August 2016


World Premiere!
Aurum Cantus V30M Loudspeaker
A quantum leap forward in pushing the limits.
Review By Ron Nagle

  The return of an Aurum Cantus Speaker, this is deja' vu? If we go back a bit more than ten years ago to April 2005, I wrote a review for Enjoy the Music.com about the Aurum Cantus Leisure 2 Special Edition and Leisure 3 Special Edition Signature loudspeakers. Both were stand mounted two driver monitor types. The smaller speaker was the Leisure AC2 SES and one other speaker a notch higher up in the series was the AC3 SE. Both of these designs are predecessors of this review subject the Aurum Cantus V30M loudspeaker. That review process proved to be an education in the difficulty of matching a slight wisp of air aluminum ribbon tweeter to the much greater mass of a pistonic midrange driver. The larger AC3 SE speaker was an attempt to extend the frequency range of the smaller AC2 SES by using a longer ribbon driver and a larger mid-woofer.

And therein lies the heart of the problem. Yes, the larger tweeter had the ability to move more air however the measured tweeter frequency extension remained at 40kHz. And while the larger mid/bass driver did in fact extend the reach of the speaker to lower frequencies, the larger pistonic driver was now more massive and slower to respond. So that midrange/ bass driver's trade off was speed. True the effect was small and it was subtle but it was still audible. To borrow one of Harry Pearson's catchphrases. "It was not as "Continuous". Bottom line, I purchased the smaller AC2 SES and I use it today as a treble reference because the tweeter frequency extension is lighting fast out to 40kHz. Now we get to the raison d'etre, so we will find out what the passing of ten years has done.

Our Subject
The two driver Aurum Cantus V30M speaker is physically larger than most stand mounts, weighing 36.82 pounds each and priced at $2600. The V30M is in fact a refined up scaled redesign of another speaker, the $2000 V3M. Both are currently included in the Aurum Cantus V series. Aurum Cantas makes a wider range of stand mounted speakers, however as of now the importer, Audiophile Direct offers just four V series speakers. This time around the V30M is a total refinement of the V3M. Not a repeat of ten years ago when we evaluated the Leisure AC3 SE. That design was a failed effort to extend the frequency limits of an existing design. Our subject the V30M is shipped in three boxes, that's two speaker boxes and a third box holding really massive speaker stands. So the price includes the 27.5" high black lacquered stands with speaker spikes and floor protecting disks. Even though I have my original Aurum Cantus stands there must be no substitution, you must use the stand specifically designed for each V series speaker.

And not so incidentally you need to assemble the stands since they are shipped unassembled. The past ten years have produced a highly evolved V30M. It starts with a far more sophisticated MDF enclosure measuring 17.13" x 8.90" x 15.20" (HxWxD) and comes in stunning Rosewood veneered cabinetry. It is also available in black o0r white and all cabinets are finished with a beautiful clear lacquer. The new form factor dictates a thick angled backward front face with relieved corners for less edge diffraction. The speaker enclosure reminds me of the boat tail taper of the $36,000 Sonus Faber Amati speaker.

Like the Amati it starts with a wide front face with curving sides ending at a narrow rear panel. The rear panel has a port and two sets of heavy gold plated speaker cable binding posts. The binding posts are linked with a gold plated copper strap. This makes it possible to bi-amp these speakers with two different amplifiers, one powering the ribbons and another for the midrange/woofer. More than just a pretty body the internal component parts are first rate quality and expensive.

The nomenclature starts with a sandwiched aluminum ribbon tweeter, designated as APR1.1, and is 110mm x 14.5mm x 0.015mm. This is a high power shielded design with a field-replaceable diaphragm. A specially-designed 6.5" midrange / woofer has a sandwich cone of non-woven carbon fiber with 2" copper clad aluminum voice coil that employs flat wire and a ferrite magnet system. This is all within a special Faraday ring and a demodulation coil. The crossover uses M-Cap MKP (Metal film Polypropylene) capacitors for the tweeter. MKP capacitors are also used for the mid-woofer as well. Highly purified oxygen free copper (OFC) inductors and military grade Metal Oxide Film resistors round out the crossover design. Everything inside is wired together with Teflon insulated oxygen free continuous cast copper (OCC) cable.

Start The Show
With the Aurum Cantus V30M assembled and placed on the massive speaker stands in front of my 12' wide wall, they were set with the speakers facing straight ahead in an equilateral triangle relative to the listening position. This is just a starting approximation of what might sound good. The Aurum Cantus literature states without any equivocation that the speakers will not sound their best until they are fully broken in at 100 hours. The owner's manual tells me to do what I always do, namely play an FM radio station through the speakers and just put some hours on them. I simply can't wait anymore! I'm not exactly counting, yet at this point they are not at 100 hours and perhaps not fully yet broken in. Regardless, let us hears how they sound. Spinning up my reference CD Basia Time and Tide and I can hear the bass line energizing the room. Turning down the volume a bit provides a normal level and indeed that's better. Wow! These speakers can generate a lot of deep bass. At a volume above what I consider a normal listening level the V30M can easily fill my 12' by 19' listening space with low frequency energy. My listening room has always presented good support bass frequencies around 50 or 60 Hz and over the span of 20 years I have learned to normalize accordingly.

My bad, that was unfair to critically listen to them so soon. The speakers are not broken in and not set up in the best position. So in subsequent days I shift the speakers position using a tape measure. Try them forward away from the back wall and side walls. Next move the speakers farther apart then aim them toward my listening position. Well you get the idea. Finally positioned my Argent Room Lenses and some of my home made soft sound absorbent panels. Time passes and the Aurum Cantus speakers are broken in. Like Goldilocks, not too deep and not too bright as a matter of fact they are just right.

Serious Listening
With the Aurum Cantus V30M speakers optimized and broken in, let's see what they can do. By using the Rives Audio Inc. test CD we can find out how the speakers and room handle a wide range of frequencies. This will be a subjective test, nothing scientific about it. We understand that the room and the objects in the room have an effect on what you hear. The Rives disc contains a frequency sweep starting at 20Hz extending upward reaching 20kHz.

At step #3, equal to 31.5 Hz the 6.5" driver begins to move. Not until you reach step #5, at a frequency of 55Hz does the driver produce a level matching the mid band volume settings. Understand the upper and lower frequency range of most speakers is specified at the -3dB point, a point that is 3dB lower than the midrange loudness. A useless test? No not completely. With some speakers a very low frequency signal can cause the bass driver to oscillate. I'm impressed, that below any useful frequency the V30M 6.5-inch driver is well controlled. The higher frequencies cleanly transition to 20kHz, beyond my ability to hear them. As it was ten years ago, with the first Aurum Cantus speakers am so very impressed by the ribbon tweeters and the things they can do. They open up a three-dimensional soundscape comprising width, depth, and height. And more than that they are effortlessly fast lending a sense of excitement and energy. As Shakespeare would say the "Rub" once again comes down to driver integration. Happily, I am to say ten years have made a very big improvement. The transition between the two drivers is now "continuous", cut from the same fabric.

To make my case I'll refer to a hand out demo music sampler from Legacy Audio. Track two is by Eric Godoy from "Cafe" [Acoustic Avenue] and to me this just sounds like a bass fiddle wandering up and down the scales. A one point the bass dips down into a low rumbling growl. The value of this recording is not just a test of how low the speaker can reach. It can reproduce the wooden overtones and vibrato of the instruments body with realism and authority. Can it track the subtle resinous sounds of the bow as it is drawn across the strings, my answer is yes! As my last comment, track #7 is by someone called Iron Man Burks [Eyeball Music]. What can I say but damn, the man was standing within my living room! And lastly, this was really unexpected at this late stage, but the room taming pipes and pillows were pushed farther away from the speakers. Over time they seemed to be having a diminishing effect.

Bottom Line
I'm very impressed with the Aurum Cantus V30M! Over the course of ten years the Aurum Cantus people have certainly evolved the art and struck Aurum (Latin for gold.) The V30M has taken a quantum leap forward in pushing the limits of what can be done with two drivers within a box. The construction attention to detail and finish make beautiful audio jewelry worth far more than the $2600 asking price. These speakers do what I want, with a wide open limitless soundscape with air, speed and detail. The bass is now cut of the same fabric as the sound is "continuous". This is more than enough for me, who ranks the human voice as the ultimate test. This is also keeping with the fact that I usually do not listen to loud music. About the price, I know it's an old worn out marketing phrase (a steal!), yet everything considered these speakers are way, yes, way underpriced. The Aurum Cantus V30M speakers are direct marketed from the importer / distributor to you. There is no dealer network and no middleman and so priced accordingly.

There are even more buyer benefits: The massive speaker stands are included and shipped with the speakers. Shipping cost is nothing, as it is included within the price. The Aurum Cantus V30M speakers come with a 60-day money back guaranty too. All in all it's a no brainer deal bunky! The Aurum Cantus V30M opens up a sound stage that can push back the walls of my room and carry me deeper into the performance, which is where I want to go.

Remember to enjoy the music, and from me, Semper Hi-Fi.

Specifications
Type: Stand mounted two-way loudspeaker
Frequency Response: 40Hz to 40kHz
Sensitivity: 88dB/W/m
Impedance: 8 Ohms (minimum 6.4 Ohms) 
Power Requirement: 50 to 200W recommended
Tweeter: APR1.1 sandwich aluminum ribbon 110mm x 14.5mm x 0.015mm
    High power handling, shielded design with field-replaceable diaphragm.
Midrange / Woofer: 6.5" AC165/DC50SC-0604A sandwich cone of non-woven carbon fiber
    With 2" copper clad aluminum voice coil with flat wire, utilizing a magnet system with Faraday ring
    And demodulation coil 120mm x 20mm Y30 ferrite magnet.
Crossover Frequency: 2000Hz
Crossover Attenuation Slope: Woofer -12dB, tweeter -18dB
Crossover Components: M-Cap MKP capacitors, OFC inductors and mil-grade MOF resistors.
Connective Cable: Teflon insulated OCC cable
Damping Materials: Polyester fiber and PU foam
Connections: Four 18mm gold-plated copper connectors, bi-wire capable 
Cabinet Material: High quality MDF
Finish: Rosewood PE high gloss, Maple PE high gloss and Cherry PE high gloss plus black and white
Dimensions: 17.13" x 8.90" x 15.20" (HxWxD)
Net Weight: 36.82 lbs each
Price: $2600

Company Information
Jinlang Audio Co., Ltd. 
N0.1 Xianqiao Street
Beiguan Road, Penglai City
China. P.C: 265600 

Voice: 0086-535-5643369
Fax: 0086-535-5610809 
E-mail: aurumcantus@aurumcantus.com
Website: www.AurumCantus.com

United States Importer
Audiophile Direct
Voice: (310) 212-0193
Fax: (310) 212-0927
E-mail: info@audiophile-direct.com 
Website: www.audiophile-direct.com