If you read our review of the Heretic AD614s, you know how much I love these speakers. Always on a hunt for a great pair of high efficiency speakers, the Heretics succeed brilliantly. The only major difference between the 614s (which actually use the same 12″ coaxial driver) and the AD612s you see here, is cabinet volume.

The increased cabinet volume allows the 12″ ported driver that pays homage to the Altec cabinets used back in the EMI/Beatles days to go a bit deeper. 35hZ, vs. 40 for the 614s. Fortunately, they can be placed fairly close to the wall, so you can pick up a little bit of room gain. Wall voicing is a great thing for the Heretics – speakers up against the wall looks super cool, and that extends the useful frequency response down to about 32hZ.

Available in a few different finishes, these speakers are gorgeous no matter how you configure them. Our full review will be live in issue 117, but thanks to their 97dB/1-watt sensitivity rating, the Heretics are perfect for low powered tube amps. The Pass Labs First Watt amplifiers also make for an excellent, highly musical pairing.

The Heretic AD612s are incredibly amplifier friendly, and will deliver good results with nearly anything, much like my other favorite speaker, the legendary Quad 57, the absolute right amplifier takes them to a completely more engaging presentation. So the AD612s may just send you on an amplifier hunt!

Very enthusiastically recommended and #toneaudioapproved. You’ll be seeing a lot more of these in the years to come.

Please click here to visit the Heretic site.

Please click here to visit the US Distributor, Fidelis Distribution.

Always on the move, improving their products, Naim has announced today that they have replaced the very popular Chora Line with their new Theva speakers. This is a full lineup, with products for 2-channel and theater users. Here’s what they have to say about all the changes incorporated into the Thevas. It’s pretty extensive.

Focal listened and with consumer feedback is excited to present Theva, a new line of Hi-Fi loudspeakers comprising six products that deliver uncompromising performance and design.

Made in France in Focal workshops, all the speaker drivers in the Theva line are born of Focal’s unique know-how. They incorporate its Slatefiber technology, a cone made from recycled non-woven carbon fibers and thermoplastic polymers from discarded aeronautical and automotive parts. It delivers excellent performance, reproducing a dynamic, rich and balanced sound.

First seen in the Chora line, this cone has proven its worth across numerous products and several divisions, since our engineers have used it to develop the Alpha Evo studio monitors and even the Slatefiber in-car kits.

Also made in France, the Aluminum/Magnesium TNF tweeter – already present in the Chora loudspeakers – offers a mellow, clear treble. With its outstanding performance, it was the obvious choice for Theva loudspeakers.

The finishes for the Theva loudspeakers are inherited from the Chora line, with considerable improvements. They are more modern, to blend even more seamlessly into any interior. The pure, elegant look of the Black, Dark Wood and Light Wood finishes enhances any room, as well as offering an even closer coherence with our other loudspeaker ranges. Each Focal line has its own aesthetic, while together they form a harmonious catalogue and unique signature.

After Chora, every detail was reviewed and redesigned to create loudspeakers that are robust and refined from every angle.

Here are the key areas Focal concentrated on with Theva:

An additional front panel, for the perfect finish and no risk of detachment on the front.

An increased perceived value with a metallic, screen-printed Focal ring around each speaker driver. It also ensures Theva is coherent with all our other lines.

A vent now placed on the rear of the loudspeaker, for a sleeker finish on the front. This also reduces the size of the enclosures, particularly the one housing the Theva N°1 bookshelf loudspeaker, which is much more compact in comparison with Chora N°1.

A fold in the vinyl at the back of the loudspeaker to avoid any detachment.

The addition of a slimmer loudspeaker to the range, Theva N°2, perfectly suited for smaller settings, with an even more attractive profile.

A light base for the Light Wood versions for even more sophisticated products. Likewise for the grills, designed to coordinate with the finishes: a beige grill for the loudspeakers with a light finish.

A tweeter minus its grill and surrounded by a chrome ring for an understated front piece.

The Focal flame beneath the speaker drivers on all the loudspeakers in the Theva range.

www.focal.com

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