LOUDSPEAKERS

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go to: Contents | Features | Bookshelf, Stand-Mount and Desktop | Floorstanding | Editors' Choice Awards ON THE HORIZON Audience ClairAudient 1+1 Audience, the full-range driver specialists, has further refined its unique technology in the mini ClairAudient 1+1. To be introduced early in the second quarter of 2013, the 1+1 is a bi-pole version of the highly acclaimed ONE loudspeaker. Although very compact, the 1+1 will generate a surprisingly large soundstage because of the “in-phase” bi-pole configuration. Moreover, this diminutive speaker can generate surprisingly low bass output uncolored by the distortions that plague ordinary speakers. Because Audience uses proprietary full range drivers, the use of detail-robbing capacitors, coils and circuit boards are eliminated which results in a far more pure sound. The stunning angular cabinet is available in two finishes—gloss black or gloss black with rosewood side panels. Price: $1800. www.audience-av.com Thiel CS1.7 The new CS1.7 follow a long tradition of Thiel two-way floorstanding speakers that employ Thiel’s renowned phaseand-time-coherent design, the use of precision engineered first-order crossover networks, and the latest driver technology (woofer and tweeter) engineered specifically for the CS1.7 project. The CS1.7 tweeter, based on the platform used in the popular CS1.6, has been highly optimized for the CS1.7. It features a new voice coil, new magnetic circuit, and a reworked aluminum diaphragm resulting in increased linearity, lower distortion, and higher efficiency. The 6.5" aluminum woofer’s “star” diaphragm was conceived via the latest laser measurement technology and utilizes a new voice coil and magnetic structure. The crossover network is a classic Thiel first-order design, maintaining the phase-and-time-coherent nature of all Thiel loudspeakers. The cabinet is one-inch thick and the massive baffle, with a low-turbulence vertical port, is two-inches thick, delivering high rigidity and inertness. The CS1.7 comes equipped with leveling feet; however, an optional brushed aluminum outrigger base is available. Price: $3999 (standard finishes). www.thiel.com Revel Performa3 F206 The Performa3 F206 is the mid-size floorstander in Revel’s latest and curvaceous, nine-speaker multichannel lineup. Completely redesigned top to bottom, a key innovation is the aluminum tweeter in a sophisticated acoustic lens waveguide. The acoustic lens waveguide is based on a breakthrough mathematical approach that accurately matches the tweeter’s dispersion to that of the midrange transducer in the crossover region. This gives the 41.4"-tall loudspeaker very smooth sound far off-axis— important to overall sound quality. The tweeter is joined by a 5.25" midrange and dual 6.5" woofers which all sport ribbed aluminum cone diaphragms and cast aluminum frames designed to quell resonances. The three-way, four-transducer speaker is capable of potent bass extension—down only 3dB at 42Hz and a mere -6dB at 36Hz. It’s relatively easy to drive too with a sensitivity of 88dB and nominal impedance of 8 ohms. It’s also available in a two-way stand-mount, compact version, the M206. Price: F206, $3500; M206, $2000. www.revelspeakers.com 6 Guide to High-Performance Loudspeakers www.theabsolutesound.com previous page NEXT page
go to: Contents | Features | Bookshelf, Stand-Mount and Desktop | Floorstanding | Editors' Choice Awards ON THE HORIZON Marten Django L The Marten Django L is a smaller iteration of the popular Django XL (the original Django). Created to provide as much of the “Django experience” as possible in a smaller, less expensive package, the Django L is a two-way bass-reflex design with specially designed dual aluminum woofers and an Accuton ceramic tweeter—virtually the same type of ceramic tweeter and midrange driver used in most Marten loudspeakers—even ones that are priced considerably higher. Significantly the reduced size of the 44.9"- tall Django L also means that it can be used in a relatively small room. As with the Django XL, Marten achieves a marked savings with little sonic sacrifice by using custom-made aluminum woofers instead of the ceramic bass drivers used in other Marten loudspeakers Yet, because Marten is employing twin 8" woofers per side, there is little tradeoff in bass quality An easy load for amplifiers to drive it sports a sensitivity rating of 88dB and a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Internal wiring is Jorma Design. Price: $9000. www.ear-usa.com Morel Octave 6 The Octave 6 is inspired by Morel’s reference speaker, The Fat Lady. Like that innovative cabinet concept, the Octave 6 is devoid of internal damping. A new internal vertical baffle with acoustic apertures is positioned in the middle to break up standing waves, resulting in a speaker that sounds as if there is no cabinet at all. At the heart of the Octave 6 are specially engineered drivers, based on Morel’s most advanced technology. The new mid/bass unit employs an oversized 3" aluminum voice coil over a titanium base encapsulating a powerful hybrid motor, while the tweeter features Morel’s renowned 1.1" Acuflex soft dome. The innovative crossover topology preserves the life and dynamics of the original sound, like in a live performance. Available as a two-way compact or three-way floorstander it can be finished in either piano white or a piano black. Price: Octave 6 compact, $3500; Octave 6 floorstander, $6500. www.morel.co.il Gato Audio FM-6 The new Danish-made Gato Audio FM-6 is an elegant 2.5-way floorstanding speaker with outstanding design and performance. It utilizes two custommade ScanSpeak cut-cone 7" woofers and a neodymium ring-dome tweeter. The curved-sided cabinet employs several resonance-control techniques including a heavy aluminum extrusion on the rear. Precision high-order, low-Q networks are encapsulated in dense resin. Magnetic grilles and stable outrigger bases with spikes and floor protectors are included. Sensitivity is 90dB at 4 ohms. Dimensions are 7.8" x 40.2" x 14.6". Finishes are highgloss black, high-gloss white, or high-gloss walnut veneer. Price: $13,990. A smaller two-way bookshelf, the FM-2, is also available. Price: $7990. www.gato-audio.com 7 Guide to High-Performance Loudspeakers www.theabsolutesound.com previous page NEXT page
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LOUDSPEAKERS

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