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The Duevel Jupiter Loudspeaker Into Sonic Orbit July 2005 
Over the last decade, I have found only five loudspeakers which filled all my audio needs...... Disc after disc played through the omni-directional Jupiter revealed the rarest of rare quality’s in a speaker: staggering resolution coupled to vanishing levels of coloration yielding intense musical involvement... ... the Jupiter had no problem with imaging, soundstaging or dynamic range. ... While not what I would call a head bangers speaker like some of the other big ticket front-firing cone speakers I know, the Jupiter’s bass had no problem pressurizing my space when the source material came knocking... ... The mid band of the Jupiter is as spot on tonally as any speaker I have heard. Smooth without veiling detail, rich without thickening instrumental textures, the Jupiter plays no parlor tricks to achieve any particular end... ... With all these elements in place, transients are so cleanly and naturally rendered, music is at once startlingly fast as well as relaxed, yet another paradox of live music so convincingly captured by the Jupiter. ...there is always at least one instrument that is captured as never before. With the Jupiter, it is the saxophone. For once, the sax really opens up and blooms into a streaming column of color-infused air... ...The upper frequencies are packed with a variety of upper octave color and texture. Cymbal’s, percussive attack and upper harmonic overtones and atmospheric reverb all mingle without flying off into a tangle of brightness, brittleness or homogenization... ..This open quality comes without the penalty of edge, forwardness or detachment from the mid band and goes a long way in solving one of the major conflicts in speaker performance... ...One more thing, the soundstage is extremely stable for off axis listeners. I found myself intently listening while seated to the outside of the right speaker. What a joy compared to the paralyzing effect most speakers have on the listener’s position... ...As my pick for this year’s Most Wanted Component, the Deuvel Jupiter can only be described as a triumph in mechanical engineering and musical performance. Capable of great transparency and resolution while at once rendering colorful and rich complex harmonics, the Jupiter infuses all the sonic elements with air and bloom merely hinted at by most speakers. ... Even if you are not in the market for a new speaker, do your self a favor and give the Deuvel Jupiter a listen. You might be glad you did. Greg Petan |
