“From Infinity and Beyond” (Without Limit).
What we know of GENESIS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES,…which has a history dated from the inception of the brand, INFINITY SYSTEMS to the brand, GENESIS TECHNOLOGIES, that spanned for almost six [6] decades. It all began with the late Arnie(Arnold) Nudell and John Ulrick whom started the INFINITY SYSTEMS in 1967, that headlined the audio industry with Servo-Bass System and Servo-Statik I. Following that successes, they introduced their EMIT and EMIM Ribbon Technology that also resulted in the beginning of true High End Loudspeaker around 1975, the much sought after four [4] towers loudspeakers system till today by audiophile and even by veteran audio designers, the INFINITY REFERENCE STANDARD (IRS)!
In 1991, Arnie Nudell started GENESIS TECHNOLOGIES and launched the Circular Ribbon Tweeter Design in their loudspeakers. In the short two years thereafter, GENESIS TECHNOLOGIES launched their ‘GENESIS I, a flagship four [4] towers loudspeakers system at seven and a half [7.5′] feet tall, that established a new world standard in sonic performance—beyond even the IRS!—with a (A) dynamic range so wide, it took listeners’ breath away. Its (B) detail retrieval was so stunning that you could often hear the performers breathing; its (C) three-dimensional imaging was so true that the listener felt virtually amidst the very (D) presence of the musicians’.
Its true (!),…I remembered that I first tasted true High End/ State of the Art audio system was through the GENESIS II four [4] towers loudspeakers system,…towering at six (6‘) feet tall (the smaller sibling of the GENESIS I). Since then, I knew that I have to really save up for that GENESIS II. (Un)Fortunately, I managed to save up for a GENESIS V, and at the following years I was blessed with the opportunities to listen/ experience a number of GENESIS I, II and II.5 loudspeakers systems, and the later GENESIS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES’ loudspeakers models.
In all those instances, I was wowed and mesmerised by their sheer (E) Life Size Soundstage and Soundscape,…Big Dynamic Bang with Deep Bass,…Ultra Resolution/ Detail/ Nuances,…(F) Intimate, Warmth and Natural timbre,…the Dimensional Imaging,…the (G) Spacing/ Air among the Images,…etc.
Similarly, Gary Koh shared the same ‘wow’ experiences and mesmerisation,…thus he vowed that one day to own the GENESIS I loudspeakers system! However, ‘fate‘ has it that he fullfilled his vow instead by owning and helming the GENESIS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES at 2002 and,
…(yet) not the GENESIS I loudspeaker system (?).
Eventhough he was ‘not a loudspeaker designer‘ at that time, however he was ‘quick on his feet‘ and,…managed to improved significantly upon the already well admired GENESIS loudspeaker designs (with the reconstruction of the cabinet with the insertion of layers upon layers of carbon fibre, the suspended cabinet that worked with most flooring condition, the reworked crossover, tweeter, ribbon, servo electronics, etc, etc, etc),…and also introduced and launched under GENESIS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, almost the entire chain of electronic components of an audio system, from the source (analogue and digital), pre amplifier, amplifier (tube and solid state), and finally to the cables…’if there is a will, there is a way‘ (to me, he fits that ‘motto‘).
The Birth of Series 7 Loudspeakers
In light of the current audio market and, consumers’ expectation and behaviour, Gary Koh was tasked and enthused to design and manufacture three [3] number of loudspeakers at ‘friendlier price‘ points and ‘yet not suffered’ in the well admired ‘GENESIS’ Audio Quality. Being a believer (/doer) of, ‘if there is a will, there is a way‘,…he persevered for four [4] years,…thus born the GENESIS Series 7 loudspeakers that consisted of The Foxtrot (estimated retail US$20,000), The Tango (estimated retail US$14,000) and The Minuet (estimated retail US$10,000).
The following descriptions of the GENESIS Series 7 loudspeakers were taken from their website:-
“Our refreshed, re-designed, innovative 7 series loudspeakers.
The Genesis Series 7 loudspeakers are styled with simple, unfussy lines, and utilize natural materials that convey a sense of warmth. Designed with simple clean lines, yet sophisticated enough to fit in all interior design styles.
They are designed to be enjoyed by the whole family. Hence, they have a (H) huge sweet spot to encompass a family sitting on a sofa, delivering Absolute Fidelity music that everyone enjoys. However, they can perform as “audiophile” speakers by toeing them in to focus on a single seat.
We incorporate trickle-down technologies from the flagship Genesis Prime+ in this entry-level series. The same Genesis Ring-Radiator Ribbon Tweeter and the same cross-over components are used throughout the product line, whilst ultra-light titanium mid-woofers allow it to play with the clarity, detail and resolution that all Genesis loudspeakers are famous for.
Innovative use of bamboo-ply is used in the G7 series cabinet, in much the same way as carbon fiber is used in our line-source models, which results in a low-mass high-Q composite that manages resonance without resorting to massive cabinets and excessive damping which may suck the life out of the music.
A conscious decision to design for (I) quality of bass and not quantity of bass, and the sealed box acoustic suspension results in the deep, tight, tuneful bass that Genesis is renowned for“.
The DELIVERY.
My first listening experience with the GENESIS Series 7, The Foxtrot and The Minuet loudspeakers was at their launch event at YY SOUND SYSTEMS (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD. Gary Koh was there in person to start off the event and (over) generously shared his knowledge and experience in designing the Series 7 loudspeakers. Many local loudspeakers DIY-ers swarmped the man!
As for me, I took every opportunity available to listen to them loudspeakers (‘coz I too was pretty occupied with audiophile friends). However, the nice folks at YY SOUND SYSTEMS assured me that I would be given the opportunity to review them at the comfort and familiarity of my audio den (hurray!).
A day was set and then came the team of YY SOUND SYSTEM (TK Han, Maurice Han, Shaiful Anuar Sulaiman and another team from the delivery co.) delivered not just the Foxtrot loudspeakers but also the Minuet loudspeakers, and two integrated amplifiers, the GRYPHON DIABLO 333 and the JADIS I-70. They spent time to (fine tune) position the Foxtrot and the Minuet loudspeakers to sound as per the sound quality with certain music tracks, as instructed by Gary Koh…it was a meticulous effort that very few Audio Distributors/ Dealers would spend,…at the end, they were placed at approximately the positions of my reference loudspeakers, the GRYPHON DESIGNS KODO four [4] towers loudspeakers system.
A) My Turn at the Foxtrot Loudspeakers.
Nowadays, streamings seemed to be the trend. Therefore for the review, I connected the digital player/ streamer HIFI ROSE RS150B (mainly TIDAL) to the FM 268C Preamplifier, VITUS AUDIO MasterPiece Mono Amplifier MPM-201AF, and most signal and AC power cables were of SKOGRAND CABLES.
I like to start my serious listening to any newly introduced audio component with some vocal tracks. From my usual suspects, I did notice that the Foxtrot loudspeakers favored the human voice. It could easily convince me that the vocalist’s presence, and was performing in the ‘same space‘ and breathing the ‘same air‘ with me,…eventhough I was seated eleven [11] feet from them, I could enjoy the intimacy of the voice.
After playing more than ten [10] pieces of vocal tracks, I realised that there was no note written on my pad…oops!…I have to consciously remind myself that the review already started…take notes…
(was I enjoying myself too much?…have I hinted the Conclusion?)
Here, through the vocal track of the AQUAMAN movie, “Everything I Need” (Deluxe Edition), I could hear Ms.Skylar Grey’s fluatuation in vocalisation and breathing, and that allowed me to follow the vocalist’s pace by pace of ‘emotional intensification‘ into the lyrics…or in other words, I being the listener, could easily sense her trying to put ‘emotional weight and presence’ into the words/ lyrics. Here, the Foxtrot easily highlighted (B), (D) and (F).
Here, the ‘presentation’ of the piano notes was equally noteworthy (in my audio book). The Foxtrot loudspeakers were able to present each note with clarity, space, dimension, decay, fluidly and organically (never mechanically). I would also add that each note was presented with the appropriate weight to differentiate the different note…therefore highlighted (B), (F), (G) and (I).
Similarly, at the track “Too Young“, the Foxtrot loudspeakers were so transparent to Ms.Ellen Andersson‘s sultry and sensual voice that cumulated to a level of intimacy that was almost surreal…therefore exemplified (B), (C), (D), (F) and (G).
I believed that that surreality of her voice was also accredited to the Foxtrot loudspeaker’s transparency to the (jet black background) native recording, and the accompanied quality audio components and cables,…and that also suggested the color neutral of the loudspeaker design…therefore again highlighted (B).
In addition to the transparency to the human voice, the Foxtrot loudspeakers were able to throw a huge soundstage and soundscape that encompassed not just the front wall (between and around the loudspeakers) but the entire audio den at 17.5′ [w] x 28′ [l] x 8′ [h]. With the track “Liberty“, the transparency to Ms.Anette Askvik‘s vocal was without question ‘being all there(!)‘, however what impressed me further was that I was surrounded by an ambience of space and air of what I presumed to be the recording venue…therefore impressively exemplified (B), (C), (D), (E), (F), (G) and (H).
The amazement did not stop there, I could even hear and sense the instruments and their notes being around me and/or being projected at me (an almost ‘3-D Surround‘ experience). That experience almost amounted to me being there at the recording session…therefore strongly exemplified (C), (D) and (G).
Most audiophile loves to play/ test their loudspeakers, as to how deep/ low the bass could go down with the track, ‘Way Down Deep‘ by Ms.Jennifer Warnes. Here with the Foxtrot loudspeakers, I was taken in by the clarity of the presented bass notes/ low frequencies,…differring drums beats, the nuance in the emitted bass, the outline of each low note, and the differring volume of low frequencies…a testament to the loudspeakers’ ability to present not just quantity in bass but also quality in bass…therefore exemplified (I).
At the track, ‘Claustrophobia‘ by Antonio Sanchez was a simple drum track which the Foxtrot loudspeakers were able to present not only the sheer life-size of the drum set and all its ancillaries, but the nuances and dynamic play of each part of the set.
In addition, the loudspeakers were able to present the air and dimensional space surrounding the drum set that distinguished the drummer. Finally, I noticed that there was no hardness in tonality associated with the top hat of drum and,…that I could hear more of the ‘naturalness and air‘ of the vibrated skin at the drum,…there seemed to be more details/ resolution through the loudspeaker (especially in the areas of air, space and dimension)…therefore satisfied (B),(C),(D),(E),(F),(G),(H) and (I).
The soundtrack of Mobile Suit Gundam “The Witch from Mercury” (Anime/ Bandai Namco Music Live Inc.) by Takashi Omama with group background vocalists led by Ms.Clara Solace. That track was a challenge even, to say the least, to most high end loudspeakers,…to maintain the clear presence and distinctiveness of the vocalists amidst a grand orchestra. Here, the FOXTROT loudspeakers were up to that task and more…they managed to draw out Ms. Solace’s vocal and gave her the space to shine her distinctiveness amidst the heavy instrumentations.
Even the groupings of instruments were presented with respective space and separation to shine their distinctiveness,…eventhough at difficult, demanding and dynamic (loud) ‘passages‘.
In addition, at those (loud) ‘passages‘, while delivering that continuous bombardment of dynamic low bass, the Foxtrot loudspeakers were able to maintain the vividness of the stringeth instruments, without drowning the voice of the vocalists, and finally,…maintained the coherency of totality of the ‘theatrical music‘,…that was a feat to be recognised!…a definitive exemplification of (A)!
I did not realised that there was an up trend to showcase high end loudspeakers at shows with Electronic Dance Music (EDM). Therefore, I decided to play the EDM track, ‘Animals‘ by Martin Garrix through the Foxtrot loudspeakers, and to play it loud!
Really, the Foxtrot loudspeakers were NOT faze by that EDM track! Even when the mid and low synthesised notes hit the audio den, and my sofa was vibrating accordingly,…each note remained coherent and in position,…within a cohesive soundstage and soundscape that encompassed the entire audio den!…definitive exemplification of (A),(H) and (I).
Was I Enjoying Myself Too Much?…Have I Hinted the Conclusion?
The attention grabbing headline above was to indicate how much I have enjoyed, mesmerised by and felt the music (/musicality) presented through the Series 7 Foxtrot loudspeakers. If there was any caveat to the Foxtrot loudspeakers’ total audio presentation was that they may not present music at the ‘scale and volume‘ of their GENESIS I/ PRIME+ loudspeakers system (size did matter!).
However, I believed that Gary Koh has continued the almost six [6] decades of GENESIS Legacy by succesfully inculcated the GENESIS Sound Quality into the Series 7 Foxtrot loudspeakers.
(to be continued with the review of the Minuet loudspeakers)
Foxtrot Loudspeakers’ Technical Specifications
Musical Response
C1 (32.7Hz) to max
Sensitivity
88 dB 1 watt 1 meter
Input Impedence
4 ohms (nominal)
HF Transducers
Two Genesis 1″ ring radiator ribbon Tweeters (1 front, 1 rear)
Mid-Woof
One Genesis 5.5″ titanium cone
Woofers
Two Genesis 8″ isobaric loaded
Controls
Soft/Bright (+/- 4.5dB)
Inputs
5-way Genesis binding posts
Dimensions
H 53″ x W 14″ x D 16″
System Weight (per side)
86 lbs
Finish
Natural Bamboo
Other finishes on application