By Lawrence Blair, Positive Feedback.
Monologue: Kharma Loudspeakers…producing the sound of bowed and plucked strings alike with color, humanness, and texture.
In this age of industrial wealth and manufacturing proficiency, the audio industry has leaped forward with a proliferation of companies now capable of adopting engineering and construction techniques that elevate quality to unforeseen levels. You only have to look at the manufacturing marvel that is Kharma to appreciate that such levels of design, fabrication, and fit and finish were once only made in dreams. This unprecedented level of build quality has also been adopted in the loudspeaker realm. A number of companies have produced state-of-the-art flagship models of truly extraordinary quality in every design aspect.
The Dutch Kharma company is certainly among those engineering-driven companies with an astute eye for aesthetic design that offer “ne plus ultra” products (I almost suggested Je ne sais quoi but I sometimes don’t know what that actually is) while steadily enriching their more affordable ranges with trickle-down tech. Witness here the dB7-S speaker from their Elegance line. Rarely have I seen such manufacturing and aesthetic excellence as in these stunningly beautiful speakers. Every aspect of their overall gorgeousness has been elevated to an absolutely immaculate outcome. Such striking beauty begs a get-go description of physical appearance which then will lead to more profound matters related to specifications and performance. The review pair came in a flawlessly applied gloss aubergine with no ripple, orange peel, or imperfection in sight. Nowhere. Absolute perfection. Equal care was applied to all aspects of the construction. The cabinet is extremely solid. The thing is resonance dead.
