Source: Coincident Speaker Technology 
Price: $1,149.00 
Rating:  

Let's have a look at yet another Canadian loudspeaker manufacturer who is making waves out there in the consumer electronics market. Founded in 1993 by Israel Blume, Coincident Speaker Technology came about because of Blume's dissatisfaction with most existing loudspeakers he had come across in his twenty-odd years of audio and music experience. Frustrated, he began to work on loudspeakers by trying to get away from the usual appearance and the inherent problems of which box-type enclosures are plagued. Mildly successful, he decided to take a closer look at synergistic matches of speaker's components. He reasoned that all parts-the enclosure, the drivers and the crossover must be viewed in totality, with no emphasis on any one component. The Triumphs have been developed as the result of his research, which pointed him in the direction of resonance management. We'll tell about it later, but first... 

Appearance: 
Nothing much to tell you about. The enclosures are 16 inches high, 9 inches wide and 11 inches deep. Our samples came in a black ash finish and looked like so many other small speaker enclosures. On the rear of the enclosures are two solid five-way binding posts. There are no distinguishing external features; they do, however, look quite elegant on a pair of good stands-and stands you must have. 

Technology: 
The enclosures are made from selected hardwood MDF and their size has been determined with the help of computer calculations to minimize resonances and internal reflections. To enhance the system's high-frequency performance, Blume tuned the enclosures to a fundamental resonance of 350 Hz. He states that frequency resonance at or below 100 Hz muddies and slurs the bottom end by increasing the amplitude of that fundamental and the harmonics above. In addition to this unusual approach, he decided to stay away from all damping materials inside of the cabinets. He states that countless hours of research and auditioning have shown that dampening materials can significantly colour the sound. So what we have on hand here are enclosures with an inherently minimal resonant substance, tuned to a higher frequency so that its amplitude would be low, thereby making it unnecessary to use damping materials. 

The Triumph is a two-way system employing a 6½ inch woofer and a 1-inch dome tweeter-nothing unusual. However, the woofer has been carefully chosen to complement the size of the enclosure and the other components of the system. Mineral-filled polypropylene cone material, a large voice-coil diameter and a T-shaped magnet pole piece assure power handling and low modulation distortion. The tweeter is a silk-dome unit with a flat frequency response to 35 kHz, It is ferrofluid damped and can handle over 150 watts. Polypropylene capacitors and air-core conductors are employed in the first-order crossover system and all parts are hard-wired. Internal wiring is accomplished with Wireworld cables and the longest run is less than 15 inches in length. All that and then some, just to alert you to the Coincident Speaker Technology's high standards, but the proof of the puddn' is... 

The Sound: 
We connected the Triumphs to three amplifiers to determine their sonic disposition and to find out how they interact with electronics. 

With all amplifiers, the Triumphs delivered absolutely stunning sound, best described as rather neutral, yet very musical. The degree of musicality depends on the amplifier's personality. With our in-house single-ended Topaz, the Triumphs transcended their price tag, delivering astoundingly accurate mids and high high-frequency data as well as resolute bass to the specified 40 Hz. The amplifier's sweet sonic signature imposed a touch of class which is rarely found in loudspeakers in this price category. With the OCM 1600 mono blocks, the bass control was a touch better, while the midrange and top frequencies sounded a bit harder; still, the high-end touch was certainly audible. A single OCM 500 also did a fine job, delivering musically correct information throughout the audible frequency range. The Bryston 3B/Triumph combination sounded wonderfully detailed, nice and smooth in all areas, with a little less bass response. The surprise came with the new OCM 100 amplifier. This budget-price 100 watt per channel amplifier simply made the Triumphs sound wonderful. It's a combination made in audio heaven and you can wind up with the complete system for less than $4,000.00 including CD player and preamplifier. The sound achieved with this system is the closest arrangement to high-end without the heavy-duty price. 

Synopsis & Commentary: 
Well here we have it, another fine product from what appears to be a conscientious designer. These loudspeakers look like so many other so-called bookshelf types, but distinguish themselves with outstanding sonic attributes. When the price isn't known and listening is used as the only criterion to establish value, the Triumphs come in as outright winners. People often treat lower-priced equipment casually and without due respect. This is especially apparent with lower priced speakers. However, it is wrong to assume that low price indicates poor quality. The CSTs are perfect examples of what can be achieved when proper care is taken by choosing materials and components, proper engineering and common sense is applied. Last but not least, it is important to place the CSTs on good solid lead/sand-filled stands 18 or 24 inches high, or you could try them on CST's new dedicated stands. We urge you to use good speaker cables and treat the setup as though dealing with a high-end system. You get the most bang for your buck with premium electronics, since the Triumphs will perform in accordance with the backup system. It's obvious that the speakers are excellent, offer great sonic neutrality, while delivering resolution and musical performance far exceeding their price category. 

Reprinted With The Permission Of The Inner Ear Report.