VIKING ACOUSTICS BRITON "Hybrid" (point-source) Monitor

VIKING ACOUSTICS BRITON "Hybrid" (point-source) Monitor

Medium-Large Monitor "Hybrid" 10" 2+ way (point-source) loudspeaker system with semi-active tone-wood baffles in American cherry baffles.

Hear a demo!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnUhI02s2os&t=1223s

Smashing Good with Tube Amplifiers 10-40 watts!! Point-Source configuration has incredible life like imaging.

Briton Hybrid has 3 unique innovations:

• Acoustic Lens™  loaded wide-band driver doubles as bass-port a unique point source innovation 80% of the sound comes from the wide bander and lens.
  
• Internal resonator/damper increases efficiency improves bass speed and impact... better bass with fewer watts!
  
• Solid tone-wood baffles mounted in semi suspension along with the resonating damper provides damping without killing acoustic energy (unlike the common acoustic stuffing...
  

Bandwidth: 25hz-21,000hz 2 db 92 SPL wide-band and high-effeciency makes them an excellent choice for lower powered tube amplifier

BRITON "Hybrid" Point Source MONITOR

SPECIFICATIONS:

10-inch woofer with paper diaphragm and excellent sonic roll-off characteristics with nearly acoustically invisible NON removable grills

5.5-inch wide-band mid-tweeter / driver loaded in an acoustic lens.

Internal resonator (Instrument) returns acoustic energy through the solid wood horn, provides damping, and is set at a critical angle within the cabinet to reduce standing waves within the cabinet.

Ultra rigid cabinet made with .78 inch Medex panels that are laminated on both sides 

Overall size: 22" high x 12.5" wide x 13.5" deep 41" tall on stands

Weight: 44 lbs each (without stands).

Acoustic Lens™ model: Excellent option for near field and critical studio listening. The lens acts as a port and the tweeter/driver loading at the same time.

 

Latest Review of Our newest member of the Viking Lineup the Briton 'Hybrid" monitor!

Viking Acoustics Briton Studio Monitors (with Acoustic Lens)

Jason, December 2017

Briton Hybrid AlNiCo.

After spending six months dreaming of a well known BBC style speaker I chose the Briton Hybrid. Actually my audio geek friend forced me into it seeing how he owns the highly rated Berlin R and won't shut up about them. Still, I wanted to actually compare so I purchased the Viking Briton and the other speakers as well lets call the other speaker "speaker H". I wanted to have a chance to actually hear both speakers in my home and see which was better for me. 

My system:  Ayon Crossfire tube integrated amplifier, reworked Garrard 301, Top Marantz CD player, Kimber speaker cables, Blue jeans IC's. 

long story shortened. First the Briton speakers were much more efficient playing with greater volume, fuller and better sounding with the same volume setting whereas "speaker H" seemed to need more power but never seemed to catch up in terms of bass slam. In critical listening of mostly unplugged jazz and vocals the Briton was vastly superior with better detail, imaging, bass and sound stage not even close... End of Story Briton is here to stay until I purchase the Gottenburg :)

Pankaj R., November 2017

Four years ago a friend mentioned about a speaker company called DC10 Audio (now Viking Acoustics) which sparked my interest in the company. Recently a pair of demo speakers from Viking Acoustics called Briton Studio Monitors came up for sale. I had never heard a Viking Acoustics speaker, so I started a conversation with company owner, David Counsell, about the speakers. A few weeks later the speakers were in my living room.

I have owned 3 brands of speakers before the Briton Studio Monitors,first a pair of ProAc Studio 125, a pair of Green Mountain Audio EOS stand mounts, Evolution Acoustics Micro1. My audio setup is very modest compared to what is out there: my source is a Mac mini using Audirvana that connects to a Metrum Octave Mk2 DAC and finally into an LFD LE IV integrated amplifier using Audio Magic interconnects and speaker cable. Most of my music is on lossless WAVE files.

I’ve always loved the Harbeth 30.1 monitor sound, wishing it had just a little more low frequency grunt. The Britons do just that for me, filling up my 15’W by 20’L by 7.5’H living room very well. Since the Britons are 94 dB sensitive they make it effortless for the LFD’s 60 Watts. David mentioned he likes his speakers paired with tube amplifiers, which I have never tried.

My conversations with David have been brief, as I believe he is not a man of many words, instead letting his speakers do the talking. The Britons have a wonderful build quality and when connected straight out of their boxes sound superb. David’s advice to me about what to expect from the Britons was accurate. The drivers require only 40 hours of burn in and more time for the capacitors and inductors although the tone wood resonator takes about a year to settle. I’m at approximately the 150 hour mark and the speakers have settled in beautifully - everything I have ever wanted in a speaker. I’m certain that the Briton Studio Monitors are going to be in my audio world for a very long time. 

About the sound of the Britons, they are a very natural sounding and revealing speaker, very sensitive to the source and recording, and equally sensitive to the rest of the gear that make up the chain. I have not heard voices and musical instruments sound more lifelike in my setup before. They give you an impression of a three dimensional wall of sound that can envelope the listener if the recording is up to it.

I took a risk buying the Briton Studio Monitors without listening and it has left me extremely satisfied.

Thanks, David!

- Pankaj R., November 2017