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It was well over a year ago when friend and ex-Soundstage! teammate Jim Saxon
hipped me to a brand new loudspeaker he had just brought into his shop, in the paradise he
calls Costa Rica. Those speakers looked unlike any I'd ever seen. More importantly still,
Jimbo thought they sounded wonderful. He highly recommended that I go after a pair for
review. At the time, they unfortunately had no US distribution so that wasn't to be.
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Meet Markus Duevel
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In 1987, Markus Duevel graduated with
an electrical engineering degree from the University of Osnabrück and one
year later founded "Duevel Lautsprecherbau" where he set about the
development of programming software that would simulate the operating
conditions of loudspeakers and then develop loudspeakers for other firms.
He specialized in hornspeakers with laminated and lathed plywood horns of
his own design. 1995 marked the beginning of project "Jupiter", with the
goal of constructing a horn that did not spot-beam as Duevel puts
it. In 1998, after two years in development, the Bella Luna was brought to
market.
Markus Duevel
told me that "in earlier years", he favored horn-loaded loud-speakers for
their dynamics, high resolution and efficiency. However, he was disturbed
by a small sweet spot and the classic cupped-hands colorations ascribed to
many horns of the time. Eventually, Duevel overcame colorations by making
his speakers omni-directional and adding his own crossover design which he
claims incurs minimal acoustical phase error - something of paramount
importance to successful omni-directional designs, according to
Markus. |
Duevel Loudspeakers come from
Northern Germany near Osnabrück. Car aficionados may recognize Osnabrück
as the home of the Karmann automobile factory which these days produces
the Mercedes CLK, VW Beetle Cabrio and Chrysler Crossfire. Today Duevel
exports his speakers to 14 different countries and his non-feedback solid
state integrated amplifier, the Shuttle, is sold to 16. Next month, the
2004 CES will play host to Duevel loudspeakers for the first time ever as
these speakers are finally available in the US. |
Meet The Bella Luna
Diamante
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If us audiophiles are predominantly
men, then we are also, almost by rueful definition, a very visually
oriented bunch of admirers. This bodes extremely well for the Duevel Bella
Luna Diamante. It's one beautiful pair of speakers. Not that their beauty
is lost on the female persuasion - my wife has favorably and repeatedly
commented on their aesthetic sensibilities. The level of fit and finish is
very high and the speakers evince excellent attention to
detail. |
Standing a modest 42 inches tall,
the German-born and university-bred Bella Luna cabinet, on each of its four identical
faces, measures a svelte 11 inches wide and weighs in at a sturdy yet manageable 71 lbs.
Not only is the geometry unique and attractive, so are the numerous available finishes.
The review pair came in Padouk which was gorgeous. I'm told that somewhere around
70 finish options are available.
You can, for example, special-order the speakers in combinations of brushed aluminum,
acrylic, piano lacquer and sundry painted finishes - most at varying additional cost,
naturally.
Duevel specifies a 6-ohm load, 91dB sensitivity and frequency
response of 40Hz-20kHz +/- 3dB. Those claims seem perfectly reasonable to me. If a
picture is worth a thousand words, then the photographs here are going to save my
fingers considerable toil as these speakers do operate in rather unorthodox ways. The
very apex of the speaker is actually the backside and magnet structure of the substantial
tweeter assembly. Crossed in at a relatively low 1,000 Hz, this 2-inch carbon fiber dome
produces a significant amount of midrange signal as well. Additionally, it is loaded
by the uppermost laminated wooden horn which should, theoretically, enhance its
efficiency and dynamics. It fires down into a similarly constructed lens. Picture a
tweeter firing down onto the point of a Hershey's chocolate kiss. The carefully chosen
geometry of this lens spreads the tweeter's dispersion 360 degrees in the lateral plane
for an omni-directional radiation pattern while greatly minimizing diffractive
distortions that would otherwise color the sound.
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Bella Luna And The Tale Of The Three
Amplifiers |
These Duevels promised to be an easy
load so my first choice of amplifier was my 16-watt SET Art Audio Carissa.
Sure enough and without breaking a sweat, the Carissa was more than
capable of achieving the kind of levels that I enjoy in my room. Bass was
visceral and clean; treble clear, extended and airy - but for one problem.
In my review of the Carissa, I had already observed that it isn't exactly
ruler-flat through the upper-midrange. It exhibits a gentle rise
throughout the presence region. As it turns out, the same can be said of
the Belle Luna. Together, the two proved to be too much of an otherwise
good thing - the combo was a touch bright and edgy.
Next up were my Herron M150 150-watt
solid-state monoblocks. Well known -- and sometimes even criticized -- for
their neutrality, I was sure that they'd sound great with the Duevels. Not
really. The M150s certainly ameliorated the edge which the Carissa/Belle
Luna combo exhibited - but they went too far in the opposite direction.
Where previously the speakers sounded bright and forward, they now sounded
overly laid back. The amazing transparency I had previously enjoyed now
seemed somewhat obscured. The speakers also lacked the stratospheric
treble extension earlier noted and had lost a tad of transparency
through this region. They didn't sound bad, mind you; but I remained
convinced that more was to be had.
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Surprisingly, the Bryston 7B ST monos
turned out to be the best match in the house. While the Bella Luna
Diamantes could have cared less about the Canadians' 500-plus available
watts, the Brystons produced proper tonal balance and 95% each of the
treble purity and transparency I'd heard with the Art Audio Carissa. And,
the Brystons made the most of the Bellas' bass. While the resultant combo did sound very good,
I'm left with the suspicion that I haven't yet tapped the full potential
of these speakers. With a more neutral SET amplifier such as Art Audio's
own Jota or PX-25, I can only imagine the possible magic. |
Combine the midrange linearity
of the Bryston with the increased transparency and treble integrity of Art
Audio's 845-powered sweetheart and their music could only be blissful
heaven on earth. The Audiopax Stereo 88 should make an equally amazing
match as well [which might well be a future review - I have already
discussed the possibilities of reviewing the top-line Duevels on my Model
88s - Ed.]. The Bella Luna Diamantes are amazingly responsive and
transparent to the whims and idiosyncrasies of upstream
electronics. |
Consistent throughout the
disc were crisp instrumentals that never became fatiguing, and outstanding
depth both in timbre and soundstaging. I couldn't take my leave of the McLachlan disc without some "Ice
Cream". Once again, the Diamantes demonstrated their fabulous treble
extension on the song's cymbal work. "Bright, shimmering and smooth" were
the words I chose to annotate my notes with; but now I'll add "delicate".
Having amply demonstrated their chops on Pop recordings, it was time for
something a little more sophisticated. Groove Note's hybrid SACD release
of Jacintha's Lush Life [GRV 1011-3] seemed like a great place to
start. It was. |
The two different ride cymbals
used on "Manha De Carneval" were spellbinding in their smooth and delicate
refinement. The Bellas offer treble performance that I've never heard
significantly bettered. Jacintha's voice arose from one of the blackest
and most silent of backgrounds on "The Shadow Of Your Smile". She was all
but standing before me, the Duevels delivering every breathy phrase and
seductive nuance. Though the music just flowed with this disc, my
listening notes did not. The Duevels provided a superior disappearing act
and picking out individual aspects deserving of special attention was
difficult. It was much like going to a live concert and thinking to
yourself, "My, how those triangles just hang in mid-air." You just don't
analyze live music that way - and such was my hypnotized mood while
listening to the entrancing Duevels. |
The total package just sounded like
music and scrutinizing was made most difficult. But to be sure, all the important elements were
present - a wonderfully fleshed-out soundstage with tons of air and loads
of depth; resonant pianos, silky strings and an elegant simplicity that
certain far more complex speakers can only dream of recreating. The
Duevels went about presenting music that was a relaxed, non-pushy and
completely natural in a way that I've only encountered in electrostatics
before. They seem so unfettered by technology and distinctly non-HiFi. I
call that a sure sign of the most mature of technologies implemented
without compromise. |
One day I broke out
the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over [GEFD-24725]. I'd been watching the
DVD and was curious about the two-channel CD. Well, screaming guitars on
"Get Over It" and periodic billowing drums along with clear and present
vocals pretty much sums up the experience. "In The City" featured
excellent, clean and energizing bass power while percussion seemed to cut
through time itself, such was its penetrating incision. And, it all arose
from a stage as wide as my room. "Life In The Fast Lane" features an
opening drum riff that was rendered powerfully dry. An oxymoron, this? Not
at all. It was immensely powerful and real yet didn't incur excessive boom
or overhang. Also featured was a dizzying array of dueling guitars
guaranteed to quicken the pulse. Suspended above it all were Henley's
vocals, again as transparent and open as I've ever heard them. Tying it
all together with body and foundation were Schmitt's bass lines that were
as skillfully reproduced as the bass drums. |
For a
classical fix, I turned to Jerry Goldsmith's Christus Apollo as
performed by the London Symphony Orchestra [Telarc SACD 60560]. I knew by
now that the Duevel Bella Luna Diamantes would get the nuts and bolts of
the encoded data right. What I was looking for was musical emotion. Sweet
and soothing melodies are not what this music is about. Think turbulent
and cathartic outbursts instead. Think turmoil. Think played back loud for
maximum impact. Rather than symbiotic harmonies, think contrasting discord
that relies on divergent tonalities and textural counterpoints to
succeed. |
Again, the listening notes refused to
flow. How many times can I reference transparency? How about coherency or
outrageous soundstaging replete with cubits of space and air? After a
while, it just becomes expected business-as-usual and accepted as
something these speakers do so well - until you remove them from the
equation to notice that these strengths are not the norm. These omnis
illuminate inner detail with unforced transparency and microdynamic ease
rather than supernatural in-your-face pyrotechnics. By doing so, they
allow the listener to stay attuned to the music and forget about the
speakers. It is in this way that they remain one of the most
musically beguiling speakers I've ever had the pleasure to spend time
with. |
The Wrap
Up |
Saying that I'll miss these speakers
once they are gone seems trite. It is trite. But dammit, it's true.
I wish I had more time to spend with them. Sadly, they're leaving shortly
for their CES engagement in Las Vegas. If I ever have occasion to review
another Duevel speaker, I'll make sure to reserve more time. The Duevel Bella Luna Diamante combines terrific
coherency and transparency with wonderful spatial dimensionality,
life-like detail and ease. For all their sonic precision, once broken in,
they are remarkably easy to position and their omni-directional dispersion
pattern makes them indescribably easy to live with in real-world rooms and
homes. Throw in excellent fit & finish and conversation-piece styling
and you arrive at a truly outstanding loudspeaker. Perhaps best of all?
The speakers' chameleon-like nature means that if you like the sound of
your electronics, a pair of Bella Lunas will allow those components to
shine as these speakers largely assume the character of whatever resides
upstream in your system. |
In any event, the Duevel Bella Luna Diamantes
are an excellent value especially at their new price that no longer
converts punishing but realistic Euro exchange rates. It's a speaker
around which one can assemble a fine system that's immensely musical,
pleasurable and relegates solitary sweet spot listening -- which,
depending on speakers, could collapse with harmlessly tiny head movements
-- to a diametrically opposed type of narrow-dispersion, highly
directional speaker design philosophy. That makes the Bella Luna Diamante
the perfect family-friendly living room speaker. |
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