Loudspeakers

An inverted woofer/tweeter layout is designed to equalise the respective path lengths to the listener, but also demands a fine off-axis HF response uniformity. Canton’s asymmetric waveguide for its 25mm alloy tweeter is part of the solution [grey trace, Graph 1], while also ensuring a strong output, particularly above 10kHz, when the Reference 9 is auditioned on, or above, the 174mm bass/mid unit’s axis [see Graph 1]. Although the forward response is still slightly dished, it’s possible to ‘tweak’ the shape above 3kHz via the ‘±’ treble settings at the rear, offering a ±0.8dB adjustment [green traces, Graph 1]. Otherwise, we’ve seen the multiple, narrowband peaks and dips from these drivers before in the Reference 7, particularly at 700Hz, and which are also reflected on the CSD waterfall [Graph 2], though the treble unit is cleaner and with a fair 30kHz extension (–6dB re. 10kHz). Response errors are still low at ±2.9dB (re. 200kHz-20kHz) and pair matching is spectacular at 0.2dB if we ignore the 2.1dB ‘step’ difference above 15kHz. The (treble) grille brings its own variations from 5-10kHz [blue trace, Graph 1].

Sensitivity is bang-on Canton’s 87dB specification at both 1kHz and 500Hz-8kHz although the ‘4-8ohm’ impedance rating is busted between 26-62Hz where it falls below 4ohm, reaching a minimum of 3.5ohm/31Hz. There’s also a big dip in phase angle to –59° at 12Hz which helps keep the EPDR below 4ohm from 8Hz all the way up to 1kHz, and delivers a current-hungry low of 1.4ohm at 26Hz. That said, bass output is limited to a diffraction-corrected 49Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz) even with the potent port tuning at this same frequency. PM