Loudspeakers

A cursory glance at the Spoey230's on-axis response [see Graph 1, below] indicates the output of the '230mm subwoofer' rolls steeply away above 800Hz (–3dB) following a peak at 620Hz that's coincident with a driver/box mode [see CSD waterfall, Graph 2]. While AudioTechnology's specification for the native driver indicates a far more extended midband response, here the 5-10dB drop in mid/presence output is inescapable before the 20mm soft-dome Hiquphon tweeter builds above 4kHz and restores output >8kHz. Lu Kang suggests a notional 2.3kHz crossover but our measurements indicate this is a lower 1.9kHz.

This broad trough is responsible for the high ±5.8dB and ±5.7dB response errors – increasing to ±7.1dB with the grille in place [blue trace, Graph 1] – but the two speakers are otherwise impressively matched to within 1.2dB. Bass is also thoughtfully tuned with the LF driver offering a broad 60Hz-345Hz (–3dB) output, reinforced at 44Hz by the reflex port to deliver a very useful, diffraction-corrected bass extension of 37Hz (–6dB) [green shaded area, Graph 1].

Lu Kang specifies a modest 86.5dB sensitivity and 8ohm impedance for the Spoey230, the former reduced in practice by the attenuated middle octaves to yield 84.1dB/1kHz and, rather closer, 85.9dB as an average across 500Hz-8kHz. But the Spoey 230 really is a genuine 8ohm speaker – a rarity these days – as its impedance drops to a mere 7.9ohm/165Hz with two other minima of 8.15ohm at 43Hz and 10.2kHz. Swings in phase angle are a symmetrical ±50o with the modulus never dropping below 17ohm here, so this will be a doddle for any amp to drive. PM