Vivid Audio brings out a new range topper to expand their range even more, the Giya G1 Spirit.
I had the opportunity to listen to them and discover what changed.
I thought Ill pen down some of my impressions to a speaker I really admire.
The D50 and D26 drivers both use a catenary dome profile, and sport a new perforated grille in place of the wire cross used on the original G1 drivers.
Treble.
Bloody hell, the crispness of an Avantgarde, and the speed, staying pure like a silver liquid. Listening to a metal track, I sat tapping my feet (couldn’t jump around in a demo). Last time I heard something approaching this level was on the big ATC speakers. The treble NEVER went harsh and fatiguing. I could actually listen to trumpets, the instrument I utterly hate because it makes my insides crawl with hurt. Here I listened to the whole track, enjoying it. This is brilliant upper range! Best in the business ? I think so, really do. I sometimes wish I could buy these drivers and build a new version of the Duntech Sovereigns. Or replace my Tannoy Kingdom tweeter with this one…
The updated lower midrange driver, the C125-100, also received an overhaul, including a 75mm voice coil, a highly revised magnet topology, and a new chassis to support its fresh magnet system. It also now employs the same carbon-fiber peripheral stiffening ring designs used in the 2″ D50 upper midrange driver and 1″ D26 tweeter. The result has been a dramatic performance improvement—including a higher first break-up point of 10.5kHz, up from 4.3kHz.
The new woofer, C225-100, employs a completely new die-cast structure with a voice coil increased in diameter from 75mm to 100mm, and it is also 50% longer, thereby lengthening the magnetic gap. It also reportedly improves linear excursion by 30% while doubling thermal power dissipation.
Bass – These drivers are monsters. The bass easily kept up to its faster siblings.
MOST importantly, they never lagged or started doing their own thing when things got hectic and loud. If you have a small room…..you have a problem. This speaker will turn your square room into a sphere . Its incredible how much bass energy they generate. More than the G1 for sure, easily!!
The 11 1/2″ woofers are capable of twice the power handling, greater excursion. The neodymium magnets that are approximately twice the size of those in the regular Giya G1’s woofers.
Size
The tweeters in the new design are now at the average listeners ear level for greater focus. Seated of course.
The feeling that they tower over the room and most of its occupants are gone now.
The speakers are a full 4″ lower than the current G1’s.
Midrange.
LAstly, a massive strong point for me. I love this part. Its stronger than the original? Little bit less clinical, sharp (Im fishing for the feeling here…warmer perhaps). But the way it gels with the treble ? FLAWLESS. Really I could finally detect a perfect handover between drivers here. Actually the word is MO handover. Its almost as if they were one driver. To have 3 cones sing in unison like this ? Brilliant. I can predict a flat line on frequency response but there is more to it here. At any volume and any frequency every driver did their part. Every driver kept pace with the others but somehow made sure the sound came to your ears in phase (almost like headphones).
Crossover
The final significant change includes a move to outboard crossovers that make connecting large sets of speaker cables much easier, in addition to facilitating the use of “active” configurations.
Finish
As always the finish is impeccable and perfect. This is a speaker that cant be captured on photos. I tried my best, look at them. It always looks way “fatter” than in real life.
In Real life they are elegant, amazing to touch and the new mat finish is a great surprise!
Specifications
Configuration. 4-way 5-driver system
High Frequency: D26
26mm metal dome unit with Tapered Tube loading
Midrange: D50
50mm metal dome unit with Tapered Tube loading
Lower-midange: C125-75s
125mm alloy/carbon diaphragm with 75mm voice coil
Bass: 2 x C225-100
225mm alloy diaphragm with 100mm voice coil in 45mm gap
Sensitivity:
92dB @ 2.83VRMS at 1m on axis
Frequency response:
29 – +33,000Hz /- 2dB on reference
Power handling (music program)
1600 watts RMS
Loudspeaker dimensions:
1600(H) x 440(W) x 820(D)mm
Net weight:
80kg