{"id":3417,"date":"2025-04-23T15:41:37","date_gmt":"2025-04-23T13:41:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/?p=3417"},"modified":"2025-04-23T15:41:38","modified_gmt":"2025-04-23T13:41:38","slug":"tt-pf2-signature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/tests\/types\/loudspeakers\/tt-pf2-signature\/","title":{"rendered":"T&T PF2 Signature"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The PF2 Signature is a new column speaker and now the brand’s flagship model. It is the result of eighteen months of development, during which every component of the speaker was re-examined. While the general philosophy of T&T remains the same, the FF2 Signature is completely new: drivers, cabinet design, filter, wiring… Each of these aspects has undergone extensive research to optimise it to an exceptional level. The goal is simple: to no longer listen by analysing the qualities of the system, however satisfying they may be, but to enjoy a direct, authentic, intense and unfiltered connection with the performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To discover these new speakers, we went to meet their creator, Pierre Faverieux, who gave us an insightful interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why the PF2?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pierre Faverieux: It’s a kind of ultimate testament to my expertise at this point in time. \u2018PF\u2019 stands for Pierre Faverieux and \u20182\u2019 for the second in the series (as there may be a more compact PF1 in the future). My aim was to create THE two-way floorstanding speaker that was still compact with minimal compromise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was the Nel Extr\u00eame not enough?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: The PF2 Signature is a passion project, so the retail price wasn’t a constraint at the outset. The Nel Extr\u00eame, as good as it is, is the high-end version of the Nel concept. The PF2 concept is more ambitious from the outset, with higher-quality speakers, exclusive wiring, and proprietary components and technologies in the cabinet design cabinet design, research into filtering, and more. The choice of a larger woofer (+35% radiating surface, +35% efficiency) with a high-level motor allows the PF2 Signature to adapt to living spaces up to 50 m2. The price point is significantly higher; the speaker is more ambitious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you tell us about the specifications?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: To make the best compact two-way column speaker to the best of my knowledge, with the aim of achieving natural sound reproduction, realism, versatility (different styles of music) and no technological\/electronic signature when listening. The aim is to no longer listen to speakers or a system, but only to the music and the atmosphere that goes with it. When I started my research, I didn’t set any limits on the budget. I told myself that I was going to develop the speaker of my dreams without any restrictions and see where it took me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was the first element you chose?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: The pair of speakers is the basis of the project: first, the 19 cm speaker was chosen for its large radiating surface, the lightness of its moving parts, the performance of its motor and the exceptional transparency qualities also linked to the material of the membrane. Then came the choice of tweeter, which had to harmonise with the 19 cm driver (crossover at 1.7 kHz). Beryllium was chosen for its fidelity, transparency, neutrality and lack of distortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did the choice of driver pair lead to the choice of other components?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: This initially determined the load volume (prototype with multiple bass reflex volume tests). Regarding the tweeter’s placement, several front panel tests were carried out, and the facets were defined to perfect the response. The 40 mm thick front panel slope optimises time alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"T&T<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why a laminar vent?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: The laminar vent is less flexible in terms of tuning, as an adjustable circular vent is easier to implement and allows for adjustments. However, the laminar vent was chosen because it optimises coupling with the internal volume and provides optimised time alignment. The physical constraints of the filter’s construction and installation associated with the laminar vent were taken into account from the outset of the PF2 project. The vent has a large cross-section (50 cm2) and is tuned to 36 Hz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regarding the cabinet itself, are there any specific features you would like to mention?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: The front tip is embedded in the thickness of the front panel, and two Hifistay Ballerino 60s provide counterpoint at the rear. Multiple plywood reinforcements are placed on the different axes of the cabinet. I have also developed a stationary wave suppression system for the midrange, which dissipates the rear energy of the driver without over-damping or muffling the sound. The low geometry of the cabinet has been designed to eliminate stationary waves in the upper bass range. The filter is placed in a closed compartment at the bottom of the speaker and is flexibly mounted on the cabinet. The filter weighs 3 kg per speaker. It was the focus of much of the development work, with research into different types of designs and correlation with numerous listening sessions. The aim is for the filter to be as unobtrusive as possible, with minimal power consumption and, above all, scrupulous adherence to timing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you think that the computing and research power of a large team would produce a different result from a single researcher coordinating the entire project?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: A team undoubtedly brings greater capacity for work and testing, but part of that time is also spent on cost optimisation and optimisation for industrialisation, which are ultimately much less of a priority for a single designer. A large team has to be made profitable through high sales volumes, which means mass production constraints. A single designer will focus more on optimising the listening experience and will certainly have more creative freedom. Even if the development resources are much lower, the advantage of a single designer is that they have a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the speaker (filtering, speakers, choice of components, connectivity, cabinet design, damping, etc.), and they can probably go further in the search for the perfect symbiosis of all these components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are two fundamentally different ways of working, with a result that will depend greatly on the people involved. Vision, conviction and a detailed understanding of the objective will be decisive in terms of the level of performance achieved. Finally, another difference is that a large team aims to satisfy the greatest number of people, the general public, while a single designer can afford to target a narrower niche in terms of sales volume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How long did it take you to complete this project?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: The gestation period was eighteen months, including three months of fine-tuning under real listening conditions. Ninety percent of the development was carried out on a single speaker so as not to be distracted by the soundstage and the pleasure factor. We initially focused solely on the tonal balance of the speaker and the behaviour of the filter. Stereo listening came at the very end of the development process, with fine adjustments (bass reflex tuning, filtering, internal damping). In summary: 45% for the design of the cabinet and internal damping, 45% for the filter, and 10% for fine tuning at the very end of development during listening tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you develop the cabinet?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

P. V.: The speaker is assembled on site at our premises using a press. The parts are machined on a five-axis CNC machine in the Dr\u00f4me region of France. I don’t use simulation software for the design. For the load volume and tuning, I calculate a \u2018theoretical\u2019 volume and tuning, then we carry out a series of measurements on the different volume\/tuning frequency combinations on a prototype cabinet to determine the combination that gives the best performance in the bass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the filter, we start with experiments, then fine-tune the filter iteratively through successive sessions of measurement and listening, trying to find the perfect balance while placing as few constraints as possible on the speaker. Obviously, measurement is essential for filter development, but the final subtleties are refined by listening. This explains the very high precision of the filter components, which is less than 1% on some key components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The set-up<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PF2 Signature speakers are worth the wait. When I carried out the test, there was only one pair available. So I took a high-speed train to Valence to investigate. I took all the time I needed to listen to them with a wide variety of music at different times. These are relatively compact and easy-to-place speakers, but they require the highest quality environment to reveal their full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine a vast window opening onto your musical world, a perspective you’ve never experienced before. This is usually the kind of experience you get at a concert or at the High End show in Munich on an oversized system. But I just had this experience in a 40 m\u00b2 room with 4 m high ceilings and a pair of compact two-way floorstanding speakers. A miracle? An auditory hallucination? None of the above, just a thorough listening session with the new T&T PF2 Signature speakers. When it comes to sound reproduction, appreciating a true three-dimensional image is one of the most abstract and least straightforward concepts to grasp. However, when the listener is confronted with a credible holographic space, the brain immediately decodes this set of data, giving the listener a feeling of completeness in their sensory experience. The true, beautiful, authentic three-dimensional image is rarely revealed to the audiophile, and when it does, the experience leaves a lasting impression on the memory of its lucky recipient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PF2 Signature speakers have many qualities, but it is their spatial universe that sets them apart from most electrodynamic speakers. They are in fact much closer to models such as the exquisite Diptyque DP160 km2. With just about any signal, they generate a wide and deep continuous sound wave between the left of the left speaker and the right of the right speaker, without the slightest gap, drop-out or momentary inconsistency. There is no break in the perspective of the performers on stage. Listening to opera with the PF2 Signature is a wonderful pleasure and a delightful experience that you will want to prolong for hours on end. The spatial positioning of the musicians is hyper-focused. Experience has taught us that both channels are essential for spatial reproduction. But here, we reach new heights of accuracy and, above all, consistency in movement, as we can follow the musicians’ movements with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"T&T<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second invaluable virtue of the PF2 Signature has to do with their clarity, and I have chosen this term deliberately because, like pure, transparent water, these speakers extend the clarity so far that the eye seems to embrace infinity and push back the boundaries. Anything that could blur the message is systematically eliminated so that the listener can enjoy the music without being disturbed by electronic noise. The extent of the electromagnetic fog in which we have been immersed since the advent of wireless networks seems ineffective in this case, as the PF2 Signature speakers appear to be immune to it. This is excellent news: the recorded music is all the more pure and exquisite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This quest for the depth of silence has remarkable repercussions on the dynamic performance, which is quite simply one of the best in the world at any price level. This explosive dynamics makes all messages (from the simplest to the most complex) incredibly spectacular. Although the PF2 Signature speakers are very easy to drive, make sure your amplifier has a solid power supply, as the level differences at realistic volumes will be staggering. I took immense pleasure in listening to difficult tracks at high volumes, at the risk of scaring Pierre Faverieux, who has seen it all. Don’t panic: I didn’t break anything!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was with great pleasure that we spent a long time enjoying these new PF2 Signature speakers, which have proven to be fantastic acoustic speakers. The sound they deliver is inversely proportional to their relatively compact size. Similarly, their simple appearance belies the harmonic richness and fantastic expressiveness they are capable of delivering. These are speakers of immense quality that do credit to French electroacoustics. They have absolutely no reason to shy away from extremely reputable international competition whose reputation has spread far beyond national borders. However, in this price range, we cannot recommend highly enough that you include the PF2 Signature in your list of potential choices. They deserve it hands down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author<\/strong>: Laurent Thorin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technical sheet: T&T PF2 Signature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Origin<\/strong>: France<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Price<\/strong>: \u20ac34,300<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Dimensions<\/strong>: 1045 with feet, x 230 x 326 mm<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Weight<\/strong>: 30 kg<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Impedance<\/strong>: 8 ohms linearized<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Load<\/strong>: 25 l, tuned to 36 Hz, laminar vent under the cabinet<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Sensitivity<\/strong>: 86 dB (2.8 V\/1 m)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Frequency<\/strong> response at -3 sdB: 40 Hz \u2013 25 kHz on axis<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The PF2 Signature is a new column speaker and now the brand’s flagship model. It is the result of eighteen months of development, during which every component of the speaker was re-examined. While the general philosophy of T&T remains the same, the FF2 Signature is completely new: drivers, cabinet design, filter, wiring… Each of these […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3433,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,70,35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-loudspeakers","category-tt","category-tests"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3417\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}