AMBIENCE GRAND REFERENCE 1800 Superb sound and quality

Contact Mike at 757-803-3441 or email [email protected].

MAJOR PRICE REDUCTION! These are serious high end speakers. For sale is a pair of brand new in the crate Ambience Grand Reference 1800s. These are the newly designed model which added an active subwoofer bass section in each speaker, which incorporates a large  metal cone sub bass driver and a 200watt RMS fully adjustable Redgum sub  amplifier in each speaker (see photos for rear panel adjustments). This 10" metal cone subwoofer driver was chosen because it is extremely fast and is time-coherant with the other drivers in the speaker.

I have owned a lot of speakers in my 57 years (JBL L112, Tannoy GRF Memory, Monitor Audio, Avalon, B&W, vandersteen), but these are in a league of their own. I finally got off the Audiogon merry-go-round and found a pair of speakers that allowed me to stop being critical of my system when listening to music (i.e., always listening for flaws - does it sound too bright, is the bass bloated, does the midrange sound natural) and just enjoy the music.

These are the most natural and live sounding speakers I’ve ever heard. The built in subwoofer integrates seamlessly with the treble and midrange. The speakers have an incredible soundstage and just disappear when listening. They are 96dB efficient, so are easily driven by low wattage amplifiers.

These speakers are manufactured in Australia and are not that well know in the US. However, if you do some research, make some phone calls and do your due diligence before buying (as anybody considering spending this kind of money would do), you will find that these speakers are one of the best kept secrets in all of audio and enjoy a very strong reputation.

The US distributor is Analysis Plus, so if you have questions about the speakers, you can contact them. The price through Analysis Plus is $18,000/pair.

Additionally, all the cabling/wiring in the speakers is Analysis Plus (see the photo showing the purple cable running up the side of the ribbons), which is another indicator that parts used are first rate, including the Hovland capacitors used in the crossover (see below).

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Each speaker weighs 150 pounds and the pair will be shipped in a single crate by freight. The crate weighs 420 pounds (very heavy duty and well packed). Included is an owners manual and 2 AC power cords for the subwoofer amps. Upon request, I will email the owner’s manual describing the features and specs. 

Why am I selling? Well, I liked them so much, I got another pair for my upstairs  listening room - i.e., man cave. However, I did so without permission from the boss. She has made me an offer I can’t refuse, hence the sale - nuff said.

Here is information (including specs) provided by the manufacturer:

- Sensitivity. 96dB @ 1meter, 2.83volts input.

- Power handling 150 watts RMS (long term)

- Crimped metal ribbon type.

- Twin 180mm SEAS woofers, custom made specifically for Ambience loudspeakers.

- Rear ported bass reflex design.

- Nominal impedance 4 ohms.

- Crossover 3rd order @ 420Hz

- Minimum amplifier power 10 watts RMS/channel.

- Ideal Amplifier power 30-70 watts RMS/channel.

SPECIFICATIONS OF THE DRIVERS

Ribbon Section:
 
- Metal Ribbon Membrane.

- 4 ohm. Resistive. (Constant)

- Power Handling 150 watts RMS (long term)

- Sensitivity 96dB, 2.83volts input @ 1 meter.
  
Crossover Section:

- Third Order, 18dB/Octave

- Crossover frequency 420Hz
- Minimum Amplifier power 10 watts RMS per channel

- Ideal Amplifier power 30-70 watts RMS per channel

 
Bass Section:
- Two 180mm. long throw woofers.

- 4 ohm. nominal impedance

- Rear Port Bass Reflex.

- 10" metal cone subwoofer driver powered by a 200 watt RMS fully adjustable Redgum subwoofer amplifier

MANUFACTURER’S DESCRIPTION:

Grand Reference 1800s incorporate the Ambience ribbon driver, which has proven to be extremely reliable and robust. They have a natural tendency to “ramp” off at frequencies above 18KHz, without the use of electronic filter networks, preventing the addition of coloration and distortion.

These ribbon hybrid loudspeakers boast an extremely high efficiency specification of 96dB, which use extremely powerful neodymium “rare earth” magnets. The magnets form the main integral part of the engine that creates the sound.

To match the high efficiency levels of the ribbon driver, we’ve employed a double woofer arrangement in the bass section to create the low frequency output.

The new Grand Reference 1800 has an active sub bass 10” metal cone woofer which extends the lower frequency response from 32Hz down to 22Hz.
 
Marrying these two varying technologies together, a complex 18dB/Octave crossover has been specially designed utilizing “Hovland” capacitors from the U.S. These capacitors are renowned for being the finest available in the world.

The crossover point is performed at a frequency less sensitive to the human ear; thus cannot be distinguished.

Internal cabling is also sourced from the U.S company “Analysis Plus”; this company is rapidly gaining reputation for being one of the finest cable manufacturers within the industry.

The resulting combination is a speaker system that has incredible DYNAMICS, REALISM and CLARITY that only Ribbon or Electrostatic loudspeakers can produce.

The soundstage is huge, and being of di-polar type design, create a three dimensional sound field.

Because of their gradual ramp downward tendency at the upper most frequencies, listening is very smooth and relaxing, even when operated at high volume levels

Their high efficiency makes them suitable for amplifiers with very low output power ratings of 10 watts, to a maximum continuous power output rating of 150 watt RMS /channel. With large amplifiers, extreme sound pressure levels are achievable.

The Grand Reference 1800 creates a huge soundstage and performs at their best in larger rooms.

Warmth, Encompassing, Surrounding. Hence the name: AMBIENCE!

Failure rate over the last 20 years is non-existant.