Phantom white vs silver + general impressions

[MountainGuy]

The white Phantom arrived yesterday. First impressions are good.

However, I'm not so keen on the Spark app at all, it's tricky to use and took a while to get set up.

I'm currently using the temp bluetooth dongle they supplied, until (so I'm told) the new firmware is released at the end of the month. This will activate the (now integrated) bluetooth capability. This is much better, so I can use iTunes and Spotify as normal.

How does it sound? It's certainly thunderous! At a decent volume (Around 45-50 I'd say), it sounds well balanced and certainly very impressive. When playing out to the garden, listening from a distance it sounds absolutely superb, I was listening to Grey Reverend and it almost realistic. However, when listening at a low-ish volume, and close up, it doesn't have the magic of a normal 2 channel system, it sounds quite dark, needs a bit more air and presence. Saying that, as a convenient second system to play in almost any position or location, it's a winner. I can imagine two would be fantastic, but that would work with our layout.

I quickly tried it against my main (and fairly modest) system – Harbeth P3ESR, Chord Hugo and Jadis valve integrated. The Phantom doesn't compare in terms of producing lush, natural music with detail, air, soundstage, but it certainly rocks as a great all rounder, convenient, and versatile sound system. Great product, and nicely made too.

Novak, I was seriously considering the Phantom (convenience, size, portability, bass extension etc) but ultimately decided agasint it due to the reputation that the mids could not match up to the rest of the frequency range. Howeer, am reconsidering - just wish I could audition a pair.   

However, a couple of quick comments on your experience: 

1. I wish you did have a pair of Phantom to compare with your Harbeth.  Harbeths have a great reputation for wonderful mids.  However, having only Mono phantom is a huge hit.  I believe that stereo makes a very very significant difference in the perception of sound quality. As to testing the Harbeth vs Phantom, perhaps you could move the Harbeths so that both speakers are touching, and then you listen from 10 feet or further away.  At that point, perhaps it would be more like a mono source, and then recompare the mids and air. 

2. When you listened to the PHantom at low volumes, was it in the same room and setup as your Harbeth or was it outside?  I really do want the Phantoms to meet my needs....but that reputation for not having excellent mids is a damper as the midrage is the most important range for music. 

3. Ok, one more.  Does the Phantom sound clinical/cool at all? I know the Harbeths supposedly have a warm sound. 

MtnGuy