Sjöfn HiFi - The Clue Speakers

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I've been looking at quite a few reviews on The Clue speakers from Sjöfn HiFi.

I like to hear from someone who has heard a pair of these.

They claim 28 hz to 42 khz and apparently a lot of the reviews agree.

These speakers sure have my attention currently... :scratch2:

Sjöfn HiFi - The Clue
 
There is an interesting review in the January issue of Stereophile.

That's where they showed up on my radar. ;)

If they're ordered from the manufactures website, they can be had for $1K with free shipping. :scratch2:
 
That review wasn't exactly positive. There wasn't much about how it was described that had me interested.
 
That review wasn't exactly positive. There wasn't much about how it was described that had me interested.

Haven't had a chance to read it in full just yet (I get the digital on-line version)
 
Re-read the placement needs - can you place them exactly that way in your listening room? Think about that....

I read that, I could make things work, but requires more homework to see if they're really worth the effort for me.
 
What's with all the ultrasonics? Maybe when I was a kid I could be into the charming ringing of high frequencies, but now? I top out around 15K and I'm not old. Why spend the money and energy for producing "sound" that a human can't hear.
 
Looks like someone's DIY project gone commercial. Cabs look a lot like the ones sold by Parts Express.
 
I was thinking that....

After scanning Google images I am convinced they use the same cabinets I have in my office at the moment. Anyway, they are clearly using the back wall to boost bass response; a SS Discovery starts rolling off over 100hz and the cab isn't very large. I don't want to knock them without hearing them but that placement concerns me.
 
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Looks like someone's DIY project gone commercial. Cabs look a lot like the ones sold by Parts Express.

I thought the same thing and then I found this that seems to confirm it...

Parts Express

A big "clue" was when I read that there were no serial numbers or name plates on the speakers anywhere.
 
What's with all the ultrasonics? Maybe when I was a kid I could be into the charming ringing of high frequencies, but now? I top out around 15K and I'm not old. Why spend the money and energy for producing "sound" that a human can't hear.

After scanning Google images I am convinced they use the same cabinets I have in my office at the moment. Anyway, they are clearly using the back wall to boost bass response; a SS Discovery starts rolling off over 100hz and the cab isn't very large. I don't want to knock them without hearing them but that placement concerns me.

Looks like someone's DIY project gone commercial. Cabs look a lot like the ones sold by Parts Express.

Hello Everyone,

I developed the clue loudspeaker for Sjöfn HiFi and thought I would jump in to clarify a few things and answer any questions you might have.

First, if you read the review, I would encourage you to also read our manufactures comment on the review, on page 157. Obviously, the review was not very positive, but it appears that the reason has more to do with misunderstandings on how to set up the speakers and how to measure them, as they involve a different use-model than what the reviewers were familiar with. Multiple Stereophile reviewers had heard them at the audio shows (set up in very poor listening rooms) and gave glowing reports. So, we were disappointed that they weren't curious enough to call us when they didn't get the same performance in their listening room that they had heard from the clue numerous times before. We offer user support to all of our customers (and reviewers) to support them reaching the full potential of the clue in their listening room.

I can explain further if there is an interest.

In terms of addressing some of the comments on this thread;

First; in terms of stevantr's comment, I agree that for most listeners over the age of 5 years old there may not be much need for extension out to beyond 20kHz, the reason we have a system with such extended response is actually to achieve a much more important capability, and that is to maintain constant (and wide) dispersion / power response above 10kHz instead of having the off-axis response collapse as it does in many loudspeakers. To best achieve that attribute, it was easiest to accomplish with a small diameter ring-dome that just happens to extend beyond audibility.

Secondly, to address prighello's comments, the woofer is sourced from Scan Speak, but is not from their Discovery line. Only the frame is lifted from the Discovery series, while all the other components are unique to the clue woofer. It is a custom unit we designed with Scan Speak engineers to meet a special set of criteria required for the clue, relative to both low frequency response and midrange transition to the tweeter.
Additionally, to address the bass comment, the system is tuned to 35Hz and when properly coupled to the room boundaries, maintains reference level down to at least 35Hz, and lower in many rooms, which, as most of you know, is quite rare in a 11-liter enclosure.

Lastly, there were some questions as to the enclosure we are using. It is a Dayton enclosure from Parts Express that we modify to meet our requirements. It allowed us to meet our performance requirements while keeping costs down as we started the initial production. As we are getting to higher unit volumes we plan to duplicate our customized version of the current enclosure but change the sourcing to a higher volume supplier. In all aspects of the clue development, we spent money where it made a sonic difference and saved money where it was merely window dressing, to create the best possible value for serious listeners.

I hope that clears up a few of the issues raised.

If anyone has any additional questions, I would be glad to provide any answers I can.

All the best,

- Jim Croft

Croft Acoustical -- Sjöfn HiFi
 
Jim, thanks for your input here. I would also like to add that the speakers are $999/pair, just a little bit lower than the $1500/pair someone mentioned above.

Like most forums, I find it quite interesting, and also sad too, that many folks are pretty quick to bomb a speaker or piece of gear based on a review only. But what is even more sad is that reviewers also do no favors to manufacturers by not asking questions or worse yet, moving along using the test gear in question incorrectly etc. and then leaving it at that.

I have no dog in the fight but I find some of this pretty typical. Oh yeah, I have heard the Clue along with another speaker that is very similar, and they both do some things very well indeed. Give them a listen, you might be surprised.....or not. Tim
 
Like most forums, I find it quite interesting, and also sad too, that many folks are pretty quick to bomb a speaker or piece of gear based on a review only.

For me it's not the review conclusions that were bothersome it is both the reviewer and manufacturer (as well as other reviews and reports) stating the far too demanding placement requirements of this speaker. If you have the right dedicated space that may be alright but I don't have a single listening space where the placement demands of this speaker would work. I'm sure when everything is ideal the speaker sounds great. However I need a speaker that is more versatile than that.
 
Art, I certainly understand what you are saying here, obviously if you can't get the setup right in your own room, why would you even try. I see quite a few installations on here-pics of folks speakers and how they are setup, and while nothing is set in stone or an absolute, quite a few are so far from the way the designer intended, and then later on you read about some of these people not being happy with how things sound.

Also, I am not so sure this speaker is really any more demanding as far as placement than some other speakers folks rave about, it is just different. But the devil is in the details and if one isn't willing to go a certain distance than obviously it isn't right for their space. At least they are upfront about those requirements.

Anyway, always nice to hear from the designers of some of the gear we discuss on here.

Really I should not have said anything to begin with, I guess it just kind of hit me odd, and not really referring to anyones post in particular here.
 
Art, I certainly understand what you are saying here, obviously if you can't get the setup right in your own room, why would you even try. I see quite a few installations on here-pics of folks speakers and how they are setup, and while nothing is set in stone or an absolute, quite a few are so far from the way the designer intended, and then later on you read about some of these people not being happy with how things sound.

Also, I am not so sure this speaker is really any more demanding as far as placement than some other speakers folks rave about, it is just different. But the devil is in the details and if one isn't willing to go a certain distance than obviously it isn't right for their space. At least they are upfront about those requirements.

Anyway, always nice to hear from the designers of some of the gear we discuss on here.

Really I should not have said anything to begin with, I guess it just kind of hit me odd, and not really referring to anyones post in particular here.

I know you were not rabble-rousing, so to speak. I just wanted to be clear about what it is that turned me off to the speaker. If you read carefully they are far more demanding of placement than any speaker I own...at least per their instructions in their manuals. Same reason I have not tried the Guru speakers and they have received nearly universal praise...and I think they are a bit less demanding, though I will have to double check to be sure.
 
{Quote} Like most forums, I find it quite interesting, and also sad too, that many folks are pretty quick to bomb a speaker or piece of gear based on a review only. But what is even more sad is that reviewers also do no favors to manufacturers by not asking questions or worse yet, moving along using the test gear in question incorrectly etc. and then leaving it at that.

Having been a speaker manufacture myself in the past i find this to be so true and it is not only sad for the manufacture but also to the consumer.

My speaker company was a small operation in Encino Ca., every single piece, component was made in house, nothing sourced or imported which we were very proud of and i never hesitated to show off the product or operation, this later became our downfall which i will get to.

The speaker itself got rave reviews from some but lukewarm from others mostly because of placement. We were a small new company and expected that we would have to earn our place so we kept on trucking knowing that we had a great product.

Now getting back to the downfall that i mentioned. We were proud of our operation and often gave tours and explained our building of the speakers to others in the industry. Unfortunately for us the speaker was copied by a regarded company and being manufactured across the pond there was little we could do.

The kicker came from those that gave the speaker a bad review under our name, now, those same reviewers regarded the speakers as some of the best they have heard. Same speaker but now being manufactured by someone highly regarded in the industry it gets glowing reviews. ???? And the speaker was now five times the price. Today it is still manufactured and highly regarded.

I was younger at the time and learned a valuable lesson. My whole point here is to listen for yourself regardless of review or who the manufacture is and opinions are just that opinions, yours could differ greatly from another`s.

And please, do not ask who the manufacture is, here or by PM. Thanks.
 
It was not the negative review that I found problematic it was the positive ones. Herb Reichert is an unimpressive reviewer so I pay him less mind than some others. Again my problem is not speakers sound as I have not heard them, but the specific requirements around placement that allows you to hear what they are about. Nowhere in my home would that placement be possible. My home isn't that out of the ordinary, I don't think. Small, yes, but traditional in dimensions.
 
Well, will ask a few questions - I do not like the 'artificial' bass sound that room boundaries give. What is the bass response w/o or haven't you tested it?

Also, what type of crossovers are used 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and also what is the crossover frequency? The ads seem to say a lot of malarkey - it would be nice to get this set straight.

hello botrytis,

I don't think SJOFN HiFi has run any ads for the clue, so I can only assume you are referring to the spec sheet found on the SJOFN website. I apologize if you found it to be unclear. When one develops a system that operates in a non-standard manner it can be difficult to state the specifications in a meaningful way using standard terminology, or it can be difficult to state the parameters without adding additional explanations of system configuration.

I’ll try to answer what I think you are asking…

The cross-over is a non-standard slope that has a transitional order that varies over a broad range of frequencies from approximately 3-dB per octave to about 8.5dB per octave, in your terms, from less than a 1st order slope to a slope rate between a 1st and 2nd order filter, including shaping slopes. A single crossover frequency is also difficult to ascribe to the system as it incorporates substantial in-phase overlap to accomplish the design objectives.

I would agree that the bass quality associated with putting loudspeakers near room boundaries is subjectively artificial for most all loudspeakers because they are not designed to compliment the frequency dependent boundary gain, causing a variation of amplitude errors depending on the initial response.

I’m not sure what you mean by, “What is the bass response w/o or haven’t your tested it?”

I’ll answer what I think you are asking, but let me know if you were looking for a different type of explanation;

Instead of some version of a maximally flat (Q=0.707) Butterworth or under-damped high-pass bass curve that is incorporated in most loudspeakers, the clue utilizes a critically damped, slow slope high-pass characteristic that more closely approximates a (Q=0.5) Bessel response, that is calibrated to the sequential boundary gain that occurs when the distance to the front wall and the floor are spaced as per the instructions. Of course, the remaining 4 boundaries of the room have their influence, and that is why in some environments, we offer to work with each customer (and reviewer, if allowed) to further refine the placement to lock into their room while maintaining the use-model guidelines. The free-field, anechoic response falls at approximately 3dB per octave below 280Hz, -9dB at the 35Hz tuning frequency, wherein the sequential boundary gain smoothly equalizes the low end response with a result of -3dB @ ≤ 35Hz (-3dB at between 30 and 35Hz in most installations). This approach keeps the clue from exhibiting any of the artificial, boomy bass that results from placing conventional loudspeakers close to the room boundaries.

I hope this addresses your questions, but if not please let me know, and I’ll be glad to try to provide additional answers.

To answer these kinds of issues effectively can be difficult in a forum such as this without many pages of explanation, but if you or others wish to know more, I am glad to discuss further.

All the best,

- Jim Croft

Croft Acoustical – Sjöfn HiFi
 
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