Loudspeakers

Although the Almira is notionally a two-way, the minimalist crossover on the supertweeter arm (a single capacitor) ensures it behaves more like a 'full range' single driver enclosure with supplemented upper treble. Measured midway between the DX3 and tweeter the forward response [Graph 1] shows a significantly upturned trend with 'emphasis' at 900Hz, 2.4kHz and 9kHz (and the ultrasonic tweeter at 27.9kHz). The response errors are a huge ±13dB and ±10dB, respectively, only mildly exaggerated by the frame grille [blue trace], but the pair matching is a far tighter 1.7dB (200Hz-10kHz). The high treble extension is limited to 15.5kHz (–6dB re. 1kHz), but listen on the tweeter axis for a reduced treble [green trace] because the DX3's axis delivers the brightest output [orange]. In the bass, the folded quarter-wave 'Voigt horn' is tuned to 54Hz, and the DX3's 70Hz/–6dB roll-off stretched to a corrected extension of 45Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz).

Sensitivity is high but response errors influence the absolute figure: 95.4dB (1kHz) or 96.6dB (500Hz-8kHz), the latter more subjectively relevant. This is not achieved at the expense of a tough amplifier load as its impedance phase is largely benign above 200Hz (+6°/–30o). The minima of 10.7ohm/183Hz and gentle droop to 6.3ohm/20kHz – the latter with less influence in practice – are joined by 'gentle' EPDRs of 3.8ohm/16.4kHz and 4.4ohm/152Hz. However, both impedance/phase spectra reveal numerous resonances at 213Hz (quarterwave), 300Hz, 475Hz and 635Hz plus smaller modes extending up to 5kHz, the former also picked up on the nearfield response [see Graph 1]. The CSD waterfall [see Graph 2] is equally... colourful! PM