Transcript
LOUDSPEAKERS
Audio Physic Cardeas
The goddess of sound G
erman speaker specialist Audio Physic has been around a good few years – 25 years, to be exact. During that time, it has build up quite a reputation for craftsmanship, innovative technology and attention to detail – elements that are aptly reflected in its burgeoning array of loudspeakers. The Cardeas is the marque’s most recent flagship – a 55 kg beast that stands almost 1,2 metres tall and commands inevitable attention. But although this is a big loudspeaker, its relatively narrow dimensions understate its physical size. Size apart, the quality of the craftsmanship that is the Cardeas’ most obvious attribute. The wood veneer is beautifully finished, wrapping seamlessly around the curved rear section, and adding a visual richness to the floorstander’s appearance. Unusually, the enclosure is a dual-wall design, with a narrow space in between, which acts as an isolating layer, much like double glazing. Substantial internal bracing ensures stiffness and rigidity, while the curved rear addresses standing waves. Closer scrutiny also reveals other intriguing details: the Cardeas only has a single pair of gold-plated WBT binding posts. And apart from the four front-firing drivers, there are two more: a pair of large, 270 mm woofers are mounted in a lateral, side-firing orientation on either side of the cabinet. Only one of these is active, however – the other acts as a passive radiator, and according to Audio Physic allows the speaker to reach down all the way to 20 Hz. The front-firing driver array is arranged in a D’Appolito configuration, with the midrange above the tweeter, and the two mid/ bass drivers below it. The tweeter eschews the more usual dome for a stiff aluminium cone, which also explains its unusually large 39 mm diameter. Its makers insist that the stiff, lightweight materials like aluminium have made the use of cones in tweeters not only feasible, but actually preferable, as they address the ringing and resonances often experienced
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with conventional soft dome tweeters. The same light, stiff aluminium material is used for the three identical 150 mm drivers also present on the front baffle. One is used in a dedicated midrange role, with the remaining two fulfilling mid/bass driver duties.
The aluminium cones are damped using a silicone ring around the cone perimeter, which prevents ringing and allows smoother transients. The midrange and mid/bass drivers feature an innovative dual-basket design that allows
A U D I O
V I D E O
Vital Stats
effective decoupling of the cone from the rest of the speaker. Decoupling is a constant theme throughout the Cardeas, and is applied wherever possible to prevent unwanted mechanical interaction between, for instance, the crossover network and their physical surroundings. Because of their size, weight (and asking price) we opted to review them in an existing installation, rather than having them installed in our own listening room. The accompanying electronics consisted of a pair of Electrocompaniet EC400 monoblocks, an Electrocompaniet EC4.8 pre-amplifier, and an Electrocompaniet EMC-1 top-loading CD player. The EC AW400/EC 4.8 duo will be the subject of a separate review, but in brief, the AW400 is the smaller sibling of the Nemo monoblock, while the EC 4.8 pre-amp features a dual-mono design with balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs, and a very low noise floor. The Cardeas speakers were installed in a relatively compact room of about 5 x 5 metres, and were located fairly close to the rear wall, but away from the corners, and slightly toed in. We kicked off the listening session with Katie Melua’s ‘Collection’ CD, and I was instantly impressed by the fluid, seamless sound of the big speakers. They sounded smooth, engaging and accessible – and not overpowering at all, as I had expected. Sure, there was loads of bottom end, but it was never allowed to overwhelm or dominate the sound. Instead, it provided a vitally solid foundation for the rest of the sonic picture. The result was a smooth, airy sound with an enveloping, embracing approach. Staging was expansive but dimensionally balanced, inviting the listener to participate in the dimension and the emotion of the performance. Ray Lamontagne’s ‘Trouble’ was the next disc up, and again, it was the deceptive ease of delivery that struck me most. Here, the treble sounded a little edgy at times, but I blamed the recording, because while the Cardeas has a very clean, neutral approach to high frequencies, it could not be accused of aggression or brittleness.
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Enclosure type.................. Infinite baffle Drive units ........... 1x 39 mm aluminium cone tweeter 1x 150 mm aluminium cone midrange 2x 150 mm aluminium cone mid/bass 2x 270 mm aluminium woofers (1 active, 1 passive) 1x 35 mm diamond-dome tweeter Bi-wiring................. No (Optional extra) Impedance.................... 4 ohm (nominal) Sensitivity......................................... 89 dB Frequency response.25 Hz – 40 kHz Power handling......................350 watts Dimensions (HxWxD) ....................................... 1 190x305x595 mm Weight....................................... 55 kg each VERDICT Impressive ability to recreate scale, dynamics and pace, but never at the expense of subtlety or finesse. Majestic in every respect – at a price! PRICE............................................ R220 000 SUPPLIED BY WEBSITE
Jade Services 011-976-2750 www.jadecc.co.za
Indeed, that’s an aspect that did surprise me: the German obsession with extraction of detail often leads to components from that country sounding too bright and shiny for my taste. But the Cardeas managed to be revealing without having to resort to aggression. I liked the way the Cardeas’ managed to create a sense of presence and realism, so that it was easy to close one’s eyes and imagine the artists actually being in the room. Lamontagne’s wistful voice, rich acoustic guitar and colourful tapestry of sound was particularly appealing. Holt’s Suite No.1 in E-flat, performed by the Cleveland Symphonic Winds on the Telarc label is a tough challenge for any system, because the squeaky clean production can sound thin and shimmery. But the Cardeas’ did well to cut to the core of the music, and again extracting those elements that made the performance come alive.
Interestingly, the sound had a tangible, organic quality that never allowed the electronics to take centre stage, and always placed the focus firmly on the music, and its performance. The big speakers adopted such an effortless, transparent approach that their role as transducers was always in the background. Indeed, transparency is another talent of the Cardeas speakers – the ability to simply melt away on the soundstage is one more akin to stand-mounted monitors than big floorstanders, but the Germans managed the trick with confident, reassuring ease. Mercedes Sosa’s stirring rendition of the Misa Criolla on the Decca label is not only a compelling listen, but a tough challenge for any speaker, as this deceptively simple piece harnesses both emotion and rich ambient detail. But the Cardeas duo seemed to thrive on such challenges, and I got goosebumps listening to Sosa’s voice soaring against the layered choral backdrop.Taking up the melodic story line, the flute and guitar were delivered with lustre, while solemn atmosphere and the cathedral ambience were convincingly rendered. I could go on and on – my listening notes stretch over page after page – but suffice to say that the Audio Physic is a fine loudspeaker in every respect. It could so easily have been nothing more than yet another large, muscular design, aimed at belting out the music with loads of pace and level, but not much musical credibility. Quite the opposite is true, here. Despite its bulk, the Cardeas treats its musical fare with a sensitivity and an attention to fine, elusive detail that allows the full emotional impact of the renditions to shine through.Yes, they do have scale, tonal range and sheer dynamics on their side. But the Cardeas’ apply those talents with intoxicating elegance and grace. A marvellous, and marvellously musical speaker then, that is right up there with the very best. No surprises that it costs a pretty penny. However, it’s money well spent for those who can afford it ... Deon Schoeman
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