A year ago, the Montalban-based manufacturer brought us its DP 107, a wonderfully musical loudspeaker in a relatively small footprint. It was a breath of fresh air for isodynamic speakers. But Diptyque was already working in secret on a new uncompromising creation. Previewed at the recent Munich show, the Diptyque Audio Reference is the quintessence of its research. With its elegant lines created by Anthony Henry, a new recruit to the team, and equipped with a patented new technology, the new Référence is one of the most ambitious creations on the high-end planet.
Diptyque Audio was born of the combined efforts of two hi-fi enthusiasts, Gilles Douziech and Éric Poix. Constantly on the lookout for the ultimate sound, over the years they have explored the various technologies that can be applied to its reproduction. From classic electrodynamics to electrostatics and conventional ribbon technology, none of these technologies fully met their expectations. Only isodynamics, also known as magnetostatic loudspeakers, seemed a promising choice. All the more so as Éric Poix’s mastery of ultra-resistant structures offered the possibility of envisaging new mechanical solutions for designing such transducers. The design of extremely rigid frames allows, among other things, perfect diaphragm tension, which is essential for exceptional reproduction quality.
What’s more, Diptyque Audio has constantly improved this technology as it has designed numerous prototypes. One major modification involves the use of powerful bipolar magnets placed on either side of the membrane so that the magnetic circuits it carries are bathed in a constant field as they move. This architecture, known as Push Pull Bipolar Magnet, guarantees perfect control of the membrane’s movements.
Although this technology is very tricky to implement, it has a number of advantages when it comes to designing large, flat loudspeakers. Firstly, the diffusion of a plane wave from a large surface moving homogeneously guarantees a sensation of sound immersion without the effect of sound projection. In addition, the dipole operation of such loudspeakers recreates the spatialisation of sound necessary to recreate the behaviour of a concert hall. What’s more, the use of ultra-thin, 12-micron-thick Mylar cones guarantees a lively temperament. Finally, the absence of cabinetry, and therefore of acoustic load, eliminates the ‘box’ effect at the root of certain undesirable colourations.
Was the ideal loudspeaker born? Not yet, at least in the eyes of Gilles Douziech and Éric Poix. It was during the period of confinement in March 2020 that their minds, freed of all urgent considerations, began to wander once again, to design the ultimate loudspeaker, without compromise, capable of reproducing the entire audible spectrum, from infra-bass to ultrasound, with all the naturalness, speed and transparency that only isodynamic technology is capable of delivering consistently. As chance would have it, it was precisely at this time that sound engineer Philippe Teissier du Cros, a long-standing friend, had the idea of getting back in touch with Gilles Douziech and Éric Poix to discuss their latest research. At their request, he enthusiastically took part. The Reference specifications were drawn up. All the existing solutions, particularly in terms of bass reproduction, were called into question and optimised until powerful, controlled bass was achieved.
This research and innovation led to the development of a brand new patented technology known as ‘Crossed Push Pull’. Each bass cell is driven by two independent coils, one vertical and one horizontal. This exclusive technology allows the mylar membrane to be set in vibration by hundreds of small square motors. This choice of ‘cross push-pull’ allows the vibration of the membrane to be controlled without distortion. What’s more, these dual coils optimise the filtering so that the extreme low and low frequencies operate in a cross push-pull mode, while the low-midrange is progressively driven by a single coil.
CThese specific features guarantee highly linear, distortion-free low frequencies, while offering far greater efficiency than existing isodynamic systems.
For the midrange section, as is traditional at Diptyque Audio, a specific midrange transducer has been designed. It is based on a new 20 mm isodynamic ribbon that covers a wide spectrum from 600 to 7,000 Hz. Finally, to reproduce the extreme high frequencies, an 8 mm pure aluminium super tweeter ensures reproduction beyond 24,000 Hz.
The set up
We had the opportunity to listen to the Référence in an appropriate environment at Philippe Teissier du Cros, in the company of Gilles Douziech. Our warmest thanks to them. The entire system was particularly well thought out. The sources consisted of a Bergmann Galder turntable (with its Van Den Hul Condor cartridge) and a Nagra CDP CD player, combined with a Devialet 1000 Pro amplification system. In these conditions, the Reference performed optimally. But we know, thanks to the various tests carried out by the brand, that it is possible to use a good number of other amplifiers to obtain a quite remarkable result. The only real precaution to take is to make sure you have a large enough listening room. We estimate that the Reference will perform ideally from 50 m² with a good ceiling height. That’s the prerequisite for getting the most out of these new speakers.
The sound of the Diptyque Audio Reference
Since we started out in hi-fi, we’ve had the opportunity to listen to most of what’s being done on the planet in terms of acoustic panels, those large flat speakers that operate in dipole mode, whether electrostatic, isodynamic or ribbon. So when a French brand like Diptyque Audio decides to create isodynamic loudspeakers capable of competing with the best in the world, we can only applaud with both hands. We loved the little DP 77s, we adored the new DP 107s just over a year ago, and now we’re discovering the majestic Référence. First of all, we are struck by the progress that the French manufacturer has made between its very first model and its contemporary products. Whether it’s the DP 107 or the Référence, we’re in the presence of a particularly accomplished and successful technological model. We had the very pleasant opportunity of a long and varied private listening session with the Référence. This experience allowed us to realise just how capable this huge transducer is of reproducing recorded music on a large scale. The way you think about sound reproduction in your own home has been turned upside down. Your points of reference are bound to be turned upside down. In this case, the listener is no longer confronted at all with the experience that electrodynamic loudspeakers can provide. With the Reference, sound occupies the listening room on a very large scale and without limitation. It is very large, very airy, extremely individualised, in the sense that each of the multiple components of the sound message is perfectly placed in space according to the choices made by the sound engineer. In fact, this above-average transparency provides a significant differentiation between the various recordings you can enjoy with these loudspeakers. Each new track corresponds to a very specific sound universe: the one that the musician wanted to explore and share. For example, on one of our favourite recordings, of Jean-Louis Trintignant beautifully declaiming a Boris Vian poem, on Daniel Mille’s album L’Attente, the sound experience is inimitable. And yet we were able to try out this track on a multitude of different loudspeakers. But this is the first time we’ve experienced it with such intensity. This is probably because the Reference is capable of reproducing the human voice with an innate lack of colouration. We’ve had exactly the same impression listening to an album by Laurie Anderson with Lou Reed, or madrigals by Claudio Monteverdi. The sensation of presence is remarkable, because not only do all the voices have a particular substance, but the differentiation between the different planes and backgrounds is phenomenally precise. The absence of distortion and compression means that you can listen very hard to sometimes harsh passages without any harshness. Which is totally paradoxical! As the listening session goes on, you get the unique sensation of enjoying fantastically airy, intelligible listening. The soundstage reproduced by the Reference is unique. This sense of immersion and involvement in the spatial architecture of the sound reinforces the understanding of the profound nature of the recordings. Listening to a symphony in concert allows you to perceive the sound of the hall, the ambience, the atmosphere, with exceptional acuity. If we had to point out just one flaw in the masterly performance of these extraordinary sound reproducers, it would not be something directly linked to their operation, but to its consequences. Indeed, the transparency is such that this acoustic system does not do any favours to poor sound recording. Recordings that are a little contentious are immediately identified.
Our conclusion
Listening to these isodynamic panels is a unique and highly addictive experience. Once you’ve started, it’s very hard to stop… You go from record to record in a frenzy, and from delight to delight. First and foremost, we must pay tribute to the technical achievement that went into the creation of the Diptyque Audio Reference. The research and development work has been long and thorough. Our congratulations go to the creators of this extraordinary product. What excited us most about listening to this product was its ability to make us forget the hardware and plunge deeper into the heart of recorded music. It goes beyond the simple concept of hi-fi equipment to become an emotional vector. This is a major achievement at an elitist price, but one that represents a major advance in French acoustics. The new Reference systems are obviously not for everyone, far from it. They will inevitably be out of reach of the greatest number, but they are also aimed at discerning listeners ready to grasp the treasures of refinement of which they are capable.
Author: Laurent Thorin
Technical sheet: DIPTYQUE AUDIO Reference
- Origin: France
- Price : €44,000
- Dimensions : 1,800 x 650 x 45 mm
- Weight : 82 kg
- Number of channels : 3.5
- Sensitivity: 89 dB/W/m
- Frequency response: 22 Hz to 24 kHz
- Power handling: 300 W
