Sanders Sound Model 10 Electrostat Speaker Review
By: Laurence A. Borden | September 2013
. . . The advantages enumerated above are far more than theoretical. Listening to music – importantly, any type of music – through the Model 10’s revealed unrivaled clarity. Instruments and voice were portrayed with breathtaking detail in virtually every parameter: tonality, rise time, texture, shading, harmonics, etc. By comparison, most every other speaker with which I am familiar sounds muted, colored, and sluggish. The amount of musical information provided by the Models 10’s allows a far greater appreciation of the music and sense of realism, as compared to most other speakers through which so much information is obscured. A number of years ago, when I was affiliated with another magazine, I wrote an article entitled “Real or Surreal,” in which I spoke of the common practice of speaker manufacturers intentionally boosting certain frequencies, to give the illusion of detail. Ultimately, such speakers become fatiguing, and lend a sameness to all recordings played through them. The Model 10’s are the antithesis of this; they have a very flat frequency response, and provide gobs of information throughout the entire frequency range. In point of fact, the Model 10’s are amongst the most evenly balanced speakers I have heard. They are neither warm, nor harsh. Instead, they provide an incredibly clear and uncolored window into the music, in which every instrument is heard clearly, cleanly and distinctly. They allow the listener to hear and comprehend the pace and nuance of the performers, and this is true for all types of music. . .
. . . Moreover, they are capable of sustained play at so-called “concert levels.” But the Models 10’s do more than just play loud; they go from soft to loud in the blink of an eye, and thereby reproduce the music’s energy and dynamics. . .
Conclusions
In the opening paragraph I said that at RMAF I had spoken to Roger about obtaining a pair of Model 10’s for review. That was only a half-truth. In point of fact, what I told Roger was that I wanted to purchase a pair of Model 10’s, and that I would write a review of them. So yes, the “review pair” is, in fact, mine. In the months I have had them, they have re-defined my sense of high-end audio, and brought hour after hour of musical listening pleasure, to both myself and many of my friends and colleagues. My only regret is not having purchased them years ago. The Sanders Sound Model 10’s are amongst the finest speakers I have heard, and certainly the best I have owned. At their price of $14,000 including a stereo amp and active crossover, they are also one of the greatest deals in high-end audio. They unequivocally earn my highest recommendation.
