Audio Physic

In our last issue, we reported that Audio Physic had introduced two new models to celebrate their 25th anniversary, the Tempo 25 and Virgo 25 and that these models represented significant performance improvements over the standard models. These products were so highly successful that Audio Physic decided to incorporate them permanently into their line and has now introduced four new 25th anniversary models, the Step 25 monitors at $3290, the Sitara 25 floor-standers at $4990, the Scorpio 25 floor standers at $9990, and the Celsius 25 center channel at $2250. The venerable Avanti V has also been replaced by the new Avantera V at $24,000.

Sitara 25 Loudspeaker	Scorpio 25 Loudspeaker

Like the Tempo 25, all of the other new loudspeakers in the High-End series (i.e., all of the new 25th anniversary models) share the second generation of the Hyper Holographic Cone Tweeter, HHCT-II (developed originally for the Cardeas), new crossover circuit topology, and WBT Next-Gen binding posts. Additionally, the Scorpio 25 uses the new ceramic coated aluminum cone woofers used in the Tempo 25, which were also developed for the Cardeas and the new Reference series products. The Sitara 25 and Step 25 have identical outside dimensions as the legacy versions but are different internally, since the HHCT-II driver, having an open back, requires its own, isolated chamber.

In the Reference series, the changes are even more radical. The entirely-new Avantera was launched at the Munich High-End show in May 2011. The name of this new Reference series loudspeaker is a combination of the Avanti and the legendary Caldera. From a performance point of view, the Avantera is positioned close to the flagship Cardeas. In addition to the HHCT-II tweeter, it uses dedicated HHCM drivers derived from the Cardeas for the upper and lower midranges. Four side-mounted ceramic-coated aluminum woofers in the Audio Physic proven push-push configuration provide the foundation for the music, ensuring dynamic and well-defined bass response. This bass extends to the lowest reaches attainable by musical instruments, even in very large listening areas. Like the Cardeas and its smaller sibling, the Virgo 25, the Avantera uses a new cabinet architecture that ensures greater rigidity and lack of cabinet-induced colorations. A solid aluminum front baffle houses the tweeter and provides added cabinet stiffness for the mounting of the midrange drivers. Separate, dedicated crossover circuits are used for each frequency band, thus minimizing microphonics and cross-colorations. The Avantera also benefits from the extensive use of Audio Physic's proprietary String Suspension Concept ( SSC) to reduce even further unwanted vibrations and, thereby, greatly improve the resolution of the finest musical detail.

All of these new models show that Audio Physic is not only making great strides forward in their no-holds-barred models but is also filtering as much of that Reference Series technology as possible down to lower-priced models.