Care Orchestra Deep Breath
Care Orchestra Deep Breath
“To each his own”, is what we often say. This is
something valid also in our small audiophile world. There are prejudices that
are hard to demolish but sooner or later the truth comes out. Do you remember
when people used to say: ” if it’s ugly, it must play well, if it’s nice it
surely won’t”? This is why many “smart” guys decided to put on the market ugly
products that were badly assembled and that had unadvisable prices. Things are
different nowadays for good or for bad. Those that like professional components
with a professional look still exist but there are also people that are more
and more interested in design and fashion and that think that appearance is
important, too. I take a look at my 4350Bs that are in front of me (and that
you can see in the picture behind the Care Orchestra loudspeakers) and I smile
thinking of them positioned in any normal living room. The brand we are going
to talk about is very interested in the design of its products, without leaving
aside the importance of the acoustic result they want to achieve. By the way,
from the picture I think it’s clear which is the dimension of the loudspeakers
that I love best. Anyhow, I never neglect to review small components, in which
we find interesting ideas, even if the sound message is not as complete as that
of the bigger loudspeakers (not always, anyway). In Audio-Activity we are
reviewing many small and medium components and with satisfying results, I can
say. The physical laws cannot be avoided but the loudspeakers’ technology is
getting better and better and, despite the denial of the so called experts, is
doing a lot. Power handling and distortion are improving and the performances
that a small 18cm mid-woofer can offer today, just like the one we are going to
review, were unthinkable only few years ago.
And now let’s talk about the loudspeaker we have here
to review, that is the second Care
Orchestra model we review and is cheaper than the one we have reviewed some
time ago, the “Celestial”.
As it is for the Divina Line, we have two models: the Cathedral, a floor model, and the Deep Breath, a bookshelf. Deep Breath is the speaker we have here to review. It’s almost impossible not to compare it with the model we have already tested. We are also very curious to find out why this loudspeaker, that is twice as big, is sold at half the price of the Minor. This model has a price that is acceptable for all music lovers, while the other model was more dedicated to all those people that are lifestyle oriented with an eye on very high quality sound. 
A quick look at the characteristics and we see that
Scan-Speak Discovery drivers - that are cheaper than the transducer installed
on the other line - have been used.
Let’s talk about Care Orchestra, the Milan based firm. During the last months it has promoted its products and contacted retailers that display now their products. Recently. we have released the news of the floor model “Cathedral”, that belongs to the same series of the model we have here for a review. The look of the Deep Breath calls to mind that of the Minor, from which it differs not only for the dimensions but also for the magnetic protection grille, very well designed. The leather edge can be made in different colours on customer’s choice. This model can be customized for the buyer as for the finishing (leather or paint) and the colour. And if you want a colour that care Orchestra does not have, all you need to do is give them the RAL number and that’s it! These are the characteristics declared by the producer: Loudspeaker: 2 way bass-reflex, Impedance 4 Ohm, frequency response: 48 - 40.000 Hz, Sensibility 91,5 dB, Volume 15 liters, weight 11 Kilos each. The drivers, as I already said, are Scan Speakers Discovery Series. The woofer has a 180 mm fiberglass cone, while the tweeter has a fabric dome. The crossover filter is a 2nd order, with frequency cut at 1.900 Hz, and is produced with high quality materials. The luxurious connectors accept banana plugs or bare wire. The Deep Breath have been connected to the following system: turntable: Basis 2001, tonearm :Graham 2.2, cartridge: Scan Tech Lyra Helikon, phono preamplifier: Einstein "The Turntable's Choice", CD/SACD player: dCS Puccini + Puccini U-Clock, preamplifier: MBL 4006, power amplifiers: Bryston 7B ST mono, loudspeakers: JBL 4350B, interconnect cables: MIT Oracle MA-X Proline, MIT Shotgun S2 RCA, Transparent Super XLR, Transparent Super RCA, LAT International XLR, loudspeaker cables: MIT Magnum MA, Vovox Initio, power cables: MIT Shotgun AC 1, Black Noise Pearl and others DIY, mains distributor: Lector Edison 230/8, mains filter: Black Noise 2500. 
I begin with the “warmin’up” record, Disco Inferno
(Warner Fonit), that takes me back to the discotheque, a place I did not like
but where I used to linger, like all the teenagers. This is a good start, I
hear correctly sounds that I know already, this is what a good quality audio
system should do.
Attentive listening starts with the SACD “Oscar
Peterson Vol II - Girl Talk (MPS). This is a series of recordings done in the
house of the producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer. If you do not pause too long
on the fact that bass and drums are on the left side, you enjoy the timbre that
is very natural. The piano, extended between the loudspeakers, gets across
easily the mastery of the Canadian piano player that remains the solo
protagonist of this session, even if he plays with other famed musicians such
as: Ray Brown and Louis Hayes. The loudspeakers disappear from the room and
leave the stage to music. I turn up the volume, put down the scratch pad and
enjoy the beautiful sound. “Milonga en Re” from the SACD “Astor Piazzolla -
Oblivion”. played by Salvatore Accardo (Foné), displays the violin of the
Maestro from Naples
positioned high on the left, while the “Orchestra da Camera Italiana” plays
along this song that was composed by the Argentinian Maestro expressly for
Accardo’s violin. The white loudspeakers emit credible and clear sounds, also
thanks to the good recording done by Giulio Cesare Ricci. I keep on playing
Astor Piazzolla, this time is “The Central Park Concert” (Chesky Records) on
CD. Here, Piazzolla and his group play in an unforgettable concert. The sound
that comes out from the loudspeakers is full and percussions are in right
evidence, while bandoneon and violin play with the support of a double bass
that is always in time and never redundant. The CD plays and offers emotions, a
sense of realism and listening pleasure. You never recognize the loudspeakers
as the music source.
The bass reproduction is very extended, and the timpani in Lawrence Of Arabia - from the CD “The Hollywood Sound” (Sony) see review LINK - sound light but credible. The Orchestra is quite big but most of all is very definite in depth. The top range is not very extended but does not tire during the listening also at very high volume; these Deep Breath never shout! I listen to Jacintha, it’s a double LP 45 r.p.m. ”Jacintha Is Her Name”. The medium range is balanced both with the sax of Harry Allen and with the voice of the singaporean singer. Every hue is well defined and the hissing notes are always correct. The double bass in “The Thrill is Gone” is very present at the lower end, at the point that I kneel down to check if the subwoofer is really off. At this point I want to see with my eyes the excursion of the mid woofer that seems to be very limited, with a consequent benefit for distortion. The recording contains dynamic leaps that are very interesting and that go from 65 and 95 dB, that represent the level at which I am listening, and I here no distortions or other emission problems. A very good performance, especially considering the very small dimensions of this loudspeaker. Nobody, at a first glimpse, would suggest these loudspeakers to a rocker but we are here to get cornered the products we review. “Going for the One” by the Yes (LP Atlantic) seems to be what we need to do it … let’s see. The LP’s title track, is now playing at around 90 or 100 dB in the listening point at 2,2 meters from the loudspeakers (this is a music genre that does not have much dynamics, as you know). Things at this level are a bit confused and the drum does not have the strength we’d expect. I ponder for a while and I consider that after a couple of songs at this volume the neighbours (if you have neighbours) may start to complain. At a lower level things are better but this is not exactly the genre these Care Orchestra do like. They like better precision and well recorded instruments. Anyway, I go all the way and listen to the whole record without any effort. Well, we are talking about a couple of loudspeakers that cost around 3.300 euros. This is not a cheap price but it’s a range of price that puts these Deep Breath in a more popular market category. The sound is not as good as that of the Minor, that have literally put a spell on me. These loudspeakers are more “normal” but have a flawless sound. The bigger extension of the low range of the Deep Breath, compared to the Minor, is useful in more than one occasion but the performance and the precision of the latter is unattainable. The choice is up to you. What we can say is that this loudspeaker has not disappointed us at all and keep in mind that the other model of the Care Orchestra was a real ace and we had very high expectations on this other model too. I wish all the readers could have a comparative listening of these two models and then let us know their opinion. I am really convinced that the young team of Care Orchestra is doing the right thing and is entering the international music market in the right way. We’ll hear a lot about them, I am sure. In the meantime have good time and enjoy music! Angelo Jasparro Translation: Francesca Rubino Manufactured by: Care Orchestra
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