June 23rd, 2016

Hello Arved,

I received the speakers. They are fantastic. Just perfect for our small space. Glorious sound. You nailed the custom color. Looks great.

Thank you again.

Joseph

May 14th, 2016

Take a chance. These little speakers rock.
For music out of the box ready to go.
Paired mine with a sub and WOW.
For movies i had to bring them forward by sending more sound/power to the left/right channel, but once i dialed them in it was superb.
My main concern was the low wattage rating, and i could not find anything about using a newer reciever with higher per channel power.
They work fine. No problems at all.
I ordered a standard wood wrap, and liked them so much ive ordered a second custom pair for my man cave SF giants themed. Arved worked woth me over a couple of days and sent some renders of what the speakers would look like untill we came to a finished design.
Really cool.
Will be recommending to everybody.

January 16th 2016

I'll give a review I from the perspective of what I would guess to be the majority consumer out there. I love music and I listen to all kinds of stuff. I have a decent A/V receiver (YAMAHA RX-V479), a decent turntable (Project Debut Carbon) - not high end stuff by any means but serves what I need. I don't want or need to play music ear-splitting loud and I can't tell you about about highs and lows and tones and this and that like a real audiophile - but I like to think I know what sounds bad and what doesn't. These speakers in my opinion are simply f$#king awesome. To the volumes I play my music I think the sound is as good as I could imagine. I recognize things in songs I haven't come across before - the sound is deeper and clearer than what I have ever come across before. I personally am 100% satisfied and if you are like me and just like listening to your music instead of deeply analyzing it then I confidently recommend these. Oh, and they are about as sexy a compliment to your lounge as you will ever come across in the speaker world - of that I am fairly confident. The service was also fantastic from Arved and the team. A great experience here.

January 1, 2016

Your loudspeaker is a bold, brilliant and beautiful realisation of sound delivery. And you have achieved it at a fraction of the price and complexity of a KEF Blade, B&W Nautilus, esoteric open-baffle systems or Tannoy Kingdom Royale. What a breath of fresh of air! I'm a retired concert pianoforte technician and I believe that there are few instruments that rival the piano for sonic beauty. I always maintain that a good hi-fi system will allow me to identify the make and model of piano, its state of tune and preparation and even its individual identity (for example, the Steinway hire fleet maintained for visiting concert pianists all have their unique signature). However, I would need an additional bass 8ve so that the lowest not on the keyboard - 27.5Hz - is accurately represented. This would require a revised cabinet or an additional sub (a sub could go even lower to get the lowest note of an organ and to reveal the 'cloud' of harmonics surrounding the low A on the piano). Here are a couple of suggestions for your music catalogue: Anything by Dick Hyman Any Nat King Cole or Mel Torme accompanied live on stage by George Shearing Even transcriptions of the wonderful 1929 acoustic Brunswick recordings if Fred Astaire singing and tapping with George Gershwin on the piano(Past Perfect has these on CD but there is also a vinyl LP)) and finally a non-piano record with great sound, the Ry Kooder Jazz album.

December 31, 2015

First, I want to tell you that my speakers arrived yesterday, and they sound magnificent! I tried out some Vanatoos a few months ago, and wasn’t impressed. These are much, much better. Your competition should be worried!  I’m amazed at the sound stage, detail,and imaging of these little marvels. They are amazing! We are also very pleased with the design. I plan to post some positive comments on an audio blog in the near future.

December 31, 2015

Speakers perform as advertised. Amazing! I have decided to upgrade to NAD 7050 for a little more power but really the 3020 drives them well. 

November 1st, 2015

I am highly impressed with your Sound Sommeliers. I have a cheaper Grace Digital Bluetooth Amp; which also, has a Aux out from my Dish Network Cable Box. They sound very good with this, but the other pair I have paired with my Onkyo 7.1 channel Amp in Stereo for now. Wow, what a difference! I do not have a tube amp, but I bought a high quality tube buffer that you connect with high quality RCA cables from your CD/DVD player to the Tube buffer and then to the receiver input. It makes a huge difference.

I have to say the Grace Digital Bluetooth Amp with Bluetooth and a Sub Out only has RCA out to 3.5mm in. Not the same quality, but with the Tube buffer it helps a lot. When I play my music over WiFi on my receiver the music quality is even better.

Unless you are volume crazy, your Sound Sommeliers are more than adequate for any reasonably sized room. My living room is 15 feet wide and 20 feet deep with a cutout that is 6 feet by 4 feet going into the Kitchen eating area, and your Sound Sommeliers held their own in a pretty large room. 

You may be amused by this, but with a Subwoofer set on level 1 out of 10, I was playing music for friends on my very Large and Full Range B&W DM604 S3 speakers a week earlier; then I disconnected these and simply switched to the Much Smaller Sound Sommeliers the next weekend. I, as well as my friends, were astonished how much sound these little Kvart & Bolge speakers put out in presence and quality of sound. What really caught my ear is the lack of a definite need for a center channel speaker with your speakers.

My friends thought they were listening to my B&W DM604 S3s with a Center Channel, until I told them otherwise. They were amazed.

November 1st, 2015

Thanks so much for such an easy transaction and a fabulous product. I think you've seen the pictures my wife put up and F.B. 

The speakers have transformed over the first few hours or so. We have them about 12" from the back wall. When she is out I move them out a bit more and the speakers just disappear. 

y here

November 1st, 2015

Got surprised with these lovely friends today! Already breaking them in with some vinyl. We are delighted! Holy mackerel, I almost fell off my chair when we moved the speakers out. Gorgeous.

October 17, 2015

I haven't spent much time on your playlist.  I have a massive CD 

collection that I am working through.

Now I'll give you a little more detail on how I audition the speakers 

with friends and family.

I tell them to bring some of their favorite CDs so they can hear the 

music on them for the first time in their life.

Ordinary people have never heard real stereo imaging.  When they hear 

them on these speakers, I say something like "We never knew this was on 

our CDs all these years."

I start the audition the same way each time.

I play the first three tracks I played when I got the speakers.

I play them at a soft volume level.  I ask them to close their eyes.  I 

find that I can concentrate and hear the music much better with my eyes 

closed.

The first song is "First Time Every I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack.

First I go over what you covered in the blog about the cocktail party 

effect, explaining that they can focus on any specific detail in the 

music, and ask them to focus on the sounds coming from her lips.  A 

close friend of mine asked me if it was a special CD.  I assured him if 

was a very old CD.  Everyone is blown away by this song.

Next I play the first two tracks on Santana's Abraxas. I tell them the 

first track we usually just "endure" waiting for the next one or just 

skip it and wonder why it is even on the CD.  But with these speakers we 

find that it is a beautiful stereo instrumental.  Next is Black Magic 

Woman, which everyone has heard, but have never really "heard" it.

By the end of these three tracks everyone is blown away.

I then play their CDs or any requests from my collection.  One person 

brought a lot of new music and most of it wasn't even stereo.  He was 

very disappointed.  (These speakers let you know if the music isn't good 

quality!)  I told him it was probably made for the modern, ear-bud 

wearing market.

(However, I recently found a pair of ear-buds with amazing stereo imaging.)

After the audition, everyone agrees the speakers are worth ten times 

what they cost.  They all want them.

Working through my CD collection, I am pleasantly surprised at how much 

of it is really good stereo music, even for back in the day.

I had the speakers for several weeks before I got to In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 

by Iron Butterfly, and it sounds great!

Some CDs are a mixed bag, and some are poor quality.  On the Roberta 

Flack CD, that is the only song with decent quality.

I am enjoying rediscovering my music collection.

One last thought.  Listening with eyes closed, the speakers disappear, 

and you hear the stereo image of the performance.

October 9, 2015

I thought I would send a follow up message with my initial impression of the speakers. I have had them for about a month. 

Let me just say how happy I am with the speakers so far. They are quite amazing. I am running a very small Cambridge Audio sub with them, but this is not out of necessity. They sound fine without the sub. I am very pleased. Thanks for your efforts, You should be getting a few orders from the states in the next few days. I was a test case for several potential buyers.

October 8th, 2015

I purchased these speakers for my husband who used to be a musician, however he now has significant hearing loss and wears a hearing aid in one ear and has had a cochlear implant in the other. He stopped playing and even listening to music because his experience had changed to such an extent that he felt that he could no longer enjoy it. About 3 three months ago he began ro listed to familiar music again (two years after his cochlear implant) and I noticed that the speakers sounded awful. I knew the sound was not good I thought his experience might be better with good speakers. He noticed a difference with the first song and is very happy that he has been able to recapture the enjoyment of music which was an important part of his life.

October 1st, 2015

I recently made a late night impulse purchase and have a pair of the Kvart Bolge Sommeliers on the way. I was planning to use them with a Marantz 1060. The main reason was aesthetic I admit. The wood case on the amp and the veneer on the speakers would make a nice look for a second system. I also just have the 1060 sitting around collecting dust. 

I got the speakers. They are excellent!!!

September 13, 2015

I am very much enjoying my speakers. They ended up as a stereo pair at the headboard of my bed, facing out into the room. Sources include a modest but decent turntable, as well as Deezer, the streaming service out of Paris, played through my phone. Both sources are fed to an old Arcam A80 that was owned by famed engineer, Roy Halee (Google him if you like). I took the Arcam off his hands through a mutual friend. It's all very simple and satisfying.

I'm compelled by your company. The design, business model, and more. There's something special here. As a musician, recording engineer, and audiologist, I simply think about how to easily get good sound into most people's environments in a fun way.  You're doing that of course. Anyway, your product has kept my wheels turning since I rcvd them. That's saying something.

I hope to continue a dialog with you. I read many of your blog posts today - great stuff. You might enjoy this...

I have now lived with the Sound Sommeliers for a little over three months and continue to be thrilled by the sound. These remain a viable alternative to soundbars for those with little space as well as being an extremely accurate transducer for music.


Big change. I broke down and tried sub-woofers with the Sommeliers. I have worked in audio for nearly forty years and added my first pair of sub-woofers to a pair of full range speakers in 1977 so I am no stranger to the process. However, even in the early days of working with electronic crossovers and multiple power amps, room placement, etc., this proved to be the biggest challenge I had ever faced.


First, I decided to handicap myself by using existing equipment (my better half insists I own too much already). Based on the frequency response and the natural roll-off of the quarter wave speakers, a dedicated woofer purchased for a Yamaha DSP seemed like it might be just right. However, the Yamaha had a fixed crossover at about 90hz. As the Sommeliers roll off dramatically below 60hz, this didn't seem too bad. However, the sound was atrocious no matter where I set the level.


Next came a dedicated woofer from B&W. Fine audio company. 10" woofer,  Wood enclosure.  Variable crossover. Same results.


Finally, a powered, true sub-woofer from Boston Acoustics. 12" and designed to compliment something much bigger than the Sommeliers. This had last seen use as part of a pair matched with a pair of Vandersteen 2c speakers in the early 2000's. The Vandersteen's and one of the sub-woofers went to my son who gave to a friend who now listens to them in a small studio outside Nashville. I started out with the crossover at 85hz and the output about mid-way. Sound was horrible. The Sommeliers are really extremely efficient. I eventually did what I tell everyone else when setting up a woofer or sub-woofer. Turn the volume on the woofer down to zero. On a steady bass tone, increase the volume until you can barely hear the bass tone form the woofer, then turn it back until you can't hear it. This worked. Then I worked with the crossover and worked it down to 60hz. At this point the 12" sub and the Sommeliers began to sound as if they were meant to work together.


My son came over and we first listened to some vocals with the sub-woofer in and bypassing (the Boston has a bypass switch). With the sub in line, the Sommeliers have a much richer tone everywhere from the lower mid-range all the way through the lower treble. I have actually never heard a sub make such a difference in the entire frequency range.


After auditioning vocals for about 45 minutes, we switched over to some acoustic jazz and the results were even more gratifying.


Finally, and the reason I wanted to add the sub win the first place, we retrieved some old war horse classical music starting with Beethoven's 5th and 9th symphonies. The sound was absolutely thrilling. There was no cap on the dynamics as the Sommeliers could literally soar (within their limits). We then switched to Wagner and when I started to ask my son something he hushed me as he was in the midst of pulling Excalibur from the stone (if you don't know of what I speak, rent "Excalibur" form Netflix.


If you are interested in these speakers, the are superb by themselves. If you want them to deliver unbelievable sound to give you chill bumps, look for a good (this will probably bee much more than the speakers) sub-woofer to mate. Pay close attention to both cross-over and volume level of the sub as I have never set the volume level on a sub so low as I have with these. However, the total sound is definitely equal to systems costing at least five or six times the total cost of the two items (speakers and sub) together. Of course, a pair of the Boston subs would probably make this sound much better. Not so much for any added volume as I would probably need to decrease the output level, but there is still a great deal of imaging information at levels down to 40hz or so that a pair of subs would show off much better than a single.

Sorry for the epistle as no one but me was probably interested.

June 26, 2015

I haven't posted in a while. Really not much since late 2013 and this is not a soundbar, but would probably be laughed at in the speaker thread.


If any of you read CNET you may have seen Steve Guttenberg's article on the Kvart & Bolge Sound Sommeliers. These are very interesting full range, single 3-1/2" driver speakers that sound better, much better, than they have any right to sound. These are not self powered like most of the soundbars listed in these pages are, but K&B also sells an inexpensive 50 watt amplifier designed especially for the speakers that can solve your problems for amplification.


As to sound. If you are old enough to remember the sound of the planar loudspeakers of the 1960's or 1970's such as the Quad Electrostatic or original Magnaplanar four panel loudspeaker, these are very similar. Quite open with no speaker sound whatsoever. When playing good source material, the units actually vanish and give no spatial clues as to where they are located. At about 15 degrees off angle, an extremely flat frequency response from about 50hz to a little above 15khz. For bass skeptics, a woofer that goes down to 50hz is more than enough to give you adequate bass for music and for most movies. I have not attempted to add any of the sub-woofers (3) or true woofers (1) that I have at my disposal as I use these (the Sound Sommeliers) strictly for music and I fear the addition of a woofer to cover just over an octave of sound would muddy things up and take away from the openness.


These are definitely not for the crowd that is looking to blow the windows out of their sound room as they are not designed to play at 110db. I really don't know maximum SPL and have not measured it as I am too busy enjoying old acoustic recordings and rock music from the sixties and seventies.


However, for someone who wishes to experiment at a very inexpensive price. And someone like me that typically has an old receiver, an old integrated amp or pre-amp sitting around gathering dust, these could be an extremely intriguing purchase. If the cabinet housing my ZT-60 Panasonic Plasma was a little taller, I would definitely consider replacing my Andrew Jones soundbar with these. They offer some very intriguing possibilities.  


By the way, each of these are about 33" tall but only about 4" wide. About 6" deep with a single 3-1/2" driver. You can go to the company's web site and read an excellent paper on quarter wave sound and see what they have to offer.


Also, I am not a shill for Kvart & Bolge or anyone else. I was a software designed for 25 years and an IT manager for the past sixteen. I enjoy sharing inexpensive sound with my friends at AVS when I find something interesting. I usually don't go to the speaker forums as inexpensive is usually relegated to crap there and I have no plans on defending the design or comparing a $ 300 speaker to something costing ten times (or more) the price. But, if anyone is interested, I do have speakers currently residing in a closet that cost approximately seven times the price. The K&B speakers do some things better than the more expensive speakers, some things not as well. The K&B are definitely the more interesting speakers and the ones I would recommend to friends.

June 24, 2016

I normally can only play these at level 4 on my volume. At low volumes, they play fine. These are a throwback to the Western Electric speakers of the 1940s. The speaker will play simple music in a grand way. Jazz and R & B sound amazing. The newer 200 and 180 gram records are especially great.  These shine in the mids. I really love these in a near field setting. Had them now for six months.

June 24, 2015

I am pushing 6 ohms from my receiver to the speakers and, even at low volumes, I am impressed with the tone quality.

June 6, 2015

I audition these speakers to whomever I can, and everyone is amazed, so some will be ordering them when they can afford to.

June 5, 2015

I really like the concept and design of your Sound Sommelier speakers. They really do look to be a triumph of smart design over excessive materials and bulk. They appear to be a transmission line design... Which is a successful way to get low bass out of a small enclosure with relatively small drivers. Plus, I love the point source imaging aspect. It's what Thiel was trying to achieve with multiway designs using coincident drivers.

June 10, 2015

I was able to pick up an iDecco and that filled out the bass much more. I am much happy with what I am hearing now. These things image so well and just look fantastic.

May 18, 2013

It is probably redundant to add another five star review here, but I am highly impressed. These were purchased strictly for music. I am very old school (and probably very old) and listen to all of my music collection in stereo. I received the Sound Sommeliers last Monday, so this review is based on only seven days worth of listening, about twenty hours. However, in that time, I have some very firm opinions of the capabilities of these little speakers.

One (and most impressive), amazingly open. The sound is like that of one of the older dipole speakers like the original Quad Electrostatic or three panel Magnaplanars. When you pull the speakers into your room a minimum of 18" to 24" from the walls, the speakers honestly disappear and you hear only the music. No localization. Simply wonderful sound from beyond the boundaries of the speakers in both the lateral as well as the front to back planes. This is most true on acoustic music and vocals, but also comes through well on electric music. Symphonic music is not handled quite as well (I don't think). Have only listened to a few favorites here and the material was tough for any speaker.

Two, very good bass response down to about 50hz. I have not had the desire to connect any of two available sub-woofers to the setup which could extend the bass down to 20hz-25hz range. The bass is open and fast via the 3-1/2" full range driver and I have seen the addition of a sub-woofer actually muddy the sound of some full range speakers. I plan to live with these units for a while (at least a year) prior to any decision to extend the bass. Besides, on most recording, there is very little output below 40hz anyway so unless you know you are looking for some extremely deep output, you probably won't be missing much.

Three, articulate treble response. I am unfamiliar with the full range driver, but it is surprising that it has response that has such good midrange and upper midrange/lower treble response. At my age, I know I have little hearing above the 5khz-7khz range, so extended treble response is relatively unimportant. If someone in their twenties were to tell me these roll-off treble response, I can stand corrected on this. However, my wife's hearing is still pretty good (according to hearing tests, not me) and she likes what she hears and doesn't think the units are missing anything. She also likes that they don't seem to get sibilant on voices, cymbals and other instruments that sometimes bother her.

Four, WAF. Yup, the good old Wife Acceptance Factor. These are so slight that they pass most WAF's with flying colors. Not only that, easy to hide when not in use and if you want some background music, sound is acceptable up against a wall.

What's not to like.

Received mine with one top end cap off. Cut myself attempting to get it back on. My bad. Should have sent it back but didn't want to wait.

Wish they came with a stable base.

Absolute volume is not very loud without some distortion. Still loud enough to enjoy most music. If you are young and you still want to put on something and "CRANK IT UP", you better look somewhere else.

Nice job K&B.

By the way, these are being used instead of Infinity Interlude IL-40's matched with Infinity sub-woofers which are now officially in the closet (subs had been in the closet since sometime in 2012). No side-by-side comparison. K&B definitely more open. Definitely not as much detail and won't play as loud. Playing loud is not a criteria at 63 years old.

May 4, 2015

Nice pair of speakers for a very reasonable price, good stereo image and presentation - had a small issue which was no fault of the manufacture, the after service was very professional and my issue was resolved quickly.

These little guys are loud enough for your average living room, but don't expect them to push particularly hard in the lower frequencies, for that you might want to get an additional subwoofer.

It's refreshing to see unique styling, for those who want something a little different to go with their decor I can totally recommend a pair of these.Add News Story here

April 15th, 2015

These speakers first came to my attention in a review on "Engadget". Despite having to order them from overseas, I was influenced by the very positive reviews, reasonable price and good design. I bought them along with the Kvart and Bølge bluetooth amplifier for focussed listening to classical, jazz and pop/rock music in an average sized room (3.5x5m). <br>The initial experience was marred by customs; who drilled a hole in the rear of one speaker and tore out some of the foam baffle whilst inspecting them. Despite this inauspicious start, I was then able to experience the very high level of customer service from Arved Deecke, who kindly offered to organise either return of the speakers or guide me remotely through effecting the necessary repairs (which I chose to accept, given my reluctance to part with them!).<br>It was all worth it: These speakers absolutely live up to the good reviews: they subtly caress your ears with voices, guitar and trumpets appearing to float in mid air with effortless stereo imaging. Subtle changes in intonation and breathing are clearly audible in vocal works without obvious colouration of the sound. Given the small physical size of the drivers, you may occasionally miss the physical sensation of bass, however each bass note is clear and details are played with authority - there is no muddied or resonant bass. There is sufficient attack on mid and treble notes to maintain enjoyment with dynamic musical works. <br>Despite having access to a range of decent speakers and Sennheiser headphones, I keep coming back to the Sound Sommeliers to re-discover my musical collection, with many details I had never noticed becoming apparent. Very pleased to have bought them.

April 14, 2015

It is hard for me to be overwhelmed by a product. I spend too much time researching an item before I ever make a purchase. When a product lives up to the expectation, there is satisfaction that my homework paid off, but never a thrill.

I read what reviews I could find on the Kvart & Bolge Sound Sommeliers, some seemed to be a little too over the top and there were a lot of skeptics out there on the message boards.However, when you sort through it all, there are some fundamental speaker ideas that have been tried and true in the DIY world , which made it easier to step out of my comfort zone and try these speaker out.

I will stop for a second to note, I have been in a battle with my wife about speakers for over a year. I own a pair of B&W bookshelf speakers that were on stands in my study. Sheltered away from the world, there was not a problem with the general aesthetic of my stereo setup. However, when we wanted to move it to a more central part of the house, where the family could enjoy the vinyl collection, what things looked liked became an issue.

I have always opted for the sound and quality of a piece over its aesthetic. Not that the two are mutually exclusive, but the price point can be a little steep or require a fair bit of vintage shopping luck. In our situation, neither was an expeditious resolution to our conundrum.

The first solution was to find a piece of furniture to conceal the audio elements while not in use. Unfortunately, finding an audio cabinet that met our needs did not come cheap. While reading Steve Guttenberg on CNET, the pictures of these speakers, which accompanied the article, caught my attention. The minimalist styling, coupled with endless color options, seemed to fit my wife's aesthetic needs - but what about the sound? For around $250 (before shipping), I decided to take a chance with the limited information I had on the speakers.

When they arrived, I eagerly opened the box from Mexico. When I slid the first speaker from its protective sheath, I realized the heft of the speaker. The heavy metal base and elongated cabinet are well crafted. The assemblers obviously took time to ensure that the transitions between the different materials were seamless and properly fitted.

But what about the sound? I have a rather modest setup. A U-Turn table, NAD preamp, and a basic stereo receiver from Onkyo. I worked the speakers in slowly, low volume spins of The Supremes and Otis Redding. I moved up to mid level volumes with OK Computer. Finally, I cranked it to suitable rock levels for Led Zeppelin IV. Sitting on my couch and closing my eyes, the direction of the sound faded away and I felt immersed in the music. For the price, I could not believe the clarity of the highs, mids, and lows. The bass is not going to rattle the walls, but a sub should only be considered a welcome addition- not a vital necessity.

Each album that I played, the more thrilled I was with my purchase. When I got to side 2 of Jeff Buckley's Grace, I was stunned at the definition and warmth that oozed out of the speakers with every note of Hallelujah. I would have been satisfied with these results with speakers twice the price, but the quality of the product coupled with the sound and aesthetic appeal of theses speakers, I have gone from thrilled to tickled pink.Add News Story here

February 28, 2015

I dig the new speakers immensely! My set up is a SMSL SA-98E (i.e., one of those cheapo Chinese Class D amps), an AudioTechnica turntable and a Pioneer CD/DVD player. The system is a bit of a Frankenstein, I suppose, but it's affordable and seems to work just fine for now.

Anyhow, the first thing I played through the new speakers was a 2006 CD reissue of Can's "Future Days". I've had that disc for about five years, but when I played it though the speakers, I noticed a whole range of sounds I'd never noticed before and a much greater sense of space in the overall sound.

The speakers certainly suit the way I like to hear music: full, clear and bright.

March 30, 2015

The latest Kvart & Bolge Sound Sommelier tower speakers are unique to say the least. At around 32″ tall and 4″ wide, they are void of any woofer or tweeter, and instead rely on a single 3-inch Tymphany neodymium full-range driver for bass, midrange and treble frequencies. And while these are nothing we’ve ever really seen, they sure can put out the sound, especially in the bass department, thanks to the company’s Quarter Wave Technology. In fact, how does 55Hz grab ya? Pretty stellar for a pair of boxes with such a small driver.

Kvart & Bolge Design

Design wise, the Kvart & Bolge Sommelier towers are small, thin and have an extruded-aluminum cabinet fitted to a 4″ cast iron base. They weigh just over 13.2 pounds each, and they come in some wild colors and patterns. In fact, owner of the company, Arved Deecke, says you can custom design these speakers in whatever pattern or color you want. Arved sent us the Fractal Pattern (pictured above), and they are straight up funky and fresh looking….a tremendous accent piece to any modern home.

The 4-inch base of the speakers, as mentioned are tiny, and the height of the pair are very slender and tall for their size. This can make them susceptable to tipping over. So make sure they are secured against a wall, or sit on a hard-surface floor. The upside is that there design is drop-dead gorgeous and very unique.

Sound

The sound is really incredible, and we certainly had our doubts when we pulled them out of the box. How could these seemingly psychodelic-looking twigs pound out the sound that has been reported by others. The Sommelier towers not only blare out audio loudly and deeply, but it seems that they project the sound, extending beyond the sound trajectory. In short, they filled the room with deep bass, crisp treble and rich mids. We could put them in the category of those hi-fi systems that run 10-times the price.Kvart & Bolge Speakers look awesome

One thing that was evident was that aside from its richness, they brought out more subtle parts of tunes than expected. Turning a living room into a virtual concert hall, the Sommeliers made all types of music, from classical to jazz, from rock to soul, sound really amazing. Instrumentals sounded fantastic, and vocals were both comprehensive and natural.

Another thing that stood out with the Kvart & Bolges was that they don’t sound like a traditional tower speaker. They sound more like flat-panel speakers because they really exude that smeared, “air” sound and authoritative bass. 

Bottom Line

By now, I think you can tell that we really love the Kvart & Bolge Sound Sommelier tower speakers. They are ideal for small to medium size rooms, and they look and sound pretty damn good in an office as well…that is if you have your own office. The thing we like most about them, and this is pretty obvious, is there size to sound ratio. The Kavet & Bolges generate big, spacious and open audio, with plenty of volume and definition. Add to that the ability to custom finish these speakers anyway you like, coupled with the price point that ranges between $299-$480, and you’ve got a very impactful bang for the buck.

March 15, 2015

So I put together a little listening area in my basement. I bought the $299 Kvart & Bolge Sommerliers in Zebrawood and a 25 watt Nobsound integrated hybrid tube amp ($249 shipped free with prime on Amazon). So since both are new to me I cannot give particular credit to one over the other, but this setup sounds fantastic. I must say these little speakers are very accurate, natural and have a really decent soundstage. For $299 + shipping (just $20 for Georgia) they are a really special speaker for the right setting and use. 

March 15, 2015

Wanted to let you know I received the Sound Sommelier speakers and have listened to them for a few hours.....put simply - awesome! thank you! complete analysis to come soon. Quality products like these make me glad I'm an audiophile!

January 10, 2015

Some of the most idiosyncratic and devoted audiophiles love speakers that have just a single driver, because of their simplicity. Some audiophile-grade single-driver speakers can cost as much as $10,000, but a new company, Kvart & Bolge, just launched an utterly unique new model for just $299/pair.

February 21, 2015

For their price and size, these speakers are amazing and the absolute best available. I bought these on the strength of the reviews in CNet and Amazon and could not be happier. I have listened to speakers costing 5-10 times more that the K&B's and they don't deliver the clarity, sound stage or range of these diminutive towers. I listen to all types of music from Opera, Classical, Jazz and occasionally Hip-Hop and the sound is pure, clean, dynamic, and faithfully reproduced the way it was recorded. Pound for pound, these are the best in class.
Take the leap, buy them !!

As an aside...their customer service is superior !

February 19th

Wonderful speakers. Remarkable, clear and uncolored sound even if it was twice the price. Very efficient, a small amp (tube amp, highly recommended) can do the trick. Don't take my word, read the recent, in depth, CNET review.

http://www.cnet.com/news/these-room-friendly-micro-tower-speakers-bowled-over-the-audiophiliac/

Just for fun I took a photo of a couple of favorite paintings in my home and sent two large jpg files.

The results really impressed me. Looks as close to a hand painted speaker as one could expect. Flat mate finish with a slightly rough, almost cloth like feel adds to the illusion. Don't hesitate to get creative. Send K&B an image file and the result will be unique, one of a kind, pair of kind speakers for your home.

Great looking and wonderful sound for a very reasonable price.what more can you ask for. I've gone back to playing vinyl with great results. Highly recommended.
Kevin McGivern

January, 16th 2015

This last Friday, January, 16th, I just received these as a belated, though well worth-the-wait, Christmas gift. Besides being one of the most enjoyable Amazon reviews I've ever read, everything she says about the Sound Sommeliers is absolutely the true. I practically spent my every free moment with these over the long 3 day weekend. When you close your eyes, the speakers cease to exist, probably disappearing through a tear in the space time continuum. What returns, in their place, is the music as it happened, not the recording, but the as it was recorded, every last detail. As far as I'm concerned, these are the final word in accurate sound reproduction. These guys deserve a Nobel prize!Add News Story here

January 3, 2015

Great sound from such a small package!

December 31, 2014

Received my Sound Someliers a couple of days ago and I am really very satisfied with them. Terrific sound for the price and size. My only criticism, if I had one, would be that they are a bit weak in the bass region, but this can easily be corrected by adding a subwoofer. The midrange and higher frequency sound is superb. I hooked mine up to my Almarro 340A power amplifiers and my Modwright preamp to see how good they really are and was amazed at the great sound coming from these small speakers, especially at the price they are selling for. I have set them up in my office and run them with a pair of Pass ACA Class A monoblocks ($279 for the kit) and a Schiit passive preamp ($50) and they are amazing. Very easy to place them in a small room and they also look great in the zebra wood finish. Highly recommended. Buy a pair before they raise the price.

December 17, 2014

By no means am I an audiophile but just a regular guy who enjoys music. And at first the fact that they came in so many different designs and even custom prints and colors was very welcomed compared to the typical boring black speakers. I originally discovered these hidden gems from a post on CNET by Steve Guttenberg and now after listening them I totally agree with his review and the stereo imaging is amazing, and sound definitely seemed like it was projected beyond the location of the speakers. I've had them for a few days but the more I listen to them the more I love the clear sound and punchy bass. I've played a range of music genres with these Sommeliers and they sound amazing for classical and jazz music. I was also surprised that hip-hop and rock sounded good as well with tight punchy bass, but if you're total bass head there are probably more suitable speakers designed for that type of music. I also tried these in my living room to see as part of my home theatre but I think they sound best for a small to medium sized room for listening to music. If you're looking for some intriguingly interesting looking, well made, and awesome sounding speakers in the $300-$400 range definitely check the Sommeliers out! the property panel.

December, 17th

I find the Sound Sommeliers to have exceptional sound quality. The sound is very natural/clear and the stereo separation is very very good.  The form factor is perfect for a living room and the style adds to the decor unlike a lot of speakers.  The combination of style, engineering and audio quality make these speakers quite unique.  I  have also experienced excellent customer service from Kvart&Bolge.I highly recommend this offering.

December 12, 2014

I picked up these speakers based on reviews on Amazon and especially a rave review on CNET. Maybe they aren't broken in enough but I was underwhelmed with the sound. It's likely the limitations of bluetooth streaming but I get better sound from a pair of Polk RT bookshelf speakers using an Apple Airport express to stream the same sources. The Kvarts have limited bass and aren't as rich as the Polks and have limited ability to adjust the EQ on mobile sources. I'll have to hook up to an amp and CD to see if it's just a Bluetooth issue. Bummer since I like the ease of setup. Better off getting a decent portable bluetooth speaker for half the price since I definitely don't get hi fidelity sound from these. Also, don't count on getting head pounding volume if you use the blue tooth amplifier as it needs to be turned up all the way to get room filling sound. Not a problem for me but I know many who wouldn't be satisfied with the volume. I'll update if the sound improves when the drivers are broken in more. I have to say that the customer service was excellent. They responded to emails and ultimately allowed me to return the speakers without any hassle. I only wished that I liked the speakers better, maybe I had a defective unit.

November 12, 2014

About two weeks ago I began a search for floor speakers with a narrow footprint and an affordable price. I have a pair of Pioneer SP-FS51-LR speakers that I have been very happy with but was having problems with their footprint and placing them properly in a new narrow-lot house that we moved into last January. So, I began searching the internet for floor speakers with a smaller footprint than the Pioneer FS51's have and that I could reasonably afford. When my searches kept turning up dead end after dead end, I tweaked my search parameters one more time and I landed on a pair of speakers by a manufacturer of which I had never heard: Sound Sommeliers Quarter Wave Loudspeakers by Kvart & Bolge.

I checked out their website (http://www.kvart-bolge.com) and also their listing on Amazon for more specifics on these speakers. I have always had a fondness for the vintage 70's EPI and Advent speakers with limited crossover and limited coloration. And, my curiosity has always been piqued by the concept of omnidirectional sound. In my 5th year of college--switched majors--in 1974, the guys in the apartment next to mine purchased a pair of EPI 1000's, which were seven foot behemoths that could shake the foundation, and yet I could stand in front of one and still be uncertain of the origin of the sounds coming from these giants.

From what I read, it seemed as if Kvart & Bolge might be embracing the concept of omnidirectional sound, and that they eschewed crossovers and coloration. I was also intrigued by their quarter wave concept and wondering how these speakers could produce much in the way of bass response with only a port at the bottom. or much else through that tiny speaker at the top. Nevertheless, the price was right and the footprint was perfect for my needs.

Spurred on by both necessity and curiosity, on October 28th I placed an order for these speakers in Wenge wood. During this process, I exchanged a couple of emails with Arved at Kvart & Bolge regarding my order and the arrival date of these speakers to which he always promptly, professionally and courteously responded. And, on Monday morning, November 10th the USPS delivered my speakers. The package was less than half the size of that of the Pioneer floor speakers and much lighter.

I wasted no time in opening the package and inspecting them for damage or defects. I moved them to their planned placements in the living room where they fit perfectly and looked great in their minimalist Wenge wood casing with black trim. Both of the Sound Sommeliers fit inside the footprint of a single SP-FS51LR with room to spare, and they felt stable and solidly placed. I connected them with banana plugs to the Onkyo TX-8211 receiver in the living room and powered on the amp.

The tuner was tuned to the local classical music station and I turned volume about 1/3rd of the way up. What I heard was something totally unlike the Pioneers; not unlike in a disappointing sense, but unlike as in unique and understated. So, I sat in an armchair, about six feet away from and in front of the left speaker, and listened. The sound was crisp and clear and the French horn appropriately brassy, yet mournful and mellow at the same time. I could hear all of the notes of the orchestra in a familiar yet hauntingly undefinable way. Yet, even when sitting six feet directly in front of the left speaker, the source of the music was still in question. It seemed to be coming from all over.

I surfed through the preset stations for jazz, classic rock, easy listening, new wave, and alternative rock and began listening and trying to put my finger on what was so familiar yet so foreign about the sound. I took a break and watched some TV for a while.

When I turned the receiver back on, Van Halen was playing their cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me." And, that was where my finger finally landed and I knew what I was hearing was that the music sounded live. It sounded aesthetically as if I were listening to the music live. I could close my eyes and listen, and I was no longer listening to Van Halen on the radio, I was listening to Van Halen.

Van Halen is hardly one of my favorites, but what I was hearing was clean, clear and fresh, and they sounded great. I proceeded to listen through Tom Petty, Supertramp and U2. I then switched to a Marantz CD changer and sampled Etta James and Nancy Wilson, and the music still had that ring of purity and authenticity. Lastly I went to a Kenwood semi-automatic belt -rive turntable.

I started out with James Taylor's "Gorilla" and its opening track of "Mexcio" with its acoustic introduction, high harmonies, and resonant marimba. It just got better from song to song. I threw on "Deep Purple's "Fireball" with its dissonant and cacophonous beginning. "Fireball" for some odd reason has always been one of the songs I use to test the sound of a new piece of equipment, and the Sound Sommeliers passed with flying colors. Next up, Fleetwood Mac's "Heroes Are Hard To Find" with its brassy horns, solid percussion and bass, and Christine McVie's beautiful voice. I finished with Grieg's "Peer Gynt" - Suites 1 & 2, and again closed my eyes and imagined I was in a concert hall listening to sounds that seemed live to me.

The ceilings in my living room are 9' high and are made of drywall, like the walls, the floors are hardwood veneer, and there are area rugs, a sofa, three armchairs, and cocktail and end tables to reflect or absorb the sound. My house is over 1500 square feet and two stories, the stairs and the upstairs hallway and three bedrooms are all carpeted. I never turned my amp up over 40 percent, and when I hit that volume my spouse was upstairs at the other end of the house and complained about the loudness. I never once experienced any hint of distortion.

I have been listening to music over a span of seven decades and collecting music for six of those decades. I have a nice collection of vinyl, but I also have CD's, cassettes, and even 8-tracks--I still have a 40 year old RCA 8-track player. I have audio equipment from Pioneer, Kenwood, Bose, Marantz, Panasonic, Onkyo, Sony, Aiwa, and Denon.

My spouse and I both love music, and regularly go to symphonies and opera. I was a new-editorial journalism major in college and I did arts criticisms and reviews of live concerts in the early to mid-seventies. I had a lot of friends in bands in an age of live bands and I have a good sense of how what a note or instrument sounds like live. None of the aforementioned things make me an expert regarding audio equipment. I am only someone that loves music and wants it to sound as good as my budget will allow when listening at home.

I have only related the story of how I came to purchase these speakers as an explanation of why I took a risk on a product that has never been reviewed and a manufacturer that I believe is new to the industry. I found these speakers through perseverance, dumb luck and an act of pure serendipity. I still don't understand how they managed to get so much out of so little, but they do.
To describe the Sound Sommeliers in a few words, I would say clean, true, pure, bright, versatile, and eminently listenable. I have run them through a fairly wide range of music and media, and the more I listen to them, the more I like them. The highs and mid-range notes are delightfully uncomplicated and lifelike, and the bass notes have are wonderfully realistic, both heavy and subtle. I have a lot more music to run through them and an old JVC Super-A R-S77 upstairs that I want to try these on.

Stein wrote, "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose." And, beauty is in the eye--and the ear--of the beholder. If you like music, but don't have deep pockets these speakers are to me a great find, and one could do a lot worse but not much better I suspect. Or if you don't want to turn your living room into man cave or frat house, and are looking for refined sound that is determined by the quality sound and unobtrusive appearance, and not the size of the speaker or woofer, then you might want to give these speakers solid consideration.

I have never written a review of any product before, but I think that Kvart & Bolge are onto something good. I really, really like these speakers, and I cannot wait for Kvart & Bolge to turn their efforts to bookshelf speakers. I will be the first in line. I mean, a speaker that can make Ozzy Osbourne's "Flying High Again" appealing, clearly has potential and deserves an audience.

October 29, 2014

Sound very good for the price. Seems like they sound better through the Bluetooth amplifier than they do through my home system. They come across a little tinny at times on the home system. The packaging left a little to be desired as the Styrofoam was destroyed and the speakers were nearly loose in the box. Nevertheless, I would recommend them.

I heard these at a friends house and they sound terrific!!

August 28, 2014

They have a phenomenal sound: pure and full. The quality of the materials is very good, and the bluetooth works nicely. My only really minor suggestion: include a longer electricity cable, so as to allow more flexibility in positioning the bluetooth receptor.

August 28, 2014

They look cool and sound great. Not sure how they get such a full sound with those little drivers but, wow. Awesome.Add News Story here