More Speaker Lust!
This speaker has recently come to my
attention through various e-mails. Seen here is the CarfraeHORN. This UK made
horn unit is claimed to give room filling sound with only four watts of power. In
fact we are talking all the way down to 32 Hz cleanly! Using no crossover on the
Lowther DX4 driver unit, the CarfraeHORN takes advantage of the tractrix contour because
it is recognized as being the most musical. The cabinet is made to high precision
specifications and using continuous sections of birch laminate.
Carfrae Loudspeakers
Swallow Barn
Hempstone Park, Littlehempston
Totnes, Devon
TQ9 6LP U.K.
Website: www.carfrae.com
Like the 801 monitors before it, the new
B&W Nautilus 801 is considered by some to be the ultimate in a classical recording
studio monitor. Using their Matrix enclosure technology which adds many cross
bracing to insure a virtually non-resonant cabinet, this unit is extremely solid. A
15" woofer gives deep yet tuneful bass with it's 4" voice-coil which is wound on
a carbon fiber former. The 6" woven Kevlar tweeter is used for its extreme
lightness yet high rigidity. The 801 uses a 1" aluminum-dome tweeter which has
been improved upon from previous units to offer 6db higher sensitivity! Overall
frequency response is claimed as 29 Hz to 22 kHz (+-3db) and a sensitivity of 91 db/w/m.
B&W Loudspeakers
Website: www.bwspeakers.com
Handcrafted in Denmark, the BKS line use
a hybrid of ribbon for the mids and highs while a dynamic driver cone woofer reproduces
the lower frequencies. Seen here is their entire line. The smallest speaker of the
line, the "Supreme" 107 uses a R-C link crossover with impedance compensation
using polypropylene capacitor and non-inductive resistor(s). The speaker to the right, the
"Supreme" 128 uses all the above plus the Vifa-Premium Line woofer. Their
largest, top of the line model "Supreme" 175 uses all the above but with two
woofers this time.
Well known for their high-sensitivity
speakers, Klipsch has over 50 years experience in their field! Seen above are the
Belle Klipsch (dark walnut), Heresy II (black), and La Scala (light oak). While the
Heresy is "only 96 db/w/ sensitive, the larger La Scala and Belle Klipsch are 104
db/w/m sensitive! The La Scala also use the same "folded horn" woofer
enclosure and driver compliment consisting of Klipsch's K-77-M tweeter, K-55-M midrange,
and K-33-E woofer. They also share the same frequency response claims as 45 Hz - 17
kHz (+- 5db). Klipsch is one of the great American classics available worldwide
today.
Klipsch
8900 Keystone Crossing
Suite 1220
Indiannapolis, IN 46240
Website: www.klipsch.com
The Utopish Utopiagraph is made from
lauan plywood and teak internally. The outer finish is their drop dead gorgeous
golden teak oil. Utopish makes the cabinet while you supply the two vintage Tannoy
15" drivers. The rear wave is ported to fire out the sides of this enclosure to
assist in lower frequency support. This baby weights in at 108 kgs each (without the
drivers) and the entire structure stands at a very tall 1750 mm high!
High-Performance Audio Reviews
