Please read the report of this years DECFEST aka DECWARE ZEN FEST that took place for 3 days and nights in October 2018.
https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1536369812/37#37This will give you the back history on the following comments.
The HR-1 is priced at the top of the speakers on the DECWARE web site because it is the most difficult to build and the overall most refined and disciplined sounding with the higher power amplifiers.
This year after I can't count how many years of reference level sound, the speaker was re-evaluated, and resigned to compete with the new DNA2. It basically got it's balls pulled up through its nostrils and a brain transplant. Pretty serious shit for such an acclaimed speaker. A speaker everyone loved. Nevertheless the crossover-less main driver in the DNA2 was so compelling that there was really no way a speaker using a crossover could compete regardless of how good it was.
So a redesigned speaker emerged that for the first time features a completely crossover-less main omnidirectional driver which simply leveled the playing field between the two speakers.
I'm listening to it now with the 25th Anniversary Zen Triode Amplifier and getting the same UNREAL experiences I have documented with the DNA2 speakers all year. The difference is that while not as efficient and better served by a more powerful amp, the soundstage is just S I C K. It sounds like the DNA2 but even better and everywhere. No matter where you are.
While the speaker is a serious redesign, it's really not going to cost a lot more to make from scratch, so while there will be a price increase, it won't be unreasonable at all, trust me. Worth 10 times the price whatever it is.
In the past, the HR-1 has always been a top performer. Very disciplined and capable of dealing with and accurately reproducing higher power levels with eyebrow raising results. It is now a speaker that makes you weak in the knees where modest -- entrancing -- listening levels can be achieved with as little as 3 watts. Put 30 or 60 watts on it, and your couch and listening room transmute into an aircraft carrier floating in the clouds.
So if you've been on the fence about a new pair of HR-1's I would recommend ordering them NOW before Bob figures out what the new price is going to be!!! Seriously. Kind of like early bird gets the worm. Obviously all HR-1 owners since the beginning will also be able to send their speakers in and get them updated to the current model. Bob is working out the upgrade prices for various years and will have them available this winter which is coming fast!
We will be updating the web page in the next several weeks with any changes price and options. There have been no changes to the appearance of the speakers.