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Precision Transducer Engineering put the loud in loudspeaker. Its 5-foot-tall, 400-pound Statement speaker not only played loud with exceptional ease, it reproduced the sound of a drum-kit with the best fidelity I've ever heard. Few high-end speakers, even $100,000 models, can match the Statement's ($40,000) unlimited dynamics and ultra-low-distortion sound. It's not the most attractive speaker I saw at Rocky Mountain, but if you have the space and a taste for really loud music, put the Statement at the top of your audition list. Steve Guttenberg

I'd have to say the Precision Transducer Engineering "Statement" was the most impressive demo we had the pleasure of hearing.

My biggest surprise was the massive powered speakers from Precision Transducer Engineering. Their statement speaker is a 400lb air moving monster. 18" driver for the low bass, a 15" Tannoy covering 90 to 1000Hz with a coaxially mounted TAD 2001 compression driver covering the highs. They are self powered and if I remember correctly 400W on the 18, 250W or so on the Tannoy and maybe 200 for the TAD. Bryan Pape said I had to hear these, the most physical listening experience he'd ever had. He wasn't kidding, they dropped the needle on the Sheffield Drum record at basically live volume and it was dynamics like a real drum kit played hard. My Abbeys can move quite a bit of air and are very dynamic but the PTE Statements made them seem like toys in that department. Might be the only hifi speakers I've heard that could actually deliver the energy of a live band

PTE speakers - Phoenix model. These are active speakers, driven by 3 130 watt amps $5,400 pr. Very natural image height. When one is seated, the image height is at least 5 feet, no 3 ft dwarf images here.

The folks at Precision Transducer Engineering (PTE), know a thing or two loudspeakers, particularly active, self-powered designs. Their Statement ($44k photo above) had me all excited by its staggeringly natural and even-handed performance during the CES earlier this year. With room limitations that wouldn't allow anything of this size to sing here at the RMAF, the PTE Statements still showed what they're made of: all heart and soul. If $44k is too much for your budget, then you must give their smaller (but still a large monitor) active monitor, the PTE Phoenix a listen. I've got a pair in for review and am delighted at what actively-based designed loudspeakers can do. Stay tuned for my review. Clement Perry

There is no substituting the MIT Oracle v1.3 speaker cables I am reviewing, but for readers on a budget, channeling all the funds originally set aside for a power amp, cable and speakers into the PTE Phoenix powered bi-amped high output monitors ($5,400/pair) is a viable option. Despite the unflattering looks and compact dimensions, there was unabridged dynamics that flowed very naturally from these active speakers. Tonality was very well balanced, without aggressiveness of some active monitors. Tonal resolution was competent and very well presented for the price. The Phoenix features double magnet Scanspeak tweeters for high sensitivity, smooth precise sound, special woofers with shorting rings and long voice coils for low distortion even at high SPL, and a four-layer PCB for the electronic crossover, equalizer and three 130-watt internal state-of-the-art power amplifiers using 1% resistors and capacitors.
Constantine Soo.

This was the best sound I heard at the show. (Six visitors to our room at RMAF)

Holy Shit! (Uttered by many after listening to the Statement render the Sheffield Drum record.)

As a dealer/enthusiast of high-end audio for years, I can honestly say I have very few experiences of jaw dropping quality for the money. The new PTE MMMC phono preamplifier is one of those cases. To look at its simple cosmetics may not thrill or excite the average eye...ahh but let's not forget, that's SOLID Mahogany folks, not veneer! Once the unit is opened, the circuitry is clean and tight and it's own work of art. Mr. Rush is a tried and true engineer, not a fly by night tweak or a hobbyist. Aesthetics and respect aside, how does it sound? Let's just say I became their representative on the spot. The enormous soundstage, the incredible transparency, the black backgrounds, the ability to HANDLE serious cartridges without sounding out of its league. It excites me to see (given the fabulous self-powered speakers and now this MMMC) what audio marvel that Jim Rush will grace us with next.

Jason Smith Grey Matter Music/JHS Enterprises

Comments from "The Show" -2011:

Listening to the Phoenix Jane Cygan said " That sounds like a real piano."

Listening to the Statements Dennis Wong said "The Statement delivers a large scale soundstage with immediacy. This speaker disappears."

Regarding the Statements " They sound very much like live music. After listening to these it's hard to go into other rooms. These speakers are awesome."

Mark Brodie said. " Both speakers are highly involving and musical - Great transparency and dynamics."

After listening to the Statements an unidentified listener offered this: "This is the only thing I've heard here and at the Venetian that is close to live.