Stereophile reviews the Palladium P-17B

[LarryC]

The latest, May 2010 issue of Sterophile reviews the $4,000/pr. P-17B. It's marketed as a bookshelf speaker, usually shown on stands as befits a 20" high, 30-lb. speaker:

I won't try to "review the review" here, but would say it was very glowing, even for Stereophile. It presented the usual set-up fears about horn sound, followed by contrasting comments on how good these sounded.

Even John Atkinson's measurements review ended by saying that it wasn't surprising that the main review felt this horn could be mistaken for a good ribbon unit, and that it seemed "well engineered and a genuinely 21st-century horn design." The main reviewer, an Erick Lichte (new to me), called it a world-class bookshelf speaker and said the tweeter proved to be among the smoothest, most shimmery he'd heard in his home.

Lichte's strongest criticism was that he could not find any way to get the P-17B's to throw a deep soundstage, although the lateral soundstage was broad and precise.

Sorry, I can't download the article.

[BuyOtherSoundEquipment]

I just read the review. In the beginning of the article, Lichte mentions how he loved the Heresy IIs but interjects that "Though I love much of what horn-loaded speakers can do, I have never heard one that did not impart some sort of squacky horn coloration." I don't know why they always feel it necessary to make this "disclaimer" on every horn-loaded design they review. I have yet to hear this "squawk" phenomenon. Perhaps I don't know what to listen for.

I'm glad these awesome speakers got the glowing review that they deserved though. I heard them in person at Indy a couple of years ago, and I was amazed at what those "little" speakers were belting out.

[ZAKO]

Yes the Palladium line of horns sound fine....You,d think Klipsch Co. would upgrade the Heritage line to get rid of the sqwak and squeek in that old line.

[Boxx]

Excellent review.