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Callisto: Testimonials

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Reviews, awards, comments

More: Owner reviews of the Callisto: #1 - #2 - #3 - #4

Review

2006 | HiFi Choice, UK | Reviewer: David Vivian

"...the small but oh-so solid Callistos (take) time out of their usual transparency, timing and 3D imaging to whip up a storm o' prodigious proportions. Pump up the volume and excitement most definitely gets out of bed."

"Supersized: The Story of Big Mac and Green Mountain: American high-end makes its mark over here...and it's a big one"

"Naturalness always seems like a glib concept in the context of a hi-fi review: too simplistic, too unachievable. But when you hear it, it's unmistakable. On this system, music breathes. Its greatest gift is a 'natural fibre' sort of sound rather than the 'man-made' alternative.

A refusal to become grainy or harsh -- whatever the disc, whatever the volume -- undoubtably contributes to its listenability. It doesn't matter how long you spend in this system's company and it doesn't matter whether your source is a CD, the radio or the latest SACD, you'll listen for hours without the slightest hint of the fatigue. And it has nothing to do with 'euphonic coloration.'

"And just as some hi-fi seems to be focusing too hard on resolving detail, this one effortlessly captures the bigger picture. It never sounds as if it's getting all forensic and never, ever sounds forced or strained.

Some might even argue that it comes across as being a little too easy going, that it's too polite to rough it up with Metallica. The amp's actually a gentle, but humorous giant with the power to burn Mettalica to a crisp, the small but oh-so solid Callistos taking time out of their usual transparency, timing and 3D imaging to whip up a storm o' prodigious proportions. Pump up the volume and excitement most definitely gets out of bed.

"This big American combo has a tonal palette close to reality, enough headroom to make it seem as if it it's not trying (which it seldom is) and the kind of dynamic compass you've...only dreamed about. It has weight and control...a fabulously 'architectural' bass performance.

There's definitely something of the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove about the McIntosh approach. People who say it's all a bit too laid back can't have listened for long enough. As far as we're concerned, this one has a sense of presence and life that is seldom matched."

2005 | SixMoons.com | Reviewer: Paul Candy | Review >

"They were truly mesmerizing loudspeakers and easily one of the most convincing and emotionally satisfying designs I have heard to date, even compared to others at two to three times the price."

"...I could not find any musical genre the Callistos could not handle....The Callistos displayed exceptional immediacy, transparency and incisiveness. Beats fell where they were supposed to. The bass did not lag and excess fat was trimmed for a squeaky clean sonic window into the recorded event. What really surprised me was the remarkable sound stage depth these speakers created. Sure, we have all heard the back wall disappear but with the Callistos, my next-door neighbor's wall vanished, too....

"...Critics of 1st-order speakers claim increased risk of frying tweeters since they are required to function over a far greater range than their higher-order brethren. Ah, wrong. Roy urged me to crank 'em up and I obliged...your amps will run out of gas long before these tweeters do....

"...The thumbs get two way-up thumbs. I cannot see how any lover of music could possibly be disappointed with the Green Mountain Audio Callistos. They were truly mesmerizing loudspeakers and easily one of the most convincing and emotionally satisfying designs I have heard to date, even compared to others at two to three times the price. You owe it to yourself to give these black beauties a listen..."

2005.

Blue Moon Award for "Exceptional Size-Defying Performance," monitor loudspeaker category, SixMoons.com review.

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2005.

"Best of 2005," by Paul Candy, SixMoons.com.

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"...bass response...sounds like no other ported design I have ever heard."

"These (Callisto) are the best two-ways I have ever owned and by a wide margin. It would be tough to outclass these with the quality of components you could choose to pair them with. Amazing bass response that sounds like no other ported design I have ever heard. Very easy to drive with their first-order networks."

"After hearing so much new material from the Callisto in music I have owned for years...it angers me to realize how much of a rip-off my former Bose 901 speakers really were..."

"The speakers sound much bigger than they are..."

"It's been a month and the Callistos are sounding quite at home, although I doubt they've had more than 60 hours of break-in so far. The improved detail and imaging are impressive, and the vocals really believable and lifelike...The speakers sound much bigger than they are and provide an impressive 3-D sound stage, even when I sit sideways from their position -- an appreciable improvement from the Europas. But it's the previously-unheard sonic details that impress the most -- along with a stronger bass (when it's present in the recording; plenty of CDs apparently don't have the low response range available...)."

"Unpackaged and in good condition. These things sound fricking great. Having difficulty limiting myself to Roy's break-in recommendations of 30 watts. Got a couple of colleagues coming over tonight who are curious and can't wait..."

--Missouri, USA

"...at least 50 percent of the inherent sibilance I’ve put up with for years is gone."

"Right out of the box they sounded remarkable. Rhythmic, effortlessly tuneful, with engaging voicing on all instruments. You’ve nailed the voices of all the instruments I heard -- piano especially -- but also violin, cello, guitar, bass guitar, drums, cymbals, and human voices.

"I ran my low end test on them -- Beatles' Come Together on vinyl. Incredible! I’ve listened to this song in many places, over many years, on many systems, and it’s never sounded this good. Real loud, with no break up, no strain, just pacing and pounding, and John’s vocals clear and compelling. On Maxwell’s Silver Hammer, I suddenly noticed two acoustic guitars, quite treble-y, playing fast little chords, adding an angle I’d never heard before and altering my understanding of the song. Besides great bass, incredible instrument voicing, and captivating pace, at least 50 percent of the inherent sibilance I’ve put up with for years is gone. I’d assumed it was in the source material -- WRONG!"

--New Hampshire, USA

"The Callistos are, by far, the best speakers I've heard. No one should hesitate to buy a pair of these. I cannot say enough about them. They love my tubes. Roy, you are a genius!"

--Nebraska, USA

"...he owned many speakers, some costing 50 times what the Callistos cost..."

"I appreciate very much the time you spent with me on the phone -- it is truly remarkable in this day to be able to have a personal conversation with the individual who is directly responsible for the life of product. If I was on the fence, experiencing your obvious passion for your product and your commitment to your customers cemented me as a GMA owner.

"A little background...I live in Portland, Oregon and am new to hi-end audio. My wife and I are music lovers, and after moving around quite a bit, are now finally in a place where it is reasonable to assemble an audio system that we can enjoy. I purchased a Mark Levinson No.29 amp and recently started auditioning speakers. I had not heard of GMA, but a friend recently turned me on to your product, soon after alerting me to a pair of Callistos selling in our area. After some conversations with the family of the original owner, which I will share below, I made the decision to purchase these speakers, which came with Sonus Faber Extrema stands. These stands are VERY stout at 150lbs., which went great lengths to assuage my wife's concerns about stand-mount speakers toppling over with little people in the house.

"A little on the specific speakers, which I hope you will find gratifying. They were originally purchased by a gentleman named "J." I do not have the serial numbers currently -- I am picking up the speakers tomorrow -- however, they bear the signature of Roy on the rear. I wanted to share with you something that "J's" son-in-law shared with me...the following is paraphrased from our communications:

"My father-in-law was a long-time collector of expensive audio gear. He took ill, and during his last year he sold off much of his equipment to help with the hospital bills. A local dealer came in and purchased most of his equipment during that last difficult year. He sold many prized pieces, but there was one that he would not part with -- his Callisto speakers.

"These speakers were his favorites, and even though they weren't very expensive, he said they were the most "magical" speakers he had ever heard, and the gentleman who built them was a genius whose passion for music yielded the most incredible speaker he'd ever heard. My father-in-law allowed the dealer to take most all his expensive equipment, and while he made many, many offers for the Callistos, my father-in-law would never sell them, even on his deathbed. It was his last desire that these remarkable speakers go to another music lover and not a dealer..."

"It is with the knowledge of how much these speakers meant to "J" that I will proudly assume ownership of them tomorrow afternoon. I will cherish them and they will in fact be the datum around which the rest of my system is built.

"Sorry to go on Roy, I can appreciate how busy you must be, but "J's" story touched me deeply, and I thought you would enjoy reading how much pleasure and comfort one of your creations gave to one man. Improving the life of another is the highest and most human goal I can think of, so congratulations on achieving such a fine product and for making such a profound difference in his life."

Follow-up: "I was initially put off by the look of the Callistos based on the images I found on the Internet. As a furniture maker who works in wood, my sensibilities are most assuredly biased that way, and the field is certainly replete with wonderfully attractive wooden enclosures. However, after reading several fine reviews and personally speaking to a few owners, I decided to give the most unconventionally-styled Callistos a go. I rationalized that speakers are to be heard, so their aesthetics should be secondary to their sonic attributes -- to my wife's objection, I should note.

"Upon receiving my Callistos, which came expertly packed in three large boxes, I was simply stunned when they first emerged from their packaging. These speakers are gorgeous! They are truly lovely in person, far more attractive than in any photograph I've seen -- even my wife thinks they are great looking. Their remarkable cosmetics aside, they are also incredibly solid, feeling as if they were carved from a singular, monolithic piece of stone. Well done, GMA!

"On meeting with his son-in-law to purchase the speakers, we got to talking about "J" and I learned a bit more about his audio collection. As I mentioned, he flatly refused to allow his family sell the Callistos, as they were simply his favorite speakers, he called them the most 'magical' speaker he'd ever heard. I'm sure you appreciated that, but what I failed to mention for lack of knowledge then, was that the Callistos were in VERY good company. You see, he owned many speakers, some costing 50 times what the little Callistos cost (Wilson Audio, for example), and even among such lofty peers, the Callistos were his favorite. To him, they were, quite simply, peerless. I'm certain this isn't anything you haven't heard before, but felt you would appreciate it nonetheless.

"For me, I haven't even hooked them up yet and I already love them! Just waiting for the right cables and my amp to arrive back from servicing. The Callistos haven't been played in about 8 months, so I'm going to carefully break them in before really getting to know them."

--Scott Rosenberg, owner, Scott Rosenberg Photography, Oregon, USA

"They disappear better than the other speakers I have owned."

"I've now had my Callistos for over a month and can tell you I really enjoy the sound. They sound so very well balanced; to me, that's their greatest strength. The bass is punchy and well defined, and there is good detail without glare or stridency on the top end. They disappear better than the other speakers I have owned. Thank you for developing such a great sound at a very fair price!"

"I enjoy track after track of listening..."

"I can only say good things about these speakers. They're better in every way to my previous speakers. They have much greater clarity throughout, and the bass is much better defined and textured.On tracks that I thought I knew pretty well, fast transients can startle. They're very good at low listening volumes as well, very few speakers (that I've heard) can do this. It's nice to listen to music loud, but it's nice to have a choice.

"Over the last two years I've listened to many speakers at various shows and dealers, etc. Expensive speakers usually have huge scale and volume, and of course are superficially impressive. Many big and expensive speakers can impress for a few minutes with their sonic fireworks and trouser-flapping bass, but after a few minutes become tiresome and boring.

"While one can talk about the Callisto's bass and midrange, the truly important thing about them is that they draw you into the music. I just enjoy track after track of listening to music, rather than noticing and being distracted by hifi artifacts. I just wish I had more time to listen."

"I had some relatives over recently and they were quite blown away by the Callistos. When I played some Roy Orbison, my aunt and uncle had tears in their eyes. Reminded them of their misspent youth. No foolin'. It's a gas watching non-audiophiles react to decent music playback!"

"When I found the Callisto, I bought them on the spot..."

"I own Green Mountain Callisto speakers that are amazing. Green Mountain speakers will change your life. If the Calypso was in my budget today, I would order them without hearing them. In my opinion, Roy Johnson, the designer, is a genius in speaker design. The cabinets are dead quiet, the speakers disappear in your room and the band plays just for you.

"First order crossovers, excellent service and a company that cares about the music, not just selling their product. I’ve looked for 25 years for speakers that sound like Green Mountain’s. When I found the Callisto, I bought them on the spot at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. I can’t wait to hear the Calypso."

--Nebraska, USA

"I have no idea how Roy got the womp and full bass -- feels almost subwoofer-like -- out of the driver. The sound stage depth, dynamics, richness of sound is astounding."

"Still lovin' the Callistos. They disappear like nothing I've heard before. I can't tell that the sound is coming from the speakers, it's as wide as the room. I wish everyone could hear what I hear."

"The Callisto is NEVER fatiguing, always enjoyable and still amaze me how musical they are. Most enjoyable speaker I've owned in 30 years. They play all music as a speaker should at all volume levels."

"...jaw dropping good, I was amazed how they simply disappeared..."

"I’ve found the speakers I’ve always looked for..."

"I’m done looking for speakers...I’ve listened to music, bought more music...hearing it all over again has made this journey well worth my time."

"I searched a long time to find this sound. I would not give mine up."

"All I can say is ‘stunning.’ The Callistos are the real deal."

"I've brought out CDs I haven’t listened for years. I've never heard all music before or known the artist to sound so good. I now marvel in their talents."

"First time in my life that music has brought tears to my eyes. I cannot say enough how wonderful the Callistos are and look forward to Roy's other designs."

"The Europas distinguished between good and bad recordings -- but the Callistos take the good recordings and divide them into good and outstanding. As a testament, I seem to listen to the same two or three CDs over and over (Coltrane, Carter, Davis -- 60s recordings) as I cannot seem to get enough of the improvement."

"I'm thrilled with the way the speakers are starting to stretch out -- I sat and listened to some old Richard and Linda Thompson a couple of nights ago and felt surrounded by the musicians -- never heard so much 3-D imaging and vocal passion."

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