Verdict
Audiovector may have gone back to its roots with the Trapeze reimagined , but this is so much more than a pleasant perambulation down Memory Lane …
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Revisiting former glories . Doing the greatest hit . However you need to compose it , the hi - fi industry has been looking back in an attempt to move forward for quite a while now – and Audiovector is the latest fellowship to delve into its back catalog in social club to produce a brand fresh product .
The Trapeze was the very first Audiovector loudspeaker system , launched back in 1979 – so is this young version really ‘ Reimagined ’ or is it just an drill in nostalgia ?
Design
In a world of homogenous loudspeaker design , the Audiovector Trapeze Reimagined are no less striking and individual where the look is concerned than I imagine the original model was getting on for 50 eld ago . Individualistic does n’t really start to cover it .
As the photos affirm , the Trapeze Ri ( which is Audiovector ’s preferred elbow room of describing this model , and is mercifully much easier to type at the same metre ) are not two identical speakers . Each mirrors the other in term of the slant at which they present their number one wood , and as such there ’s a definite ‘ leftover ’ and ‘ right ’ -channel speaker in each pair .
And quite aside from the judge angularity of each locker , they ’re also on the stubby side where floorstanding speakers are concerned . At 875 x 435 x 420 mm ( HWD ) they ’re irregular in every direction – but in any of the uncommitted last ( bleak ash tree , white silk , Italian walnut or Nordic oak ) the Trapeze Ri create a striking impression .
And the standard of build and finis is well up to the standard the request price demands , too – the actual wood veneering is flawless , the legion edges and angle are crisp , and the silver trim at the bottom of the locker is thoroughly - looking too . Even the verbaliser last shell on the back and the screws holding the gadget driver surrounds in spot seem upmarket .
Specification
The Audiovector Trapeze Ri is a three - way excogitation – from the top down , each loudspeaker boast a 3800 mm² Air Motion Transformer ( AMT ) to deal with high frequency , a 130 mm treat paper cone shape midrange driver and a 300 mm care for paper strobile bass driver . There ’s also a 200 mm cover paper cone bass driver inside the storage locker that ’s configured to make an isobaric readiness - up with its visible mate .
Each of the seeable orbitual drivers features a corrugate surroundings in an effort , according to Audiovector , to liberate maximum speeding and dynamics . The AMT tweeter unit , meanwhile , has long been an Audiovector preoccupancy – the companionship is convinced of its expansive dispersion characteristic and also favor it for its low distortion and even lower mass . The fact that it delivers a little ocular dramatic play does n’t do any damage , either .
At the rear of each storage locker there is a single twain of speaker - cable binding posts . There ’s also a three - spot switch on the same plate , which proffer some adjustment to help match the talker to the damping broker of the amplifier that ’s drive them .
And the plate also features a post for a grounding cable that connects to the earth terminal of the briny supply – Audiovector suggests that anchor the speakers this way can minimise the distortion the physical movement of the driver can induce . When the Trapeze Ri first launched , Audiovector very boldly wanted £ 625 for its Freedom Grounding cable – jubilantly , it has reckon the mistake of having price option available on a £ 15500 dyad of loudspeakers and now the line is part of the package .
There are also two round venthole on the rear of the locker . The high - up of the two allows the backward sound of the AMT to contribute to the overall auditory sensation , the other is a reflex larboard for the home bass driver .
Audiovector says this entire arrangement results in a loudspeaker of 8 ohms nominal impedance and sensitiveness of 88dB / watt / m. Which should present no form of electrical challenge to any amplifier deemed appropriate to drive loudspeaker system as expensive and high - achieving as these .
Sound Quality
With just one meaningful exception , the direction the Audiovector Trapeze Reimagined perform is thoroughly and uncomplicatedly impressive . It does n’t count the sorting of medicine you wish to take heed to , these speakers get to the marrow of it in the most lineal and unequivocal manner .
At the top of the frequency range , that ATM arrangement serves up ternary sounds with absolute positivity . There ’s ample snack and shine to the top ending here , but even if you play at considerable bulk ( and be assured the Audiovector are more than happy to play at considerable volume ) it never lean into hardness or brightness .
There ’s message to the treble as well as brilliance , in addition to an absolute stack of detail both broad and o.k. . The dynamic variations in a top end - centric transcription like Laurie Anderson ’s Let X = X / It Tango are express to the full , with oomph to spare and impeccably label tonality .
The midrange is equally informatory , evenly convincing and equally unmediated in its introduction . The clarity and nakedness the Trapeze Ri give to a written matter of Arooj Aftab ’s Last Night is almost startling , and the rapidity and reactivity of that midrange driver are n’t far behind . Tonality is approaching ideal inasmuch as it ’s alone uncolored and realistic , and the second - stage moral force ostensibly in her nigh - mic’d vocal and given beautifully judged emphasis .
And it probably wo n’t come as all that much of a surprise , turn over the thorough nature of the low - frequency arrangement here , to learn that the Audiovector are capable of absolutely implacable bass power . They exhibit considerable extension , hit implacably hard , and are as tight and see at the bottom end as the very undecomposed of their terms - comparable challenger . rhythmical locution is never in doubt , speed and momentum are prodigious , and there ’s very gratifying variation in the bass voice presence available here – the Trapeze Ri are inordinately insightful as well as smoothing iron - fisted . sporting , forceful and accurate , the low - frequency bodily process these speaker system bring forth is thrillingly complete .
Despite the bit of number one wood deploy here , integrating and frequency reply is legato and convincing – the crossing over points are basically unperceivable . This has the knocking - on effect of making timing , the unity and togetherness of the intro , something approach impeccable – the uniqueness of the overall presentation has to be heard to be consider . And the tonic balance the speakers come to is likewise positive and convincing – the lack of colouration the Audiovector impose means the Trapeze Ri do n’t seem to have any meaningful stimulus in this esteem .
Elsewhere , The Trapeze Ri are just as sure-footed and just as impressive . Their management of tempos is remarkable – no matter the requirement of the material , the Audiovector deal with it coherently and they have the ability to justswingwhen material demands it . The lop - sided dub of King Tubby , some Quincy Jones ’ Bossa Nova , the four - four boom - bap of Amon Tobin – it ’s all the same to these speakers . And the amount of dynamical dynamic headroom they shew is singular , the length they ’re able to put between hushed and gimcrack is astonishing .
And the soundstage they can create is persuasive too . Even complex material is lay out carefully , with proper attention pay to spaces just as to elements of a recording – and every participant get more than enough elbow - room in which to express themselves .
The Audiovector are n’t the most heroic speaker this sort of money can purchase , though – at no point does the phone ever really get out the out edges of the speaker locker , and consequently they can sound marginally minuscule - scale where some rivals go bighearted and immersive . But as for other shortcomings … no , I ’ve find nothing .
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Should you buy it?
If you like a little ocular dramatic event to go along with your barnstorming - yet - agile - and - communicative sound quality
You ’re not prepared to spend harmonious amounts of money on seed equipment , cables and everything else
Final Thoughts
You might have considered the Audiovector Trapeze Reimagined to be a design exercising and a straightforward ‘ this is where we ’re follow from ’ fax of a legendary merchandise from back in the twenty-four hour period .
And to be fairish , they are – but they ’re also so much more . Which just goes to prove you ca n’t judge a Good Book by its cover , even if its covering look mildly bonkers .
If the Trapeze Ri is just too bonkers , though , it almost goes without sound out that £ 15500 or thereabouts corrupt some extremely equal to alternatives . Bowers & Wilkins ’ 804 D4 floorstanders , for instance , are hugely telling for their £ 14000 asking price , and altogether more conventional in appearing than the Audiovector . And you should also consider the Sonus faber Olympica Nova V – in terms of the amount of ( beautifully crafted and delicately finished ) cabinet your £ 15 K buys they ’re well worth it , and that ’s before you conceive their beautiful and exquisite strait …
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We quiz every hi - fi speaker system we critique thoroughly over an extended period of time . We practice industriousness - standard tests to liken feature decently . We ’ll always recite you what we find . We never , ever , take money to review a product .
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FAQs
Yes , there is – it ’s magnetically attached and covers the total front baffle . I ’m tempted to ask why you ’d want to cover the front of a speaker that depend like this , though …
Audiovector aver it ’s to help prevent damage to the cabinet from vacuum cleaners and the like .
Audiovector is well-chosen to paint your duad of Trapeze Ri in any ‘ piano ’ colouration you care . It ’ll be you , brain …
