Lucky man. To listen, experience and imagine the infinite while listening to the world’s greatest music on the very finest high end audio equipment.

I’m very fortunate to experience this daily during my regularly scheduled afternoon listening sessions; morning is for writing, teaching (Zoom, these days) or practising. The odd free moment is for score study (conducting gigs are Covid-infrequent). However, I do look forward to my weekday afternoons with the phone turned off, sequestered in my small but very comfortable listening room.

The past three months have been especially wonderful in the company of a magnificent pair of loudspeakers from Denmark, the BØRRESEN Acoustics 01 Silver Supreme Edition Loudspeakers ($55,000/pair). The proprietary (essential) stands will run you a further $5500.

The speakers are the very special version (Silver Supreme Edition) of Børresen’s 01 speaker in their top 0-series. There are 4 speakers in the 0-series—the 01 is the smallest and the only stand mount. Michael Børresen (chief designer) and Lars Kirstensen (CEO) run Audio Group Denmark (AGD), with Børresen Acoustics, Aavik Acoustics and Ansuz Acoustics all under AGD’s umbrella. Their very successful partnership began with Raidho Acoustics (Audiophilia published reviews of a majority of their speakers), and, since parting ways with Raidho, have built AGD into a Danish high end audio powerhouse with almost 40 employees. The company is based in Aalborg, Denmark (look for a factory tour in Audiophilia next year).

We’ll be reviewing Aavik and Ansuz gear in 2022.

My Use

I’d like to thank Michael, Lars and Canadian distributor, Igor Kivritsky of Vancouver’s HiFi Centre for arranging shipping to the island.

The speakers with their proprietary stands arrived in three large boxes, beautifully packaged with everything necessary for setup. If standard thinking proves anything, I guess you could call the 01 Silver Supremes ‘bookshelf’ speakers or ‘monitors’, but both would be misleading. As you read ahead, I think it best if you put ‘standard audiophile thinking’ on the back burner.

While there are some specifics and suggestions on the company’s part re speaker placement, I found the setup quick and easy. One person for setup is enough manpower. The speakers responded in kind to small shifts, but a slight toe in with some distance from rear and back walls sounded perfect for these stand mounts.

The single wire binding posts accepted my Nordost Valhalla 2 bananas happily. And because of the stands’ signature footers, sliding them around my wood floor was effortless.

Once the stands are setup, placing the speakers is simple and you’ll feel a satisfying clunk as they settle on the 6 Ansuz Acoustics DARKZ T2S resonance control ‘pucks’ (3 per speaker/included). Ansuz describes these devices as: machined out of Grade 2 Titanium and covered - in a particle accelerator during a 36 hours process - with layers of Zirconium, Tungsten and Aluminum Titanium Nitride for a further dampening of resonances. The resonance controlling balls between the discs are also made of Grade 2 Titanium, chosen for their durability and sonic qualities. The three disks are held together by a specially designed mechanism that allows the discs to function as intended.

The propietary stand is considered essential to realize the speaker’s best performance. It matches its visual aesthetic, is lightweight, and dissipates the speaker’s energy into the floor. Both the feet and the Darkz decouplers ensure a vibration-free presentation.

Ansuz Acoustics sells each decoupler separately at €1200/ea.

As for driver break in, expect 100 hours for almost total satisfaction, but you’ll be playing past 200 hours ‘till they sound their ultimate.

Only the very best friends came out for this Danish special event, including a much more than full loom of Nordost Valhalla 2 Reference Cables ($85,000), enough for all connections, an AudioQuest Niagara 1200 Low-Z Power | Noise-Dissipation System ($1000), a Coherence Systems ADD-Powr Sorcer x4 AC/EMF Conditioner ($4000), my MBL super pair, N31 ($15,400) and N51 ($17,600), Allnic Audio L-10000 OTL/OCL Preamplifier ($30,000; review forthcoming), Allnic Audio H-7000 Phono Stage ($14,999) with the Bergmann Audio Magne Turntable 10th Anniversary Edition ($13,900/incl. arm) and the Phasemation PP-2000 MC Phono Pickup Cartridge ($7000). About a quarter million USD system, including the speakers. No blushes for the 01s, here.

This was going to be fun.

Features and Specifications

Why not get the proper visuals of the specific manufacturing process from Børresen’s ‘How it’s Made’ video? Of course, the proof’s in the sound, but, after viewing the video, the price tag reasoning may become more evident.

After 30 years writing about high end audio, I don’t use the audiophile descriptor ‘groundbreaking’ lightly. Yet groundbreaking thinking is just what this special edition version employs. As such, all drivers are designed and built in house.

There are three versions of the 01:

The standard, 2-way, stand-mounted (with iron free drivers)
The ‘Cryo Edition’ (with the iron-free drivers plus all metal components go through a 3 day cryogenic cooling treatment)
The flagship ‘Silver Supreme Edition’, reviewed here (with iron-free drivers and the cryo treatment in addition to the silver—silver has 6-8% better conductivity than copper; the copper pole rings are replaced with in-house manufactured, handcrafted silver rings).

I have not heard the first two versions. Each standard 01 can be upgraded to full Silver Supreme Edition.

So, specifically why are these loudspeakers so innovative? Børresen explains his thinking behind his ultimate Silver Supreme Edition:

The BØRRESEN Silver Supreme Edition loudspeakers represent the absolute flagship version among the BØRRESEN loudspeakers.

The patented BØRRESEN iron-free magnetic motor has now been further refined. BØRRESEN uses iron-free drivers in all of its loudspeakers. Their inductance is about ten times lower than that of conventional drivers. This exceptionally low inductance has now been even further reduced to an unprecedented new minimum level - about 12 times lower than the inductance level of conventional, iron-based drivers. Here is how we achieved this: Since silver has 6-8% better conductivity than copper, we replaced the copper pole rings with in-house manufactured, handcrafted silver rings. To take full advantage of all the performance-enhancing audio properties of the new Silver Supreme O-series, all other metal components of these premium speakers also undergo cryogenic treatment. This reduces their inductance by another 6-8%. The result is absolute musical purity. With their unadulterated authenticity of musical reproduction, these premium loudspeakers set a new and unsurpassed standard - clarity, refinement and sound-staging at its very best.

A deep dive into the special technologies behind the BØRRESEN 0-series technologies may be found here. You’ll find a dizzying array of advanced thinking in speaker design used in all their 0-series models.

Børresen and I had a wonderful phone conversation, where, to be completely honest, this ham fisted musician had a difficult time keeping up with the flow of brilliant, unique ideas that make up the tech in the 01 Silver Supremes.

I did pose two specific questions that I thought the readers would be interested in regarding the ports on the side and rear. If you’ve read the deep dive (linked above) and watched the video (also linked above), you’ll have a good grasp of what Børresen was explaining on the phone. His answers to my two specific questions were equally compelling and involved. I’ll précis:

Side vents: on both sides. They vent the tweeter cavity. The tweeter membrane is thin and delicate and the wiring attached to it can give off some heat through microscopic holes in the sheathing. The vents give the tweeter cavity some breathing—they don’t affect the tweeter’s sound or function, but add to their longevity. And, they look so cool!

The small vents are made of metal with a very tactile, soft touch coating.

Rear ports: on the rear of both speakers. A small port with foam inserts and two silver rings atop and below the port entry. The silver rings are called ‘portvanes’. They echo laminar flow on Formula One cars’ wings and upset the air from the ports for better response with no chuffing. The ports are recessed and you’ll need a flashlight and a good eye to see them clearly.

I also asked how these very expensive speakers ($55,000/pair) differentiate themselves from the competition. Another very informative, detailed half hour discussion followed and how the tech is implemented. An important point Børresen made was the tech is patented. As such, they’re the only game in town if your want this tech in your speakers.

Frequency response: 50Hz-50KHz

Sensitivity: 86 dB/1W

Impedance: >6 ohms

Recommended Amplifier: >50W

Tweeter: BØRRESEN planar ribbon tweeter

Driver: BØRRESEN patented iron free bass/midrange driver – 4.5 inches

Finish: Walnut veneer

Dimensions: H: 36,8 x W: 18,4 x D: 41,5 cm/ Weight: 11,5 kg —01 speaker with stand: H: 110,3 x W: 25,8 x D: 45,0 cm/Weight: 18,0 kg

More on these specs, specifically bass response, in the Sound section below.

Before a sound is heard, the 01s look intriguing and are fabulously built. The walnut veneer is exquisite and the fit & finish artisanal. Whether buying a fine musical instrument (a top flute in gold is 50K, a Strad, the sky’s the limit), luxury watch or car, the pride of ownership of the 01s will be the same. The quality of the finishes, the tapered body, the tactile driver assemblies (please don’t touch!), all add to the sophistication. Again, before a note is played.

Much like Børresen’s Raidho designs, he mates a ribbon tweeter with a dynamic driver. This topology sounded exceptional on his Raidhos; and also sounds wonderful on my Michael Levy-designed Alta Audio FRM-2M Celestas. I’ve heard the topology on other speakers with much less effect. It’s not easy to master. But once accomplished, the sound is very fast, detailed and transparent. With the 01 Silver Supreme Editions, Børresen has taken the design philosophy to the next, best level. Here, transparency and power are mated perfectly; there is no sacrifice of timbre, transparency or ultimate power handling in his design.

Thus, the cabinet shape, proprietary drivers, the crossover and the stands/decouplers all establish the superiority of the speakers. My primary comparisons to the 01 Silver Supremes; the Magico Q1 Loudspeakers ($25,000/pair now discontinued and one of my all time favourite speakers), the Raidho D-1 Loudspeaker ($28,000/pair) and my $15,000/pair reference Altas. You see my preference for stand mount speakers, with only the exceptional, floor standing Wilson Audio Alexia Series 2 nudging itself onto my favourites list at $57,900/pair.

Please do read the tech information on the Børresen Acoustics site (linked above). There you’ll find detailed information about the complete technical thinking that went into every aspect of the Børresen design. It is loudspeaker design redux. Tweeter, woofer (magnet and membrane), crossover, cabinet and stands, have all been rethought, redesigned or improved upon by Michael Børresen. It is a brilliant technical read.

Sound

Even though the tech is revolutionary, at least in audiophile terms, the sound of these $55,000/pair loudspeakers is really what you’re here for.

No shame in that as the price of the Silver Supremes is among the most expensive I’ve seen for stand mount speakers. The buzz in the industry is also very strong. As such, I’m sure the knives are out. Anything that’s new, and/or very expensive these days, automatically releases haters and blockers.

Put your knives and your preconceptions away. If you get a chance to hear these speakers in perfect conditions, you’re going to feel pretty silly.

Yes, they are that good.

Before I begin, let’s discuss the physics involved. Simply, the 01s are ‘bookshelf’ speakers with quite small cavities; tapered significantly to the rear—not even boxes. As I say to folks jokingly in rehearsal sometimes, ‘I’m a musician, not a magician’. I imagine Michael Børresen saying the same. That said, there is considerable magic going on here.

My direct comparisons are instructive. Right off, the 01s are superior to all three in every way an audiophile will require. Sure, the Celestas go deeper (a crazy good 29Hz for a stand mount) and the Q1s have power handling that flabbered my gasted. Both, superb, expensive speakers and worthy of any fine high end setup. The same for the Raidhos—the D1s had a very natural, open, large sound with great transparency and beauty.

However, the Børresen 01 Silver Supremes have all of the above and much more.

Before I get to the real nitty gritty of these masterpieces, let’s get all the important, but, generic audiophile-speak out of the way.

All octaves are beautifully blended; no bumps. Timbrally, they offer an uncanny resemblance to the real thing (more on this later). They handled any power I could throw at them. My room and ears gave out way before the 01s. And they sounded incredibly musical, open and transparent on any well recorded genre, both digital and vinyl. Bass is deep and very accurate. Zero overhang except what the recording engineer and/or acoustic provided. Soundstages are wide and deep—as effective as my room dimensions and speaker interior volume would allow. Imaging, as you would imagine, is incredibly precise. As one of my listening guests (a professional and in the business a long time) described them, ‘they are completely uncoloured and offer ultimate refinement’.

I queried Kristensen about the very effective bass and wondered aloud about the 50 Hz low measurement. He mentioned the number was ‘very conservative’. My Altas, at 29 Hz (Levy also does not fudge his numbers), gave a little more weight on the very bottom end of things than the 01s but at the expense of clarity. When you hear the bass drum on the Mercury/LSO/Dorati Firebird on the Børresens, you’ll know you are in the presence of a stand mount bass king. No, the physics is real science, so, no imagining. But, for its size, it is a bass champ. Enough technique to pressurize the room, yet keep the instrument’s timbre sounding absolutely natural within the recorded space. The same was heard on Reiner’s CSO Pictures. You’ll not be wanting.

I’ve heard speakers from MBL, Devore Fidelity, Vimberg, Wilson, Tidal, and many others at shows that sounded absolutely brilliant. Many of the above qualities, and these on big floor standers with even more power and bass. In the last couple of years, I’ve heard a friend’s system with ultimate transparency from vintage Leak monos, a London cart and triple stacked, refurbished Quads. In Denver at RMAF, I heard Doug White’s million dollar system in a large room featuring the big Tidals. Very impressive and among the best sound I’ve ever heard. And just a few weeks ago in Hamilton, ON, Don Corby’s magnificent, massive homebuilts, also in a big room, inviting me to dive off the top row of Chicago Symphony Hall into the biggest sound stage I’ve ever heard. And, then there’s the 45 plus years of live performances, on stage and in the audience. Thousands of them.

Yet, the Silver Supremes bring something new and very special to my experience. And it’s to do with the artistry of musicians.

Electronically, I have not heard into the deepest recesses of artists’ souls or their specific intentions during moments of great emotional clarity as heard through the 01s.

I’ll try and put these feelings into words.

As a performer, especially in chamber music, the interplay between the musicians, their intent, their direct personalities being injected into the music, is never heard on speakers, or rarely, no matter how fine the design. With the Børresens, this was a common event. And for my specific musical predilections, almost overwhelming.

So, when I first put on one of my a standard test tracks, ‘Des pas sur la neige’, one of Debussy’s Préludes for solo piano, played by the magician Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, a DG track I’ve heard a thousand times, I was shocked at his intent, the essence of his true self emanating from the speakers. This is not hyperbole. Every touch, and there are many he uses (now I know), every emphasis, every glimmer of his musical intention on this static, glorious work, were presented without affectation by the Silver Supremes. I was pretty unnerved and, at first, was unsure what I was hearing. Sure, at live shows, but this? I called for backup. My wife listened intently to the track, and, after, described the feeling as ‘remarkable’.

I heard this again and again and with different artists and repertoire. As an example, the completely different intent of artist and composer in Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor played by Benjamin Grosvenor on Decca gave me the same musical gratification. I liken these fresh experiences to hearing a real artist during a long day of mundane auditions. After sitting through many able people, a very special player begins and the musical sunlight shines. Same for my experience with the 01s—musical sunlight showing every nook and cranny of the artists’ intent. Simple solution. Hire the player, acquire the speakers.

I hope that was not too flowery. But, my prose is too limited to describe the essence of what’s going on with these speakers.

This amazing musical honesty was experienced in repertoire played by solo artists, rock bands like Led Zeppelin, fusion masters Steely Dan, and the above mentioned large orchestral works.

My wife, Jan, called them ‘thrilling’, ‘exciting’. She’s not easily impressed. But, as we discussed, it’s much more than thrilling and exciting. Sure, if listening to the Debussy Préludes on one of the magnificent systems I listed above, maybe I’d experience the same. But, I don’t think so. These past three months have been musically very special. And, possibly unique.

Summary

The Silver Supremes are world beating loudspeakers for the deeply musical reasons I mention and they have been given a world beating price.

As such, they transcend the usual generic review summations.

I’m hoping you will understand the unique experience they gave me through my clunky prose. My time with them reminds me of what my brother’s friend, actress Meg Tilly, told him about her experience acting with Jack Nicholson—’it’s like he glides you effortlessly across a dance floor; your feet never touch the ground’. The BØRRESEN Acoustics 01 Silver Supreme Edition Loudspeakers gave me the same feeling.

Interestingly, after putting the review to bed, I read the following quote on the Børresen website: ‘The primary objective of a fine audio system should be to convey the emotion and intent of the artist.’

Success.

Further information: BØRRESEN Acoustics