At the start of this year, it is taking advantage of a new distribution network to regain the upper hand, especially as it now offers a new range that is more affordable than the Reference. Named YG Acoustics Peak Ascent in homage to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, this new series of six models starts with two compact speakers, a subwoofer, and three floorstanding speakers, of which we are testing the mid-range, a magnificent three-way model called Ascent.
Featured in our issue no. 43 alongside its larger compact model, the Izumi, German brand Odeon Audio returns to VUmètre with a more substantial offering: the Odeon Audio Tosca 2020. This floorstanding speaker is the most advanced model in its catalog, ahead of the three external horn models. Priced at €8,290, it stands out for the quality of its hand-picked components—from Wima capacitors to Mundorf coils and Scan Speak drivers—in addition to its special compression tweeter from Italy, for a natural and versatile sound.
After the divine Kore and the excellent Epikore, here comes the Rubikore, whose Model Dali Rubikore 2 is the smallest iteration. We listened to it a lot, enjoyed it, and we’ll explain why.
Renewed in 2023 to become S3, the Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series now comprises eight models, to which three Signature versions were added in 2024. Of these eight models, no fewer than three are compact speakers, the largest of which, the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3, stands out with its carbon dome tweeter decoupled from the cabinet. Priced at €2,990 per pair, this 800 Series seed already offers everything that characterizes the Bowers & Wilkins signature, with a racy and highly detailed sound that never overflows, even at the extremes, where this bookshelf speaker is happy to go without fear, even at very high volumes.
The second model in a series of six, the ACL Cassiopée is a relatively compact speaker offering true-to-life sound reproduction. Designed without filtering and featuring an exceptional transducer, it stands out significantly in today’s electroacoustic production. Portrait of a newcomer from the South!
Devialet entered the hi-fi world with a revolutionary all-in-one amplifier, then shifted its focus to a decidedly modern listening experience and a broader musical target audience, at the risk of no longer appealing to audiophiles and certain categories of music lovers, with its Devialet Phantom Ultimate. Despite this, somewhat in the manner of B&O, but still more focused on sound reproduction quality, the brand retains its importance in the audio market and deserves our attention.
After developing isodynamic panel technologies inspired by Magnepan, first with the DP77 and DP107, then with another design for the DP140 and DP160, where the tweeter protruded from the central panel and was embedded in the wooden side structure, the two Montalbanais...
Developed over more than three years by Jacek Grodecki, the two Closer Acoustics Ogy speakers stand out from the Polish brand’s larger models, while retaining the distinctive characteristics of a full-range driver from Catherine Fertin’s French workshops. With their highly distinctive sound, the Ogy speakers are charming companions for natural music, especially intimate music.
Founded in 1988, Solen is a company based in Grenoble that has long specialised in amplifiers, notably the Tigre hybrid integrated amplifiers, which are sold more widely abroad under the Ensemble brand than in France under their original name. Entering a new era a decade ago, the Alpine manufacturer recently began manufacturing loudspeakers, with two models already available in its catalogue, both based on HEL bass diffusion technology. Rather than the smaller metal HELya, we chose to start by exploring the more imposing the Solen HELios, a large 48 cm tall bookshelf speaker, whose Scan-Speak drivers are complemented by attractive cherry wood side panels and a dual-filter system.
