AUDIOVECTOR SR 3 AVANTGARDE
Tested by WHAT HI-FI?, November 2018
“”We listen to Orff’s Carmina Burana and find a nicely layered soundstage. The positions of instruments and vocalists are locked in space with the speakers keeping things stable even when the music becomes demanding. The piece’s chaotic crescendos are delivered with pleasing organisation and control. There’s a surprising degree of punch of offer, the SR3s delivering the music with a muscular attitude that belies their compact dimensions. Much the same could be said about the way these towers deliver large-scale dynamic swings. It’s done effortlessly, with the floorstanders refusing to sound strained even when pushed hard.”
“Switch to Jay Z’s 4.44 set and the SR3s respond with enthusiasm. They deliver Jay’s vocals with clarity and passion while rendering the hard-charging beats of Bam with all the drive and attack required. These floorstanders dig surprisingly deep in the bass for their size. They stay punchy and tuneful, even at higher levels, and deliver the music’s complex rhythms with swagger to spare. As with most high-end speakers, the sheer clarity and lack of distortion on offer may appear to reduce the grittiness of the music played, but listen carefully and you’ll find the feel and energy of the track remains very much intact.”
“We really like these speakers. Audiovector has done a great job in keeping all the Signature version’s strengths, but added a large chunk of finesse and insight with the upgrade. If you’re in the market for compact floorstanders at this level, these SR3 Avantgardes really must be heard.”