Description
According to Audience AV, the ClairAudient Bellare loudspeaker is a crossover-free speaker operating as a single coherent point-source array from 120Hz to 22kHz — no tweeter handoff, no phase disruption. An internal 300-watt active bass module with DSP room correction handles the low octaves. It is capable of 105dB continuous output.
On the front baffle are two of Audience's specialty 3" widebanders — made famous by the 1+1 series mini monitors — running full range from 120Hz to 22kHz with no crossover. Below them sits a 7" high-excursion mid-woofer that is controlled by the same plate amplifier driving the 10" side-firing woofer. When DSP room correction is applied, this driver is included in the equation. The effect is added dynamic snap in the upper bass range and better integration with the widebanders — similar to the difference you hear between front-firing and side-firing subwoofers.
Weight and Dimensions:
- WHD: 9.25 x 44.25 x 18 inches
- 85 pounds each
NOTE: I auditioned the monopole version, priced at $36,000 per pair. The Bipole version adds $3,000 and includes two rear-firing widebanders per speaker.
System
- Unison Research Triode 25 Black Edition
- Innuos Stream3 with PhoenixDAC board
- Power
- QSA Gold 20A circuit breaker
- QSA Gold AC receptacle
- Bybee Stealth Power Conditioner
- OnFilter power conditioner for router, switch, and wall wart power supplies
- Tweek Geek Sonic Tonic power cords throughout
- Signal
- QSA Crystal Gold network switch
- AIM NAX Silver Stream Ethernet cable from modem to switch, and switch to streamer
- Audience Frontrow Reserve USB
- Audience Frontrow Reserve Interconnects
- Audience Frontrow Reserve speaker cables
- Tweaks
- Music
Preferences
I love a natural, holographic, and immersive sound. I am also highly sensitive to high frequencies — I want air, space, and soundstage, but I cannot tolerate even a hint of glare, grain, or grit. Manufacturers cannot cheat their way to a spacious presentation by pushing the highs, because for me that causes listening fatigue within minutes. I will take a slightly less resolving speaker that sounds natural and unforced over one that dazzles briefly and wears on you.
Setup
Setup was straightforward. The outriggers attach via threaded inserts at the base, and the included Stillpoints Ultra SS footers are a genuinely nice touch. I started with the Bellares in roughly the same position as my Aurai Z165s — about six feet apart, listening position eight feet back. After a few days I wasn't satisfied. The Bellare is a significantly larger speaker and benefits from more room to breathe. I moved them to seven feet apart with my listening chair about ten feet from the front baffles, toed in just enough to see the inside rear corner of each cabinet from the listening position. That placement produced a more cohesive left-center-right presentation and a more convincing disappearing act.
Even without DSP the Bellare's sounded promising. Running the room correction took about five minutes: connect the included microphone to the plate amp, position it one meter directly in front of the side-firing woofer, hold the ARC PRESET button for five seconds. The speaker generates a series of tones, the microphone captures them, and the woofer and mid-bass response are optimized for the room. Simple and effective.
Sound
Bass: Without DSP the bass was good — helped considerably by my room treatment, including three PSI Audio AVAA active bass traps. With DSP engaged it became exceptional. More even, focused, and controlled. The optimization improved articulation and low-frequency punch while simultaneously opening up the midrange and highs. Notes stopped cleanly with no overhang, no blurring. This was the most accurate and tuneful bass I have had in my system.
Midrange: This is where the Bellare distinguished itself most clearly, and where the crossoverless design proves its worth. The purity of the presentation was immediately apparent — harmonically rich, deeply detailed, and completely natural. Voices were rendered with realism and emotional immediacy. Piano, which exposes any frequency response or dynamic weakness, was beautifully handled: individual keystrokes clear, complex passages coherent, nothing blurred or exaggerated. The Bellares were equally at home with the density of Radiohead and the intimacy of a solo voice.
On poor recordings: I was able to hear the tonal or imaging weaknesses without being punished by them. Something about the phase coherence of the wideband drivers allowed me to relax into the music rather than fixate on the recording's shortcomings. That, to me, is what made the Bellare a sonic unicorn.
Highs: Silky, airy, and smooth without ever drawing attention to themselves. Not once did I experience a moment of fatigue. Fine detail was audible without effort — I heard things in familiar recordings I had never noticed before. Low-level sounds in the recording environment, breathing, ambient noise. It made the music feel more human.
Tone: Spot on. Vocals and piano rendered with delicacy, fullness, and naturalness. A cohesive presentation with no blurring, no unnatural resonance, no coloration. What was on the recording is what you heard.
Soundstage: Among the best I have heard. When the recording contained the information, the Bellare portrayed height, width, and depth with conviction — whether a concert hall, a studio, or a small club. Acoustic jazz and classical spread wide with impressive depth. On more produced material, the effect was fully immersive. On a few late-night listening sessions I was genuinely startled by sounds appearing behind me.
Imaging: Impeccable. A locked center image and precise placement across the entire soundstage. If it was in the recording, you heard it. If it wasn't, there was no faking it.
Dynamics: Stellar. Drum impact was felt physically at volume. The dynamic picture on well-recorded music was vivid and colorful. On poor recordings there was no flattery — you heard exactly what was there.
Scale: Whether driven by 200 solid-state watts or 25 tube watts, the Bellare scaled without strain or hardening. Turn it up and the sound simply gets bigger. Frequency balance held.
Conclusion
Some speakers are highly detailed but ultimately leave you feeling hollow, or worse, drive you from the room with ringing ears. Others are beautiful with audiophile recordings and punishing with everything else. The Bellare belongs to neither category. Whatever music you've ever fallen in love with, you will fall deeper in love with through these speakers.
At $36,000 the Bellare competes in serious company. However, Audience brought their A game here. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few Magico or Wilson owners making the conversion. And if you love the warmth, dimensionality, and glow of tubes, the Bellare may be one of the most complementary speakers you will find at any price.