High End 2012

French loudspeaker maker Apertura launched its range-topping Enigma floorstander (left, €26,900 per pair) at High End. It shares the same offset-baffle design as its more affordable stablemates, but takes the design principles to their ultimate end. The cabinet has no parallel faces inside (or out) and is extensively braced and shaped with molded panels to stop standing waves. The man behind Apertura is Christian Yvon, one-time loudspeaker designer for Goldmund. He chose the Fountek ribbon driver for midrange/treble duties and allied it with a pair of custom-made SEAS 8" woofers arranged in the classic D’Appolito style. The bass cones are woven polypropylene and the 4’ 5” cabinet has a combination of reflex and transmission-line loading. The crossover, which operates at 2kHz, uses Yvon’s DRIM triple-transition technology, which combines 6dB, 12dB and 24dB/octave slopes.

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