is expensive (if assuming it is the price), again the point is how do we know it is the price? Is there any statement from the designer/producer that will be the price? What is the source of this information? Again 'other forum members'? A lot of hearsay I would say.
A lot goes on in assumption, including the sweeping statement that the speaker in question performs 'miserably'! Unfair and insensitive to the very core.

Just to wade in with some 'factual info' which I got vide my email communication with Mr Reddy. It's not correct the speakers cost 2L. They can be ordered for 2.5L a pair all inclusive.
That said the single driver sound is not for all. I love it for the kind of music I listen to. In fact I have longed to procure a pair of Omegas. But they are not available here. My interest got piqued after esteemed forum members put in their positive views. Of course since some consider single drivers to be one trick ponies it isn't suprising if some don't find them to their liking.

 

[keith_correa]

There is also an objection to the 200K price, of course it is expensive (if assuming it is the price), again the point is how do we know it is the price? Is there any statement from the designer/producer that will be the price? What is the source of this information? Again 'other forum members'? A lot of hearsay I would say.

The first and the third page of the images of the article both mention this as the price.

without hearing the speaker in question any or every comparison and criticism is unfair

Absolutely correct.

including the sweeping statement that the speaker in question performs 'miserably'! Unfair and insensitive to the very core.

I totally agree that this was a sweeping statement and was definitely insensitive. Was it unfair? I don't know. I have not heard the speakers in question so defending the speakers OR attacking them - no can do without a listen.

 

[shibashis]

I have not heard the speakers in question so defending the speakers OR attacking them - no can do without a listen.

Precisely what I wanted to convey with my post to FM Amitkg.

 

[jai1611]

@jai - I have a feeling that these un-named FM's views stem from the fact of expectations. If I knew that the speakers cost upwards of a lakh [or two], while listening to them, I would expect them to grab my attention [in a positive way] and keep it. Hell, if I were listening to a pair of speakers that costs a couple of lakhs and it did not have that "wow" - I would go ballistic wondering what the hell was in there that warranted the money. And if someone defended the cost by pointing me to the wood and the plinth and the driver etc., I would have flipped them the bird.

I agree. To me that comes in the category of "overpriced" (often accompanied by "rubbish") . Thats a very common reaction for me to a lot of audio gear these days, given how the Rupee has made imports far more expensive than they were and international prices been going up dramatically anyway

 

[Hari Iyer]

The Cleopatra definitely has something - ' You can either Hate it or Love it, but you definitely cannot Ignore it.:clapping::clapping:

 

[shibashis]

Just to wade in with some 'factual info' which I got vide my email communication with Mr Reddy. It's not correct the speakers cost 2L. They can be ordered for 2.5L a pair all inclusive.
That said the single driver sound is not for all. I love it for the kind of music I listen to. In fact I have longed to procure a pair of Omegas. But they are not available here. My interest got piqued after esteemed forum members put in their positive views. Of course since some consider single drivers to be one trick ponies it isn't suprising if some don't find them to their liking.

Thank you for bringing attention to the actual price. To be honest 2.5L for me is too expensive, I certainly can not afford to own them at this point but sure would like to hear them.