Bookshelf Speakers — Chario AVIATOR GHIBLI

The Aviator Ghibli is the more compact bookshelf design within the Aviator series from Chario, an Italian loudspeaker maker whose cabinets are handmade near Milan. In the same family it sits next to the larger Nobile stand-mount, while the Aria, Cielo and Amelia models and the Balbo centre channel complete the range. Australian list pricing was AUD 5,499 per pair, and the maker covers it with a five-year worldwide guarantee and keeps spare parts available for 15 years after a model is discontinued.

Key specs that matter

A 38 mm tweeter sits in a T38 waveguide, and a 130 mm woofer uses a ROHACELL Full-Apex Poly-Ring cone driven by a neodymium-iron-boron motor. The fourth-order crossover hands over at 1,270 Hz. Sensitivity is rated at 87 dB SPL, normalised to 1 m and 2.83 V with pink noise to the ITU-R BS 1116-1 method. Nominal impedance is 8 ohm with a minimum of 6.2 ohm at 200 Hz, and the phase angle stays within plus or minus 36 degrees from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Low-frequency cutoff is 60 Hz at -3 dB. Each cabinet is 400 mm tall, 180 mm wide and 270 mm deep, with a weight of 8 kg.

Engineering and use context

Chario calls the layout a Reversed Array, or reversed vertical alignment - the woofer is mounted above the tweeter rather than below it, which the company links to more precise bass output. Because the waveguide lets the tweeter work down to an unusually low frequency, the woofer is relieved of the upper midrange, and Chario states that this low hand-over point removes phase distortion in the midrange band. The enclosure combines high-density fibreboard with solid Italian walnut side panels to keep it rigid and damped. Bass loading is Chario's vented NRS type, and the port fires downward from the base, leaving the baffle and rear panel free of vents. The speaker is intended for stands but can also work as a monitor on a desk or inside a bookshelf, and dedicated Chario stands are offered as an option.

Pairing

Chario suggests amplifiers of up to 100 W average power. With an impedance curve that stays well above 4 ohm, the Ghibli places a gentle electrical demand on solid-state or valve designs alike, but the moderate efficiency means a low-output amplifier will reach its limit sooner than it would with a more sensitive speaker. Buyers who prefer a freestanding position can order the matching stands rather than a generic support.

Alternatives

The Chario Aviator Nobile offers a bigger Aviator bookshelf cabinet, using a 160 mm Rohacell woofer and rated at 90 dB sensitivity.