˻ PREMIERE ˼

⌈ CLOSER ACOUSTICS is a Polish brand, founded in 2013 and run by JACEK GRODECKI in collaboration with his brother ANDRZEJ, focusing on loudspeakers with wideband drivers and also offering tube electronics. We are testing the Blocks scalable system, consisting of the OGY speakers and BOB bass modules. This is their PREMIERE. ⌋

CLOSER ACOUSTICS, A BRAND of the Grodecki brothers, Jacek and Andrzej, owned for several years by Stereopolis, has focused on originality since its establishment. An amplifier? Of course: the SET for 300B in a beautiful enclosure, combining aesthetic qualities with function (i.e., supporting sound quality with its properties). A source to complete the set, preferably an analog, partly proprietary one, is a classic from Lenco L-75, albeit in its own enclosure, with a phono preamplifier created by a specialist in such designs, Robert Rolof.

Finally, as for loudspeakers, they are the basis of the brand's offer . These are also niche, atypical products, because they are based on wideband drivers. The first models, Adam and Eva, were based on Supravox drivers, while the subsequent ones are already based on EMS ones. In addition to those already mentioned, the lineup today includes the Allegra, which I had the opportunity to test in two versions: standard and with field coil drivers, followed by the Forlane, the top-of-the-line Vigo model, and the unusual, smiling little ones called Ogy. The latter two models played a big role in the creation of the latest proposal, i.e., the tested system called Blocks.

All of the offerings from Closer Acoustics are, in fact, niche products aimed at a certain group of music lovers. The creation of such an offering, however, was not at all about standing out or finding a free niche in the market, but about the private fascination of (primarily) Jacek Grodecki, who fell in love with the reproduction of music offered by EMS wideband drivers, preferably combined with a good tube. In other words, according to the Grodecki brothers, they provide the “right” kind of music reproduction, and that's what the brand owners consistently stick to.

Indeed, the brand's philosophy is simple: "we love such sound and want to share it with others. If you also like it, we have several products from which you can choose the ones that best suit your needs and premises. If you're looking for a different kind of sound, no problem, you can certainly find it in the offerings of other brands." As it happens, loudspeakers with wideband drivers had lived in my room even before Closer Acoustics came into existence – and it was no coincidence.

I also really like the sound of such speakers, if only for their uniquely coherent and direct sound, and for creating a remarkable illusion of immediate contact with the performers and music, especially in the case of acoustic music. Not surprisingly, then, once we hit it off, I have tested most of the products offered by this Silesian brand, both electronics and speakers, over the years. Each of them has left very good memories in my mind, so it should come as no surprise that I have remained its fan and always look forward to its next offerings.

A kind of a breakthrough for the brand came, it seems to me, when they released the little guys called Ogy. These, like all the previous models, are also loudspeakers with a single (this time small) 100-mm wideband driver, operating in a small, only six-liter transmission line cabinet. In addition, the Ogy are superbly crafted and finished, and offered with interesting finishes. Anyone who sees them at least once, remembers in the first place that they smile at the listener and it's hard not to respond the same way :). That smile is the transmission line outlet located at the bottom of the front panel, which, intentionally or not, automatically sets a positive attitude towards this design for everyone who sees it.

The size of these loudspeakers meant that they played in a weight category, say, similar to the famous LS 3/5a from the BBC school, although the latter, fondly called “shoeboxes,” have two drivers, not one. Thus, these were speakers for listening sessions in small rooms, preferably in the near or possibly mid field. The limitations of bandwidth extension due to their size were also clear. They appealed to a lot of people, because they are simply incredibly musical, consistent, smooth-sounding speakers that don't cost that much. To top it off, one can order them online from anywhere in the world, choosing one of five finishes.

So, the Ogy were very successful, although there were also claims that if they could offer even more bass, the pool of potential buyers would be even larger. The company listened carefully to the comments coming from various parties, and... after some time it presented The Full Ogy, which I had the opportunity to listen to two years ago at the firm's former headquarters in Jastrzębie during the company's 10th anniversary celebration. To meet the expectations of some customers, Closer Acoustics created a bass section with a 12-inch woofer (also by EMS) in an open enclosure designed to serve as a stand for the Ogy at the same time. Together they formed The Full Ogy and played really well, coherently and naturally, gaining noticeably in both fill and bottom end emphasis.

Following this lead, the company created its bass modules called Bob. They used the same 12-inch EMS speakers that still worked in open surrounds, only that these were shaped like sizable cubes with an open back, bottom and top (that is, the letter "U" laid on its side). They were created so that the user could set up the Ogy with one or two Bobs per channel. Two Bobs stacked on top of each other served as stands for the Ogy, while providing significant bottom end support.

I emphasize the word “support”, as the Ogy, despite their size, and thanks to their enclosure, can go down to 40 Hz, as can the Bobs. The point, then, is to add mass and fill in the 40 to 200 Hz range, not to actually stretch the bandwidth (although that's the impression one gets). Sonically, such a setup met the expectations of those who lacked bass power with the Ogy alone. The only small “but” for some was the visual disparity in the size of the Bobs and Ogy. The manufacturer, looking for a way to meet these expectations as well, created the Blocks we are testing.

▌ Blocks

IN THIS CONTEXT, THE BLOCKS are to be interpreted as a type of a toy design, because the new loudspeakers not only consist of several independent “blocks” (modules), but also allow the user to choose such a configuration of them, which will give the best effects in a given room, or sound best suited to one's expectations or tastes. So, you can play with them like... blocks by arranging them in several different ways. Closer Acoustics offers four types of them, each performing a different function. They can be arranged almost freely, and an additional fifth element are special platforms on which they are placed.

The customer gets the familiar Ogy and Bobs, although these, after some changes, function as the Mk II version on offer. The two new pieces of the puzzle are the Okho, a module with a 12-inch wideband driver known from the Vigo, which is an alternative to the Ogy, and the so-called Blank. The latter is a block of the same size and design as the Bob and Okho, except that it is driverless, i.e., featuring a full front panel. Thus, it serves as a stand that allows for the proper height of the entire structure.

IT IS THE USER'S CHOICE which elements/blocks they want to assemble their loudspeakers. Two Bobs and an Ogy, two Bobs and an Okho, a Bob, a Blank and an Okho, a Bob, a Blank and an Ogy, or maybe even bigger – two Bobs, a Blank and an Okho/Ogy? There are many combinations, and in fact the only limitation comes when choosing the Ogys, which, because of their different dimensions, must be placed on top of the whole structure. Modularity also means that once you have purchased the original configuration, nothing prevents you from expanding it in the future by adding, say, a second pair of Bobs or a pair of Blanks, to change the height of the loudspeakers (placement of other modules), or to replace an Okho with an Ogy, or vice versa. Show me other loudspeakers that offer such possibilities!

Let’s take a closer look at the individual modules. You can learn everything about the Ogy loudspeakers from Wojtek’s review (see → HERE), or mine (see → HERE) and I have already written above about a single, 100-mm EMS wideband driver operating in a 6-liter “smiling” transmission line cabinet. The enclosures of these babies measure just 132 x 312 x 306 mm (W x H x D), while weighing 7 kg each. Their frequency response ranges from 40 Hz to 18 kHz.

BOB Mk II, the second version of the bass modules, like the other “blocks” (except the Ogy) measures 35 cm (H) x 40 cm (W) x 35 cm (D). The EMS B12 Special Open Baffle Edition bass transducer from the French company Electro Magnet Speaker is housed in an open enclosure or, more precisely, a so-called U-frame open baffle. In other words, the enclosure has three walls – the front, to which the speaker is attached, plus the side walls. The fronts are made of hard MDF painted piano black or matte white matched in shade to the white Ogy. The sides are made of plywood with upholstery (1.5 mm American walnut veneer, or Canadian maple). The purpose of this module is to enhance the frequency range from 40 to 200 Hz.

Included with the ordered set, we get something like rigid wooden grilles, which become the top wall of the blocks set on the very top. They are indispensable if we want to put the Ogy on top of the Bobs (or possibly Blanks). The interior of the chassis is reinforced and stiffened with the help of solid wooden crossbars. In the Mk II version of the Bobs, the need for external terminals has been eliminated thanks to the built-in toroidal coil, which, according to the manufacturer, translates into even better sound. The efficiency of this module is 94 dB, and the nominal impedance is 8 Ω.

The Okho module actually differs from a Bob only in the driver used. It's also a 12-inch diameter unit, only that it's wideband (as I mentioned, it was already used in the Vigo model), supported by a wooden phase equalizer mounted in the center of the diaphragm. Their efficiency is 91 dB, and impedance is also 8 Ω. The dimensions, design and finish of the cabinet are the same as those of the Bobs Mk II. The frequency response of this driver at the top of the band is slightly more limited than that of the Ogy, as it ends at 16 kHz.

Using separate modules means you need to connect them together. Bi- or tri-wiring is possible, of course, but if you drive the speakers with a single amplifier through a single speaker cable, you can connect the modules with jumpers of an appropriate length prepared by the manufacturer. There are two options to choose from. The higher-end ones are made of 9.5 AWG Cardas copper and terminated with the same brand's rhodium-plated forks made of copper. There are also slightly cheaper cables, which, in addition, can be terminated not only with fork connectors, but also with CMC banana plugs.

Let's mention two more aspects. Looking at the efficiency of the individual modules, which is 91 dB for the Okho, 91 dB for the Ogy and 94 dB for the Bob, it's tempting to drive the Blocks with a low-power tube amplifier, which Closer Acoustics does itself, using its own SET on a 300B tube (8 watts), but also a 14-watt EAR Yoshino design. The nominal impedance for all drivers is 8 Ω. So much so, the manufacturer still lists impedances for different combinations.

When the set consists of a Bob and an Okho, the impedance is 4 Ω; for Bob + Bob + Okho, it is already only 2.7 Ω, similarly when we use Bob + Bob + Ogy. The lowest impedance with a set of two Bobs and an Okho is 2.2 Ω at 85 Hz. The data indicates that there are no major impedance drops, so a good tube should manage to drive these loudspeakers (ideally, it should have taps at 4 Ω), but it will not always be an ideal solution.

We are still left with the Blank which is, as I mentioned, a kind of a stand or module of the same size, made and finished in the same way as Bob and Okho, except that it lacks any driver. In addition, on request, the manufacturer offers fabric grilles to close the modules from behind. This doesn't affect the sound but is supposed to protect the open enclosures from dust. The last element is an anti-vibration platform that is the foundation for the erected “tower”, regardless of which and how many modules one decides on. The platform is built using the ISO Acoustics Gaia II feet screwed into it from underneath.

▌ THE LISTENING SESSION

THE WAY WE LISTENED • The Closer Acoustics Blocks loudspeakers played in my reference system driven by a GrandiNote Shinai integrated amplifier, but also by the two amplifiers tested: a hybrid from Aurorasound, the HFSA-01 model, as well as the Kondo Overture PM2i, an EL34 tube-based integrated amp from the Japanese legend.

The primary digital signal source was my custom passive server running the latest version of Roon equipped with a top-of-the-line Jcat XE Evo USB card powered by Ferrum Hypsos – Signature version. The card is backed by a Jcat Master Ocxo Clock Upgrade, which also received an independent proprietary power supply in the form of an Optimo Nano. The signal went to a LampizatOr Pacific 2 DAC, and interchangeably to another model from that brand, a balanced Poseidon, via a David Laboga Custom Audio Expression Emerald Mk 2 USB cable and further via a Soyaton Benchmark analog interconnect. The signal was sent from the amplifier to the loudspeakers with a Soyaton Benchmark Mk 2 speaker cable, and when the Overture was playing, with a silver Kondo SPs-2.7 cable.

On the analog front, the main role was played by my excellent turntable J.Sikora Standard Max with two arms from the same manufacturer, the KV12 Max Zirconium Series and KV9. The former had an Air Tight PC3 cartridge installed, the latter a Le Son LS10 Mk II. The signal from both cartridges was amplified by a GrandiNote Celio Mk IV phono preamplifier interchangeably with a Kondo GE-1 and SFz step-up. Further on, the signal went to the integrated amplifier or to the preamplifier via a Bastanis Imperial RCA interconnect.

For this test, I received a pair of the Ogys, a pair of the Okhos, two pairs of the Bob Mk II and a pair of the Blanks. In addition, I received dedicated platforms, jumpers for connecting the modules, as well as wooden grilles to allow the Ogys to be set up on other modules. I tested a number of different configurations of these modules in combination with the mentioned amplifiers.

˻ I ˺ Blank + Bob Mk II + Okho

THE FIRST SETUP IN THE TEST was the most obvious one, at least for me, i.e., one Bob and one Okho per channel, placed on a Blank. Thus, the center of the Okho fell roughly at the height of my ears. This already gives you quite a large loudspeaker, and the two 12-inch drivers are impressive. The first listening sessions were unusual insofar as the amplifier I used to drive the loudspeakers at first was the Aurorasound HFSA-01 hybrid, which I later changed to a Kondo, and in the end only to the Shinai. I listened to the Japanese hybrid and evaluated it for another review immediately before putting together the first version of the Blocks. First of all, this little guy delighted me, because it's a very special amplifier that plays incredibly musically without costing that much. Secondly, I also wanted to see if 14 watts per channel were enough to drive two highly efficient, but nonetheless large drivers.

Actually, it was clear from the beginning that the Aurorasound integrated amplifier had no, not even the slightest problem with driving the Blocks. I played what I wanted and as loud as I wanted (although, by design, I am not one of those who listen to music very loudly). And how did the tested loudspeakers play in this system? It was dense, colorful, filled and well-detailed sound. This last characteristic, or rather my perception of the presentation, was partly due to the change from the differently, slightly “lighter” playing Mach 4s. Here the double bass from the YOTAM SILBERSTEIN Standards album had a (correctly!) huge, heavy body giving each string plucking depth and appropriate weight, yet the string plucking itself, i.e., the front of the attack, was not as contoured and fast as with my Mach 4s. It was also extremely colorful sound, in the sense of saturated natural color, yet open and free.

Record after record, the juxtaposition of the Japanese baby with the Blocks (in this configuration) confirmed that it also had a lot to offer in terms of dynamics – especially, but not only, dynamics on the micro scale. As a result, acoustic music and later also vocal music simply enchanted me, because even in the case of small unplugged ensembles, the music had the drive and edge. It was “holistic” sound, i.e., the considerable amount of information given “stuck together” into an extremely coherent, smooth whole. The details as such receded into the background, as they were not the most important here, but what was created from their combination.

As later listening sessions with more powerful amplifiers showed, they were still able to provide a bit more momentum and a larger scale of presentation, important really only with larger ensembles, but it wasn't a big difference and it actually appeared only when music was played louder. Here I'll immediately add that, while it's true that with the (40-watt) Okho you can play music quite loudly (louder than with the 15-watt Ogy), but they are not an optimal choice for sounding events, especially in large rooms. The Blocks are speakers for an intimate, engaged experience of music, rather than party frenzy. For my needs, they were able to play loud enough even when I got carried away by my imagination, but using them to crush walls with sound, if one uses their system for the purpose, is unlikely to succeed.

As I've already suggested, when I finally (because this little guy is so charming that, regardless of the speakers, a person has no desire at all to change it for another device) plugged in first the Overture and then the Shinai instead of the HFSA-01, there was a not entirely natural inclination in me to listen to music at a higher volume level than usual, because then there was even greater scale and momentum in the presentation. Still listening to acoustic recordings, such as those by ADAM BEN EZRA, I really liked how big and powerful the sound of his instrument reproduced by the Blocks was, how clear its presence was there and then.

Yes, the Blocks, at least in this setup, rely on a presentation that is close, tangible and present, but, importantly (!), not pushy. This is not sound that gets thrown in your face! It is expansive, able to step out in front of the line of speakers, but rather to encourage the listener to follow it into the world of music, which is created mostly behind them anyway, and is not as direct as, for example, with big horn speakers (quite a few of which played at the Munich High End exhibition this year).

˻ II ˺ Blank + Bob Mk II + Okho + Bob Mk II

AND WHAT DID ADDING THE SECOND BOB Mk II RESULT IN? It stood at the very top, i.e., as the fourth module in each column. To be honest, especially as far as the first impression is concerned, it contributed relatively little. The manufacturer makes it clear that it's for those who need a bit more bottom end boost and fill, especially in a larger room. And indeed, although it took me some time and required repertoire with plenty of low notes, I finally heard how, for example, the double bass and piano in PATRICIA BARBER's recordings took on a bit more body, and their sound deepened even more. In my room and system, however, the difference was not big.

Continuing with the test's unusual nature on a slightly larger scale, I used another guest amplifier which I had already known though, namely the Kondo Overture PM2i, which I also connected to the loudspeakers using the company's SPs-2.7 speaker cable with a silver conductor. Powered by this amplifier, the Blocks in this configuration offered me big, perhaps even bigger, or at least slightly more expansive sound, leaving no doubt that the aforementioned double bass or the piano on Mike Prigodich's album are huge and powerful-sounding instruments.

However, both retained their distinct character, each in its own recording. The bass, on the one hand, was powerful, energetic, weighted, almost physically palpable and with a slightly rounded attack front (typical for a double bass). On the other hand, it sounded clean and delighted me with its beautiful natural timbre, while the decay was the proverbial icing on the cake of John Patitucci's performance. With the Blocks, Prigodich's piano is delightfully fluid and resonant, only slightly backed up with the power of the sound in the background.

The second Bob Mk II, placed at the top of the loudspeaker, made the instruments sound fuller, but it didn't, as it shouldn't, give the impression that they were going even lower. To be honest, the influence of the second Bob is best heard when you return to a single pair configuration of these modules after listening for a while. In other words, the lack of a second pair is more obvious than the benefits of adding it. I would like to point out that it's possible they make a bigger, more noticeable difference from the start in a larger room (which I'll come back to at the end).

Although the Blank + Bob + Okho Blocks setup, but also with the second Bob on top, doesn't at all draw precise outlines of instruments with sufficiently precise stage placement, it's precisely thanks to their fullness, mass, and the characteristic energy immediacy of wideband drivers that it still feels like we have them at our fingertips. When I write about energy immediacy, I mean that such drivers can convey a high level of energy from instruments and transmit it to the listener in an exceptionally direct and effective way.

It feels like this energy is focused into a beam with a relatively small diameter and sent directly to our ears. Upon reaching the brain, the information is processed in such a way that it creates the appropriate size for each of the phantom sources, even if they don't have clear outlines. I hope I've explained what I mean clearly enough. This is one of the qualities of these speakers that I and other fans appreciate so much, because sound energy is one of the elements that undergoes significant degradation during the recording and playback process.

As Prigodich's live recording clearly demonstrated, even if the imaging isn't particularly precise, the spaciousness of the presentation is excellent, even slightly better after adding the second Bob. The sounds across the width of the stage formed a semicircle, the edges of which extended beyond the line connecting the loudspeakers, while everything happening between them remained behind that line. The gradation of planes might not have been as good as, say, with my Mach 4s, but honestly, while listening to the music, I didn't even notice.

Kondo + Blocks, but also Shinai + Blocks, is a recipe for sound that is, on the one hand, extremely engaging, and on the other hand, so "gentle" to the listener that analyzing it and breaking it down is the last thing we want to do. Listening to music, and with such good sources and amplifiers, practically experiencing music as a cohesive whole, is simply too engaging.

˻ III ˺ Bob Mk II + Bob Mk II + Okho

THIS CONFIGURATION, with the Bobs placed directly on the platform, meaning (both) closer to the floor, as I quickly discovered, is a solution for those who like a lot of bass, as it slightly lowers the presentation's center of gravity. Proximity to the floor enhances the interaction between it and the loudspeakers, which is why it feels like there's more bass, and even that it goes a bit lower. In this configuration, I found it best to listen to rock recordings, electric blues, and even a lot of classical music – everything that requires the best possible reproduction of the sound scale and power, or needs a little extra punch.

That's why bands like DEAD CAN DANCE, but later also live PINK FLOYD, or studio AEROSMITH, and even AC/DC, sounded best (I'm getting ahead of myself a bit here, as I haven't had a chance to discuss all the configurations yet) with two Bobs with the Okho on top, placed directly on the platforms. In this type of recordings, there are few high tones, so a certain limitation of the upper band (which in practice is perceived more as a lack of "brightness" than a lack of sounds themselves) was essentially irrelevant.

The weighing down and filling of the midrange and bottom end, with strong, dense electric guitars and keyboards, springy and powerful drums, and heavy, perhaps not super-hard, but fast and bouncy enough electric bass, did the job. An interesting side effect was a slight but noticeable improvement in the presentation of spatial aspects of the sound. This was best heard on Pink Floyd's albums, where they experimented with spatial effects.

I think it's important to be clear – the Closer Acoustics Blocks are not typical loudspeakers, not just because of their design as such, but also because they lack a dedicated tweeter and instead use wideband drivers. If you're looking for that proverbial "ticking" in the treble, that strong brilliance, or the aura, for example, around the drum cymbals or triangle that the best tweeters provide, or even sounds audible to dogs and bats, you won't get it with these loud speakers. Anyway, most of you, once you get used to such sound, will stop noticing the slight limitation and appreciate all the advantages.

Compared to a typical speaker with a good (!) tweeter, the tested loudspeakers will sound slightly more restrained in the treble. In return, the coherence between the highs and midrange is, by necessity, fabulous, and the upper part of the range integrates perfectly with the bass. The continuity of the musical fabric, as I would put it, is unique, comparable to playing music from a single speaker, and once you've heard such a presentation, all "normal" multi-way designs simply sound worse in this regard.

˻ IV ˺ The Ogy enter the game

When I talk to most of my friends, and sometimes even strangers who are music and good sound lovers, the vast majority either have or dream of having large speakers and powerful sound. I appreciate that too, but... But then I get to spend time with little ones like the LS 3/5As, Dynaudio bookshelf speakers, or with the Ogy and... when I listen to them, I don't miss large speakers at all.

It's not better sound, not necessarily preferred permanently, but it's different, perhaps less complete, but in terms of its strengths, it surpasses most large speakers. They are exactly that kind of a design – tiny, smiling, they play in a way that listening sessions almost always go on longer, and I don't care at all that the bass doesn't massage my liver at the fourth minute and thirteenth second of a well-known song. On the other hand, if it also did...

Exactly. When we listen to the Blocks with the Ogy at the top, there are still a few options. The first one is the Blank + Bob Mk II + Ogy combination. Thanks to the Blanks at the bottom, the Ogy drivers are located roughly at ear level (as for me, and probably in most other cases). However, if your seat is lower than average, you might not need a Blank at all. Bob + Ogy and that’s it, but it's worth remembering that what I wrote earlier will be repeated in this version – with a Bob close to the floor, low frequencies will be amplified.

Please also note that the type of flooring may be important. If it's hard, without a carpet or rug, I think a Blank should be recommended. However, if the floor is somewhat soundproofed, a Bob at the bottom of the loudspeaker will do well. Using the same elements, you can place a Bob at the bottom, a Blank on top of it, and an Ogy at the very top. In this version, there will also be more bass, but, to my ear, the sound cohesion is better when an Ogy is placed directly on a Bob. The latest version doesn't include the Blanks at all, as they are replaced by a second pair of Bobs. This, also in this case, is the version for those who, with one Bob, even placed directly on the platform, still lack low-end weight, or simply have a large room.

A description of the Blocks using the Ogy instead of the Okho will not be as extensive because the differences between the various configurations are actually similar to those already described for Okho. (a) A Bob on a Blank: the bass is more compact, a bit faster, but the overall setup feels like there are slightly fewer lower notes, as if they were a bit lighter, yet the coherence of the entire band is even better. (b) A Bob at the floor: the bass is slightly stronger, fuller, there's more of it, and it's still not too much for me, but the presentation's center of gravity is lowered a bit. (c) Two Bobs (naturally without a Blank, because the Ogy would have landed too high): there's a bit more bass, it has more mass and density, it becomes more physically noticeable. In short, the effect of the Bob placement on the presentation is similar to what was described above, so I won't elaborate on that.

Let's focus instead on the difference between the Ogy and the Okho, because, in fact, the choice between them will largely determine the character of the Blocks' sound. I made the changes while listening to KRZYSZTOF "PUMA" PIASECKI's album Jazz & Rock Standards. This is an incredibly interesting album, played partly with a rock edge and partly with jazz finesse. The Blocks with the Ogy instead of the Okho played it a bit "lighter", although this "lightness" came from the contrast to the mass and fullness served by the Okho, and it related more to the midrange rather than bass, as the bass hadn't changed.

The Ogy also resulted in opening up the treble more and adding even larger amounts of air there, so the instruments breathed even more freely. I achieved all of this by setting the Ogy straight, and yet, to get a little more treble, you just need to turn them (regardless of the modules underneath) towards your ears (without moving the other modules set straight). It's a matter of taste, but since the Ogys aren't permanently attached like other modules, you can freely rotate them to achieve the effects that are most satisfying for a given person in a given room and system.

I'll go further: the Ogy can be (and if they're standing on a Bob, it's even recommended) additionally isolated by using anti-vibration elements under them, as low as possible. I installed the Omex Symphony 2S feet with ball bearings there. As a result, I got slightly cleaner and more analytical sound (but not too much – I don't like analytical playing of music), where access to details, including those in deeper layers of recordings, was a bit easier, and the details and subtleties themselves were presented a little more clearly. Would this be a direction I would follow permanently? The direction was correct, so to speak, so as an owner of the Blocks in that configuration, I would probably be looking for a solution that would work even better (perhaps Acoustic Revive quartz discs?). It's worth remembering about this option and simply conducting your own tests.

Returning to the aforementioned album, I'll add that in the rock tracks (not just on this, but also on subsequent albums), the denser, more massive midrange of the Okho gave a bit more "meat" to the electric guitars, bass, and even the drums. In jazz recordings, however, the Blocks with the Ogy, which have a slightly higher center of gravity (i.e., in terms of their presentation, not their physical center of gravity), made what was happening in the upper midrange and treble sound a bit more resonant, precise, and also more selective. The percussion cymbals sounded stronger and more energetic, and the brass instruments sounded more edgy and lively, and a bit more of the brilliance known from good tweeters also appeared around both.

The way space was presented also changed with the Ogy in the set. Arranged in this way, the Blocks drew the contours of the phantom sources a bit more precisely, and they also placed them more accurately at a very specific point on the stage, or rather, they occupied a precisely defined three-dimensional space. At the same time, they weren't quite as dense, as tangible, as present as with the Okho (I emphasize "quite as" because they were still excellent, just not as good as with a larger speaker). In short, the filling and mass of the phantom sources with the Ogy weren't quite as good as with the Okho.

As I have already mentioned, with the Okho we get more cohesive sound where everything blends beautifully together, creating a fabulously coherent and fluid whole, and details, even those that would normally stand out, are pushed a bit deeper into the mix. For clarity, this doesn't mean boring, monotonous, or sticky sound, just more focused on the music as the sum of its individual elements.

The Blocks with the Ogy still enchant us with their coherence and fluidity, but the differentiation is slightly better, just like the presentation of tonal and dynamic contrasts, which gives details and subtleties a slightly bigger role to play. I'll add that sound can also be shaped by things like speaker cables. The Blocks perfectly demonstrated, for example, that the silver Kondo cable adds a bit more brilliance, that it illuminates (rather than brightens!) sound, compared even to my Soyaton Benchmark Mk II cable. The jumpers connecting the modules can also be made of this type of a conductor to further increase this effect. I'll add that the Cardas copper cables supplied by the manufacturer are very good, it's just that, like any cable (!), they have their own specific character.

▌ Conclusions

THE CLOSER ACOUSTICS BLOCKS are unique in many ways. First and foremost, we are not buying a ready-made solution that offers just one specific sound. By choosing this product, we can, to some extent, shape the sound ourselves. In this regard, the latest Closer Acoustics speakers remind me of tube equipment. We buy certain sound, but by replacing the tubes with their equivalents, we can change that sound, and often improve it.

With the tested loudspeakers, we buy a set of blocks that we assemble ourselves, searching for optimal sound in the given conditions and adjusting it to our own taste. Just like with building blocks, we can change and/or add elements in this case as well. More bass – we buy another pair of the Bobs, or we change their position in the loudspeaker. The high frequencies are missing because the driver playing them is too low – we buy the Blanks and raise the structure by one floor, or we replace the Okho with the Ogy, and the latter can also be turned towards the ear, enhancing the presentation of the upper frequency range. As I wrote at the end, we are also not doomed to use the very good, but sonically distinct jumpers connecting the modules – there is nothing preventing you from using other ones.

By purchasing the Closer Acoustics Blocks, we decide on a specific number and types of modules, aiming for our desired sound. Because sales are direct, the manufacturer offers 14 days for a possible return, so you can change the configuration during that time, and also add components later. However, it all boils down primarily to a choice, such as the one given to a donkey in one of Polish classic tales: in one manger there was an Okho, in another one – an Ogy... Which one should I choose?

Fans of dense, non-detail-oriented, wonderfully cohesive and fluid sound, including those who prefer slightly heavier sound with more breadth and impact (rock, electronic music and probably even a lot of classical music), with a more saturated lower midrange, good spatiality and imaging based on the saturation and filling of phantom sources, may prefer the Okho with one or two Bob Mk IIs. Those who prefer more open sound, freer in the upper frequencies, with details and subtleties playing a larger role, with better-defined contours of phantom sources, and with more air around the instruments, will probably reach for the Ogy.

Those who want to have their cake and eat it too will reach a little deeper into their pockets and buy both, and then, whenever they want to change the sound a bit or listen to a different kind of music, they'll simply swap one for the other. The replacement will take three minutes, and the changes in sound will be significant. I don't know of any other speakers that offer such possibilities. Regardless of the choice of components, it's beautiful, musical, engaging, and not tiring, even over the longest distances, sound for those who appreciate the beauty of music presented in an exceptionally friendly and natural way. From us – the well-deserved » RED FINGERPRINT. ●

▌ Technical specifications (according to the manufacturer):

OKHO: impedance – 8 Ω, nominal power – 40 W, efficiency – 91 dB
OGY: impedance – 8 Ω, nominal power – 15 W, efficiency – 91 dB
BOB: impedance – 8 Ω, nominal power – 100 W, efficiency – 94 dB

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