Ambassador Valentin

HOW IS YOUR ROOM SET UP?

My listening room is a shared living and working space, measuring roughly 4 by 4.5 meters with 2.6-meter ceilings. Because I spend so much time here, this system is primarily dedicated to music. My tastes are incredibly varied, ranging from classical to heavy electronic and dub. When I have the house to myself, I love to let the system stretch its legs—the Michi S5 amplifier (fed through the pre-outs of my Marantz Stereo 70s) gives the 1723 Monitors a proper, room-shaking workout that my neighbors are likely very aware of!

What was your goal when looking for new speakers and subwoofers?

I was searching to replace my Tannoy XTF8 that I sold when leaving London.

When I moved from London to Bulgaria, I had to leave my Tannoy XTF8s behind, so I was looking for a serious replacement. I needed speakers that could easily handle dual duty for both critical music listening and movie watching. My main requirement was finding that perfect balance: immense dynamic range, but with a sweet, refined sound profile. Classical music can become incredibly tiring if the speakers aren’t up to the task, and I knew I needed something that could handle orchestral peaks without harshness.

WHERE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US?

I was first introduced to Arendal Sound through Jay’s Iyagi on YouTube. I was immediately struck by how genuinely impressed he was. Looking deeper into the brand, the sheer quality of the drivers and the beautiful, commanding aesthetic of the Monitors made me fall in love. I had fully decided to take the plunge and order them, but my wife completely caught me off guard and ordered them as a surprise gift.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ARENDAL SOUND?

To be honest, I was attracted to the non-large company team. And the mission of Arendal. My amplifiers are both chosen on the same idea. Sugden IA-4 and Michi S5. Looking deeper into the brand, the sheer quality of the drivers and the beautiful, commanding aesthetic of the Monitors made me fall in love.

YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE PRODUCTS?

I have had my 1723 Monitors for three years now, and I am genuinely still amazed by how good they sound. That feeling is especially prominent when I return from a trip; hearing them again with fresh ears is always a revelation.

Both the music and movie paths utilize the 1723 Sub 2S, and I absolutely love how effortlessly it fills the room with deep, musical bass.

I originally thought there might only be a small, incremental improvement over my old Tannoy XTF8s, but the leap in performance was staggering. They are truly amazing speakers.

WHAT ELSE DOES YOUR SYSTEM CONSIST OF?

My system is built around getting the absolute best out of my Arendals:

• Speakers: Arendal 1723 Monitors
• Subwoofer: Arendal 1723 Sub 2S
• Music Sources: Marantz SACD30n (player/streamer) and a Technics SL-1500C turntable
• Movie Source: Samsung The Frame (via HDMI)
• Amplification: Marantz Stereo 70s driving a Michi S5 power amplifier, Sugden IA-4 Integrated amplifier

HOW HAPPY ARE YOU WITH ARENDAL SOUND PRODUCTS?

Honestly, I miss my system every time I leave the house. Having access to such incredible audio quality simply makes my everyday life better. If I could offer a piece of advice to anyone on the fence about Arendal Sound: just try them. You will not be disappointed.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?

Looking to the future, I am already plotting my next upgrade. I am torn between adding a second 1723 Sub 2S to smooth out the room response, or upgrading my speakers entirely to the incredible new 1528 Monitors or Bookshelves.

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