Displaying items by tag: tweeter - StereoLife Magazine

In the world of loudspeakers, some designs command respect through advanced engineering, exotic materials and impressive specifications. Others do not look like spaceships, make no use of materials seemingly borrowed from z science-fiction film, and yet win people over with beautiful, musical sound and the simple fact that one can imagine living with them every day. Vienna Acoustics belongs firmly to the second group. The Austrian manufacturer has never built its identity around simulations, calculations and graphs alone, focusing instead on what makes its products appealing to the eye and the ear. The company was founded in 1989 by Peter Gansterer and Peter Haferl, whose goal was to bring together two worlds - solid engineering and the kind of aesthetics usually associated with fine furniture. Based in Rust, a small town in Austria's Burgenland region, the company now employs around 40 people. Among audiophiles, it is known for distinctive loudspeakers with exceptional cabinet work. Its catalog is dominated by models designed for stereo systems, and the names chosen for individual models will feel familiar to any music lover. Liszt Reference, Beethoven Concert Grand Reference, Haydn SE Signature, Mozart SE Signature - there is clearly a theme here. The last of these is the latest incarnation of one of the most important floorstanders in Vienna Acoustics' history, and also a very good example of just how differently hi-fi can be understood.

Ø Audio has introduced the Ymir, a new reference floorstanding loudspeaker that marks a decisive shift in the company's design direction and stands apart from earlier models such as the Icon 12 and Verdande. Described by the manufacturer as a clean-sheet development rather than an evolution of existing platforms, the Ymir combines a large-format compression-driver architecture with a newly engineered bass system and an unusually rigid cabinet structure intended to deliver high sensitivity and controlled directivity in real-world listening rooms rather than only optimized demonstration environments.

Revival Audio is expanding its Atalante family with a new limited edition flagship, the Atalante Grande Réserve, restricted to 300 pairs worldwide. The name borrows from the vocabulary of fine cognac and champagne and is intended to signal a carefully crafted, rare expression rather than a simple cosmetic variant. The new model develops the benchmark set by the Atalante 7 Évo, yet is aimed at listeners who want genuinely reference level performance in a more refined, well proportioned format. It brings together the design language and acoustic engineering of the Atalante series in a loudspeaker that is meant to feel like a complete, self contained statement rather than just the next step up the range.

In the world of hi-fi there are few things as satisfying as a well voiced compact monitor that can fill a living room with the authority of larger loudspeakers while looking like a small piece of industrial art. It is exactly this role that Bowers & Wilkins has in mind for the latest version of its smallest 700 Series model. The 707 Prestige Edition is a standmount loudspeaker created for music lovers who are unwilling to compromise on either aesthetics or sound quality and who appreciate carefully executed details and a finish that clearly sets their speakers apart.

Monitor Audio has announced two new limited-edition loudspeakers based on its Silver Series 7G range - the Silver 300 7G Limited Edition and the Silver 100 7G Limited Edition. Both models are presented in a new Carbon Black Metallic finish and individually numbered, combining subtle design updates with proven acoustic engineering. The Silver Series 7G platform, introduced in 2021, sits at the heart of Monitor Audio's mid-range catalogue, bridging the gap between the Bronze and Gold lines. It introduced several key innovations, including Rigid Surface Technology II (RST II) and a new generation of Ceramic-Coated Aluminium Magnesium (C-CAM) drivers. These limited-edition versions keep that same foundation while refining both aesthetics and detail to mark the series' ongoing success.

Triangle Electroacoustique is one of the oldest French loudspeaker manufacturers. Although the latest anniversary models, still available for sale, were introduced on the occasion of the company's fortieth birthday, at this point we are already halfway to another round anniversary (Renaud de Vergnette founded Triangle in 1980). We all know the story - the music lover and hi-fi equipment enthusiast thought that the speakers available on the market didn't perform as well as they could, so he set himself the goal of creating speakers delivering a clean, dynamic, and natural sound. Many audiophiles can also point out several elements characteristic of the brand's sets. Paper midrange drivers, horn tweeters, high efficiency, an interesting anti-vibration system with a large spike, and extravagant finishes. I can list these features from memory after reviewing the Comète 40th Anniversary Edition, Magellan Cello 40th, Borea Active BR02 BT or the Capella wireless monitors. However, no single product will tell us about the company's history, philosophy, and plans, so I decided to talk to Elodie Deveau, Triangle's Sales Manager.

Manufacturers of hi-fi equipment like to brag about their peak performance, but in any company's product lineup, the key role is played by the models that simply sell best. They are the ones that provide funds for further development and indicate what ideas appeal most to customers. Recently, Pylon Audio has been working hard on high-end loudspeakers. Over the past few years, the Polish manufacturer's catalog has included speakers from the Jasper series, including six models, the powerful Amber mkIIs, the old-school Jade 20s, which just got a bigger brother, and the Emeralds 25s. However, diamonds dominate the sales statistics, and I'm not surprised at all. The models in this series offer everything music lovers seek - a discreet and modest design, high-quality craftsmanship, versatile sound, seamless compatibility with a wide range of electronics, a rich variety of color options, and an affordable price. It may not be a piece of equipment that relies on exceptional technical solutions and surprises its owner daily, but it is hard to identify any clear drawbacks. If only we do not save too much on electronics and choose a model that fits the size and acoustics of our listening room, we will get speakers that can do everything. Will the new generation of the Diamond series continue the story? For this to happen, the Polish designers had to meet only one condition - not to spoil anything. And they claim to have even improved this and that. Is it true?

Sonus Faber announced the launch of Suprema, a groundbreaking loudspeaker system rooted in luxury, unparalleled audio excellence and meticulous craftsmanship. Marking the brand's 40th anniversary, the Suprema system, featuring two main columns, two subwoofers and one electronic crossover, represents the future of the iconic audio brand and Sonus Faber's dedication to pushing the boundaries of audio excellence.

Whenever I grumble about the fragmentation of the audio equipment market, which translates into a huge variety of equipment available in stores, but also problems for customers to sort it all out in their heads and make a choice, I get a press release about new speakers, amplifier, or wireless headphones. If only these were brands whose existence I was aware of, whose products caught my eye while browsing magazines or reports from exhibitions, but this is not always the case. Later it turns out that we are not at all dealing with a small factory founded by enthusiastic students, but with a company operating continuously for thirty years, boasting many successes, awards, and, of course, a large group of loyal fans. Such was the case with Lindemann.

Although Poland's most famous loudspeaker manufacturer started with budget speakers, its current catalog is dominated by mid- and high-end designs. The top position is occupied by the beautiful Jaspers, available in both passive and active versions. Then we have three series consisting of a single model - Amber, Jade, and Emerald. The bottom four is made up of the Ruby, Sapphire, Opal, and Pearl series. Right in the middle there's a series that has become a real market hit, combining minimalist design, high-quality workmanship, a rich color palette, and natural, balanced, and universal sound. The Diamonds were Pylon's flagships at the time of their launch. I remember how the bosses of the Jarocin-based manufacturer, still unsure of the rightness of their decision, wondered whether such loudspeakers would appeal to customers. Today, the company could probably produce only this series and would easily balance the books (especially considering that Pylon Audio is not only a manufacturer of equipment sold under its own brand but also a supplier of cabinets for leading foreign brands). However, since there was an opportunity to improve them, it was a shame not to take it. This is how the Diamonds mkII were born. To see what's what, I decided to review my favorite model from this series - the "twenty-fives".