HIGHEND 2011 in Munich – SoundStage

"...What would you say if I told you that the state of the art in loudspeakers can be purchased for half, or even a quarter, of the price you might think? Not really good speakers. Not almost-the-best-you-can-buy speakers. But state-of-the-art speakers. As in better than what was available just a few years ago at crazy six-figure prices! Would you be surprised? Excited? I submit to you that we are in the midst of a speaker revolution. Case in point...

"Priced at 15.500 € per pair, the Piano Cera shrouds its sonic prowess in piano-black lacquer of a quality that is quite uncommon. In fact, the slim proportions easily conceal that this is a 117-pound speaker built quite heroically. 
Even still, there are no exotic cabinet materials and the drivers are made to TIDAL's specs by Accuton, another German firm. That description doesn't sound state of the art. When it plays music, though, is when you begin to understand that this is no plain-Jane loudspeaker. 

With bass articulation and weight that belie its modest proportions and coherence that is nigh-on perfect, the TIDAL Piano Cera is a stark reminder that the underlying design -- not the cosmetic flourishes or the story -- is ultimately what is key to sound quality.
The Piano Cera isn't just different from most other speakers I heard at High End 2011; it's better."