Vienna Acoustics Liszt Reference Floorstanding Speaker

The Vienna Acoustics Liszt Reference takes the Klimt Series' coincident driver technology and wraps it in a slim, room-friendly floorstanding cabinet with triple 7-inch Spidercone bass drivers that reach a genuine 28Hz. Built in Austria by Peter Gansterer, the Liszt Reference bridges the gap between the Beethoven Concert Grand Reference and The Kiss, delivering the same phase-coherent, single-point-source reproduction that defines the Klimt Series in a package that works in rooms where The Music or The Kiss would overwhelm.

Key Features of the Liszt Reference

• Coincident Flat Spider Cone Driver: 6-inch coaxial midrange with a proprietary Flat X4P Spidercone and integrated 3/4-inch ring dome tweeter featuring a neodymium magnet system and phase plug design
• Triple 7" Spidercone Woofers: Three Flat X4P Spidercone bass drivers with recessed fabric center-cones, housed in a separate bass reflex enclosure reaching 28Hz
• Mechanically Decoupled Music Center: The coincident driver module sits on a pivoting aluminum mechanism allowing horizontal rotation (0-28 degrees) for precise room coupling and soundstage optimization
• Bessel Crossover Topology: Three-way crossover using 6dB and 12dB Bessel slopes with polypropylene capacitors (1% tolerance), air coils for midrange/tweeter, and special powder core inductors for the bass section
• Separate Bass and Midrange Enclosures: Complete mechanical isolation between the woofer cabinet and the Music Center eliminates resonance transfer between the two sections
• 91dB Sensitivity / 4 Ohm Impedance: Compatible with quality amplifiers from 50 to 400 watts, equally at home with well-built tube amplifiers and solid-state designs
• Four Premium Finishes: Piano Black, Piano White, Cherry, and Premium Rosewood (Rosewood at $22,995/pair, all others $19,995/pair)
• 7-Brace Internal Cabinet: Mathematically optimized bracing positions tuned by ear for optimal cabinet behavior

The Coincident Driver: Point-Source Coherence

At the heart of the Liszt Reference is Vienna Acoustics' Flat Spider Cone coincident driver, the same fundamental technology found in The Music ($49,995) and The Kiss ($21,995). This 6-inch coaxial design places a ring dome tweeter with a phase plug and neodymium magnet system at the center of a flat, radially-vaned midrange cone. The result is a single coherent point source that covers the critical midrange and high frequencies without introducing crossover components through the vocal range.

The Liszt Reference uses the newer X4P cone material (upgraded from the original Liszt's earlier formulation), optimized through finite element analysis for maximum rigidity with minimum mass. The flat cone surface eliminates the time and frequency-specific phase shifts that conventional curved cones produce. The ring dome tweeter extends response to 35kHz, well beyond the limits of human hearing, capturing the harmonic structure and air that gives acoustic instruments their natural character.

Bass Architecture: Triple Spidercone Array

The bass section uses three 7-inch Flat X4P Spidercone woofers with recessed fabric center-cones in a bass reflex configuration. These drivers are housed in their own independent enclosure, mechanically separated from the coincident driver module above. The triple-driver arrangement provides surface area equivalent to a much larger single driver while maintaining the speed and transient response that smaller cones handle naturally.

The bass reaches a genuine 28Hz, which means the Liszt Reference handles full orchestral bass, electric bass guitar, and organ pedal tones without the need for a subwoofer. The separate enclosure architecture means the woofers do their work without contaminating the purity of the coincident driver above, a design philosophy shared across the entire Klimt Series.

The Pivoting Music Center

The Liszt Reference's upper module (the "Music Center") connects to the bass cabinet through a precision aluminum pivoting mechanism. This allows horizontal rotation up to 28 degrees, letting you aim the coincident driver's dispersion pattern directly at the listening position. The adjustment is precise, repeatable, and makes a real difference in image focus and soundstage width.

In practice, this creates a wider sweet zone rather than a narrow sweet spot. You dial in the toe-in with the pivot mechanism, reducing early side-wall reflections and broadening the area where the image locks into focus. It takes time to set up properly, but the result is a speaker that images with pinpoint precision across a generous listening area.

Crossover Design

Peter Gansterer's approach to crossover design prioritizes minimal signal degradation. The Liszt Reference uses a three-way crossover with 6dB and 12dB Bessel slopes, a topology chosen for its linear phase response and minimal ringing. The component quality reflects the price point: polypropylene capacitors held to 1% tolerance, air-core inductors for the midrange/tweeter section (eliminating core saturation distortion), and special powder core inductors for the bass section where the higher current demands a different approach. Metal film resistors at 1% tolerance and inductance-free construction complete the signal path.

Cabinet Construction and Finishes

The Liszt Reference stands 45.2 inches tall on its base assembly, with a narrow 7.8-inch width that keeps the visual footprint minimal. Each speaker weighs 49 kg (108 lbs), which tells you about the internal bracing and driver mass involved. The cabinet uses seven internal braces positioned through a combination of mathematical optimization and listening tests by Gansterer himself.

Four finishes are available: Piano Black and Piano White in high-gloss lacquer, Cherry in real wood veneer, and Premium Rosewood. The Rosewood finish carries a $3,000 premium ($22,995 versus $19,995 for all other finishes), reflecting the cost of the veneer material and the additional finishing work required.

Explore the Full Vienna Acoustics Klimt Series

The Liszt Reference is part of the Klimt Series, Vienna Acoustics' statement line named after the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt. The series shares the same design philosophy and driver technology at different scales:

• The Music is the Klimt Series flagship ($49,995), using three 9-inch woofers, a supertweeter, and the same coincident driver
• The Kiss brings the coincident driver into a compact design with integrated stands ($21,995)
• Poetry is the Klimt Series center channel, using the same coincident driver technology for dialogue clarity that matches the Liszt Reference's voicing
• Beethoven Concert Grand Reference brings Concert Grand series voicing to a floorstanding format
• Maestro Grand Reference is the Concert Grand Reference series center channel, using the same X4P drivers and silk dome tweeter as the Liszt Reference for seamless front-stage matching

The Listening Room Difference

We're a third-generation family business with a brick-and-mortar showroom in Chestertown, Maryland, and a reputation built on exceptional service and relentless passion for hifi. At this level, every detail matters, and we're here to make sure you get it right. Whether you need help with system matching, setup guidance, or just want to talk through your options before pulling the trigger, owner Mike Hoaston is a phone call away. We don't just ship boxes. We help build systems, and our support lasts well beyond the sale. Call or text 410-239-2020.

Vienna Acoustics Liszt Reference Specifications